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SITE INDEX
Submarine Veterans On Mission To Pentagon
April 4, 2002The Admiral said to the group of men before him, "So, you guys are down here on vacation?".
"No, Admiral.", Ray Comeau said with a serious tone. "We came here on a mission. We came here to see you.". These men from United States Submarine Veterans – Marblehead Base came to Washington DC on a mission. They came to honor the 189 men and women who lost their lives at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
The idea was simple enough. A plaque – submarine dolphins mounted on a polished wood backing with the inscription: In honor of our brothers and sisters who lost their lives at the Pentagon Sept.11, 2001. May their memory forever be in our hearts. - would be made by some of the members from Marblehead Base. This plaque would express the sorrow felt by Marblehead Base of the tragic loss of life at the Pentagon. It would also provide support for those who survived the terrorist attack and continue in their duties there. The idea was brought before the members at a monthly meeting and unanimously passed. It was decided that a delegation would be sent to Washington, DC to present the plaque to an appropriate person. There was no shortage of volunteers for the delegation. Through the efforts of Ray Comeau, base vice commander Don Femino, Jim Hanson and Ed Preczewski, the idea became a reality.
LT. Jim Cowen, from the Chief of Naval Operations’ Public Affairs Office, contacted Don Femino regarding the presentation. LT. Cowen stated that RADM Paul F. Sullivan, USN, Director, Submarine Warfare would be honored to accept the plaque on behalf of the Navy. With all the details ironed out, a group of 11 men made the trip from Massachusetts to Washington, DC on April 3, 2002. The trip was made in three cars from three different locations. All three cars made it safely and on time. After touring the city, they spent the night a short distance from the Pentagon.
The next morning LT. Cowen accompanied the Subvets to Admiral Sullivan’s offices in Crystal City, a few blocks from the Pentagon. His offices at the Pentagon were damaged during the terrorist attack and they are now under reconstruction. Security, as expected, was tight but everyone waited patiently during the screening process. The group was ushered into a conference room while an aide informed the Admiral of their arrival. Admiral Sullivan entered and greeted each one of the Subvets individually. The plaque was officially presented to the Admiral. He said he was honored to accept it and it would be displayed in a place of prominence in the rebuilt section of the Pentagon. He mentioned that three of the victims were submarine qualified. The Admiral went on to say that the submarine force is well equipped and trained to carry out its duty in response to the terrorist attacks and threats around the world. After many pictures, Admiral Sullivan spent time with the group swapping sea stories and answering questions
about today’s Navy. One of his staff remarked the Admiral spent much more time than was allotted for the meeting. "He had a great time with you guys. It really made his day!", he said.After the presentation, the group traveled over to the Pentagon. There, they were given a personal tour conducted by two servicemen from the Honor Guard section of the Pentagon. These young men gave a great tour of the Department of Defense’s headquarters. The regular tour lasts roughly 45 minutes. The Subvet’s tour went on for over two hours. It was outstanding!
Vice commander Don Femino correctly put the mission in perspective. He said that part of the Creed of the United States Submarine Veterans states: "To perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of their duties while serving their country". This creed rings true today as it did when the organization was founded 38 years ago. It was the motivation and the inspiration of the Marblehead Base delegation’s trip to Washington, DC.
This page was update: October 06, 2005
