Update on Deterrent
Park
update by PATRICK F HOUSEHOLDER
[PATRICK_HOUSEHOLDER@prodigy.net]
This is a status report on the progress at Deterrent Park, Bangor Sub Base, Silverdale, WA and a request for tax deductible donations.
When complete, Deterrent Park will be a Gift to the Navy to honor all submariners on the 100th Anniversary of the Submarine Force in April 2000.
The Pacific Northwest Submarine Heritage Association (PNWSHA) is a 501.c.3 Tax-Exempt Organization registered with and accountable to the IRS. It is also a Washington State registered charity and non-profit corporation. Donations are tax deductible. There are no paid staff and no paid fundraiser personnel. All non-construction work, (and so far, much of the construction), is done by volunteers. The Association's only expenses are construction costs and a very small advertising budget.
It is PNWSHA's hope that Deterrent Park will help educate the thousands of tourists, scouts, sea cadets and students who visit Sub Base Bangor each year on organized tours. The placement of Deterrent Park also stands as a constant reminder to the hundreds of Active Duty Submarine Crew, and Support Personnel stationed at Bangor of the service and sacrifice of those who have gone before.
Deterrent Park will be a stage for future crew reunions, promotion and award ceremonies, reenlistments, retirements, and Memorial Day weekend ceremonies in honor of all U.S. submarines on "eternal patrol.
As you probably know, the park is being built with private money. The Pacific Northwest Submarine Heritage Association (PNWSHA) is an all-volunteer non-profit, tax-exempt organization with no payroll and no paid fundraisers. The Association needs about $100,000 to complete the submarine hull and lay the engraved commemorative bricks.
A number of corporate sponsorship gifts have been made to date, including three for $1000 each by the WOODROW WILSON Association, the JAMES MONROE Association, and the BREMERTON BASE of U.S. SUBVETS, INC.
There is also a vigorous campaign to attract sponsorship from the builders and contractors who built, repaired and maintained our boats, as well as a campaign to attract sponsorship from Puget Sound area businesses and corporations.
Corporate sponsorships are available at three levels:
CAPTAIN - $250
COMMODORE - $1000
ADMIRAL - $5000For additional corporate sponsorship information please call PNWSHA
Treasurer John Ghiselin at (360) 692-8151, or
PNWSHA President, Mike Gray at (360) 396-6995.Your tax deductible donations will be gratefully accepted. An donation form is attached to this message for use if you wish to purchase & donate a brick. Perhaps your company has a gift matching program? Please mail your donations to:
Pacific NW Submarine Heritage Association
PO Box 6365
Silverdale, WA 98315-6365The grounds are prepared and the Sail of WOODROW WILSON is installed and painted. It looks sharp. There is not enough money to build the whole park yet, however. The park is being constructed in three phases.
Phase I: This involves the preparation of the grounds and the installation of the sail and rudder in position where they appeared on the now dismantled and recycled submarine. The plan is to finish Phase I by installing the WOODROW WILSON rudder and complete the touch up work on the WOODROW WILSON sail. The rudder will be mounted in the same manner as the sail and should be installed by March 1, 2000. This will complete Phase I.
Phase II: This involves the construction of a concrete outline of the hull and placement of engraved bricks to make up the missile deck. Due to a shortage of funds and the nearness of the April 28, 2000 dedication date, it was decided to bypass construction of the submarine hull (Phase II) until there is enough money to move forward.
Phase III: The decision has been made to complete Phase III prior to Phase II, which is the ceremonial area and walkways. This is brick construction and it is within the capability of our local Seabee unit to do the work as a training project. This phase will be completed prior to the dedication date.
This effort by the Seabees will save the Association a ton of money. The Association merely has to buy the concrete and bricks. We will also be placing a MK 14 torpedo on display as a memorial to all boats on "eternal patrol." The torpedo is being refurbished at the Keyport Undersea Warfare Center by an eager group of young torpedomen. The support cradles will be built by a retired construction foreman whose brother-in-law was lost in submarines in WWII. We hope to place a bronze plaque with the names of every boat lost in war and peace. We are seeking a sponsor for this plaque. Perhaps your group would like to sponsor the plaque. We need to move on it immediately if we are going to have it on hand in time for the dedication ceremony.
Visit our Website at http://pnwsha.hypermart.net/ for more information and photos of the works to date.
Deterrent Park will be dedicated at 1100 on Friday, 28 April. A Boats on Eternal Patrol Ceremony will be conducted at 1100 on Friday 26 May. The submarine hull will still not be done by then, but the other work described above should be done. The Association will continue to move forward as money becomes available.
We hope to see you at both events if you can make it.
For more information contact: CDR Angus McColl, COMSUBGROUP 9 Training Officer at (360) 396-6568 or email Commander McColl is the the PNWSHA's active duty liaison officer.