TO: All Base Commanders

Shipmates,

About two weeks ago, I tried sending this information to all of you base commanders by e-mail. It was a dismal failure. Some of you didn't get the letter, some got it 2 or 3 times and others couldn't open the letter. In the future, all parade info will be posted on our web site www.albanysaratogasubvets.com. We will keep the Parade area updated monthly or more frequently if "breaking news" develops.

Things are happening fast. For example, a couple of nights ago I was offered 3 vintage cars to use in the parade. About two weeks ago, my son, Tom, and I stopped for a fish fry lunch and I was almost attacked by a gentleman who is a mentor for Civil Air Patrol cadets (I was wearing my TANG (SS-563) hat). We talked a little about submarines; he is a submarine history nut. I told him about our convention and he wanted to know if his cadets could march in our parade. I told him that I was not sure at this point. I wound up with a negotiation: If he could get us a flyover, I would give him a place in the parade. Don’t be surprised if we have a flyover and a bunch of CAP cadets marching with us.

At a Convention 2004 meeting last week CAPT Dupuoy, USN Ret. was a guest. He is the former CO of the carrier Abe Lincoln. I took the opportunity to see if he could get us a fighter flyover. He will let me know.

I decided that the Line of March should follow along the line used at the Olympics. The first Base Unit will be Groton Base, the 1^st in USSVI, followed by Albany-Saratoga Base and the other NYS Bases (at the request of our Base CO because many of our members have other duties but also want to be in the parade). Then, each state in alphabetical order. I’m also contacting WWII Chapters around the country to ask them to march and give them the choice of marching as separate units or joining the USSVI units with which they have a kinship. The Ladies Sub Vettes Base is also joining our parade.

At present, we have 6 boat floats and I’m negotiating for 2 more. Hopefully, we’ll get them. We will have a contingent from the Navy Band from Newport, RI. They will play at a concert on Friday, Sept. 17 and march in the parade on Saturday, Sept. 18. In addition, we are trying to get 5 or 6 more bands for a total of 7 or 8.

I plan to have as many cars as we can get for those who have problems walking. A nephew belongs to a local car club thinks that he can get quite a few convertibles for those of us who have been ravaged by time.. The parade route is between 0.6 and 0.8 miles long, depending on where the Parade Co-ordinator starts the parade. Jerry Wells, a member of the Saratoga Elks, is the parade co-ordinator; he's been doing this for a number of years and is very adept at it. The line-up will be such that the first unit in order will be the farthest from the starting point. The last units to start will see the early units go by and the early starters can wait at the finish point to see the parade. This permits all the units to see the entire parade go by.

The NYS Military Museum in Saratoga Springs will have a submarine memorabilia display the week of the convention. The parade floats will be put on display in the museum as they arrive during the week. We also plan to have some submarine lectures at the museum during the week. If any of your members have an interesting presentation, verbal, slides or video tapes, let me know the subject, who the presenter is, how long the presentation is, what equipment they need and how many times they can do this. We already have a couple lined up. The museum is located about 2 blocks off Broadway. I will provide a map at a later date.

We want to honor the oldest WWII and USSVI (not WWII) Sub Vets. In order to do this, we request that you ask your more senior members to volunteer their names and ages and that you fill out the attached questionnaire for the three oldest who have plans to come. I am also requesting this information from WWII Chapters. Getting 3 names covers us in case the oldest member has a change in plans. Included with this letter is a form which can be filled out and returned to me by e-mail. This is kind of like the lottery, you can't win if you don't buy a ticket.

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. I will try to answer them to the best of my ability. We at Albany-Saratoga Base are looking forward to a great submarine parade: the first in the 40 years of USSVI, to the best of our knowledge.

Fraternally,

Robert J. Ondek
Albany-Saratoga Base, USSVI
Convention 2004 Parade Chairman
USS IREX (SS-482)
USS TANG (SS-563) Plank Owner
USS QUEENFISH (SS-393)
USS SEA WOLF (SSN-575) Plank Owner
Holland Club

E-mail: rondek@earthlink.net
Tel.: (518)393-6944

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