Letters to the Committee

Gents - you know we are committed to a great final resting place for our Sail. As jc said in his email today we need letters is support of the committee meeting on 26 April - here is mine to:

MIHPF President Ken Zadwick
328 Seawind Drive
Vallejo, CA 94590


MIHPF Vice President Bruce Christensen
388 Seawind Drive
Vallejo, CA 94590


Vallejo Times-Herald
440 Curtola Parkway
PO Box 3188
Vallejo CA 94590
Attention: Sarah Rohrs
email: srohrs@timesheraldonline.com

Dear
I am honored to be the Chairman of the 2011 Mariano G Vallejo SSBN 658 5th triennial Reunion Committee. As you may know this Reunion is tentatively scheduled to return to the City of Vallejo in 2011. Our first Reunion was held in Vallejo over 10 years ago in 1999. At that time, the Sail of the submarine returned home to the shipyard where she was built so many years ago. I served in Vallejo from 1968 to 1970, and in fact attended Basic Nuclear Power School at Mare Island in 1964. I have many fond memories of Vallejo from my school time there in 64, but by far my fondest memory was of serving on what turned out to be the next to last Polaris Submarine constructed. A marvel of engineering, design and construction, she took me and all of us who served in her in harm’s way – from Pacific to Atlantic and back again over a remarkable career that extended through the heart of the Cold War and well beyond. She served her 83 Patrols, carried us fast and deep, and brought us safely home to our loved ones over the years.
USS Mariano G Vallejo holds a special place in the memories for all of those who sailed in her – so much so that over 1000 of our former Shipmates are registered on her Website, and many attend her Reunions every three years. I know that we all look forward to seeing what is left of that great vessel, so carefully crafted, launched and made ready for Commissioning by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard and her dedicated workers so many years ago - to be given a place of honor in the City whose name she so proudly bore in the Service of our Country, and the protection of our Freedoms.
You can imagine our concern and worry when we see the current deteriorating state and location of the Sail, and want to urge you on behalf of the Reunion Committee and my other fellow Shipmates, to help us insure that the Sail receives a place of honor that it so justly deserves.
So it is with great anticipation that I look forward to Chairing 2011 Reunion Committee, once again paying tribute to our Ship, and the City where she was created and for whom she was named. To stand by her proud Sail, and remember not only all of those Shipmates who are still with us, but to once again join with the other attendees and remember those Shipmates who are no longer with us, and who have laid their oars to rest.

Respectfully,

James E Huston ET1(SS)
USS Mariano G. Vallejo SSBN 658
2011 Reunion Committee