Norfolk Submariners Give Back to Local Community

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Kim Williams, Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors from the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS West Virginia (SSBN-736) volunteered with the non-profit organization Habitat for Humanity in Virginia Beach, Va., Jan. 18.

The crew of volunteers helped put the finishing touches on four newly constructed three bedroom, two bathroom homes, which Habitat for Humanity and its volunteers will present to families Jan. 21.

"For most people, buying a home is one of the biggest purchases you'll make in your life," said Chief Fire Control Technician Angel Rivera, West Virginia's fire control and torpedo division leading chief petty officer. "Imagine receiving a gift like this from a group of people. It is a great way to give back."

The submariners, along with several other volunteers from the Hampton Roads community, have volunteered at two sites in Portsmouth and Virginia Beach, Va. since their arrival in 2011.

"I love helping the families," said Missile Technician 3rd Class Robert Gloden from Yale, Mich., and West Virginia's volunteer coordinator. "I have met most of the families that we are building these homes for and they are great people. With the economy being the way it is now, these projects help people who may be struggling, working multiple jobs to make ends meet, get an interest-free mortgage," said Gloden. "It's helpful for the command to be supportive like this in the community and also lets them know that we are here to support Virginia residents and help out the best we can."

The team touched up paint, sanded walls, covered linoleum floors and performed small landscaping jobs at the Virginia Beach site, but has assisted with building homes from the bottom-up.

"We can do anything that they need us to do as long as there is a supervisor or someone there to guide us," said Rivera. There's no shortage of Habitat sites in Hampton Roads and helping the community is our number one priority. Since our ship is in dry dock for at least the next year, we have plenty of opportunity to volunteer."

In addition to all of their own efforts on the Habitat projects, the West Virginia Sailors have plenty of help from their veteran counterparts in the local community as well.

"It's great, rewarding work volunteering with Habitat for Humanity," said retired Rear Adm. Stanley Bryant. "It makes the community feel good to see the Sailors out here and it makes the Sailors feel good because they get to do some work in the community that they can recognize. They are nice young people and it's good to see them out here."

Bryant is the chairman of a newly established Habitat for Humanity program called "Habitat for Humanity For Heroes." The program will offer home ownership opportunities to active duty, retired, honorably discharged veterans and surviving families similar to the traditional Habitat for Humanity Program.

While the project Bryant and the West Virginia team are currently working on is not for a veteran's family, their efforts are still the same.

"These young folks are working hard no matter what it is they are asked to do," said Bryant. "We really appreciate getting up close and personal with the military volunteers because they always energize everybody," said Bryant. "You can't ask for a better qualified more fun group of volunteers."

West Virginia, commanded by Cmdr. Adam Palmer, is assigned to Commander, Submarine Group 10 and permanently home ported in King's Bay, Ga., but is currently undergoing an Engineered Refueling Overhaul at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va.

The sole mission of ballistic-missile submarines like West Virginia has been strategic deterrence since their inception in 1960. The SSBN provides the nation's most survivable and enduring nuclear strike capability, always ready and vigilant in a secure and survivable posture to rapidly respond to national tasking.

Pearl Harbor Survivor Finds Final Resting Place at Pearl Harbor

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Mark Logico, Commander Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- On Dec. 5, two days before the 70th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Day, a memorial ceremony was held for 81-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor, Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Jack Gordon Franklin, at the USS Utah Memorial on Ford Island.

The ceremony included a short religious service, the scattering of ashes, and a three-volley rifle salute provided by the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Navy Detachment Honor Guard. A bugler from U.S. Pacific Fleet Band was also on hand to sound "Taps," and at the end of the ceremony a Sailor presented an American flag to Franklin's eldest daughter Joey Elaine Duncan.

"It was really beautiful," said Duncan. "I haven't stopped crying yet. It was a beautiful day too and I appreciate the military doing this for us. It just means so much. It's closure for us."

Franklin, who died July 12, 2005, was a 17-year-old Sailor aboard USS West Virginia (BB 48) during the Dec. 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor attacks.

Retired Command Master Chief James Taylor, a volunteer at Commander, Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs, hosted the ceremony and said Franklin expressed desire to his children to have his remains returned to Pearl Harbor so he could be with his friends and shipmates who were lost during the attack.

"Thanks to his three children- Joey, Tim and Pat- his wish has come true," said Taylor.

Born, on Jan. 31, 1924, Franklin joined the Navy a few days after his 17th birthday in January 1941. Franklin was a mess cook on West Virginia when the attack started. Duncan said when Franklin went topside he was wandering around the ship looking for people.

"A chief was the one who signaled him to get to the gun," said Duncan. "I haven't been able to find out but they used to call him Chief Smithy."

Franklin reached an anti-aircraft battery and fired the only shots from the battery during the raid. The West Virginia was hit by numerous torpedoes and two bombs. More than 100 crew members including the ship's commanding officer were killed that day.

Franklin continued to serve throughout the war effort, participating in major battles such as the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Coral Sea. He saw his last action at Buckner Bay in Okinawa, Japan, ducking Japanese Kamikaze planes.

Franklin was such a devout Christian that his shipmates called him "Holy Joe" because he preached to anyone who would listen. After serving, he dove into several ventures including ministry, operating a café, doing public relations work for the Southern Pacific Railroad, and managing an art gallery until his death in 2005. He is survived by Joey, Timothy and Patrice.

Commander, US Strategic Command Addresses Kings Bay Submariners

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class(SW) James Kimber, Submarine Group 10 Public Affairs

KINGS BAY, Ga. (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. Strategic Command held an all hands call aboard Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., Jan. 19.

Air Force Gen. Kevin P. Chilton addressed the importance of the ballistic-missile submarines' (SSBNs) role in strategic deterrence and how vital each submariner's responsibility is to the "silent service."

"What you do for U.S. Strategic Command, how you train to do that mission for Strategic Command, how you maintain that equipment to do that mission for Strategic Command, where you are and what you're doing when you're at sea for U.S. Strategic Command, is on my radar scope every day," said Chilton. "Every day that I come into the office, I check on the health and status of the SSBN fleet."

Chilton then explained to the submariners why deterrence is so important, and why the SSBN is critical to the security of the United States.

"We're preventing warfare with this deterrent every single day," said Chilton. "We use our SSBNs every single day. The deterrent underpins our entire Department of Defense operations. It's no coincidence, in my mind, that's there hasn't been a conventional World War III on this planet.

"You read back in your history books, all the way back, to the birth of history there have been conventional global scale wars. Whether they're the entire continent of Europe involved in them when that was considered the world or beyond that. But suddenly in August 1945, the thought of having another war like World War I or World War II with the existence of nuclear weapons started to fade away from people's minds."

Chilton said deterrence has two essential elements - capability and will. Without the capability to back up the language or to not have the will to use the capability available, the mission of strategic deterrence fails.

"[Deterrence] underpins our conventional might," Chilton said. "It provides the backbone and the foundation for our nation's political leaders when they stand toe-to-toe with potential adversaries and stare them down in the better interest of the United States and prevent wars from happening. Our leaders provide the will, you provide the capability."

Missile Technician 2nd Class(SS) Michael Melendez, USS Alaska (SSBN 732), said this message especially rang true with him.

"We keep the missiles ready to go and our leaders know that we do our job fully and correctly," said Melendez, the Fayetteville, N.C., native. "MTs (missile technicians) play a huge role in strategic deterrence because no one wants to go to war. When we do our job, everyone else can do theirs confidently. Gen. Chilton really makes you take the time to look at what you do and how important it really is. He's very motivational."

The SSBN mission is to preserve world peace by remaining an undetected, battle ready presence as the most reliable deterrent against attack.

"The old Teddy Roosevelt moniker 'speak softly but carry a big stick' has never been more appropriate," said Rear Adm. Barry Bruner, commander, Submarine Group Ten. "The submarines in Kings Bay and Bangor are our country's big sticks. The crews that man them, the families and commands that support them are critical to their success."

Chilton told the submariners that the fact there is little recognition for the work they do every day is fine, if they remember they are part of something bigger than themselves.

"It really bothers me that there are no ticker-tape parades for the nuclear-deterrent forces," said Chilton. "Heck, we take you guys and put you underwater. There are no fly-bys for you on Armed Forces Day or Memorial Day. In fact, we're not even allowed to talk a lot about what you do. Along with that comes, in the 'silent service,' a sense of pride that what you do is special."

"It was really good to know that someone that high up really understands what we do," said Culinary Specialist Seaman (SS) Jaron Wright, a security watch for Naval Submarine Support Center Kings Bay who also served aboard USS West Virginia (SSBN 736). "Even though he knows no one can really talk about us, he took the time to give his appreciation for our service and I really appreciated his effort."

For more news from Commander, Submarine Group 10, visit www.navy.mil/local/csg10/.