John Wynn's BBS Message on Ben's Passing

It is with the very deepest regret that I must inform you of the passing of our dear friend and mentor, Ben Bastura...

Ben passed away yesterday from natural causes at his Submarine Library and Museum in Middletown, Connecticut.

Ben had long been a supporter of the Submarine Force. Many years ago in 1954 Ben and his brother took up a hobby of Submarines. Even though he never served a day on Submarines. What started as a hobby evolved into a major collection of Submarine history, and memorabilia. Ben has been an incredible source of reference and material. He has been maintaining files on all Submarines for many years. Many members of SUBVETS, and people across the country would contact Ben for information or pictures, or history. He was a great source of reference and information on the Submarine Force.

In addition to single handedly operating the Submarine Museum in his own home, he was also an author, who was greatly involved in the writing of the History of the Submarine Veterans of WWII. Ben was an Associate member of the SUBVETS WWII, and also Lockwood Internet Base.

Ben's last wishes were as simple and straighforward as his life was....His ONLY request was to be creamated and have his ashes scattered on Long Island Sound...

His wish did not specify a submarine, but given his life's work and his Honorable Discharge from the Army, I hope and pray that his ashes might be carried by one of our newest and fastest Fast Attack submarines....There could be no more fitting tribute to our lost National Treasure, Bernard Bastura...

There is a port of no return where ship?s may ride at anchor for a little space.
And then some starless night the cable slips leaving only an eddy at the mooring place.
Gulls vear no longer, Sailor rest your oars, no tangled wreckage will be washed ashore.
Shipmate Bastura rest your oars!

Very Respectfully,

John Wynn
John Carcioppolo

Robert "Dex" Armstrong's BBS Post

GOD NEVER MADE A BETTER AMERICAN THEN BEN BESTURA AND THE SUBMARINE FORCE NEVER HAD A FINER FRIEND

John Wynn phoned this evening to inform me of the death of Ben Bastura. Anyone who has ever been “gut punched” and had his breath taken away will know how I felt. All of us who ever wore Dolphins lost a friend.

If you never had the honor of meeting this gentle man you missed one of life’s’ wonderful experiences. Patriotism and loving respect for the ships’ and men of the United States Submarine Service ran through the heart of this soft spoken, self appointed guardian of our heritage, with every stroke of the heart that finally gave out. The expression, “To know him was to love him” was never more aptly applied to an individual. The honor of receiving a soft handshake from this man burns brightly in my memory tonight.

Tonight Ben’s porch light that has served as the navigation beacon for the most personal and lovingly assembled collection of U.S. Submarine memorabilia and historical information does not burn. People flying by his modest home and entering Middletown, Connecticut have no way of knowing that contained within the walls of that simple frame home is a tribute to men who went to sea in submersibles, that formed one man’s lifes work Ben ran the whole thing out of a cigar box.

Try to visualize someone devoting his entire home (bedrooms, living room, dining room, every inch of hallway space, kitchen, and even the bathroom), to house and display our heritage and hallmarks of our history…a kind man who had the sparkle of goodness in his eyes…a man who radiated kindness and gentility from as pure an American soul as was ever assembled by the Eternal Master of Good Works.

I cried tonight because I will miss him. Knowing him was a gift John Wynn gave me. At this stage in my life, it takes a helluva lot to awe and amaze me…but it would take a soul so cynical and jaded that the person was past salvage, to visit Bens’ home and not be awed. Ben was an unnoticed, unheralded and unrewarded national treasure. If modern science could reproduce the Bastura heart, the world would be an infinitely better place.

All you old bluejackets rump buffing barstools at the “Goddess of The Main Induction” Bar at the head of the Silver Pier, send some idiot E-3 to go find Ben….He served in the Army, but tell the first Sergeant that Ben has a middle rack on one of those raggedy boats over at the Silver Pier. Tell him Ben will always belong to us…Any man who personally carved one of every class of boat the U.S. Navy ever sent to sea…one he carved out of a creosote soaked railroad crosstie will always have a place in the hearts of the men he beloved and honored…Somebody in the Sub Force would do us all a great favor if they could find a way to award Ben Silver Dolphins. No man did more to honor all they represent.

Old Gringo…Harrison…Capt. Beach...buy Ben a beer and find him a barmaid to give him shoulder rub…he’s one of us. God bless you Ben…you sir, left a big hole in the hearts of all of us on whose shoulder you rested your gentle hand. I, sir, hope that wherever you are, flowers have arrived and the spring breezes met you when you tossed your lines over. God…tell Saint Peter to announce, ”Bastura arriving”, get a clean white hat on that topside watch…and tell our beloved shipmate those he left behind have the “cigar box watch”.

CTTCS R.D. Starnes's BBS Post

Honorary Chief (SS) BERNARD A. "BEN" BASTURA, USN

The Final Patrol

I have one consolation that lives with me today.
That God is near to them, in his own special way.
So God in all Your mercy, keep near Thyself the soul,
Of every Submariner, still on his final patrol.

Lord, this departed shipmate with HONORARY dolphins on his chest is part of an outfit known as the best.
Make him welcome and take him by the hand. You'll find without a doubt he was the best in all the land.
So, heavenly Father add his name to the roll of our departed shipmates still on patrol.
Let them know that we who survive will always keep their memories alive.

Sailor, Rest Your Oar. And thanks for your unselfish service
to keep the history of the Submarine Service alive.
May God be with you and your family in this time of needed comfort.
The Starnes Family.

Bill Whalen's BBS Post

"Say That He Loved Old Ships"

Say that he loved old ships; write nothing more
Upon the stone above his resting place;
and they who read will know he loved the roar
Of breakers white as starlight, shadow lace
Of purple twilights on a quiet sea,
First ridge of daybreak in a waiting sky,
The wings of gulls that beat eternally
An haunt old harbours with their silver cry,
Speak softly now, his heart has earned its rest,
This heart that knew each alien star by name,
Knew passion of the waves against the breast
When clouds swept down the sea and lightning's flame
Tore skies asunder with swift finger tiips;
Write nothing more; say that "he loved old ships".

-- Daniel Whitehead Hickey

So What Happens Now?

Per Ben's wishes, his collection will be donated to St. Mary's Submarine Museum. As more is learned about the whereabouts of Ben's collection, it will be posted here.

[On 8/4/2003, Ben's ashes were committed to the sea - JW]

So long Ben.... (photo from John Wynn, 6/2003)