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| At random: A submarine, the TURTLE, was employed by the American revolutionary army to attack the British. It was built by David Bushnell at Saybrook, Connecticut, just a few miles from the present site of Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation, and the U.S. Naval Submarine Base. |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1175 Location: NE Florida | Subject: Sunday Obits and story https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=eternal%20patrol%20by%20ussvi The above link goes to the USSVI (United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.) Facebook page where their members who have gone on “Eternal Patrol” are noted. I’ll keep my work here going, trying to get others who were not USSVI members. You’re encouraged to look there as well as here! Obviously, there’ll be some I miss and some I duplicate. McKEEN .. .. .. Jack Albert McKeen, 87, of Newington, formerly of Burlington, Enfield, and New London, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 27, 2025, after a short illness. Born on August 27, 1937, in Wenatchee, WA, Jack was the youngest of four siblings and the son of the late Kenneth William McKeen and Mildred Florence (Field) McKeen. Jack’s mother passed away when he was seven years old, and his father later married Mary Hunt who brought two children into the family: a brother, Spencer Thunder, and sister, Janet (Hunt) Lloyd. Jack was predeceased by his siblings, Kenneth McKeen, Richard McKeen, Marjorie (McKeen) Griffin, and Janet (Hunt) Lloyd. He was also predeceased by his first wife, Judith Ann (Zidick) McKeen, and his cherished daughter, Stacey Ann (McKeen) Tessier. Jack graduated from Fife High School (Fife, WA) in 1955, where he was a dedicated wrestler. He found joy and passion in the sport. He also embraced his love of music and played the trumpet and saxophone. He loved listening to Pete Fountain, whom he was fortunate to meet in person in New Orleans in 1997. In 1958, Jack enlisted in the Navy and served on the USS Lafayette, the first of its class of nuclear-powered submarines, which led him to New London. In the Navy, Jack worked as an electronics technician first class. He supervised officers in training and power plant operators, including civilians, on nuclear power plant theory and operations. He was also a reactor operator, managing the reactor’s main coolant system aboard nuclear submarines. He was a pioneer in the field during the early 1960’s. After being honorably discharged from the Navy in 1968, Jack moved his family to Enfield and then to Burlington where he designed and built a home in its countryside setting. There, he and Judy raised their three children: David Kenneth McKeen, Stacey Ann (McKeen) Tessier, and Sandra Lee (Zidick) Lallier. He joined Pratt and Whitney Aircraft and worked at United Technologies Turbo Power and Marine until 1981 when he founded The McKeen Company, later doing business as CADD-2. His work spanned electrical, instrumentation, and control systems for gas turbine generating units worldwide: from Mt. Tom in Holyoke, MA, to Mobile Power Trailers in Caracas, Venezuela, as well as projects in Mexico, Korea, Dubai, Turkey, and throughout the U.S. In his final years of work, Jack served as a prime consultant to Energy Services in Farmington, where he developed lifelong friendships with many of his clients, coworkers and employees. In 1992, Jack married Kathryn (Wesoly) Vernon-McKeen and moved to Newington. Kathryn brought two children into the family: Sterling Gray Vernon lll, and Mary Kathryn (Vernon) Lestini. Both Jack and Kathryn believed that a second marriage should be full of fun and it truly was. They married on October 31st at the Carousel Museum in Bristol where they and all of their guests celebrated their union in costume. Jack and Kathryn shared in the joy of seeing their children marry and have families of their own. Jack immensely enjoyed being part of his grandchildren’s activities, including baseball games, wrestling matches, black belts in karate, cross country and track meets, volleyball, dressage shows, musicals/plays, basketball games, and more. His eyes always twinkled with pride when he spoke of his grandchildren and their accomplishments. Jack held a deep love for the land and gardening that he developed while growing up and working on his family’s farm in Washington. He embraced his joy of nature throughout his life: creating bountiful vegetable gardens year after year for his family and stunning landscapes around his homes. An avid fly-tier and fisherman, Jack always looked forward to his fishing trips with his extended family on the Pacific Coast. He enjoyed the beauty of Burlington’s rolling hills, Vermont and New Hampshire’s fall foliage, St. Maarten’s beaches, and the coast of Maine. Beyond his impressive engineering skills, Jack will be remembered for his boundless kindness, sharp wit, wisdom, and loyalty. He was adored for his great big hugs, fantastic backrubs, and the joy he brought to everyone he encountered. Despite his many accomplishments, Jack remained a humble man, devoted to his family and friends. Jack is survived by his beloved wife of 32 years, Kathryn, his children David and wife Candice (Cincinnati, OH), Sandra and husband Michael (Newington), Sterling and wife Deborah (Cumberland, RI), Mary and husband Louis (West Hartford), and son-in-law Patrick (Neenah, WI). He also leaves his adored grandchildren Michael and Matthew Lallier, Logan and Lindsey Tessier, Marshall and Georgia Vernon, and Taylor and Jack Lestini. Jack is also survived by his brother Spencer Thunder and wife Janine (Everett, WA) as well as numerous nieces and nephews on both the East and West coasts. There will be no formal services at this time. SMEJKAL .. .. .. Ronald (Ron) Alfred Smejkal, 81, a resident of Wildwood, Illinois, passed away peacefully on March 3, 2025 at home. He was born on April 12, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois to Irvin and Alice Smejkal. Ron moved to Wildwood, Illinois at age 7. He was a graduate of Warren Township High School in 1961, where he met his highschool sweetheart and beloved wife of 62 years, Kathryn (Katy). Ron and Katy got married in June 1962. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy, where he was a Fire Control Tech on submarines for 10 years. Ron also worked at the Commonwealth Edison nuclear power plant in Zion, Illinois for 27 years as a senior work analyst. Ron was a square dance caller for 16 years and was the Walk 'N' Dodgers club caller from 1989-2001. Ron spent much of his time walking forest preserves or Gurnee Mills mall with his wife, Katy, where he learned to say good morning and good afternoon to people in 16 different languages. He also enjoyed adding to his various collections. Ron was known in the area as the keychain guy. He gathered an impressive collection over the years that totaled 56,700 different keychains. Ron was hardworking, generous, reliable, and was always willing to do anything for his family. He will be missed dearly. Ron is survived by his wife, Kathryn (Katy) Smejkal; his four children, James (Linda) Smejkal, Ron (Sharel) Smejkal, Tabitha Zaehringer, and Jon Smejkal; his grandchildren, Thomas Smejkal, Josh Smejkal, Tony Smejkal, Marissa Zaehringer, and Andrew Zaehringer; his sister, Lorraine (Glen) Hett of Sheridan, Wyoming; and his many nieces and nephews. A private memorial service will be held at a later date. CAMPBELL .. .. .. Walter Milton Campbell Sr., Ret. Lt. PPD, age 101, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2025 with his loving family by his side. He was the beloved husband of the late Julia A. (Kiviatkouski) Campbell. Born in Pawtucket, he was the son of the late Charles and Helen (Trembley) Campbell. Walter proudly served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. He served several tours of duty in the South Pacific aboard three different submarines. He was also a 33 year veteran of the Providence Police Department, retiring in 1985 at the rank of Lieutenant. He was a devout Roman Catholic and quintessential family man. He was the loving father of Edward C. Campbell, Ret. CPD (Gail) and the late Walter M. Campbell Jr. (Carolyn); cherished grandfather of Edward R. Campbell, Melissa LaPearl (Wayne), and the late Heather Campbell-Johnson; adored great-grandfather of Leah Johnson, Allison LaPearl, Katelyn LaPearl, and Joshua LaPearl; and brother of the late Leo Campbell. He was also the uncle of several nieces and nephews. His visitation will be held Thursday, March 13, 2025 from 8:00-9:00 a.m. in the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 331 Smith St, Providence followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in St. Paul Church, 1 St. Paul Place, Cranston. Burial with Military Honors will follow in St. Francis Cemetery, Pawtucket. “MC” Chester Fuller, 83, of Columbus Junction, passed away on Friday, March 7, 2025, at Colonial Manor in Columbus Junction. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 14, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral and Cremation Services of Muscatine. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral and Cremation Services of Columbus Junction. Following the services, burial will be held at Letts cemetery with Military Rites. Memorials may be left to Washington County Hospice or Colonial Manor in memory of Chester. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sandhfuneralservice.com. Marion Chester Fuller was born on September 2, 1941, in Hartville, MO, the son of Chester E. and E. Pauline (McCleary) Fuller. Chester proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 1959 to 1962, stationed on a submarine in the Pacific. He married Arlene C. Brown on March 1, 1961. To this union, three children were born, Beth, Tammi and Tim. The couple later divorced. He married Carolyn Ehlert in 2008 and the couple later divorced. Chester worked as a Maintenance Supervisor at Monsanto for 23 years. For the next 10 years he worked as a Corporate Safety Director at Ryan and Associates in Davenport. For the remainder of his working career, he was a Loss Control Consultant. In 2004 he received the Gary Hawk Award, the highest award available from OSHA. Chester was a member of the Moose Lodge, the Columbus Junction American Legion and Ducks Unlimited. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and restoring tractors. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. Chester will be deeply missed by his daughters, Beth Schnoebelen of Columbus Junction and Tammara “Tammi” Pugh and her husband Monte of Columbus Junction; grandchildren, Kalena and Jason Churchwell of Letts, Eric and Ashley Pugh of Fredonia, Jennifer Jackson of Columbus Junction, Jessica Buffington and Brian Spina of Palo, Stephanie Walther of Marion; great-grandchildren, Alyssia and Mikel Wheeler, Jayden Jackson, Laken Roberts, Jace Jackson, Ada Jackson, Aaron O’Neil, Dylan Pugh, Josie Roberts, Karson Churchwell, Kylie Churchwell, Lillyan Pugh, Brynlee Pugh and Opal Pugh; great-great-grandchildren, Vada Jackson and Benton Pugh-Staats; sister, Wanda Harvey. Chester was preceded in death by his parents; son Tim Fuller; son-in-law, Ron Schnoebelen; brother, Jerry Fuller, grandson, Curtis Fuller, cousin and friend, Mike Fuller and several beloved dogs. PRATT (1925 Story) William Henry Pratt, who survived the 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and a series of dangerous patrols aboard a submarine during World War II, died Jan. 23 in Fresno, California. He was 103. At the time of the attack, Pratt was aboard the battleship USS Nevada, the only warship that managed to get underway in the midst of the flaming carnage on Battleship Row. His brother, Bazil, who served beside him aboard the Nevada, also survived. Pratt’s death was announced in a Facebook post Thursday by Pacific Historic Parks. The native of Bloomington, Illinois, had been among just over a dozen still-living veterans who survived the Japanese attack that killed 2,335 service members and 68 civilians on Oahu on Dec. 7, 1941. As adulthood beckoned, joining the military was a compelling choice for a generation raised during the Great Depression, Pratt told Hometown Heroes Radio in 2021. “That was the only paying job a young guy could get,” Pratt said of the Navy. After boot camp, he was assigned to the USS Nevada, a 583-foot battleship in service since before World War I. Pratt was below deck the morning of Dec. 7. “I began to hear bombs going off, but of course I didn’t know they were bombs,” he said. “I started to go up topside to see what was going on when general quarters sounded.” With that, Pratt raced to his battle station in a propeller-shaft room in the lowest deck, where he was sealed in by watertight doors. His job was to ensure that the automatic lubrication of the shaft continued, and, if it didn’t, oil it manually, he said. Shortly after the attack began, the ship lost power and Pratt was plunged into utter darkness. “It was dark and it was scary because I didn’t know what was going on,” he recalled. “We were listing to the side because we’d been hit on the port side. Torpedo planes had gotten to the port side.” Pratt thought the end had come. “I really thought it was over,” he said. Eventually, the ship’s generators brought light back to the lower decks. Unlike other ships in Battleship Row, the Nevada was not snugly moored to sister ships, and was able to get underway, despite being pummeled by bombs. The ship was grounded on a sandy beach in the harbor to prevent it from sinking or blocking passage. “They gave me, all of us, rifles and told us to shoot at anything that moves,” Pratt said, adding that many expected a Japanese invasion force would land following the aerial attack. Sixty men died and another 109 were wounded on the Nevada that day. Later in the war, Pratt served aboard the submarine USS Tuna, which was credited with sinking numerous Japanese ships, including the Kurohime Maru in March 1943 and the Takima Maru in May 1944. | ||
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| Master and Commander Posts: 1917 Location: Patterson, New York | Subject: RE: Sunday Obits and story I liked the Pratt story. | ||
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