-Getting Down To The Business At
Hand-
The day finally arrived and we took the Sand Lance out for Sea Trials along
with many shipyard contract technicians and Hyman Rickover - Admiral, USN.
“The Father of the Nuclear Sub.” I was very honored to be aboard this
submarine during sea trials with this individual. The man expected the
highest level of personal performance and he obtained it from this submarine
crew. The Crew and Sand Lance completed all test with excellent results. The
hardest part of our preparations was making sure the submarine met a list of
some thirty-five personal requirements which were received in hand written
form prior to the Admiral’s arrival, enough said, the Crew Members know what
that entailed and we were ready!
USS SAND LANCE (SSN 660)
First time heading out for sea trials - 1970.
Photo by: Debbie L. (Jent) O’Neill
Congratulations were due to the Entire Crew of the Sand Lance as we completed
our sea trials with notable success. Now it was back to the shipyard and make
ready for redeployment to our first assigned homeport that was to be
Charleston Naval Base, South Carolina. Our in-transit time took about
two weeks as we operated off the east coast for a short while. The Sand Lance
was an impressive vessel the Officers and Enlisted Crew gave her a hard
workout on the way down from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to the Charleston Naval Base, she
performed well and we were all proud of her.
Hyman Rickover,
Admiral-U.S.N
Qualified the USS SAND LANCE (SSN 660) for Active Duty.
- My Submarines are SAFE! -
Portsmouth New Hampshire 1970 Local Newspaper photo.
(Source)
From the Crew of
the USS SAND LANCE (SSN 660) We Say Thanks!
To the Women and Men of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, we’re safely
home!
Source: Portsmouth Naval Base 170-year celebration
book.
Source: Portsmouth Naval Base 170-year celebration
book.
Charleston became my port of departure from
active naval service, as luck would have it, my tour of duty was about to
expire - release from active date (RAD) and the next deployment of the
Sand Lance would take six months and that would place me beyond my enlistment
contract. So it was with mixed emotions I prepared for departure. To John
McGuire, IC3/SS my shipmate and fellow IC Technician, I say to this day I
felt poorly about having to be the one between the two of us who was to go
ashore rather then remaining with the Sand Lance during the upcoming southern
deployment.
Magazine from Charleston Naval Base welcome kit for the
crew.
First Unqualified Enlisted Crew
Member “Submarine Qualified” Aboard the USS SAND LANCE (SSN 660)
During my tenure aboard the Sand Lance I consistently worked at obtaining my
“Qualified Submariner” status. It was an even greater honor to become the
first enlisted sailor to receive my coveted “Silver Dolphins” as a Plank
Owner of the Commissioning Crew, an accomplishment that would be again
recognized by the Decommissioning Crew some 20 years later at the Sand Lance
inactivation ceremony, which I attended along with Captain William A.
Kennington, USN the first Commanding Officer of the Sand Lance and a few
other members of the commissioning crew Harvey Cybul, The Navigation Officer,
Michael Hess, Engineering Training Officer,
Nathan “Ike": Isenhour IC1/SS my senior enlisted supervisor and
former Lt. Michael Hewitt, Sand Lance Engineering Officer, Mike was the guest
speaker for the inactivation ceremony in New London, CT. and a he made a
great delivery of the speech.
Sample page of the
Navy Submariner’s Qualification Program.
Source: Personal Memorabilia
Bernard F.
O’Neill, IC3/SS
First Unqualified Enlisted Crew Member to earn Dolphins aboard USS SAND LANCE (SSN 660)
Source: Personal Memorabilia
Interior
Communications Rate – Today No Longer Existing.
Now Incorporated In The Electronics Technician Rate.
Responsible for: All Shipboard Interior Communications, Dial-X
Telephone System, Intercommunications Systems, Air Quality Control, Steering
and Diving Electro-mechanical Servers and Systems Controls, Electrical Power
Distribution, Combat Information Center Power Controllers, Sound Powered
Communications System.
The USS SAND LANCE (SSN 660) First Interior
Communications Electrician Team
Lieutenant William Culp-USN
Walter A. Job MCMM/SS
Nathan Isenhour IC1/SS
Frederick Frommelt, Jr. IC1/SS
John McGuire IC3/SS
Bernard O’Neill IC3/SS
Pete Smith ICFN/SS
Source:
Personal Memorabilia
-Contributing More In Different Ways-
I returned to the Naval Reserve Center at Fort McHenry, Maryland and finished
my tour of duty with the U.S. Naval Security Group Division 5-1
Communications Technicians, where I received the “Sailor of the Quarter
Award” after my active duty for training in the summer of 1973, I constructed
the first active naval communications monitoring station at Fort McHenry.
This Naval Reserve Communication Technician (CT) Unit subsequently received
numerous awards and commendations for their contributions to protecting radio
communications security from serious breaches by Active Duty Naval Vessels.
Source: Personal
Memorabilia
- Ironies of Life -
To say that I enjoyed my Navy tour is an understatement, I have always had a
great respect for the military service and I would suggest all young
Americans spend at least two years in service to our great country in one of
our time honored armed services. It would be some twenty years after my tour
of duty in the Navy that I would find out that at the same time I was
stationed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, there was another SSN
Submarine christened the USS Jack (SSN
605) in the shipyard at the same time as the USS Sand Lance which had one of
my second cousin’s on board Michael G. O’Neill and neither one of us knew the
other existed at that time. Michael’s Father is Captain Martin George
O’Neill, USN Retired Commander of two US Aircraft Carriers, the USS Franklin
D. Roosevelt (CV 42) and the USS Ticonderoga (CVA/CVS
14) he (Martin) was honored with numerous Naval heroic service medals, more
then one dozen.
- Facts Not Known To Me For 20 Years Hence -
USS Jack (SSN 605)
In Portsmouth Naval Yard at same time as the
Sand Lance, however we never met each other at that time.
Michael G. O’Neill, MM/SS Son of Captain Martin G. O’Neill (below)
http://www.uss-jack.org/ssnindex.html
(Source)
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt
(CV 42)
Captain Martin G. O’Neill, USN (My Grandfathers Brother’s Son) 1967-1968
http://www.multied.com/Navy/CVB42FDR.html
(Source)
USS Ticonderoga (CVA/CVS
14)
Captain Martin G. O’Neill, USN (My Grandfathers Brother’s Son) 1965-1966
http://home.pacbell.net/lchevato/photos.htm
(Source)
It is with great respect and admiration of the joint Military Armed Services
that I present this website honoring the Commissioning Crew of the USS SAND
LANCE (SSN 660). This particular crew of talented and dedicated warriors is a
great testimony to the meaning of “National Patriots”. These individuals gave
up much in terms of their private lives to serve and protect our country.
They exemplify the best of the best:
The United States Naval Submarine - Silent Service.
Too Early, Gone But Not
Forgotten! (05 Jan 1975)
Source: Personal Memorabilia
|