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1966 - USS Cusk (SS-348) Year by Year History

Crewmembers, Pictures and Memorabilia

On May 18th, the Cusk's home port is changed from Pearl Harbor to San Diego as the Cusk arrives at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington for a major overhaul.  Shortly afterward on June 10th, Change of Command ceremonies are conducted as Don Killian takes command of the Cusk from William Von Christierson at Dry Dock Four at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton.  As the overhaul was wrapping up in August, the Cusk was undergoing sea trials in Puget Sound  when one of her port main motors caught fire.  Gary Carr, EM1(SS) was on the sticks in Maneuvering and is commended by Captain Killian for his quick thinking and heroic action when the fire is discovered.  

The Cusk remained in the Bremerton Yards through November and December until the main motors are replaced and the Cusk again performs sea trials in Puget Sound.  Near the end of the trials, the Cusk is suspended from three huge buoys for a total of 36 hours to test noise levels of all equipment.  Afterwards, the Cusk descends to test depth to test sea fittings.  All is well until a grease fitting on the forward sonar come explodes but the leak is minor and the test continues to completion.  Near the end of December, the Cusk arrives in new home port in San Diego.  A large number of the crew greet their new wives and families from Bremerton.

Click here to see a list of the Cusk crewmembers who came aboard in 1966

Cusk memorabilia and crew pictures from 1966:

Change of Command Ceremonies brochure

(Photo courtesy of Don Killian)

Last Ship's Patch of the Cusk, 1966

(Photo courtesy of Tom Roseland)

Inside of CoC brochure - Don Killian relieves

William Von Christierson as Captain of the Cusk

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Moored inboard of USS Diodon at

Ballast Point in San Diego

(Web photo)

Chief Morton checks out what's for chow

on the barge in Bremerton, Washington

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Leo Lemoine reading in the Chief's

quarters on the barge in Bremerton

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

"Jethro" Jerome and Don Shoemaker

enjoying lunch on the barge in

Bremerton, Washington

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Mike Keelin

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Rick "Ptomaine" Greer in the mess hall

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Unidentified Cusk crewman sleeping in in the crew's

quarters on a barge in that was tied alongside the Cusk

while she was undergoing an overhaul in the Bremerton

Shipyards.  The caption on the picture reads,

"Just back from Vietnam"

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Al "Killer" Kilpatrick, Gerry Spielman and Don

Shoemaker share some laughs on the

barge in Bremerton

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Ronnie Lane gets a birthday cake on the

barge in Bremerton

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Rick Greer in the Mess Hall

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Billy Michaels in the torpedo room

(Photo courtesy of William Michaels)

 

Crewmembers who served aboard the Cusk in 1966:

Last Name First & MI City State Rank/Rate Years on Board Eternal Patrol Date Comments
Aguinaldo Angel San Diego CA SD2(SS) 66 - 68 Date Unknown  
Allen, III Walter New Smyrna Beach FL ENFN(SS) 65 - 68    
Aten Larry R Thomson GA ETR2(SS) 66 - 68    
Benitez Bayani     TN(SS) 65 - 67    
Blue Paul Tulsa OK ETR3(SS) 63 - 66    

James "Jim" Branske

  Monmouth OR TM2(SS) 66 - 69 23 December 2020  
Briggs Neil A Olney Springs CO RM1(SS) 66 - 69    
Bumber Paul Lawrence Newberg OR EN3(SS) 64 - 66 1 December 2010  
Calkin Doug St. Helena CA TM3(SS) 66    
Carr Gary Jay Bremerton WA EMCM(SS) 63 - 69 29 September 2013  
Colocado Michael E Gladstone OR SD3(SS) 65 - 67 11 September 2010  
Copt Eric Georgetown TX EM3(SS) 63 - 66    
Dela Cruz Ely Palmdale CA SK3(SS) 65 - 66    
Duerr David P ("The Walrus" Sebastian FL EN2(SS) 66 - 68    
Ebue Simeon San Diego CA EMFN(SS) 66 - 68    
Farkas Lou Oceanside CA LT 64 - 67    
Fisher Harold "Pops" Roseville CA QM1(SS) 65 - 68    
Floyd Don Port Orchard WA FT1(SS) 65 - 66    
French Richard E "Frenchy" Port Orchard WA MMCS(SS) 65 - 67    
Gallagher Lawrence Sebastian FL ETR2(SS) 64 - 66 18 November 2019  
Gibson, Jr. Robert Bryan "Bob" & "Hoot" Tionesta PA LT 58 - 62 & 64 - 66 26 March 2013 Executive Officer
Greer Rick Dale "Ptomaine" Ft. Worth TX CS2(SS) 65 - 67 24 December 2015 Excellent cook
Haake L E "Roy" Reading PA EM2(SS) 63 - 66    
Haley James W Georgetown TX TMC(SS) 66    
Hargis Thomas G Westminster CO TM1(SS) 66 - 67    
Hayden John W Kettle Falls WA YN1(SS) 66 - 68    
Hegg John A "Pappy" Port Orchard OR EN1(SS) 64 - 67 1 August 2003  
Howe Gary Eugene     MM1(SS) 66 - 67    
Imhoff Robert H     LT 66 17 April 2008  
Jacob Ulrich Peter "Jake" Florence SC TM2(SS) 65 - 66    
Johnson Allen Ray     EN3(SS) 65 - 66 Date Unknown  
Kallas Alan R "Cal" Vista CA TM2(SS) 66 - 67    
Keelin Mike     STS2(SS) 63 - 66    
Killian Donald J Brooklyn Park MD LCDR 66 - 68 5 October 2019 13th Captain of the Cusk
Kilpatrick Allan M "Killer" Palm Desert CA MM3(SS) 63 - 66    
Kosoff Tracy Monroe Portsmouth RI LT 66 - 68 10 March 2003 Navigation Officer
Kotrola-Chipps Joe Don "Pivo" Round Rock TX EM2(SS) 64 -66    
Krabill Earl Lee Cape Coral FL QM2(SS) 66 - 69    
Kriehn Robert D Boulder Junction WI IC3(SS) 64 - 66    
Lamb Louis W "Louie" Las Lunas NM STS3(SS) 66    
Lane Ronnie E     EN1(SS) 66 - 69    
Mahany Vince T "Mac" New Goucester ME IC3(SS) 64 - 66    
Markwell Gary Wayne Brocton IL TM3(SS) 64 - 66    
McCann William "Mary Ann" Middle Haddan CT STS2(SS) 65 - 66    
Meyers David W San Diego CA LTJG 65 - 66   Communications and EM Officer
Michaels William L "Bill" Dallas TX TM3(SS) 64 - 67    
Morton Wilton L     ENC(SS) 66 - 67    
Murphy Larry     TM3(SS) 66 - 68    
Nelson Robert H Norwich CT FTG3(SS) 66 - 69    
Nickerson Darrel F Denver CO IC3(SS) 66 - 69    
Ouimet George "Doc" San Diego CA HMC(SS) 66 - 67    
Ratliff Reagan S Rolling Meadows IL FTG2(SS) 63 - 66 13 December 2020  
Reynolds, Jr. John T Panama Beach FL EM2(SS) 66 - 68    
Rillamas Eugenio R "Gino" San Diego CA SD3(SS) 66 - 69    
 

Steve "The Codger" Rogers

Westminster CO EM3(SS) 66 - 69 Summer 2018  
Roseland Tom (a.k.a. Tom Bump) Merritt Island FL STS2(SS) 66 - 69   Cusk Webmaster
Rupert Lee E Worland WY MM2(SS) 66 - 68    
Sawyer Robert H "Bob" Harpswell ME TMC(SS) 65 - 66    
Shaeffer Robert Eugene     ENC(SS) 46 & 65 - 67   COB and Plankholder
Shaw Gary R   NE EN2(SS) 66 - 69 2008  
Shoemaker Donald E San Diego CA EMC(SS) 65 - 69 24 May 2013  

Julius George Shreve

  Franklin NC YN1(SS) 63-66 14 November 2019 Retired as LCDR
Smith Jack T Moline IL FT2(SS) 66 - 67    
Spielman Gerald "Jerry" Yellville AK EN1(SS) 60 - 66 30 December 2015 Left Cusk in 1966 after volunteering to serve ashore in Vietnam.
Sullivan Lawrence M Yuma AZ TM2(SS) 66    
Tomines Edgar D     MM2(SS) 66 - 67    
Tuma David F Arlington VA LTJG 66 - 67   Communications officer, retired as Captain
Vogel Frank J Pittsburgh KS IC3(SS) 63 - 66 6 January 2012  
Von Christierson William Walde     LCDR 65 - 66 15 November 2015 12th Captain of the Cusk
Von Gehr Kurt Virginia Beach VA ET1(SS) 66 - 67    
Wagstaff Richard B "Rick" Pine Grove CA QM3(SS) 64 - 66    
Walbaum Donald D "Don" Litchfield PA EN1(SS) 67 - 69    

William J "Guber" Weisensee

  Woodbine GA LT 65 - 67 11 August 2018 One of the first LDOs to attain the rank of CAPT
West Denton W "Denny" Burnsville NC LCDR 65 - 67 26 July 2012 Executive Officer

Roy John Willis

  West Palm Beach FL EN2(SS) 64 - 66 17 November 2020  
Wilson John Steve "Willie" Richland WA EM1(SS) 66 - 69   Author of "Cusk Raider" ship's newsletter

If you have any information, pictures, history, or crewmember names/information from the Cusk in 1966 (or any year), please contact the Cusk Webmaster. Thanks!


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 All information and pictures herein were contributed by, and are the property of crewmembers of the USS Cusk.  It is intended solely for your enjoyment and education, and for preserving the memory and history of this great ship.  If you take anything or make copies, please give proper credit.  Your questions and comments are welcomed, as are any pictorial or historical contributions you might wish to donate or loan. 

Send an email to the USS Cusk webmaster at: USS Cusk Webmaster

This page was last updated: 01/11/19