1966

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 Christerson 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)

Leo Lemoine reading in the Chief's

quarters on the barge in Bremerton

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Inside of CoC brochure - Don Killian relieves

William Von Christierson as Captain of the Cusk

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Chief Morton checks out what's for chow

on the barge in Bremerton, Washington

(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)

"Jethro" Jerome and Don Shoemaker

enjoying lunch on the barge in

Bremerton, Washington

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Rick "Ptomaine" Greer in the messhall

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Ronnie Lane gets a birthday cake on the

barge in Bremerton

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Al "Killer" Kilpatrick, Gerry Speilman and Don

Shoemaker share some laughs on the

barge in Bremerton

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Mike Keelin

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Billy Michaels in the torpedo room

(Photo courtesy of William Michaels)

Rick Greer in the Mess Hall

(Photo courtesy of Rick Greer)

Moored inboard of USS Diodon at

Ballast Point in San Diego

(Web photo)

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!

Crewmembers who came aboard the Cusk in 1966:

Last Name	First & MI	City	State	Rank/Rate	Svc. Date	Comments
Branske	Jim	Monmouth	OR	TM2(SS)	66 - 69
Duerr	David P. ("The Walrus"	Aspen	CO	EN2(SS)	66 - 68
Hayden	John	Kettle Falls	WA	YN1(SS)	66 - 68
Killian	Donald J.	Brooklyn Park	MD	LCDR	66 - 67	13th Captain
Lane	Ronnie E.			EN1(SS)	66 - 69
Morton				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
Rogers	Steve "Codger"			EM3(SS)	66 - 69
Roseland	Tom (formerly Bump)	Merritt Island	FL	STS2(SS)	66 - 69	Cusk Webmaster
Shaw	Gary			EN3(SS)	66 - 69
Tuma	David F.			LTJG	66 - 67
Von Gehr	Kurt	Virginia Beach	VA	ET1(SS)	66 - 67
West	Denny C.			LCDR	66	XO
Wilson	Steve "Willie"			EM1(SS)	66 - 69	Author of "Cusk Raider" ship's newsletter

Explore more of the Cusk's History...

Keel is Laid

Commissioning

Pearl Harbor

First Missile Launch

Missile Hanger

Missile Explosion

"The Flying Missile"

Tracking Missiles

Missile Submarine

"100 Mile Stinger"

Missiles Removed

Regulus Program

Mare Island

Pearl Harbor

West Pac

Alaska Cruise

West Pac

Designated SS-348

West Pac

Pearl Harbor

West Pac

West Pac/Vietnam

You are here!

1967

West Pac/Vietnam

1968

Cold War Patrol

1969

Decommissioning

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: 03/16/08