USS Diodon (SS-349) WestPac 1967
By: James R. Santos 
on Diodon - TMSN(SG) to TM3(SS)

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Names of Crew Members, as remembered by Brian Slagle, and Jim Santos

From:  Brian Slagle bslagle@worldfront.com 

Jim,

Hi; do you remember YN2(SS) Brian Slagle?  I have attached a picture, in two formats, for you; if you want to put it on the Web Page let me know, and I will produce a better picture than this Polaroid.

I transferred to London in October of '68 and later got my Commission; I live in Bremerton, Washington now having retired from Submarine Base Bangor.

What a treat your Web Page is; Diodon was, like yours, my first tour.  We came aboard about the same time; I struck for Yeoman to get out of the Seaman Gang (STS1(SS) Jim Ewing) and wound up with a 30 year career, retiring in '95.

FYI:  Lebens was not the Port Lookout when the fire started; I was.  You were Starboard and LT John Carlier, Weps, was the Officer of the Deck.  The other Electrician was EM1(SS) Gus Emperador who, along w/ Bobby Pettas, secured the Battery Charge.

Some other names for you:

XO:           LCDR Richard Dolliver
COMM:     Ens Harry E. Sells
SUPP:        Ens Frank Kirner
UNSURE:  LT Stephen T. Rogers
                   ENS Logan O. Chance
COB:         EMCS(SS) Jimmie Carnes

Others:

  • QMC(SS) Andrews

  • QM1(SS) Estes (On Watch w/ the XO when we hit the U/W Seamount; it was a case study when I went to Officer's Sub School in '73)

  • QM1(SS) Wilson (I drank his Dolphins at the Rainbow Bar in Yokosuka)

  • QM2(SS) John Mitchell (I ran w/ him, RM2(SS) Pat Gavagahn, EM2(SS) Dickie Giddens, IC2(SS) Jimmie Roehrs, and, the guy whose first name you couldn't remember, ET2(SS) Gary Grimes).

  • TM2(SS) Stanley Swedbloom (I think you worked for him for a while; we called Stanley the "Scronge", and Ronnie Roux tried to drown him in the fish pond at the Ship's Party in Yoko.  It took a couple of Officers to save Stanley, as I recall; he married a local gal towards the end of the Mare Island Overhaul late in '68).

  • ET1(SS) Roger Hanson

  • MM2(SS) Hank Kalima

  • EN1(SS) Howie Johnson (married Snorkel Pattie  in October '68)

  • EN2(SS) Shepherd

  • IC2(SS) Gary Netcher (everywhere fixing the ship when we had the fire; had an epileptic fit onboard late '68)

  • Chief Drake (I can't remember if he was the Corpsman, Vietnam Vet, or an Engineman)

  • CS2(SS) Borque - we called him "Bunson" as in Burner

  • SD1(SS) Renato Duplon - in charge of Wardroom

  • TM1(SS) (I believe) Gray - in charge of Forward Torpedo Room

  • EMC(SS) West - Leading Electrician

  • EM2(SS) "Pappy" Graham - drove an Austin Healy 3000

  • YNC(SS) Al Hoye - Leading Yeoman (relieved YN1(SS) "Tommie" Thompson right after you and I got there; I later relieved Chief Hoye as Leading Yeoman)

  • LCDR J. H. Maston - relieved Dolliver after Patrol

  • CDR Duke - relieved Sweet as CO

I ran into the "Blue Mex" in Charleston, I think in late '77, but he did not remember me; he should have as I got taken in by the Marine Sentry at Yokosuka trying to take a new ID card out to him at the Rainbow Bar.  He lost six.

I heard that Ronnie Roux was killed by a Drunk Driver, but I don't know; he was a great guy.  He was instrumental in the Damage Control effort that black night, and I can list a number of other key situations that he made right.  Dam shame.

I remember standing the "Axe Watch" when we were being towed in by the Fleet Tug; Captain Sweet cut him loose when we got close to the pier that we could moor w/ what little power we could force.

There was a 4 striper from Flot 7 riding us to investigate the Collision who spent hours and reams of paper detailing our DC during the fire; he was impressed.

I remember more, but enough for now.

Thanks for the Memories,

Brian

I, Jim Santos, remember a few more names:

  • Steve Rose, who came aboard after WestPac

  • Joe Herzog, who came aboard after WestPac.

  • ? MacPherson, an EN striker pre and EN3(SS) post WestPac.

  • Dennis Wheeler, EM striker pre and then EM3(SS) post WestPac.

  • David Lorms, CS striker pre and then CS3(SS) post WestPac.