DRUM

Dad in front of the submarine Drum (SS228), located now in Mobile, Alabama. He visited in 1993.

CHANGE OF COMMAND

Some nice shots of Dad at his 1984 change of command ceremony. Not sure if Dad was stepping down or if he was taking over for the reserve destroyer out of Tampa. The officer standing next to him is Wally Guthrie.

NAVY PREP

1955 was a transitional year for my father, as he went from enlisted man to navy prep and then into his plebe year at the Naval Academy. In the first shot, even though it is in black and white, I am pretty sure he is an Airman (3 stripes, which would have been green). This may have also been a working id photo.

Dad in his Navy dungarees. He is wearing that badge, but I don't see any rank.

Still an E3, doing duty as SPO duty at NAPS, Spring 1955.

Standing in front of his Uncle's car.

At some point in the NAPS process, you gave up your sailor cap for officer lid. A really good magnifying glass might reveal the other fellow's name, as they seem to be stenciled on their shirts. I think these shots likely from NAPS facility. Perhaps, and this is just a guess, it may signify graduation from NAPS in readiness to enter USNA.

Might have posted this already, but here he is, a Midshipman 4th class, class of 1959.

USS SENNET (SS 408) II

The last submarine I remember my Dad serving aboard was the USS SENNET (SS 408). He enjoyed taking pictures, though seldom inside the vessel. Herewith a few shots taken underway and in various ports, and a few of individuals. I will use the identifications as noted. First, here is a nice shot of the boat underway in 1967. It was a Balao-class named for a kind of barracuda, and had been launched on 6 June 1944, which made it a fairly old boat. It managed to squeeze in four patrols in the Pacific at the end of WWII. The crew sank around ten ships during its run. When my Dad was aboard the Sennett was stationed at Charleston, S.C. and operated with the Atlantic Fleet. She was struck from service on 2 December 1968, and my Dad was part of the last crew. I remember him bringing mementos off of the ship, some of which he later donated to the Navy museum in Groton. I know we slept many times on the heavy bunk mattresses.

Two shots of the boat arriving at a pier at the Guantanamo Bay Navy Base, Cuba.

Here we have the boat sailing out of Guantanamo, June 1967.

CO Art Thompson presenting a Sennet plaque to Chaplain Jerry D. Moritz (TF 86 Staff) while in port at Punta Arenas, Chile, probably 1967. The shorter officer standing between and behind then is probably Bob Burnett. You can just see my father's face, touching his lid, right behind Thompson.

Here it looks like Rear Admiral Frederick J. Harlfinger (then operational commander for UNITAS VIII), also at Punta Arenas, October 1967, as he comes aboard. I do not know who the sailors were.

The crew assembled on deck for the visit. None of these men are identified.

Basically the same shot as the Gitmo one, but this time the Sennet is in the Straits of Magellan October 1967.

While in the Straits, we have a picture of Tom Luckman.

The CO, turned away from camera, escorts the vice president of Uruguay and the U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay on a visit to the boat. The officer identified facing the camera is Lt-jg Peter Kurtz.

The CO chats with the VP.

Here the Sennet enters Rio de Janiero, Brazil, November 1967.

While in Rio Dad visited Sugar Loaf aboard the cable car. Are these men also from Sennet? I don't know.

Much later, in 1968, not long before she is to end her service, she is anchored in the lagoon at Port Antonio, Jamaica. Her paint job seems much brighter here.

This officer is identified as Paul Thorn.

See also

http://sylvannovelust.blogspot.com/2014/08/uss-sennett-ss-408.html

http://sylvannovelust.blogspot.com/2009/08/dad-on-sennett.html

SWABBIE TIDD

After High School my Dad joined the Navy as an enlisted man, later taking advantage of a program to work his way into the Naval Academy. One way or another, he was going to sea. He loved the life, and still does. Even as his memory fades, he thinks he is on a naval base. This picture was taken on 25 September 1953 at the Navy Recruiting Center in Philadelphia. Probably one of the best pictures I have of my Dad . . happy, confident, looking forward to his life. And an adventure he had.

Herewith a few more shots of Dad as an enlisted man in his uniforms during 1954. He was stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, which I think is where he was trained after boot camp. By the end of the year he had been accepted to the Naval Academy Preparatory School, New Port, Rhode Island, as his next step toward the Naval Academy itself. The dog is the family pup, Doc.

CLASS OF 1959

Herewith an official U.S. Navy photograph (9 August 1957) of Midshipmen of the Naval Academy in formation and spelling out "US59NA" while on a summer cruise aboard the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge (CVS-45), probably somewhere out in the Atlantic.

JAMES F. TIDD, USN

My Dad was interested in the navy at least by high school, where he was a reservist, apparently a forerunner of our modern Navy JROTC. After graduating he enlisted and trained Aviation Ordnance (AO) in Jacksonville. Apparently, while stationed there he heard about the Navy prep school and applied in hopes of earning his way into the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. He succeeded and entered the school in 1955, graduating in 1959. Herewith a few pictures of Dad as he worked his way up the ranks, having served on both surface and undersurface ships. He left active service around 1970, but remained in the Reserves until he earned his Captain's rank. While in the Reserves he served on a destroyer (McCard), commanding an amphibious assault unit (I think medical), and on the staff at McDill for the Middle East. Quite an accomplished career. If he could, he would still be in the Navy, I can assure you that.

Here he is in high school, 1953.

Midshipman 4/c, USNA, Fall of 1955.

I think, in your senior year you get to invite your best gal to the Ring dance, where you present a miniature replica of your own class ring to her. I could have that wrong, but I know my mom had one, and I think this picture was taken on that day.

Dad graduated with the class of 1959. There should be some pictures of him with his parents, but I haven't found them yet. But here he is in his official senior class picture, Midshipman 1/c.

Dad made Lt. Commander sometimes in the 1970s, possibly 1974 or 1975. This is his official picture from 1977.

And lastly, we have to have a picture of him as Captain. This picture was taken in Tampa in 1985.

Dad on Sennett

My old man served aboard the USS SENNET from around 1966 to 1968. I just found these pictures on a website devoted to the submarine (I think provided by him in most cases). Thought I would share them here as well. This is the boat:

My mom must have come aboard to visit Dad, sometime around 1968.

I think this pic was taken during a cruise around South America, most likely in port in Montevideo, Uruquay. My Dad is standing far right. The other officers (l to r) are identified as Larry Brownley, Victor (Gene) Clemons, Bob Burnett, Art Thompson (C.O.), Tom Luckman, and Jim Abbey.

Dad is in front of the trio of officer standing behing the speaker, his cap jauntily tilted forward!