United States Submarine Base New London Tour

Schedule at a Glance

Thursday July 17^th, 2008

· Registration, Cash Bar, Memorabilia at Groton Inn (16:00 to 20:00)

Friday July 18^th, 2008

· Registration, Morning Coffee, Memorabilia at Groton Inn (08:00 to 11:00)

· Groton Submarine Base Tour (08:00 to 11:45)

· Picnic at Admiral Fife Naval Recreation Area (12:00 to 17:00)

Saturday July 19^th, 2008

· Tolling of the Bell Ceremony for Departed Shipmates (10:30 to 11:30)

· Lunch at the Groton Sub Vets Hall (12:00 – 13:20)

· Group Photo at Groton Inn (17:45 Sharp)

· Banquet at Groton Inn (18:00 – 23:00)

Registration

Location: The Groton Inn - 99 Gold Star Hwy, Groton, CT 06340 - 800-452-2191

Time: 16:00 to 20:00 Thursday July 17^th and 08:00 to 11:00 Friday July 18^th

United States Submarine Base New London Tour

Location: Submarine Force Museum - 1 Crystal Lake Road, Groton, CT

Time: 08:00 to 11:45 - Friday, July 18th

We are fortunate to have our Submarine Base tour scheduled on a day that they are having a Basic Enlisted Submarine School Graduation and we are invited. Everything starts with a muster in the Submarine Force Museum parking lot at approximately 0800, a transfer to Navy vans and then motoring to Wilkinson Hall for the graduation. After the graduation we will tour the Wall of Honor on the third deck. We will then be broken into three groups and each group will be motored to one of the three trainers. We will visit the Damage Control Wet Trainer (Vahsen Hall), the Ships (boat) Piloting and Navigation Trainer (English Hall), and the Ship (boat) Control Trainer (Pennington Hall), with everyone going to all three trainers. All this will be wrapped up with a motor tour of the Submarine Base, ending at the Submarine Force Museum parking lot at approximately 11:45.

Attire: Business Casual

Driving Directions from Groton Inn & Suits, 99 Gold Star Hwy, Groton, CT

1: Start out going NORTHEAST on GOLD STAR HWY/CT-184 E toward CT-184 W.

2: Turn RIGHT onto KINGS HWY. 0.3 mi

3: Turn RIGHT to stay on KINGS HWY. 0.2 mi

4: Take the CT-12 N exit toward GALES FERRY/US SUB BASE.

5: Turn RIGHT onto CT-12/US-1. Continue to follow CT-12. 1.8 mi

6: Turn LEFT onto CRYSTAL LAKE RD. 0.4 mi

7: End at Submarine Force Museum parking lot, 1 Crystal Lake Rd Groton, CT

Picnic

Location: Admiral Fife Naval Recreation Area – 525 Stonington Westerly Road, Stonington, CT

Time: 12:00 – 17:00 Friday July 18^th

The picnic is a time to relax and catch up on old times and sea stories. We will have a catered lunch, beer and non-acloholic beverages. There are activies at the park for children and adults alike.

Attire: Casual

From Groton Area

Take I-95 North for 9 Miles to Exit 91.

Turn Right at bottom of Ramp onto SR-234/ Pequot Trail – Travel for .3 Miles

Bear Left onto North Main Street – Travel 1.6 Miles

Turn Right onto US-1/ Stonington Westerly Road – Travel for .3 Miles

Turn Right into Admiral Fife Recreation Area

Total of 12 Miles and 16 Minutes Driving Time

Tolling of the Bell Ceremony for our Departed Shipmates

Location: National Submarine Memorial - Intersection of Bridge St and Thames St, Groton, CT

Time: 10:30 to 11:30 - Saturday July 19th

The Tolling of the Bell Ceremony for our Departed Shipmates, planned for this reunion weekend, is our way of paying tribute to our friends and comrades we so proudly served with. It gives us the opportunity to reflect back on the hardships and the good times we shared with each of them. It helps to bring to the forefront the debt of gratitude we share for having known, these, our brothers of the Dolphin.

The essence of the ceremony is the calling out of the departed shipmate name and a tolling of a bell as a tribute of remembrance to him. This ceremony will be held at the National Submarine Memorial, in Groton, a place that Submariners gather to remember and honor lost boats and departed shipmates. On Memorial Day, Veterans Day, the Submarine Birthday, and other important occasions, Submariners come to this place and Toll the Bell for lost Submarines and Submariners.

One of the reasons we can conduct this tribute to our shipmates is because the United States Submarine Veterans Inc. Groton Base; the Submarine School, Submarine Base, New London; and the National Submarine Memorial Committee have assisted us. To them we say “Thank You”.

The ceremony will start at 10:30 Saturday the 19^th of July, At the National Submarine Memorial, Groton. The Memorial is located at the intersection of Bridge St. and Thames St. Parking is at a premium so plan to arrive early.

Attire: Business Casual

Driving Directions from Groton Inn & Suits, 99 Gold Star Hwy, Groton, CT

1: Start out going NORTHEAST on GOLD STAR HWY/CT-184 E toward CT-184 W. 0.1 mi

2: Turn RIGHT onto KINGS HWY. 0.1 mi

3: Turn RIGHT to stay on KINGS HWY. 0.2 mi

4: Keep LEFT at the fork to continue on KINGS HWY. 0.2 mi

5: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto BRIDGE ST. 0.7 mi

6: End at National Submarine Memorial, Bridge St & Thames St Groton, CT

Sub Vets Lunch

Location: 40 School Street, Groton, CT

Time: 12:00 to 13:20 – Saturday July 19th

The lunch at the United States Submarine Veterans Inc. Groton Base Club House was planned after our tribute to our shipmates on eternal patrol, at the National Submarine Memorial, because it gives a time to celebrate the good and happy times we shared with our departed shipmates. The Sub Vets Hall with its pictures; plaques; battle flags; and other submarine memorabilia, is a museum of submarine remembrances that will put us in the proper mood to lift a toast to our shipmates. Family, good friends, good food, and good drink are the things we wished for when on our vigilant patrols and now are the times to celebrate life amongst our shipmates.

Groton Submarine Veteran’s Hall is located at 40 School Street. Lunch will be serviced at 12:00 with an open bar. Parking is at a premium and is allowed on School and Ramsdell Streets. Attire: business casual.

Driving Directions from Tolling of the Bell Ceremony

1: Start out going SOUTH on THAMES ST - 0.4 mi