Opening Ceremony at Deterrent Park 25 May 2001

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25 May 2001
Opening Ceremony
at Deterrent Park
Bangor, Washington

Rear Admiral Charles Griffiths Jr., Commander Submarine Group Nine, delivered opening remarks and declared the park officially open.
The principal Speaker was
ComSubPac, RADM John Padgett, III.

(Image left) The Tolling Of The Boats ceremony was also conducted for 67 submarines lost in war and peace.

Digital image of Submariner standing by the memorial sail of USS WOODROW WILSON SSBN- 624 was contributed by John Clear EMC(SS) USN(Ret)

At the park there is also this beautiful
plaque. It was designed by Pat
Householder of the USSVI SEATTLE
BASE. (Image by John Clear)

More: Scroll down

The TOLLING OF THE BOATS:
The bell was rung by a Seaman who was the newest "Qualified In Submarines"
present at the park opening. The Names of the Lost Boats were read by the
longest serving ACTIVE DUTY Submariner, a Captain who had worn the
Dolphins for 39 years. (Information provided by John Clear)

Poem: Toll The Bell

Coincident with the opening ceremonies of Deterrent Park was the commemoration
of the 3500th strategic deterrent patrol completed by an FBM submarine.
The USS FLORIDA SSBN-728 completed the 3500th FBM patrol. MESSAGE LINK

Also read Colin Powell's speech given in Kings Bay, Georgia 25 April 1992
commemorating the completion of the 3000th FBM patrol in 1992 by the
USS TENNESSEE SSBN-734.

Here is a quote from that speech of General Powell's:

"Our SSBN patrols continued as the Cold War continued.

The Cuban Crisis came and went. The Vietnam War came and went.
Through it all, the sailors of the Submarine Force continued to guide
their craft far beneath the surface of the ocean, deterring a Third
War that so often looked like it was threatening to break out
and destroy us all.

You did your job well. That terrible War we feared never came."