On 2 May 1997, Commander Submarine Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet, Rear Admiral Ellis, was the guest speaker during a dedication ceremony for two recently renovated Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ’s) in Guam. This dedication marked a significant improvement over previous accommodations used by visiting submarine sailors in Guam.
The strong involvement and interest of Commander Submarine Group SEVEN’s Rear Admiral Konetzni to improve off ship berthing conditions for submarine sailors resulted in the major renovation of two BEQ’s at the Naval Magazine. Through the collective efforts of Naval Activities Guam, COMNAVMARIANAS, Submarine Refit Site Personnel, COMSUBGRU 7 Rep Guam, and the USS FRANK CABLE these two BEQ’s were officially opened for exclusive use by our submarine crews visiting Guam and permanent party Submarine Refit Site personnel. All of these efforts culminated in a dedication ceremony to officially name these buildings SCORPION and THRESHER Halls in memory of the only two peace time submarines lost at sea, USS SCORPION (SSN 589) and the USS THRESHER (SSN 593). Special dedication plaques with pictures of each ship and names of lost shipmates were placed in each of the BEQ buildings. This was done not only to remember our lost submarine comrades, but also to instill a sense of pride and ownership of these buildings for each visiting submarine crew.
These fine facilities feature a gym, fitness center, tennis courts, ball field, new picnic cabanas and a small club/dining facility adjacent the BEQ buildings. During the dedication ceremony Rear Admiral Ellis along with Rear Admiral Konetzni applauded the team effort and all who were involved in making this project such a huge success. As stated by Rear Admiral Ellis at the dedication ceremony, "Its been over 20 years since I last visited here. Guam has changed significantly for the better. These facilities are a vast quality of life improvement over what I experienced many years ago - we have much to be proud of and thankful for."