Veterans Day: Dennis McCreight

On behalf of Prescott’s Gudgeon base of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., Vice Base Commander Dennis McCreight, left, presents a donation of $150 to Toys for Tots. (Courtesy/Dennis McCreight)

On behalf of Prescott’s Gudgeon base of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., Vice Base Commander Dennis McCreight, left, presents a donation of $150 to Toys for Tots. (Courtesy/Dennis McCreight)

EMCS (SS) Retired (1960-1982)

During my 22 years of serving on submarines of the U.S. Navy, I had many opportunities to realize how small our submarine force was. I served from 1960-1982 when the Navy was decommissioning old diesel submarines, which I was assigned to, as fast as nuclear submarines were commissioned. I would just get comfortable on a boat and it would be decommissioned, and I would need to be transferred.

Consequently, I served on nine different submarines during my career. Each time I reported onboard my new boat, I was surprised at how many of my new shipmates I knew or I had served with on other subs. Looking back, I shouldn’t have been surprised, because submarine crews are small (typically 75 to 90 sailors each) and the whole submarine fleet was, as it was during World War II, less than 2% of the Navy.

During my career, the submarine force wasn’t tested like it was during World War II. The World War II force was also small, but it proved how mighty it could be when it sunk more than 1,300 enemy ships (battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers and merchant marine ships). In fact, the submarine force, which was 1.6% of the Navy, sunk more ships and ship tonnage than the rest of the Navy.

Since I retired from the Navy, I have been a member of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. (USSVI). From time to time at the USSVI meetings, I once again run into former shipmates. Sometimes I even get reminders of how small the force I served in was. A good example happened recently when a memory of years ago came flooding back. As the Vice Base Commander of the USSVI Gudgeon Base, which serves the submarine community in the Prescott area, I am always on the lookout for memorabilia regarding the USS Gudgeon (SS 211), or the post-World War II Gudgeon (SS 567).

A few weeks ago, I found a book that not only pertained to the Gudgeon, but also peripherally pertained to me. After reading the first chapter of the book, I discovered that the first Commanding Officer, Commander Grenfell of the USS Gudgeon (SS 211) was also, in 1961, the Admiral in charge of the Athletic Fleet Submarines (SUBLANT). He presented me with my dolphins, which is an award/pin that signifies the wearer to be qualified to serve on a U.S. Navy submarine. Another tie-in with the Gudgeon occurred 18 years later, when I served on my last submarine — the new Gudgeon (SS-567). Another, and probably the last, coincidence occurred when my shipmates at the USSVI Gudgeon base in 2018 voted me to represent them as the USSVI Gudgeon Base Vice Base Commander, which meets from 10 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of each month at the Prescott Valley VFW.


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