From The President
I hope that you share the excitement and desire for success that I felt as I read through a draft of this first issue of the SUBMARINE REVIEW. Your Board of Directors, in addition, feel that this publication is and will be the primary vehicle to foster a useful dialogue among the Submarine League’s members. This Review is a convenient and periodic means to keep everyone informed of both the objectives of the League and those of the Submarine Service.
The League’s annual symposium and business meeting, to be held at the Sheraton-National Hotel on 3 May, will serve as an opportunity to discuss the many items you may want to better understand with those who have the responsibility for charting the course of the Submarine Service. It is my desire that through the Review and the symposium you will become better informed Submarine Supporters. Then hopefully in some direct or indirect way you can influence others through your knowledge of submarine matters and your desire to promote the future of submariners.
The SUBMARINE REVIEW will be used for a wide variety of purposes. A more obvious one will be to inform its readers of the League’s general business and its concerns. It will also provide an opportunity to publish one’s ideas and recommendations on how to help the Submarine Service. Knowing many of you, I expect to see a lively response on many submarine subjects. And, by fostering mini-debates we can all prof!t from the wisdom that abounds among our members.
Al Kelln projected a membership goal of 500 by the time of the annual meeting. This number was reached on 15 March. Commander Jon Stein, USN, is welcomed as our 500th member. The goal of 1984 by the start of next year was an ambitious one but it is not unrealistic if each of us signs up three additional people. Our mailing lists for new recruits are very incomplete and we need your help in filling the gaps through personal contacts with those who should be interested in joining the League.Please help. Remember that any U.S. citizen is eligible to join.
The offers to volunteer services has been overwhelming. As the League grows and our activities expand you will be asked to serve. I would like particularly to acknowledge the efforts of Brad Granum of Tracor and John Schilling of Rockwell for their significant assistance to the League and through whose help our League can function better and at reduced costs.
The “tax exempt” status of the Submarine League has been affirmed by the IRS so that dues as well as donations are “deductible.” Lou Urbanczyk engineered this ruling — a job of which I am very proud. It certainly widens the path for increasing our Benefactors Honor Roll.
Finally I wish to especially thank the SUBMARINE VETERANS of WW II for their support through joining the League and also for helping to get the word out about our League. Our Submarine Service is built on the heritage of our submarine veterans and we are indeed fortunate to have many of them on board.
Shannon
Editor’s Notes
An attempt was made in this edition to demonstrate the wide and varied scope of submarine matters which can be published without concern for their being classified. Submarine dialogue has been frequently constrained by the possibility that something secret might be voiced. Philosophical reflections rarely are, however, and J.S.L.’s very thoughtful article on the direction for future attack submarines demonstrates this. Establishing a threat base seemed necessary at the start of this forum and Commander Watson’s article establishes it comprehensively. Submarine development, as Frank Andrews describes it through the history and work of the Dev Group, is another base to be appreciated. The Falklands War articles show the value of contemporary lessons which can be learned from today’ s submarine experiences. It was expected that at least article would reflect World War II experience and the lessons from which would apply to a submarine problem of today. Dick Laning’s observations about submarine COs transitioning to war demonstrates this nicely. In the forum for discussion which the Submarine Review offers it is hoped that the problems of strategic warfare will be grappled with by military thinkers. Admiral George Miller does this with his options for basing the MX.
This first quarterly edition of the Submarine Review has shaped up well. The intent of the Submarine League to create a useful dialogue about submarines and submariners seems to be on the way. The articles contained herein should generate discussions in future quarterlies.
Much can be revealed about the status of today’s submarines and the plans for their future from statements made to the Congress in their hearings on the military budgets. Host statements are far too lengthy however to be carried in their entirety in the Submarine Review. Thus, an attempt will be made to publish the more important points made. It is hoped that this selectivity will neither damage the positions or those who make such statements or develop a bias which was not intended.
The Submarine Review is being produced with a minimum of staff. It behooves all contributors to this forum or discussions to make their submission in timely fashion so that the ideas presented can be got ten into print while they are still most convincing.
