Here is one of my favorite patches. It was mailed to me by the CO of the nuclear-powered Silversides (SSN-679) in 1984. It was made to commemorate a trip they made to the instrumented sonar range down in the Bahamas, Autec.
It shows the legacy 236 Aussie porpoise with the hat (with a feather in it): On its back is the 679's sail, which at the time included a small aft extension for a radio buoy. The flag is supposed to be "
!!!..." which in signal flag lingo meant "What the hell??!!" and was a favorite of the 236's first skipper Creed C. Burlingame. Trailing from the fish's mouth is a wire-guided Mark 48.
I had the incredible pleasure and luck to be an unofficial "pen pal" with the 679 from 1981 until she decommed. It led me to visit her four times, including once in port, once for a day-long dependent's cruise, and twice for tiger cruises lasting a total of a week. It all started when the XO's wife visited the 236 in May 1981 and said if I ever was in the area to contact her husband who would give me a tour of the 679. I was during the summer. The CO said that he wanted to keep in touch with the 236 but that no one would write him. I said I'd be happy to and did. Over the following years, I sent them photos, historical information and even a surplus klaxon that they restored and used, the only fast attack boat to have one. Wonderful memories!
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