WAHOO – It was 70 years ago that the U.S.S. Wahoo and her crew went to a watery grave in the Sea of Japan.The famed World War II submarine was sunk by the Japanese on Oct. 11, 1943.
For the 51st consecutive year, the U.S.S. Wahoo
and all other World War II era submarines will be honored during a
submarine veterans’ service on the lawn of the Saunders County
Courthouse.
The annual memorial service will start at 1 p.m.
next to the Mark 14 Torpedo monument. The service is again hosted by the
U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II and U.S. Submarine Veterans
Inc.
Pat Hancock of Wahoo, retired Navy and a member
of the Nebraska Base of U.S. Submarine Veterans, said the number of
World War II veterans able to attend the memorial service gets fewer and
fewer every year. He is hopeful that at least a couple will be able to
again help out with this year’s program.
The first memorial service was held in Wahoo in
September 1962. It was later moved to October to coincide with the
sinking of the U.S.S. Wahoo.
This year’s guest speaker will be Rear Adm. Dave Kriete. Kreite is deputy director of Plan and Policy,
U.S. Strategic Command Offutt Air Force Bass. He reported in September
2012 and is responsible for the development of the nation’s strategic
war plans, strategic support plans for theater combatant commanders and
contingency planning for the global strike mission.
Kreite is a 1984 graduate of the United States
Naval Academy, where he majored in general engineering. At sea, he
served onboard the U.S.S. Finback, U.S.S. Flying Fish and U.S.S.
Kentucky. He was the commanding officer of the U.S.S. Rhode Island and
was commander of Submarine Squadron Six.
Other assignments include deputy director force
employment at United States Fleet Forces Command, assistant force
special operations officer on the staff of Commander and Submarine Force
U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Nuclear Propulsion Examing Board Member on staff
of commander in Chief. He also served as chief of staff to commander,
Submarine Force Atlantic and Commander Task Force 144 and deputy
commander, Allied Submarine Command.
His decorations include the Defense Superior
Service Medal, Legion of Merit (five awards), Defense Meritorious
Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (six awards),
Mancy and Marien Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation (two
awards), Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation (two awards) and Battle
Efficiency “E” (five awards.
Sunday’s ceremony will also include the “reading
of the boats” that were sunk or damaged in World War II as well as the
tolling of the bell.
The Wahoo American Legion Post 82 and Wahoo VFW
Post 4502 will provide honor guard and firing squad duties. Rev. Dr.
Burton Knudsen will again give the invocation and benediction.
