Base Commander Jack Winn Reports:

Just got this message from Captain Kern on the Virginia and I wrote back to him:

"Dear Jack,

I just wanted to pass on to you and all the Submarine Veterans at SUB BASE VIRGINIA our thanks for your continued enthusiastic support. Your web site is great! The crew of the VIRGINIA truly appreciate it.

On 16 August 2003, I stood with the crew on the hull of our beautiful new boat and everyone spoke of the submarine force of today and tomorrow. I want you to know that the VIRGINIA crew is fully aware that our success today was built upon the hard work and sacrifices of submariners that came before us.

Thanks again and I hope I can find a chance to visit Richmond and the Sub Vets of the VIRGINIA Base very soon.

Sincerely Yours

Capt Dave Kern"

"Captain Kern,

Just got your e-mail and can't tell you how much I appreciate all your support for our base. We meet this Thursday night at Hooters - what better place for a bunch of old submarine sailors - and I will read your e-mail to them. I want you to know just how impressed I was with the caliber of the crew we met. I guess breathing all that smoke made our guys a little different. Your people were very friendly, helpful and courteous. I could see these men are a cut above.

That simulator left me in awe and I wrote a story for our Web Site about our trip up for the christening (click here for that story). We plan on using this web site to support your boat. Some of the wives of the crew have contacted us telling that us they have been using the site to download pictures and information about the boat and we've had over 6,700 hits so far. Kenn McDermott, the other guy that came up with me, is our Webmaster and he tries to keep it updated and improving. We would encourage everyone to look at it and give us anything you can of interest

We have a real variety of submarine sailors in our outfit. Some WWII diesel boat sailors - my generation - post WWII and Vietnam, and then the fast attack and Boomer sailors. It is a real mix and the sea stories come fast and thick when we get together. I would like to personally invite you and your family to visit us if you are ever in the Richmond area. We have a new home and lots of accommodations. If ever there is anything that we can do to support you or your crew in any way please let me know. As of now we have several homes available for any crew passing through this area.

We have started a subscription to the American Submariner Magazine that is issued every two months by the U. S. Sub Vets Inc. Some good stories and lots of history of submarine days gone past.

Your Chief of the Boat, Casey White, was most helpful - like all the crew we met he made us feel most welcome.

Again, thank you for inviting us to attend the christening. We look forward to your commissioning and hope we can attend that as well.

Warmest Personal Regards,

Jack Winn, Cmdr USS Virginia Base, USSVI, Richmond, VA"