The past and present members of the Submarine NR-1 ship's company - and the ship's design, construction and support team - held a reunion at the New London Radisson Hotel on June 26 through June 28, 1992.
The NR-1 reunion commenced with a reception and informal get-togethers on the evening of Friday, June 26th. On Saturday, June 27th, group discussions were held. Featured speakers were RADM (ret.) D. Griffith, the former Director of the Navy's Deep Submergence Systems Division and the first Officer In Charge (OIC) of the NR-1, and Captain (ret.) J. Maurer, the former Commander of Submarine Development Group One and the first Operations Officer of the NR-1.
In addition, a banquet was held on the evening of the 27th. The featured speakers were Professor A. Malahoff, Univ. of Hawaii, and LCDR John G. Cooke V, the current Officer In Charge of the NR-1. They described some of the wonders of the deep ocean environment, and detailed the contributions of the Submarine NR-1 to the field of Oceanography.
In retrospect, this reunion was an extraordinary event. For a fleeting moment, it brought together Navy, Shipbuilder, and Contractor personnel who have participated in the design, construction, and operation of a unique ship over a period of 25 years. Many of those who worked aboard the NR-1 in the 1960s and 1970s had not seen one another for as long as 20 years. Getting together evoked memories that reminded us all of just how much we did at an early stage of our lives - and how far we have traveled since.
The Submarine NR-1 has participated in many oceanographic and search/recovery missions over the past 25 years. On completion of its 1991/1992 overhaul and refueling at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, it is expected to operate for another 20 years. We all hope that the next 25 years will he as exciting and as meaningful as the first 25.
Many helped organize and conduct the reunion, but special recognition must he given to those who went above and beyond the call: Larry and Sharon Kammerzell, Roger Sherman, Guy Mendenhall, and Jeff Davis. Thanks guys, we had a great time!
