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USS Scorpion SS-278 Base

January 11, 2014 Base meeting minutes

Base meeting was held at the DAV building in Sioux Falls SD where Al Small made pork chops.
Dinner was served at 12noon and went till 1pm then proceeded with meeting.
A BIG THANK YOU to Al Small for putting together our noon meal, it was great!

The meeting was opened with the reading of the creed and pledge of allegiance.
Invocation was given and members introduced followed by the Tolling of the Bell for Jan/Feb losses.
Members attending: Dean Deuel, Roger Zarn, Mike Neuroth, Dan Anderson, Tim Madden, Jim Farquhar, Kent Winter,
Nick Wetzel, Brian Schnurr, Gerold Davey, Bernard Jung and Al Small.

Secretary/Treasurers reports was given and we are over $2,000 in the black.
Committee reports: Eagle Scout program, Dan Anderson & Francis Rabaey; no new candidates.
Kaps4Kids program, still looking for new Co-Chairman to replace Al Small.
Storekeeper, Gerold Davey; caps and polo shirts are online, ordering through National Storekeeper brings revenue to Base.
Yankton Memorial Planning committee, Dan Anderson & Brian Schnurr plans for 2014 will be presented
after a meeting with the City of Yankton.

Old/Unfinished business:

All members National and Local Dues have been collected.
Retention and Recruitment of potential members and past attendees is essential to Base function.
Mike (Capt Neutron) Neuroth has been collecting donations for the small flags and brought in $102 to the Base!
Our Kaps4Kids program is on hold until we get a volunteer to Co-Chair the committee.
Kent Winter is the other Co-Chair and more than willing to help anyone that volunteers!
The USSVI Eagle Scout program is searching for more candidates, please watch for people in your area.
It was discussed to contact the Boy Scout counsels in the area for potential candidates.
We will be honoring our states WWII submarine veterans and the USS Scorpion SS-278 veterans
in planning a big event with City of Yankton for 2014 and the 70th anniversary.

New Business:

March 10th will be the 10th anniversary of the forming of the Scorpion Base.
Executive Board will be planning on a special event for our March meeting.
USS Scorpion SS-278, lost January 5th 1944. We are planning a big event with City of Yankton for 2014 and the 70th anniversary.
We have been asked by our District Commander David to move our May ceremony back one week due to his request for
a District Conference in Rochester MN that week. We discussed with members to see how many are interested in attending and
then what to do with our May ceremony in Yankton.
Membership for the Base was discussed using the term “Adrift Bubbleheads”. Keeping the meeting relevant
with valuable informative, education and “most important fun” keeps members coming back!
Discussed promotion of USSVI in local media during 4th of July, Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Brian Schnurr and
Kent Winter will put together an advertisement campaign for media coverage.
50th Anniversary of USSVI in Washington DC May 21st and National Convention in San Francisco in Sept.
Election of Base officers (2 year terms) will be held at our July meeting.
Eligibility for Holland Club membership this year….Wayne Andrews of RC, he will be inducted in RC.
Short range plans are to continue to work with the City of Yankton in honoring the memory
of the USS Scorpion SS-278 and the memorial.
Long range plans are to meet with local Veterans Memorial Park for a memorial plaque to submarine veterans
and with the recently unveiled National memorial plaque in DC, we feel it could be duplicated
and used for our local memorial plaque.
Scorpion Base’s long, long range plans having the state acquire the sail and rudder of the USS South Dakota SSN-790
after 40+ years and putting that next to the battleship for the next generation of South Dakotans.

Nick Wetzel won the 50/50 drawing of $60 and donated $27 back to the Base.

Meeting adjourned at 2:30pm.

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