By Commander, Submarine Force
U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR - Commander Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet Rear Adm. Douglas McAneny announced Dec. 1 that the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) and the fast-attack submarines USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705) and USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723) will be changing homeports during 2010 and 2011.

USS Emory S. Land, currently completing depot-level maintenance in Bremerton, Wash., will be forward-deployed to Diego Garcia upon completion of maintenance, in accordance with defense agreements between the U.S. and British governments. USS Emory S. Land is expected to depart Bremerton next spring, arriving in Diego Garcia next summer.

The submarine tender will provide an expeditionary maintenance capability to the fast-attack submarines (SSNs) and guided missile submarines (SSGNs), particularly those operating in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

"Forward-deploying USS Emory S. Land to Diego Garcia will dramatically reduce transit time for our submarines operating in 5th Fleet that require intermediate level maintenance, emergent repair, or logistics support," said McAneny.

Assigning USS Emory S. Land to Diego Garcia demonstrates the Navy's continuing commitment to peace and regional security through maintaining strong capabilities.

USS City of Corpus Christi, currently homeported in Guam, will be replaced in Guam by the Norfolk-based USS Oklahoma City, and the former will be assigned to Naval Station Pearl Harbor. While specific dates are unavailable, the homeport shifts are projected to take place between the fall of 2010 and the spring of 2011.

"Shifting homeports for USS Oklahoma City and USS City of Corpus Christi ensure that our most technologically advanced submarines are forward, so we maintain our ability to dominate the sea base and shape potential adversaries," said Rear Adm. McAneny.

City of Corpus Christi will undergo maintenance at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard shortly after arrival.

The shift of homeports for the two submarines is not part of the overall military build-up on Guam. While there may be some period of overlap where more than three submarines are assigned, this homeport shift will not result in any long-term increase in the number of submarines homeported at Submarine Squadron 15, which also includes USS Houston (SSN 713) and USS Buffalo (SSN 715).

Officially recognizing the importance of the Asia-Pacific region and the increased threat posed by the proliferation of submarines in the Pacific, the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review mandated that 60 percent of the U.S. Navy's submarines be homeported in the Pacific by the end of 2010.

In accordance with that mandate, USS Hampton (SSN 767), USS Jacksonville (SSN 699), USS Seawolf (SSN 21), USS Connecticut (SSN 22), USS Albuquerque (SSN 706), USS Hawaii (SSN 776), and USS Texas (SSN 775) have already been transferred from the Atlantic to the Pacific Submarine Force. Currently, 31 of the U.S. Navy's 53 fast attack submarines are homeported in the Pacific, with 18 of those 31 homeported in Pearl Harbor. USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) will depart Pearl Harbor for inactivation this winter.

Joe,

It has been reported to me by Kevin Hughes (MarDet 74-75) that Joe McHaney passed away several years ago from cancer. Joe served with the Flag Detachment during our hitch aboard and retired as a Capt. USMCR. I know serveral of the MarDet were looking for information on Joe.

Respectfully,

Thomas Kroh

It's November 11, 1967. LZ X-ray. You're a 19 year old kid. You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle somewhere in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam.

Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 yards away, that your CO has ordered the MedEvac helicopters to stop coming in. You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns and you know you're not getting out.

Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.

Then - over the machine gun noise - you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter. You look up to see a Huey coming in. But ... It doesn't seem real because no MedEvac markings are on it. Captain Ed Freeman is coming in for you. He's not MedEvac so it's not his job, but he heard the radio call and decided he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway.

Even after the MedEvacs were ordered not to come. He's coming anyway. And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load 3 of you at a time on board. Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses and safety.

And, he kept coming back!! 13 more times!! Until all the wounded were out. No one knew until the mission was over that the Captain had been hit 4 times in the legs and left arm. He took 29 of you and your buddies out that day. Some would not have made it without the Captain and his Huey.

Medal of Honor Recipient, Captain Ed Freeman, United States Air Force, died last Wednesday at the age of 70, in Boise, Idaho.

May God Bless and Rest His Soul.

Dr. Gilbert F Romine was born November 30, 1939 in Kermit, Texas, the son of the late Willie Corena Hayes and Gilbert F. Romine Sr. On July 16 1967 he married Lane Claire Woodall, who survives.

He graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in Houston in 1958 and went on to enlist and serve in the United States Navy aboard the Guided missile cruiser USS Oklahoma City CLG-5 as an electronic technician. After leaving the Navy he attended the Lee College in Baytown, Texas and graduated from the University of Texas Dental School in Houston in 1969.

He worked in private practice in Baytown and Liberty, Texas until 1973 when he accepted a commission in the Navy as a dentist. He served in that capacity on the cruiser USS Oklahoma City and the aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy. He was stationed on naval bases in Japan, the Philippines, Guam, Monterey California, Corpus Christi Texas, Norfolk Virginia, Charleston South Carolina and his final duty station was Naval Air Station Dallas until 1996, when his retired as a full Commander USN. In his service to his country he was awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal, The Meritorious Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

Dr. Romine then served as a dentist for the Texas prison system and Veterans Administration. At the time of his death he was working in private practice at the Pilot Point Family Dentistry Clinic in Pilot Point Texas.

Dr Romine was a member of the Church on Rush Creek in Arlington Texas. He was loved and admired by all that knew him. He was devoted to his family, friends and animals. He loved to hunt out bargains at garage sales and was always finding "treasures" for his grandchildren.

Dr. Romine was preceded in death by his parents and daughter Scarlett.

Survivors include his wife Jane Romine of Arlington, sister Sandra Woods of Baytown Texas, daughter and son-in-law Stephanie and Rick Deese of Midlothian Texas, grandchildren, Allison, Jonathan, Reagan and Jacob Deese, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

"Gil" was affectionately known by his old shipmates, who served with him during the late fifties and early sixties, as "Sofine-Romine." He loved attending the annual USS Oklahoma City CLG-5 reunions with his wife Jane and reminiscing of those "old days."

Dr. Romine was laid to rest with full military honors at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery on February 15, 2010.

Personal Note: I remember sitting next to Gil at a luncheon on board a riverboat at the Nashville reunion. (How fortunate I was since I had, just hours before, chipped a tooth on some wonderful peanut brittle we found in one of the malls.) I recall that I was impressed by the enormous size of his right forearm; it looked like Popeye's arm. Then he showed me the other one that was a more appropriate size for a human.

He told me he was a Dentist working in the prison system in Texas. It seems that the majority of dental work done in prisons involves extractions. He said he spent most of his time twisting out molars and bicuspids with brute strength. Indeed, and the proof was resting right next to me there on the table. He was an absolute prince and I was glad I had the opportunity to spend some time with him. -Joe Caruso-