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USS Whale (SSN 638) Crew List
The table below contains the names of sailors who served aboard the USS Whale (SSN 638). Please keep in mind that this list does only include records of people who submitted their information for publication on this website. If you also served aboard and you remember one of the people below you can click on the name to send an email to the respective sailor. Would you like to have such a crew list on your website?
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There are 240 crew members registered for the USS Whale (SSN 638).
Select the period (starting by the reporting year): precomm – 1969 | 1970 – 1975 | 1976 – 1980 | 1981 – 1985 | 1986 – 1991 | 1992 – now
| Name | Rank/Rate | Period | Division | Remarks/Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deboi, Addison | STS2(SS) | 1970 – 1972 | Lots of time up north. Vague recollections, but do recall Beenbag Benator's question to sonar. "Sonar con - What is the difference between snaping shrimp and sperm whales?" "Con -sonar, about 20 tons" | |
| Strickland, Billy | EM1 | 1970 – | E | Billy had been dead for many years. I don't have more details about him. He got me interested in Submarines before he was tragically killed in a car accident on 13 December,1970. Frank Reno STSCS(SS) USN Ret. |
| McGee, Ed | CTI2 | 1970 – | TAD | Came aboard in Rota, Spain, in fall of 1970 on temporary duty with a couple of other spooks for the Med tour. We had a plywood hot rack in the forward torpedo room, and liberty in Piraeus, Greece. Lots of good memories. |
| Vaughn, Jay | RM2(SS) | 1970 – Nov 8, 1971 | Radio | Loved the time aboard. Great shipmates. Yo, Uribe, I am here! |
| Picker, Bobby | EM1 | Jan 3, 1970 – Aug 8, 1972 | Electrical Division | Hello to all that served on this marvelous ship. When I was on her we were always very busy. We had a great skipper Commander Thomas Mayberry, Exec - Lt Commander James Collins, wardroom and crew. |
| Ott, Tim/otter | ETN2 | Jan 6, 1970 – Aug 25, 1972 | RC | 2 Northern runs one of which was a back-to-back to the Med |
| Wicks, David | EM 1 | Jul 1970 – 1972 | Electrical Gang | |
| Crowley, Dan | FTG1 | Jul 7, 1970 – Apr 24, 1975 | Weapons | 5 years; Lead FT, Sonar Supervisor, Photographer. Worked onboard 1978 (with Hughes) as a tec-rep. |
| Kelley, Weldon (Gene) | TM!(SS) | Oct 20, 1970 – Aug 26, 1974 | Torpedo (FWD) | I went thru the whole conversion to a DSRV and was the only Qualified diving office when we went out for sea trials after the conversion. Had a great trip thru the Pannama canal. |
| Lackey, Randy | YN2(SS)(DV) | Jan 15, 1971 – 1973 | Attack Submarine | Served with Captain Mayberry and Captain Curtis. Ships Diver with John Ramoa. Good friends were Gary Kunkle, John and Max (wife was Donna) and Popajohn. Back to back deployments were tough - loved Bremerhaven/Bremen. |
| Keatts, Bill | MM3 SS | Feb 15, 1971 – Jul 1974 | Aux. | |
| Brown, Earl | MM2 (SS) | May 1971 – Jul 1974 | M | Served under Capt. Mayberry and Cdr. Curtis. Homeports in Charleston and Groton. Two North Atlantic patrols and one Med run. Left ship in La Magdalena in July 74. |
| Reynolds, David | E5/ETR2(SS) | May 21, 1971 – Apr 15, 1975 | Reactor Controls | Remember Whale Power and Light |
| Black, Richard | CTI 2 | Aug 1971 – Nov 1971 | Spook - TDY | Detailed on Whale for ops in Artic Circle. Great crew and earned some awards. Could not have been treated better. Awarded the Royal Order - Thanks guys! |
| Wirick, Terry | EM2 | 1972 – 1974 | E | |
| Elsey, Jim | MM1/SS/DV | Jan 5, 1972 – Jan 19, 1977 | Machinery | Ships lead diver, M-Div Section leader |
| Didomenico, William | EM2 SS | Mar 12, 1972 – Mar 1975 | E | |
| Cook, Terry | EM2 | Jun 1972 – Dec 1975 | Electrical | |
| Heft, Richard | FTG 1 | Jun 1972 – Jul 28, 1976 | FT's | |
| Gibson, Ed | E5 | Jun 1972 – Feb 1976 | E | I remember leaving the Med (OUTCHOP). The cook prepared beef wellington and baked Alaska for us. The officers waited on the crew. I remember how utterly reliable the reactor, main engines and generators were. |
| Pendergrass, William (Bill) | EM2 | Jul 1972 – Jul 1974 | Electrical | |
| Wunderlich, Richard | MM3 | 1973 – 1974 | A | |
| Ginty, Rik | CSSN | Feb 1, 1973 – Jan 1, 1975 | supply | |
| Berry, Roy | MM2(SS) | Apr 1, 1973 – May 11, 1975 | M diivison | First boat retire 27 years, learned fast attack tough, Med runs and yard periods. Water fights, bad food, and long hours. Hope all fair seas |
| Anderson, Chris | MM1/SS | Nov 25, 1973 – Aug 25, 1977 | M | OH the "Mid watches! fresh cinnamon rolls with engineroom coffee! |
| MacKinnon, Donald | QUARTER MASTER | 1974 – | ||
| Meixell, Bob | MM1SS | 1974 – 1979 | M | NPS Mare Island 7408. Nuclear Machinist Mate ELT. |
| Williams, Robert (Willy) | QMSN(SS) | Jun 1974 – Aug 1976 | Ops | Those were some of the best years of my life - I'm darned proud to have served on the Whale. I'll never forget Ernie's cooking! Had some awesome times. |
| Trimble, Greg | MM2C SS | Jul 10, 1974 – Aug 28, 1977 | A gang | 2 med cruises,cuba,Groton,PNSY, |
| Snyder, Andy | MM1 (SS) | Aug 1974 – Aug 1977 | M | Great Times, Great People |
| Jenkins, David | MM1 SS | Aug 1974 – Jan 27, 1978 | Engine Room | Wow, Jim Elsey and Triple B. I was the "other" diver with Jim. |
| Bennett, Bill | MM2 (SS) | Sep 1974 – Jun 1978 | A-Gang | |
| Erdner, Bruce/ Triple B Double S | MM1/SS | Sep 9, 1974 – Aug 15, 1975 | Med runs, Mechanical rabbit for ASW ops in GITMO, ORSE work ups, PNSY for refueling. Miss the camraderie of the crew aft of frame 57. Atthis point in my life there are no bad memories, only good ones!! | |
| Galvin, Andy | E4 | Oct 1, 1974 – Sep 5, 1976 | Sonar | I Remember "KO Kobe" and med runs & "boing" fish, and freezing on topside watch in Naples. Where the heck are Steve Smith and Greg French?? Oh yeah, and Lt Flanagan messing up a quick snatch reactor drill in a freaking hurricane... |
| Curley, Richard | LTJG | Nov 1974 – Aug 1976 | Supply | Crew singing "Only you can shoot the TDU" in the middle of the night? day? Who knew? Marcus Friedman, God help us all. |
| Forrest, Harlan | EM2/SS | Dec 1, 1974 – Sep 7, 1978 | Electrical | |
| Wentzel, Kit | EM2(SS) | Dec 15, 1974 – Mar 9, 1979 | electrical | |
| Iski, Jay | ETN-2 | Dec 15, 1974 – Jul 4, 1977 | REACTOR CONTROL | ALONE IN SUCH REMOTEST WATERS |
| Young, Paul | MM3 (SS) | 1975 – Sep 1978 | A-gang | Great crew & great time. |
Zacher, Phillip  | E5 | 1975 – 1979 | TM2 | Loved it!!! |
| Reavis, Bill | MM2 | Apr 1975 – Aug 1978 | A-Gang | |
| Wittenstrom, John | RM1 UNQUAL - RM1SS - THEN RMCSS | Jun 10, 1975 – Jun 10, 1978 | Radio | Came on board before the 75 Med run. I think I got a picture of MM Bennett with a wig and boobies during our med party. Went arend Sardinia with a bunch of guys. Swam in the Med in February, 76. Retired in 83. |
| Dowling, Mike | EMC (SS) | Jun 15, 1975 – Mar 15, 1979 | "E" | Med run and refuelling overhaul at PNSY |
| Wittenstrom, John | RM1(SS) | Jun 20, 1975 – Jun 19, 1978 | Radio | Went on board as non-qual RM!. Made Med run and left in 85 for recruiting duty... missed last reunion - would like to come to next one - when is it? |
| Owsinski, Daniel | E-5 ETN-2(SS) | Jul 12, 1975 – Sep 10, 1979 | Operations/Electronics | |
| French, Greg | FTG 1 (SS/DV) | Nov 1, 1975 – Apr 1, 1976 | Weapons | The Med run was the highlight of my enlistment. |
| Potter, James | E-3 | Nov 10, 1975 – Jul 23, 1979 | IC- | |
| Banke, James | EM1 (SS) | Dec 1975 – Dec 1979 | E | Grateful for being with a great bunch of guys. Had fun in the Med, the two year overhaul and the southern run to PR and St. Criox, and the 2nd Med run. |
| McGinley, Mac | EM2(SS) | Dec 6, 1975 – Dec 1978 | Electrical | Great boat and crew. The more senior guys in E Div really helped us nubs in quals and learning the boat and our watchstations. I ended up commissining as an LDO in 1986 and retiring in 2001. |
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Select the period (starting by the reporting year): precomm – 1969 | 1970 – 1975 | 1976 – 1980 | 1981 – 1985 | 1986 – 1991 | 1992 – now
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