USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) maneuvers to the pier in the harbor at Diego Garcia on its second visit after the mission in the Indian Ocean - 1983
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) and anxious crew await the arrival of the Avalon (DSRV 2) for fitting up and sea qualification sporting a custom, if not carefully applied, paint scheme, in the gray and cold of a foggy San Diego morning. - 1983
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) sits quietly next to the pier in Diego Garcia, B.I.O.T., enjoying the warm salt breeze of an Indian Ocean dusk - 1983
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) as close to the pier as it could get in La Spezia, Italy - 1976 (Neal Degner)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) kites a cluster of sailboats dancing across the wake, inbound to San Diego harbor - 1983
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) balances delicately in a floating drydock in Guam, awaiting hull-cleaning and routine maintenance, among other things -1983
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) tied up at the pier in Diego Garcia, B.I.O.T., entertaining curious aviators willing to trade rides in P3 Orions for a tour of the boat - 1983
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680), back from a trip across the pond, ties up for liberty in Nova Scotia - 1974 (Neal Degner)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) tied to the USS Tuscaloosa (LST 1187), anchored out in the harbor at Sasebo, Japan - 1982
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680)
USS William H. Bates (SSN 680) tied up on the north pier at SUBASE San Diego (just past the flagpole), with an unknown Permit class boat outboard. British boat HMS Courageous (S-50/SSN06) is tied up just south of the Bates, with at least four or five other boats - one on the Sperry (AS 12), one on the Dixon (AS 37), one on the middle pier with the McKee (AS 41), and one on the south pier. The floating drydock San Onofre (ARD 30) is at the end of the middle pier. Note especially the Trieste II, the deep submergence research submersible in white and orange at the base of the south pier - 1982
Thank you
My name is Kevin Houley. My dad was CO from 75-78. We are sitting in my living room in Annapolis, MD and I am taking him through this wonderful website. He is filling in a lot of blanks for me and smiling ear to ear. His favorite tour and most rewarding time of his life. Thank you for providing us a trip down memory lane. My goal is to get him online and onboard again!! Happy Thanksgiving 2020. Regards. K HouleyOur Pleasure!
Great to hear from you, Kevin! Your father actually registered with this website back in 2009, but we haven't heard much from him since. If he still has his same email from back then, he can reset his password if necessary by clicking Password/Username Reminder in the Watch, Station, & Quarter Bill menu to the right on almost any page. If his email has changed, email me directly at bradwmson (at) ssn-680.org, and I'll update his email and get him signed back in again.. There is a great deal more to see once he logs back in. Glad to have him back - let me know how I can help.Book launch
Those shipmates from the early seventies will remember Lt. Dean Macris and YN3 Tim Mazza.Dean and I have written a book, and of course there's a submarine in it. It's a great story about family, honor, duty and revenge.
The book launches 12-1-20 and is titled "Moral Revenge. The end of a legacy"
Great early reviews so far. Would love to hear from our shipmates.
Tim Mazza
Brad
Good Times
Carl Pate was the breakout cook who burnt water! Strong as an ox!The Billy B was my first boat and I have to admit the best since the crew was beyond awesome! I served with great men in A Division and learned much! Five years on the Billy B and I am proud of every year!
I want to catch up with as many people as I can! I have found only Tom O'Donnell.
I still have the Power and Light Company patch!
Too many things to put on here and yet I remember the great times we had as a crew, the Med run was great and as I tell many people after 20 years of serving on or working on a submarine.
What I miss are the friends I made and the places I went to see!
What I do not miss is going to sea or patrol on the many boats yet the Billy B stands out because we went to sea all the time it seemed actually! Especially with Commander Houley (Can not remember how to spell his name) the second commanding officer of the USS William H. Bates (SSN-680).
I still have my first pin put away safe!
I hope to hear from my friends who served on-board what we were told many times was the best submarine on the east coast and then not longer after that we were sent to the west coast! Go figure!
Well until I write again!
Dawg Years
Dawg is calling all SSN-680 shipmates who helped make my 3+ years on the Bouncing Billy awesome and unforgettable.I miss EACH & EVERY ONE of you!
Thanks for your service and your friendship!
Crew Member
Hi there,I was stationed on the Bates in Pearl Harbor from 1994 to 1996 as the Bull Nuke.
Tough duty...
Our Doc
It is great to see Doc Whitesel on here at last. He took care of us all. Welcome Doc!Bubbles?
Does anyone know what happened/or where "Bubbles" (Benny Dinnell) is? He was a cook 80-84. OllieBenny
Benny and I were connected on Facebook for years, then he became a monk (literally) and left FB. He was still in Red Bluff /Sacramento area.It would be awesome to see you John Mark. Come to the reunion next year!
Miss you,
Jeff
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