New London Submarine Base Dedicates Headquarters in Honor of WWII Medal of Honor Recipient
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS100829-03
8/29/2010
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter D. Blair, Submarine Base New London Public Affairs
GROTON, Conn, (NNS) -- The recently renovated headquarters building at Naval Submarine Base New London (SUBASE) was dedicated to a World War II Medal of Honor awardee during an Aug. 20 ceremony.
Formerly known simply as Building 86, the facility was renamed for the late Vice Adm. Lawson P. "Red" Ramage, one of only seven Submariners to be awarded the Nation's highest military tribute, the Medal of Honor, during World War II.
Ramage received the award for a bold and courageous pre-dawn attack on a Japanese convoy, July 31, 1944, while in command of USS Parche (SS 384).
"It truly is a great Navy day when we can honor our legacy as well as highlight the impact we've been making for our fleet, fighters, and families," said Capt. Marc W. Denno, SUBASE commanding officer.
Previously unnamed because of earlier service as an infirmary and hospital, SUBASE's building 86, built in 1939, was renovated after 2001, which marked the beginning of dynamic undertakings to improve the base's infrastructure and support – the Groton Chapter of the Navy's Shore Vision 2035 Plan. The plan reduces unneeded and transforms underutilized infrastructure, decreases financial drains, and ultimately allows the Navy to recapitalize key requirements.
The 21,460 square-ft. Ramage Hall, as a repurposed former hospital, has received new life as a contemporary, state-of -the-art headquarters and cutting edge consolidated telecommunications center and emergency operations center.
"Today, we celebrate building 86 as it continues adapting to its new mission as headquarters of our Nation's first Submarine Base," Denno said. "But most of all, we celebrate Adm. Lawson P. "Red" Ramage. I can think of no finer Sailor and Submariner to honor through the dedication of Naval Submarine Base New London's headquarters."
Serving at SUBASE a number of times throughout his career, Ramage had last been stationed in Groton as Deputy Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic Fleet, as a Rear Admiral.
The Vice Admiral's son, James Lawson Ramage, remarked on the special meaning the SUBASE and the building already has to the Ramage family, as he spoke on behalf of his brother Alfred Ramage, and sisters, Joan Ramage Mitchell and Virginia Ann Ramage Ross.
"New London has special significance to the Ramage family," James Ramage, a former Submariner himself, said. "Three of Red's grandchildren were born in this building."
James Ramage also called attention to the Submarine Force veterans attending the building dedication who had served with Ramage aboard USS Trout (SS 202) and USS Parche (SS 384) - Bob Hall, Carl Kimmons, Ron Williams and Deen Brown.
The Sailors and crews of those submarines had helped the Ramage pioneer aggressive and inventive tactics such as adapting the Wolf Pack operations of the German U-boats in the Atlantic to the U.S. Submarines in Pacific and the innovative and revolutionary mastery of combat re-loading torpedoes.
Ramage would call combat re-loading the "basis of our success," something proven during Parche's infamous pre-dawn attack on a Japanese convoy in July 1944.
Following a ferocious but brief surface engagement of less than an hour, Parche emerged unscathed after delivering crippling blows to several ships from both bow and stern torpedo tubes, conducting numerous combat re-loads and avoiding significant enemy return fire and a ramming attempt.
Ramage received the Medal of Honor from President Franklin Roosevelt six months later.
"All I can say is having the presence of his shipmates here is such an honor," James Ramage said. "Dad would have been so proud to be remembered here today, in this way."
After the dedication ceremony, Ramage family and friends toured the new Ramage Hall and the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Providence (SSN 719).
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
