USS Medregal

For those of you who were onboard Medregal  January, 1967 here is a story that you might remember   I recieved  an email from Brian Leigh asking about his Father;

My father was a Pfc. in the U.S. Marine Corps' 1st Bn, 4th Marines, 9^th Marine Amphibious Brigade, FMF. I was recently going through his service things and came across a small card which reads: "Know Ye That PFC J.B. LEIGH, USMC was this date received into the realm of Neptunis Rex and indoctrinated in the mysteries of the deep while visiting on board the USS MEDREGAL (SS480)and is hereby designated an HONORARY SUBMARINER of the Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. 6 JAN 1967." It is signed by T.L. Ingraham, J.R., LCDR, USN. If you could, I would like to know what he was doing on board the submarine. I know he was
stationed at Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan during this time and shortly thereafter, they sailed for South Vietnam to launch Operation Deckhouse VI. My father was wounded in phase 2 of that operation. Thank you, in advance, for any help in answering my question. I would also like to thank you and the crew of SS480 for your service to this great nation. God Bless!

I wrote back to Brian that I would try to find out what the certificate was all about. I contacted Captain Roy Ingraham and this is what he sent to Brian and I;
The Captain has me listed as an MCPO. I wish I was but I was only an E6 Electrician

Hello Brian,

Let me start by thanking MCPO James Van Vraken for forwarding your request concerning your father’s submarine experience to me as I was the Captain of the USS Medregal (SS 480) at the time of your father’s adventure. I am happy to respond concerning the circumstances that found your father underway surfaced and submerged in Medregal on 6 January 1967.

January 1967 found Medregal, a diesel electric Submarine, entering the last month of a seven month deployment to the Western Pacific Theater of Operations as a member of the Seventh Fleet operating primarily out of Yokosuka, Japan. The Christmas and New Year holidays had been spent in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and following a few days of operations with other units of the fleet, a visit to Okinawa was scheduled.

Part of this visit was to indoctrinate a group of Marines, in this case, “A” Company, 1^st Bn, 4^th Marines, in launching inflatable rubber boats from a surfaced submarine. You might think of a modern Navy Seal night operation where the submarine would approach an enemy shore submerged, as close as the water depth would allow, and then surface in complete darkness and launch the Seals for their assigned mission. In your father’s training, the boats were inflated on the main deck after the submarine surfaced. The Marines then manned the boats, and when ready, Medregal submerged allowing the boats to float off as they became water borne.

Of course, these were daylight training exercises in the open ocean well out of sight of any land, and were repeated a number of times until the Marine Officer in Charge felt everyone was thoroughly familiar with the operation. Not every Marine was involved in every exercise, so those not involved were offered tours of the boat (Submariners call their submarines “Boats”, not “Ships”), and an opportunity to experience a submariner’s life from various compartments as well as enjoying a meal along the way. Hence the Honorary Submariner Certificate that prompted your request.

The final exercise of the day was to practice towing a manned rubber boat while the submarine was submerged at periscope depth (about 60 feet keel depth) with a line from the rubber boat tossed around the periscope. This operation would allow the submarine (a relatively big radar target) to surface well off shore, perform the above launch process and then submerge and tow the marines to shallow water without being detected. The guys seemed to enjoy their “Nantucket Sleigh Ride” so much, I decided to join them, and went for a wild ride. Submariners always try to get as much fun as they can when opportunities like this present themselves and my Executive Officer, who was in charge in my absence, cranked the boat up to top speed and did his best to soak every one of us. Your father may have been part of that particular ride.

I hope this explanation solves your question and helps to fill in a portion of your father’s service to his country. Thank you for his service at a time of great conflict involving many units of the U.S. Armed Services and your interest is USS Medregal (SS 480). I have enjoyed reliving this brief period in my Navy Career.

Talcott L. Ingraham, CDR USN (Ret.)

More information about Medregal can be found at www.ussmedregal.com and www.wikipedia.com.

The second reason that I was interested in Brian's request is that I also have proclaimed that a couple of very great wives of our crew were Honorary Submariners. I also want to let you know that if you want to proclaim someone an Honorary Submariner contact me and I will arrange to get a Ball cap " Pink or Blue" and a certificate proclaiming this person an Honorary Submariner. But if you belong to the USSVI then go to your Base stoekeeper and he can get the hats because they are used in a USSVI, United States Submarine Veteran Inc., program called Kaps for Kids. This program started a few years ago to give a ball caps to kids who had lost there hair because of Cancer cheomtherape
Smooth sailing and have a great Christmas and New Year.
Jim