WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — The monument effectively, and deservedly, will bring to the surface the service of World War II veterans from down below.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7293, Egypt VFW, is conducting a fundraiser to create a monument honoring the submariners of the so-called Silent Service.
The fundraising goal is $50,000.
"The sub sailors deserve this monument."Steve Rineman, board treasurer and retired sub sailor, VFW Post 7293
The memorial will consist of a 23-foot, 3,000-pound, Mark 14 torpedo, a few 24-inch-tall shells and a few brass plaques honoring submarines lost during the war.
The memorial will be situated on a concrete base beside the F-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft at the Post home, which counts eight sub sailors as members.
The original Mark 14 torpedo memorial was at the Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center in Allentown. It was presented to the citizens of the Lehigh Valley in 1985.
It was removed in April 2022 when the Navy Reservists left that location.
From rusting to respect
The torpedo and two additional projectiles spent almost two years outdoors rusting.
“With the closing of the reserve center and no place to put the torpedoes, they came to us and asked if we would take custody of it and make a monument of it,” said Steve Rineman, 74, VFW Post board treasurer and a retired submarine sailor during the Vietnam War.
"We'll sure try."Steve Rineman, 74, VFW Post board treasurer
“We said, ‘Sure, we’ll try.’ But the Navy said that the torpedoes were their property, that they just loaned it to the reserve center. After a lot of paperwork, the Navy agreed to let us have it.
"The sub sailors deserve this monument."
The torpedo now is in a warehouse off Postal Road. A group of eight sub sailors are refurbishing it.
“There are maybe six to eight torpedoes around the country that have been mounted into a memorial,” Rineman said.
“We have a guy now working on the rendering. We hope to have the plans within the next month. It’ll take a good six months to put the memorial together.”
Making memories
Submarines played an integral role in the U.S. war effort. They not only attacked enemy ships, but also rescued downed pilots and played other humanitarian roles.
American submarines had the largest impact on the Imperial Japanese Navy and merchant ships, destroying their supply lines and extensive naval fleet.
Check donations payable to VFW Post 7293 can be mailed to: VFW Post 7293, 5209 Springmill Road, Whitehall 18052.
The submarines were responsible for sinking 30% of the Japanese navy and 4,779,902 tons of shipping, or 54.6% of all Japanese shipping in the Pacific Theater.
Check donations payable to VFW Post 7293 can be mailed to: VFW Post 7293, 5209 Springmill Road, Whitehall 18052.
Memorial recognition level donations include: Platinum, $5,000; Gold, $2,500; Silver, $1,500; Bronze, $750.
