USS Nebraska Blue Crew Visits Nebraska
[Intel Source: The Sub Report] Speaking of small town parades, it seems some of the crew of USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) enjoyed themselves recently at the Nebraskaland Days Parade in North Platte, NE. Excerpt:
The appearance of crewmembers of the USS Nebraska drew loud cheers and applause from the crowd. Prior to the parade, Governor Dave Heineman met with the sailors, and accepted a plaque and hat from Commander Matt Colburn.CDR Colburn is the CO of the Nebraska's Blue Crew. As I've said before, the USS Nebraska has just about the best continuing relationship with her namesake I've ever heard of, and it's nice to see the crew being able to interact in such a positive way with the people of my native state.
“You are part of Nebraska,” Heineman said. “We are grateful for your service.”
Colburn and other members of the crew have attended the Frontier Review, the Buffalo Bill Rodeo, and Lunch with the Wild Bunch.
“People in North Platte have treated us like family,” Colburn said. “It has all been a wonderful experience.”
(Speaking of Nebraska being my native state, I'll be heading there at the end of the month for a short visit, so if there are any submariners in Lincoln who'd like to meet up, drop me an E-mail.)
posted by Bubblehead at 11:24 PM
5 Comments:
As far a cities go: I remember the 721 club provided great support to USS CHICAGO. Made up from a bunch of former Navy and Navy League people. Great thing was that CHICAGO was one of the few connections the big boosters had. Midwest town - no ports...
6/18/2007 11:10 AM
721 Club was good to their guys. Greeneville, ironically, was pretty close. Nebraska's got STRATCOM in it, so the Love Is Felt if you get my drift.
Lincoln's farmer's market and children's museum is a favorite Saturday trip for me and the two-year-old. Consider you emailed, man...
6/18/2007 10:10 PM
I was on commissioning crew of Chicago from 86 – 91. What a great boat and the 721 club was fantastic.
In 1986, the city of Chicago wanted mid-west men to march in the a Veterans Day parade. The reserve VP Squadron flew down to Norfolk, picked us up and flew us back to Glenview Naval Air Station, north of Chicago and we stayed in the BEQ there. The pilot let anyone who wanted to, fly the plane, that was cool. We had lunch at the Union League, went to a Veterans Ball and marched in the parade. What a great time.
Before commissioning, the 721 club sponsored us up to Chicago for a weekend. It was split up over a month so every weekend a different duty section went. It was for every sailor and his wife/girlfriend. United flew us up and we stayed in various hotels downtown. We stayed at the Palmer House. Over the weekend, we only spent money if we wanted to. We got baseball tickets to which ever team was in town, tickets to off Broadway Plays (We went to Rap Master Ronny), the Museum of Science and Industry, the river tours and had drinks in a lot bars that started with O’ (O’Brians, O’Mallys, ect). We got front row seats and ushered past the crowds at the doors of Second City Comedy Club and Chicago Blues.
We had deep pan pizza at Gianelli’s, and supper at the Berghoff. The same waiter took care of us every weekend at Bergoff. When we had had our commissioning party, we catered it from the Bergoff, flew the waiter down and we waited on him.
The 721 club did not stop there. After we got to San Diego, they would put care packages together for Christmas and have a party for us at the San Diego Yacht Club. The packages were filled with a lot of free stuff from companies around Chicago, cups, M&M’s, flashlights and so on. It wasn’t the gifts, it was the thought.
On the other side of it, any one from the 721 club who ever came out or rode on us was treated like a dignitary. It didn’t matter who came, we treated them the same. We had some mechanics from Chicago Power and Light visit us and they got the same treatment.
The Chicago, The Chi-town, The Windy City, The Wild Onion, was a great boat to me. I made Chief there and made Senior Chief because of what I did while I was there. I couldn’t have asked for a better crew, Goat Locker or Ward Room.
That Damn Good Looking Aganger From Iowa
6/20/2007 8:36 AM
1998 the husband got to attend Nebraskaland days, he was the Sailor of the Year for the Nebraska Gold. He says, "I didn't sleep for four days, but ate, drank and partied. I also didn't pay for a n y t h i n g!. The folks in Nebraska are some really good people, I'd go back in a minute." Just thought I'd share....thanks for the post.
6/24/2007 10:30 PM
I wonder if this is the same CDR Colburn that wears band aids on his nipples. I've heard a lot of stories about how weird that dude was.
6/29/2007 12:02 AM
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