Hello former shipmates of the USS Alexander Hamilton, SSBN 617 - or sometimes affectionately known as the A. FROG! I was a Missile Technician on the Gold Crew from 1979 to 1984. If I only knew just how fast the years would blaze by after what seemed like patrols that would never end. I feel fortunate to have survived those days - not so much the patrols, but those very intoxicating off crews! I am thankful that many of us have remained in touch over the years, but wanted to do my part in helping others reunite. After all we are not getting any younger.

We are blessed to live at a time whereby technology has afforded us the opportunity to relive memories such as this. Think about it. You can dig out your old photos you took on the boat, scan them, upload them, and bring back a ton of memories for lots of shipmates here. I bet most of the photos people see here will be the first time they ever laid eyes on them. Even if they were in the photos. We could not have dreamed of an online society in the days we were on the boat (most of us anyway!).

There are a few websites with information on our submarine (see links at the bottom of this page). One that deserves headlines though has been around for a while and is worth a visit. Add yourself to the crew while you are there. Here it is:

http://www.ssbn-617.com/crew.htm

I created a group for Missile Technicians, but if you are a different rate - or an officer - and you find yourself reading this feel free to create a group for your rate (use the "Add a Group" option on the left side of this page). I started to make icons and groups for all of the rates on our submarine, but by default it makes me a member of any group I create. Not that I am too proud to be listed in groups of other ratings, but it would be kind of silly for me to show up under every rate or group. Just do a google search on the rating badge insignia for your rate and seek out images. Once you find one just save it to your computer and then you can add it when you create a new group. If you cannot find one or have trouble saving, cropping, etc. just shoot me a message and I will get it and e-mail it back to you.

Feel free to invite other shipmates that you may know. Make sure you share a sea story or three by using the Forum tool on the left side of this page. Also feel free to add photos - past and present. Many of you have photos from the boat that we would love to see, so break out those scanners and start scanning those photos. You can always have a photographic service scan them for you. I have added a lot of photos from the boat that I have scanned and uploaded here. I gave descriptions to each photo (mainly to name the people in them), but my memory is like a steel sieve and I have forgotten some of the names. Feel free to help me out in that endeavor by letting me know the names that I have forgotten . To see the slide show of pictures from the boat just click on my profile page (Stan Tribble) and the slide show will play automatically. Position your mouse over the bottom of the picture and you will find an option to view the slide show in FULL SCREEN which is much better. (videos can be viewed in full screen the same way).

Make sure you play the alarms in the music player on the left side of this page.

Reunion information is provided by shipmate Frank Bonafede. Make sure you click on his profile to get information for this year's reunion. He has provided the registration form, directions, etc. You can download them here (choose the SAVE option and save them to your computer first):

2009 Reunion Registration Form

Reunion Transportation Info

Directions to Crowne Plaza


By the way - in the photos you see on the sides of this page you will see the Hamilton when it was in drydock during a cold winter in Holy Loch, Scotland. That is former shipmate Bruce Johnsen (MT) standing on the wingwall of the drydock.

Good luck!

Stan Tribble