By Sammy LoProto
FRESNO — Veterans of America’s undersea navy gathered at Fresno State University earlier this month to honor their fallen comrades on the 114th anniversary of the U.S. Naval Submarine Force.
A memorial celebration began with a procession from the free speech area on campus to the 12-year-old Submarine Veterans Memorial in the Maple Mall. Mark Little, a founding member of the bagpipe band Fresno Stag and Thistle, led past and present submariners to the prayer service while blowing “Amazing Grace.”
“There have been 65 submarines lost in battle since 1915,” according to Robyn Gutierrez, veteran’s service specialist at Fresno State. “Ironically that is the same number of maple trees that were planted along Maple Mall during the construction of the memorial in 2002.”
Afterwards a ceremonial ship’s bell tolled as a benediction. Ted Dick, 84, a 20-year-veteran of the U.S. Navy Submariner Force, was impressed...