Life After Spinax: Lewis Detz

What a hoot this site is! My name is Lewis Detz. I was part of the enlisted submarine reserve program from Seattle, Wa. unit from 2/64 to 6/68. I was concurrently attending the University of Washington and in my junior year picked up for NROTC. Our reserve boat was the Bowfin. After going through subschool in the summer of 64 I was determined to meet all the requirements necessary to get "qualified" as soon as possible through our reserve program. After a lot of prep work and study, I was assigned to active duty for training o n Spinax for 6 weeks. The crew, the COB and ChEng & Ops were real mentors and helped me learn Spinax. With a lot of lost sleep and lot of watches they helped me complete my qualification criteria and I was qualified in Sept 65 back in Seattle. After commissioning om 68 and a 1 year tour in Vietnam River Patrol, I went to Halfbeak, Officer Subschool and Pickerel (Qualified SS Gold) and Officer-in-Charge of Thornback and its U.S. Mobile Training Team (boat transfered to the Turkish Navy - for US overhaul and reftra cycle). I went surface route after that as Nav/Ops on an AO, UNSA as instructor, CIC/Ops on CGN 38 Virginia, transfered to the reserve and finished 23 years in 87 as a CDR. The sub sailor professional approach has helped me all my life and Spinax was an important part of it.

Hope I qualify as a shipmate. I have some pictures of the boat. Never got a patch because they were out at the time but I have the picture on the site here. Also made a trip around South America on Pickerel SS524 Guppy III in 70 and have submarine insignia from Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Peru. I was awarded the Turkish insignia. I think I have a French one also. During a port visit to Alexandria Egypt on Virginia in 79 in support of President Carter's visit to Egypt I attended a reception by the Egyptian CNO. During a conversation he proposed to swap me his Egyptian Divers pin for my Dolphins, done deal. So I have that in my collection also. Well, sorry to be so long winded. Would be glad to get pictures of any or all stuff to the right person or place.

I am now a Financial Advisor with Prudential Securities in the St. Louis area. I look forward to hearing from you.

V/R Lewis