USS Virginia (SSN-774), shown here undergoing testing at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Detachment Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC), off the coast of Florida.

Photo by Michelle Crum

On The Back

Bowfin (SS-287) was the third commisioned boat in the Balao-class. Launced in 1942, she served the U.S. Navy for 12 years before becoming a memorial to the dedicated men who lost their lives aboard submarines during World War II.

Thomas Denton was born Sept. 13, 1955, and joined the U.S. Navy in 1973. Completing recruit training in Great Lakes, Ill., he went to Submarine School in Groton, Conn. followed by Polaris Electronics "A" School and Ships Inertial Navigation "C" School at Dam Neck, Va. Initially Qualified on the USS George C. Marshall (SSBN-654), he also served on the USS Holland (AS-32), USS Francis Scott Key (SSBN-657), and USS Canopus (AS-34). As a self-taught artist, he became plankowner of the St. Mary's Submarine Museum located in St. Mary's, Ga. and staff artist of the American Submariner Magazine for U.S. submarine veterans. Tom is currently employed as a systems analyst for BAE Systems and lives in Walkersville, Md. with his wife Debbie and three children, Angela, Kim, and Justin.

Seaman Apprentice Larry Shaffer, assigned
to USS Los Angeles (SSN-688), gives a high five to a child being treated at the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital while participating in the Navy’s Caps for Kids program. Crew members from Los Angeles visited and handed out ball caps and photos of their submarine to almost 50 children on the 6th floor surgery unit.

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth Thompson