The history of the USS Irex:
Aquisition of a Northern Sail, July 1956–June 1958 Under Captain Gallemore

On 31 July 1956, Captain Snyder was relieved by Lt. Cmdr. James G. Gallemore, originally from Honolulu and who had previously been the Exec on the Becuna for two years after serving on the Bumper and Grouper. I'm not sure if the set of North Atlantic operations occurred before or after this change in command.

At some point the XO, Philip Pennington, was succeeded by J. L. Dickey. Dickey was a highly respected “mustang” officer up from the ranks. At some point in 1956 I believe “Dutch” Larch was replaced as Chief of the Boat by Chief Torpedoman “Dutch” VanDerHeiden.

Here are some of my own recollections of this period. Unfortunately, my memory is not as good as some of my shipmates.

Sometime in late 1956 or early 1957, the Irex went into dry dock in Newport News to have her hull de-gaussed. Time was also spent testing the new homing torpedoes (and loosing some of them).

In 1957 the Irex participated in fleet and group exercises and also served as a training boat for the Submarine School.

In July of 1957 the Irex entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard where she was fitted out with a guppy-type passive sonar chin-mount array and a new type (“Northern”) of fiberglass sail to replace the metal one. The fiberglass was lighter in weight, placed the bridge higher, and acted as a stabilizer under water. It was in the yards that the boat's entire lead ballast was stolen by truck one night. I don't know whether the perpetrators were ever caught. I also don't know how the yard managed to leave caustic solution in the water system. This made the coffee was almost undrinkable for a week or two after the Irex returned to sea.

Also I believe that this overhaul in Philly was when the sonar station was moved from the forward torpedo room, port side, on the after bulkhead, into a new sonar shack in the Pump Room below the Control Room. This quiet nook offered a cozy world for those who enjoyed listening to sea life on the new passive sonar or to music on the tape equipment.

In retrospect we seemed a bizarre collection of odd personalities, although probably others saw us as perfectly normal. A little sense of these personalities is conveyed by Ken Caye STCM in an exchange of letters. Ken tells of his first encounter with the new sail.

Dave Richards also recalls the experience of the Philadelphia yard and such personalities as Stan Wishnafsky, Stanley “Jack” Jackson. and Chief Marshall. Also, Coley Joyce offers some interesting recollections.

“Dutch” Larch was the COB at the beginning of 1956. He was admired by everyone who served with him. It was a great loss to the Irex when he left to become COB on the new Nautilus. Unfortunately, he passed away in early 2006. He was replaced as COB, presumably in the course of 1956, by Chief Torpedoman John “Dutch” VanDerHeiden.

Although such matters are naturally contested, it is said that the Irex was the finest of all boats. Besides pride in being an “E” boat, part of the reason was the great admiration the crew had for the COB, Dutch Larch, and Captains Gallemore and Snyder. And this is why, until the “seavy-shorey” program that started about this time, sailors would stick with the Irex for as long as they could.

Apparently in the first half of 1958 the Irex made a cruise to Bermuda. It also went to Halifax, where she tied up inboard of a British coastal submarine (from which we tried out the grog). These two cruises are mentioned in shipmates' recollections.

Captain Lloyd S. Smith relieved Captain Gallemore on 19 June 1958, which marked a turning point in the Irex's history. Captain Gallemore went on to become an instructor in the Operations Department of the Sub School.