Naval Order of the U.S.
Arizona Commandery Guest Speaker Program
Fred Rouse, Navy veteran & Diesel Submariner will speak on serving on 2 Balao Class Diesel-Electric Submarines.
IHOP Meeting Room
4201 W Bell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85053
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to the IHOP.)
Please arrive between 11:15 AM and 12:20 PM; the Guest Speaker program starts at 12:30 PM sharp,
The Balao class was a design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 120 boats completed, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences. The most significant improvement was the use of thicker, higher yield strength steel in the pressure hull skins and frames,[5] which increased their test depth to 400 feet (120 m). Tang actually achieved a depth of 612 ft (187 m) during a test dive,[6] and exceeded that test depth when taking on water in the forward torpedo room while evading a destroyer
By Sunday, May 21st, please send your brief email RSVP: I plan to attend to: [email protected] (Carol Culbertson, Registrar/Vice Commander)
The NOUS welcome your donations of books, DVDs, etc. to their Commandery Raffle!

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day:
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony to be held on Saturday, December 7, 2023, at the
Wesley Bolin Plaza
Details from the organizers for this event have not been published. Be on the lookout for Flash Traffic with an update and details.
Here's some pictures from the 2023 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony.
REMINDER: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is a "Half Staff" day.

December Monthly General Meeting:
Join us at 1200 hours (noon if you’ve been out a while.) at Dillon's Restaurant,
20585 North 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308-6821
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to Dillon's.)
Come at 1100 for time to "socialize."
Roadwork will require lane restrictions and full closures on Loop 101, the interchange ramps and cross streets between 75th Avenue to I-17. Work will occur primarily during overnight hours and weekends to minimize traffic impacts, thus may affect travel time to future meetings at Dillon's starting September 27, 2024.
Although there is presently no closure scheduled for our meeting on December 14, you can check the current status on the ADOT website HERE.
You can also view the live Loop 101 cameras on the AZ511 website HERE.

Deadline for First Quarter 2025 MidWatch:
All input must be in by December 19, 2024, to Chris Gahan, [email protected], to be included in next MidWatch Newsletter.
Chris emphasizes that input to the MidWatch is welcome from ALL members, including articles, jokes, etc.

January Monthly General Meeting:
Join us at 1200 hours (noon if you’ve been out a while.) at Dillon's Restaurant,
20585 North 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308-6821
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to Dillon's.)
Come at 1100 for time to "socialize."
Roadwork will require lane restrictions and full closures on Loop 101, the interchange ramps and cross streets between 75th Avenue to I-17. Work will occur primarily during overnight hours and weekends to minimize traffic impacts, thus may affect travel time to future meetings at Dillon's starting September 27, 2024.
Although there is presently no closure scheduled for our meeting on January 11, you can check the current status on the ADOT website HERE.
You can also view the live Loop 101 cameras on the AZ511 website HERE.

Perch Base Annual Awards Banquet:
Doors open for the Perch Base Annual Awards Banquet at 1800 hrs. (6:00 PM for those retired and away from military time.) Dinner will be served at 1915 hrs. (7:15 PM).
Tickets will be ready to purchase for $65 per person (same as last year) starting at the November monthly meeting on 11/10/24.
Tickets will continue to be available for purchase until the close of the January regular monthly meeting on 1/11/2025, then the numbers will be provided to the Pebble Beach Tuscany Country Club management.
Meal selections will be made by each attendee when booking and paying for the tickets from the following menu:
1) Chicken Saltimbocca,
2) Grilled Salmon, or
3) Honey Roasted Pork Loin
(There is no selection for beef, which would have cost $20 additional, per order.)
Hors d'oeuvres are included and cherry pie will be provided for dessert.
Dress recommendation is business casual.
The location is the same as previous years, the Pebble Creek Tuscany Country Club in the Chianti Room.
16222 Clubhouse Dr, Goodyear, AZ 85395
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to the Pebble Creek Tuscany Country Club.)
1. Take the I-10 westbound to the “Pebblecreek Parkway.”
2. “Pebblecreek Parkway” northbound to “Clubhouse Drive.” Left on “Clubhouse Drive.”
3. You will come to a manned gate house. Tell the guard where you are going and you’ll be allowed to pass.
4. Continue approximately ½ mile and you’ll see the Pebble Creek Tuscany Country Club sign.
6. Turn right and you’ll immediately see a parking lot on the right. Enter this lot and continue through towards the far end.
7. Park as available.
8. The building at the far end (north end) of this lot is where the banquet is held.
We will have our Perch Base signs from the float placed to help locate the facility.
Our Keynote Speaker will be Vice Admiral Phillip G. Sawyer (ret). Vice Admiral Sawyer, a career submarine officer, served as a division officer on USS Bluefish (SSN 675), as Engineer Officer on USS Florida (SSBN 728) (Blue) and Executive Officer on USS Salt Lake City (SSN 716). His afloat command assignments were aboard USS La Jolla (SSN 701) and Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 15 in Guam.
Here's some pictures from the last (2024) Annual Awards Banquet.

Western Region Roundup:
The Western Region Roundup will be held in Long Beach, California from Thursday, March 6, 2025 thru Sunday, March 9, 2025, at the Queen Mary Hotel.
1126 Queens Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90802
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map.)
Although this event "conflicts" with the Perch Base monthly meeting on March 8, which includes the election of base officers, we hope you will attend one, or the other.
Visit the Roundup website for more details.
This 2025 Western Region Roundup is hosted by the USSVI LA/Pasadena Base.
Registration and sponsorship forms are available on the Roundup website and a link to get the discount hotel rate ($749.40 for 3 nights including tax.) is HERE.
Here's some photos from last year's Roundup.