Once again this year the Erie County Department of Veteran Services partnered with the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park for Pearl Harbor Day.
The focus of this years event was Submariners.
David Shenk, Director of ECVSA presented certificates to Petty Officers Richard Bondi and Robert Stoll on behalf of Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
Petty Officer Richard W Bondi served from 1943 thru 1946. He qualified in 1943 on the USS O-2. Richard served on board submarines USS Caiman, USS Boarfish, USS Burrfish, and USS Raton. He also served on board the submarine tenders USS Griffin and USS Anthedon.
Petty Officer Robert H Stoll served from 1943 thru 1986. He qualified on the USS Irex. He served aboard the USS Clamagore, USS Tunny and USS Tusk.
They are members of US Submarine Veterans Inc., which was formed shortly after WW II to perpetuate the memory of their shipmates they lost in the line of duty during the war. They were officially charted by the State of Connecticut 5/22/1964. Today they expanded across the United State and comprise over 165 bases/chapters and boast almost 13,000 members. The Buffalo Base has over 100 members mostly from Buffalo and Rochester including some who qualified on the USS Croaker and USS Boston.
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