PigBoats Staff

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If you have questions or comments, or you have photos or stories of a family member or friend that you would like to contribute, we would love to hear from you! Please email us at webmaster@pigboats.com.

Webmaster TN(SS) Richard C. "Ric" Hedman, USN, a native of Washington state, joined the Navy in 1964. He put into commission the nuclear submarine USS Flasher (SSN-613) and took her to sea on her initial sea trials in the Atlantic and subsequent patrols in the Pacific. In 1968 he transferred to the Naval Reserve and in 1969 was sent to the diesel submarine USS Cusk (SS-348) as part of his annual Reserve training. He mustered out of the Navy in 1970 to pursue a civilian career. He is Qualified in Submarines. Ric has been the webmaster of PigBoats.COM since 1999 and is a published historian and author.

Ben Bastura Historical Achievement Award

Ric's 25+ years of preserving our naval heritage has come to the attention of our fellow submariners. Ric was one of two men to be the recipient of the prestigious Ben Bastura Historical Achievement Award by The United States Submarine Veterans Inc. for 2023. The Award is given for these reasons:

a) He demonstrated his understanding and commitment to our Creed in perpetuating the memory of submariners and submarines by gathering, creating, or in other ways preserving a significant volume of submarine history.
b) Within the submarine community, he demonstrated a broad and encompassing discipline of gathering submarine history.
c) He demonstrated that he is an expert in the many aspects of gathering and preserving submarine history, its artifacts, and documents.

Webmaster DCC(SS/SW) David L. "Dave" Johnston, USN (Ret.) is a native of Michigan and first joined the Navy in September, 1983. Over the course of a 21-year career Chief Johnston served on the USS Darter (SS-576), four Mine Countermeasures ships, and the USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98). He has been on the staffs of Navy Operational Support Centers (aka Navy Reserve Centers) in Des Moines IA, Brunswick ME, Rochester NY, Battle Creek MI, and on the staff of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Bath ME. He has made four overseas deployments to Japan and the western Pacific, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. He retired from active duty in August, 2019.

His awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ “M” device, and a COMSUBGRU 7 Letter of Commendation. Chief Johnston is Qualified in Submarines and Surface Warfare.

During a break in service in the 1990’s, he worked in the travel, security, and retail industries.

Chief Johnston is a published historian, author, and technical consultant on submarine history for aspiring authors. He is a co-founder and webmaster of this site, a passion for him since 2001. He volunteers his time as an independent researcher for the Naval History & Heritage Command and was part of the team that identified the wreckage of the USS Albacore (SS-218) in 2023. He has contributed research and analysis to the discoveries of seven other lost USN submarines. He is the research historian for the Lost 52 Project and is a contributor to the project’s newsletter. He resides in Norfolk, VA with his wife Theresa. He is a proud father and grandfather.

Our Legacy

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  The mighty Flasher. Fast, Deep, Silent, Deadly.

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  The stalwart Cusk. A pioneer with guided missiles. A pathfinder for the fleet. Always ready.

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  The indomitable Darter. 33 years of service and a lasting legacy for all those who went before.

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  The coveted Silver Dolphins of a sailor Qualified in Submarines. The insignia of the best of the best. A comradeship like no other.

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  The un-official Diesel Boats Forever badge of a real submariner!

Other pages by Ric Hedman USS Flasher SS 249 | USS Flasher SSN 613 | The Submarine Saga | Ric's Pantry
Ships and Tonnage Sunk or Damaged in WW II by U.S. Submarines | Fins Park Seattle,WA

Page created by:
Ric Hedman & David Johnston
1999 - 2023 - PigBoats.COM^©
Mountlake Terrace, WA, Norfolk, VA
webmaster@pigboats.com