Perch Base Submarine Veterans (USSVI) Vice Commander, Don Robertson, Perch Base Submarine Veterans (USSVI) Vice Commander, Don Robertson, "Spun a Yarn" (a.k.a., Sea Story) at our 12/13/2025 monthly base meeting about Adm. Charles Lockwood's brass submarine statue stolen in Pearl Harbor at the end of WW2.
Introduction
In the year 2014, the author, Don Robertson was approached by Charles Emmett, editor of American Submariner Magazine, and a fellow member of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., a.k.a., "USSVI". They shared the assemblage of former submarine sailors living near Phoenix, Arizona, who call their group, "Perch Base," in honor of the lost World War II submarine USS Perch, SS-176. Chuck relayed a request given to him by former submarine veterans of the WWII era to help locate a missing historical artifact from the time of the WWII conflict period, which happened to be a solid brass statue belonging to Admiral Charles Lockwood, the Commander of U.S. Submarine Forces in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the war, and headquartered at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. After sixty years, the only information surrounding the mystery of the missing statue was that it was thought to have been in the custody of a former submarine sailor that had returned to civilian life and residency in his home state of Arizona. Chuck needed to have a concise and compelling short story written for his magazine that would generate renewed interest in the statue’s account or leads that might reveal its whereabouts. "Uncle Charlie’s Brass Submariners" is one such tale, weaving historical times and curiosity into a plausible scenario that transforms what might be construed as a theft of US Government property into the motivations for such a prank amongst a fraternal order of warriors accustomed to misadventures of all kinds.
Summary of the Story
"Uncle Charlie’s Brass Submariners" begins with the reflections of an old man, an Arizona resident, recalling his wartime service aboard the submarine USS Archerfish during World War II. His memory retraces an evening when he stood watch as the ship’s Topside Sentry, while the boat was moored in Pearl Harbor. He re-sees the splendid visions of a Pacific sunset, feels the radiant heat of that day emanating back onto him from the ship’s hull, and discovers that a shipmate’s actions are key to a missing and most cherished object belonging to the Admiral that led the entire U.S. Submarine Forces Pacific throughout the war. The motivation and decision to abscond with the statue are balanced by fact that most of the submarine’s crew are set to return home and muster out of the US Navy, with the worry something could foul up that happening, and with the determination one of the sailors finds to keep that object for himself. Only one long last stare into the oblivion of nighttime harbor lights on San Fransico Bay remains as the last know position of a valued brass submarine.
Key Themes and Elements
• Suspense: The narrative subtly emphasizes a plausible motivation for the taking of a prized object from a respected and legendary naval officer.
• Resourcefulness: Creativity and comradeship are weighed against repercussions as the Forward Torpedo Room Gang conspiracy unfolds.
• Mystery: The narrative subtly emphasizes the crew’s dispersal and disconnection from their shared adventures, while the whereabouts and outcomes for their former shipmates and a statue disappears into the far shores and blurred visions of the future.
Conclusion
"Uncle Charlie’s Brass Submariners" is a short story that is intended to increase awareness of the statue and hopefully elicit a respond from one of the members of the American Submariner Magazine’s audience who may be able to shed some insight or reveal the whereabouts of a prized object that has some minor historical significance to their shared fraternity of U.S. Submarine Sailors.

Read the full story HERE.

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