A Tribute
John Raymond Crouse
Michigan, USA
(1952-2010)
St. Marys Submarine Museum Director (1996-2010)
At the time this information was drafted, little information about his family's background is known and attempts are being made to make contact with his surviving family members.
John Raymond Crouse was born on 7 February 1952 in the State of Michigan. John Crouse's Navy 22 service years began in 1970. He graduated from recruit training at the Great Lakes, Illinois command where he volunteered for submarine duty. He then attended Machinist's Mate Class "A" School also in Great Lakes and then as a student, he attended and graduated from the Submarine Nuclear Power School and Training Unit located at Mare Island, California and Idaho Falls, Idaho, respectively, in 1971 and 1972. By this time he was promoted to Machinist's Mate Third Class and according to Internet sources ( Together We Served and USSVI.org's Deck Log), John's first Navy vessel he served on was the guided missile destroyer USS Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7). Notes on his profile stated that he served on board the destroyer while he was in-between attending the two submarine nuclear power schools.
His first submarine assignment was the nuclear powered fast attack USS Flasher (SSN-613) where he served from 1972 through 1976. He became qualified in submarines on the Flasher and was promoted to the rank of first class Machinist's Mate. He then served on the nuclear ballistic missile submarine USS George Bancroft (SSBN-643) (1978-1979) and was promoted to Chief Machinist's Mate during that time. He continued his very successful naval career and subsequently served on three nuclear fast attack submarines to include: USS Puffer (SSN-652) (1980-1983), USS Cavalla (SSN-684) (1983), and USS Buffalo (SSN-715) (1986-1989). In between, he served some shore duty at the Maintenance Training Group located in Saratoga Springs, New York (1976-1979) and at COMSUBRON ONE in 1983-1986 where he was the squadron's Career Counselor. His DeckLog profile added that he also was assigned the special and esteemed duty as the Squadron One's Luau Coordinator and Pig Cooker. While serving on Buffalo John was promoted to Master Chief Machinist's Mate, the Navy's highest enlisted rank. His last navy assignment was serving on the submarine tender USS Canopus (AS-34) from 1989 until he retired in 1992. The home port of Canopus at the time was Kings Bay, Georgia located a few miles from St. Marys. John then settled in Camden County, Georgia and became involved in the beginnings of the St. Marys Submarine Museum.
John Crouse, MMCM(SS) USN (Retired), Director, St Marys Submarine Museum departed on Eternal Patrol two days after collapsing from a heart attack at the submarine veterans annual convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. In a ceremony befitting of a dedicated submarine sailor, John Raymond Crouse was buried at sea in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Shown below are photographs that were captured off the Internet reflecting John's career while serving at his last duty station, the St. Marys Submarine Museum. John Crouse's last facebook postings offer additional images as his page is still active.
