- PATRICK J. YANAHAN -

Pat was an ET2 who served on the USNS Michelson in 1963.  He eventually worked on both the Bendix G-15D computer and the new bottom mapping sonar (SASS) that was installed while the Michelson was in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

 

Sunning on a Med Cruise
  Med_1963.jpg (449029 bytes) In the summer of 1963 we were making our port of call in Barcelona, Spain.  After previously cruising up in the North Atlantic and multiple visits to Belfast, this was a welcome change.  This is a picture of the crew taking a break while underway.
(Click the thumbnail to display the photo and names.) 
A Little Refreshment in Barcelona
  Barcelona1.jpg (361678 bytes) The night life in Barcelona went on into the late hours of the evening because of the hot afternoons.  Dinner was always very late in the evening.  Yanahan in glasses.  Again guessing names:  Hays to the right, Emmons in the back row on the right.
Some More Refreshment in Barcelona
Barcelona2.jpg (370517 bytes) Much time was spent just relaxing and watching the Spanish people walk by – especially the pretty ladies.  L to R:  Yanahan, Marty Rombach, and ?  Can you help identify?
After the Michelson
It always amazed me that after going to the special sonar school (SASS) and refloating the Michelson in Brooklyn Navy Yard with this new gear, I was transferred to the Naval Ordinance Test Unit at Patrick AFB (Cape Canaveral).  This was a fantastic duty station where I was part of the group that monitored the telemetry of the live launches.
  Surface_Launch-1200.jpg (903006 bytes) This photo shows the first surface launch of a Polaris A-2 missile.  Yes it did burn some of the paint off the top of the USS Henry Clay SSBN-625.  I am on the helo deck of the destroyer with the two portable vans of monitoring equipment with all of the vertical antennas.  Since I had a lot of SSB and radio/antenna experience, I was in charge of the voice and underwater communications.
After the Navy
  I went back to study electronic engineering at the University of Illinois.  After a few years, I realized that I was a better communicator and writer than an engineer.  I went to work for some of the large advertising agencies while going to night school to get an advanced business degree.  I started a marketing consulting company that specialized in high technology products and worked for clients all over the world.  My partner of over 40 years and I have two grown children and still live near Chicago.
Pat and Bonnie Yanahan today:
  Pat & Bonnie Yanahan.jpg (245807 bytes)