HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A valued piece of American armed forces history, typically on display in the Mountain State, is on a special journey to the Lone Star State.
The bell from the now-decommissioned USS John Marshall, a former fast-attack submarine within the United States Navy fleet from 1962 to 1992, is off to San Antonio, Texas, where those who served on its crew are getting together for a reunion. It’s been located on Marshall University’s campus since 1994, after the ship was decommissioned.
Retired U.S. Army Senior Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Edward Walker, who has 26 years of active service, said on MetroNews “Midday” Thursday that the bell-moving process began six months ago. Walker said that he was approached by a fellow member of the American Legion, from Post 93 in Kenova. That retired serviceman told Walker that he, and other former crew members on the USS John Marshall, reunite every three years.
That crew member asked Walker whether there was any chance that the submarine’s bell could come to Texas for the reunion.
Walker said several roadblocks popped up right away.
“Not only is it big, but it is tremendously protected by the government, by the Navy, the Department of War, and it was quite an undertaking just to get permission from the Department of War and the Department of Navy to allow us to do this,” Walker said.
Upon getting approval from federal officials, Walker said the bell needed to be “cased’ for its journey across several states.
“We had to protect the bell,” Walker said. “The Department of War and the Department of Navy gave us some pretty specific, rigid guidelines on what we needed to do to transport it. The USS John Marshall was decommissioned a number of years ago. And I guess they decided to let the bell reside there at Marshall.”
Walker said that Marshall officials, including President Brad Smith, were on board with the idea. Smith was aware of the restrictions for moving the bell, Walker said, and helped them through the moving process.
“We transported it, by SUV, with a police escort, the Patriot Guard escort at each state,” Walker said. “They are meeting us and transporting it to the great state of Texas.”
Walker’s service career also included time in the Department of Veterans Affairs, as a disability rating specialist and administrative judge. He said he wasn’t familiar with the Navy’s bells tradition and their significance.
“I will say I think that it’s a wonderful tradition,” Walker said. “The Army is — I’m retired from the Army — has a number of traditions, but we don’t have a bell. Those are things that are just very particular to the Navy.”
Walker said it was wonderful to hear stories of the bell’s significance.
“Even the U.S. Marine Corps understands the traditions of the Navy because they’re part of the Navy,” Walker said. “When you talk to them about a ship’s bell, they’re pretty much knowledgeable about it, too. It was a real huge learning experience for me and one that I will treasure for a very long time.”