Local Veteran Revisits USS Requin At Carnegie Science Center
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- This is the story of an old man and the sea.
In November of 1964, Frank Plaskon, of McKeesport, was a 24-year-old Special Forces Ranger out of Fort Bragg, N.C.
Frank was part of a team dispatched to the USS Requin now berthed on the Ohio River at the Carnegie Science Center.
"And I can't believe that 48 years later it's right here in my hometown," he said.
For the first time in 48 years, Frank stepped on board the Requin once again. Back then, Frank spent a week off Cape Hatteras on the Requin practicing infiltration maneuvers.
Commander Kiernan and the submarine crew made them feel at home although he admits it was a little terrifying.
"There wasn't a night that I crawled in there that I didn't think that there were millions of tons of water just a couple inches away from me."
Now 71, walking through the watertight bulkheads into the various compartments, this return put the frosting on a memorable weekend as he and his wife Linea celebrate 45 years of marriage.
"And it's such a big thrill to be able to share this with my wife and with my two sons," he said.
The Plaskons only realized that the Requin had been moved to Pittsburgh a few months ago.
"You could probably sense that I am just a little bit emotional right now because I never, never in my imagination ever thought that I would ever be on board this submarine again," he said.
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Carnegie Science Center: USS Requin Submarine
