First Class Torpedoman Billy Carter "B.C." Semones       1936 - 1964 Sailor Rest Your Oar Billy Carter Semones, TM1(SS)      July 3, 1936 - November 2, 1964

Billy Carter Semones was born July 3, 1936. His home of record was Versailles, Kentucky. At the time of his death he was survived by his father Mr. George L. Semones and a sister Betty Sue (Semones) Whittaker. Billy's mother passed away in 1958 and his father in 2002. Today, Billy's sister Betty Sue survives with her children.       Betty Sue married Ronald H. Whittaker (Whit) who was a shipmate of Billy on the USS Amberjack SS-522. Billy introduced his sister to Whit as the Semones family visited the sub base in Key West, Florida in July of 1958. They have been married over 50 years and reside in Billy's parental home at 190 Marilyn Avenue, Versailles, Kentucky.       All of Billy's naval service was with the Submarine Force.       Finishing high school he enlisted in the Navy on May 4, 1955. After recruit training and submarine school he reported to the USS Amberjack SS-522. After a one month assignment on the USS Trumpet Fish SS-425 he managed a transfer back to the Amberjack. In 1960 he joined the nuclear submarine fleet aboard the USS Shark SS(N) 591 and finally was assigned to the USS Henry Clay SSB(N) 625 Gold crew on 16 March 1964. The Henry Clay was commissioned on February 20, 1964.       Billy Carter Semones bravely gave his life in the performance of his duties on November 2, 1964 during a shakedown cruise of the Gold crew's pre-operational exercises. The Russians were in their typical location attempting to get a sound signature on any US Submarine departing Rota, Spain and the Gulf of Cadiz. Clay had a hatch cover loose on a line locker that was banging and masking the ability to hear from the forward sonar array. Clay had to surface in the bad seas of winter. Billy went over the top of the sail but never made it to the deck where he could have hooked the monkey tail on his safety belt to the deck track. He likely was knocked from the sail by a wave and washed overboard. Billy's body was never recovered.       The USS Henry Clay web site (Homepage) contains crew recollections and information about the incident when Billy C. Semones was lost.

Extracted from http://boomer.usrsvcs.com/special/index.html (Edited)       rawsubvet@comcast.net USS HENRY CLAY   SSBN 625   HOMEPAGE       ssbn625@user-services.com

Submit any Additions or Corrections to this Site, and please report any Broken Links Encountered. BRT * EMAIL and WEBMAIL *  This page was last revised September 24, 2011, and is hosted by Western Dawn.