OBITUARY
Robert Bissonnette, STCS(SS) (ret)

USSVI (San Diego Base) Life Member Bob Bissonnette, STCS(SS) (ret), passed away onto Eternal Patrol, on August 21, 2023.
Our condolences to his wife Conniue, family and friends.
Bob was born and raised in Chicago, IL, joined the US Navy and immediately volunteered for submarines, attending Basic Submarine Sonar 'A' and BQQ-5 Operator/Maintenance 'C' School. He received his dolphins September 1984, during an ICEX deployment, 0.6 nautical miles from the true North Pole.
Bob served on USS Gunard (SSN 662), USS Parche (SSN 683), USS Honolulu (SSN 718), USS Richard B. Russell (SSN 687), USS Pogy (SSN 647), USS Salt Lake City (SSN 716), and served as a Ship Sup for Sima Submarine Maintenance Dept. His final tour in the Navy was the Arctic Submarine Laboratory (ASL) as an Installation Coordinator for ASL TEMPALT equipment. Bob retired after 24 years of service as a Senior Chief Petty Officer.
Since December 2008, Bob had been at the Artic Submarine Lab as a TEMPALT Install Coordinator. He participated in 6 ICE Camps in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Bob had been awarded 3 NCM (Navy Commendation Medal), 4 NAM (Navy Achievement Medal), 2 PUC (Presidential Unit Citation), 4 NUC (Navy Unit Citation), 3 MUC (Meritorious Unit Commendation), 6 GCM (Good Conduct Medal), 2 EXP Medal (Expeditionary), 7 Sea Service, Global War on Terrorist EXP, Global War on Terrorist Service Medal and the Artic Service Ribbon.
Bob had been active in Subvets since 2000, as a Base Commander, Western District Commander, Western Regional Director and Base Chaplain.
Bob came to the Perch Base Annual Banquet on January 19, 2019, and gave a presentation on his 2018 Ice Camp experience.
A Memorial Service was held on June 22, 2024 at the Mission Valley VFW 3787 in San Diego, CA. Perch Base members Don and Marcia Unser attended the Memorial Service on June 22, 2024, and provided these photos.