Subvet Dr. Roger E. Stembridge was born in Hapeville, Georgia and raised on a small farm in Fulton County Georgia. He graduated from Russell High School in East Point, Georgia in 1948. After graduation, he worked for an engine rebuilder until shortly after he turned 17 and then enlisted in the Navy in 1949.
Following boot camp and Engineman School, he was assigned to the Submarine Base at Pearl Harbor where he spent all of 1950 in the 1st Lieutenants Department driving vehicles and riding the torpedo retrievers on exercise with submarines. He then attended Submarine School and Submarine Diesel School in Groton, Connecticut and upon completion of training was assigned to the USS CONGER (SS 477) in Norfolk, Virginia where he did duty as lookout, helmsman, and oiler in the Forward Engine Room and where he also started work on submarine qualification.
In the fall of 1951 he was sent to the Naval Academy Prep School and afterwards, elected not to attend the Naval Academy. He was returned to submarine duty aboard the USS BURRFISH (SS 312) homeported in Norfolk, Virginia as oiler in the Forward Engine Room where he successfully completed his qualification in submarines. Roger then decided to leave the Navy, at the end of his enlistment in March 1953, with a rating of EN3(SS).
Roger then began his college studies at Georgia State University attending night school while working as a draftsman for a heating equipment company, as a clerk for a metals supply company, and as an automobile mechanic. Following graduation he started teaching math and physics in high school. While teaching high school he began teaching evening classes in math and physics at a technical school holding several positions from Instructor to Assistant Director.
During his years at the Technical School, he began work on a masters degree attending Saturday and Summer classes at the University of Georgia. After he received his degree, he was employed by the University of Georgia to teach industrial education. He immediately began work on a doctorate degree. After receiving his degree, he worked as an administrator in technical and industrial education programs.
After retirement from education, Roger was employed by the Memcor Division (Tampa, Florida) of E-Systems, a defense contractor, as Training Manager to provide training for a middle eastern foreign military on specialized equipment provided by E-Systems. Several years later, he was transferred to the Greenville Division (Greenville, Texas) as Program Manager on another middle eastern foreign military equipment and training contract.
After retirement from E-Systems, Roger worked as a training consultant and developer of computer-based training materials, as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Technology of Texas A & M University at Commerce, on contract with the U.S. Department of Commerce for several months in the Republic of Vanuatu in the South Pacific, and on contract with Texas Instruments Defense Systems teaching specialized technical math courses. He continues to do some consulting for his company, Educational Assistance Services, but spends most of his time working on a technical mathematics book.
He lives alone (divorced) on Lake Sinclair near Milledgeville, Georgia where he sails his 22 foot South Coast boat and entertains his four sons, their wives and grandchildren from time to time.
Roger discovered the U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc. several years ago and has attended the past three conventions meeting several shipmates from the Conger and Burrfish. He is presently a Life Member and member of the Kings Bay Trident Chapter. He recently became an Associate Member of Submarine Veterans of World War II and is a member of the Sealion Chapter.
He is an avid reader of a multitude of authors dealing with submarine warfare in WW II and fictional submarine extravaganzas. He is also an avid player of bridge and horseshoes.
Roger can be reached by e-mail at reseas@accucomm.net and by post office mail at 115 Dogwood Court; Sparta, Georgia 31087-8510.