Monday, July 13, 2009

"Wahoo" Image Actually Trigger

Was browsing NavSource.org for updated images and discovered something regarding an image in "Wahoo" by O'Kane.

In the first set of photos in the book, the first image is a port quarter shot of an as-built fleetboat. The description reads "USS Wahoo (SS-238) departing Mare Island". For some reason the look of that photo never felt quite right to me. The general arrangement is correct for the most part. But I could never find the shot in any of the archival sets of Wahoo images.

Then today I noticed an image had been added to the USS Trigger (SS-237) page on NavSource. As I scrolled down, I found the identical uncropped shot (see below). It is clearly marked as Trigger. Whether it was intentional or not, the image denoted as Wahoo is in fact Trigger.

Upon closer inspection I can see a detail that always looked wrong: the aft deck gun. Trigger had a taller mount as seen in the image. All other photos of Wahoo at the same point showed the shorter 3" mount. The proper attribution of the subject helps settle the issue -- Wahoo didn't carry the taller mount.

The Trigger as Wahoo identification is not the only misrepresentation in O'Kane's book. Several of the interior shots in the first grouping are actually the USS Pompanito on display in San Francisco. This makes sense given the boat was near O'Kane's home and could provide views of all her main compartments.

For all those interested in fleetboat photos, I encourage you to browse navsource.org. It is a wonderful source of naval images.

2 comments:

Teresa A. Hyndman on 7:15 AM said...

Paul, Interesting information,Will check out navsource.org

Unknown on 1:27 PM said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
 

About Me

The first 'grown up' book Paul Crozier ever read was "War Fish" by George Grider. Since then he has spent most of his life researching the U.S. Submarine Force in WWII and USS Wahoo (SS-238) in particular.

Dedication

This blog is dedicated to all who have served in the U.S. Submarine Force. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Admiral Chester Nimitz

"We shall never forget it was our submarines that held the line against the enemy while our fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds."

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