Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Pampanito Anchoring Project

Berthed at Pier 45 in San Francisco Bay near the Golden Gate bridge, the Pompanito is one of the must-see fleetboats on display in the US. Apparently, it can experience heavy swells due to its location and has sustained damage in the past. Recently, the museum upgraded her anchoring system thanks to the generous donations of interested companies. Take a look at this fascinating project here: http://maritime.org/moorings2010/index.htm.

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Monday, October 11, 2010

On Eternal Patrol

The following men lost their lives 67 years ago in USS Wahoo.

1. Anders, F. MM3
2. Andrews, J. S. EM1
3. Bailey, R. E. SC3
4. Bair, A. I. TM3
5. Berg, J. C. MM3
6. Browning, C. E. MOMM2
7. Brown, D. R. LTJG
8. Bruce, C. L. MOMM1
9. Buckley, J. P. RM1
10. Burgan, W. W. LT
11. Campbell, J. S. ENS
12. Carr, W. J. CGMA
13. Carter, J. E. RM2
14. Davison, W. E. MOMM1
15. Deaton, L. N. TM1
16. Erdey, J. S. EM3
17. Fielder, E. F. LTJG
18. Finkelstein, O. TM3
19. Galli, W. O. TM3
20. Garmon, C. E. MOMM2
21. Garrett, G. C., Jr. MOMM2
22. Gerlacher, W. L. S2
23. Goss, R. P. MOMM1
24. Greene, H. M. LT
25. Hand, W. R. EM2
26. Hartman, L. M. MM3
27. Hayes, D. M. EM2
28. Henderson, R. N. LT
29. Holmes, W. H. EM1
30. House, V. A. S1
31. Howe, H. J. EM2
32. Jacobs, O. MOMM1
33. Jasa, R. L. MM3
34. Jayson, J. O. CK3
35. Johnson, K. B. TM1
36. Keeter, D. C. CMOMMA
37. Kemp, W. W. GM1
38. Kessock, P. F1
39. Krebs, P. H. S1
40. Kirk, E. T. S1
41. Lape, A. D. F1
42. Lindemann, C. A. S1
43. Logue, R. B. FC1
44. Lynch, W. L. F1
45. MacAlman, S. E. PHM1
46. MacGowen, T. J. MOMM1
47. Magyar, A. J. MM3
48. Manalisay, J. C. ST3
49. Mandjiak, P. A. MM3
50. Massa, E. E. S1
51. Maulding, E. C. SM3
52. Maulding, G. E. TM3
53. McGill, T. J. CMOMMA
54. McGilton, H. E. TM3
55. McSpadden, D. J. TM1
56. Mills, M. L. RT1
57. Misch, G. A. LTJG
58. Morton, D. W. CDR
59. Neel, P. TM2
60. O'Brien, F. L. EM1
61. O'Neal, R. L. EM3
62. Ostrander, E. E. MM3
63. Phillips, P. D. SC1
64. Rennels, J. L. SC2
65. Renno, H. S1
66. Seal, E. H. Jr. TM2
67. Simonetti, A. R. SM2
68. Skjonsby, V. L. LCDR
69. Smith, D. O. BM1
70. Stevens, G. V. MOMM2
71. Terrell, W. C. QM3
72. Thomas, W. S1
73. Tyler, R. O. TM3
74. Vidick, J. EM2
75. Wach, L. J. COX
76. Waldron, W. E. RM3
77. Ware, N. C. CEM
78. White, W. T. Y2
79. Whipp, K. L. MM2
80. Witting, R. L. MM3
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Friday, October 08, 2010

Lost Boats Ceremony at Mare Island on Sunday

Times-Herald staff report
Posted: 10/07/2010 timesheraldonline.com

This year's Lost Boats Memorial ceremony will coincide with the Navy-friendly Fleet Week weekend.

The free event, designed to honor 575 Mare Island submarine crewmen who disappeared during World War II, will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.The Lost Boats Memorial organizer and co-founder Myrna Hayes said the event's length was shortened this year in respect for some attendees' health.

Sunday will mark the fourth such event on Mare Island, and also roughly coincides with the 67th anniversary of the USS Wahoo's loss at sea, Hayes said.The afternoon memorial will kick off with a flag raising at Morton Field, at Walnut Avenue and D Street on Mare Island.

Those gathered will then move to the historic submarine repair dock Berth 6 from 2 to 3 p.m. for a music and history program, Hayes said. The event's final hour will include a reception at Quarters C, 832 Walnut Ave.

Visit www.mareislandpreserve.org or call Hayes at (707) 557-9816 or (707) 249-9633 for more information.

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Friday, September 10, 2010

Wahoo Memorial Torpedo Returns Home

From Omahanewsstand.com: Wednesday, August 18, 2010

By Lisa Brichacek

There are still a few scars from its battle with a falling tree, but the torpedo that memorializes the USS Wahoo is back home.

The torpedo monument on the Saunders County Courthouse lawn in Wahoo was underneath the top of a nearby tree after a windstorm howled through Wahoo earlier this year.

The torpedo was removed for repairs, but was returned last Friday morning.

Nebraska Base of United States Submarine Veterans Inc. Member Pat Hancock and a group of volunteers helped to guide the torpedo back onto its base.

Hancock said they have been working with the county’s insurance carrier to get the necessary repairs taken care of. The main thing, he said, was to seal up any cracks in the torpedo’s surface so further damage from weather didn’t occur.

The Wahoo Chapter of World War II Submarine Veterans was responsible for starting the memorial and maintained it for many years. Members of the Nebraska Base of United States Submarine Veterans Inc. started helping with maintenance in recent years due to the age of the World War II veterans.

According to Hancock, the World War II chapter will fold into the Nebraska Base chapter after this year. Any money left in the treasury of the World War II chapter will be put into a repair fund for the torpedo monument.

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Monday, May 31, 2010

Remembering Those On Eternal Patrol

A total of 52 United States submarines were lost during WWII.

The United States submarine service sustained the highest mortality rate of all branches of the U.S. Military during WWII.

1 out of every 5 U.S. Navy submariners was killed in WWII.

3,505 American submariners made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of their country in World War II.

For information on individual U.S. submariners lost in the service of their country, visit OnEternalPatrol.com.

Statistics courtesy valoratsea.com.

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Sunday, May 09, 2010

Wahoo and Tang exhibit planned for National WWII Museum

Legends of the Deep was recently contacted by The National World War II Museum in New Orleans regarding a new exhibit to feature USS Wahoo and USS Tang.

Seth Paridon, Manager of Research Services at the museum, solicited assistance in locating digital copies of images featured on Legends. These will gladly be provided. The future exhibits will tell the story of submarines in the Pacific war and detail the contributions of Wahoo and Tang, along with their respective COs. In addition, they plan to construct a full size submarine walk through which will be modeled after the USS Tang. 

Details will follow as they are made available. It should be an impressive exhibit!
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Friday, May 07, 2010

Baseball Field Receives New Lights

A baseball field named after a Wahoo crewman lost on her seventh patrol received new light and held its first night game recently.

"For the first time since Logue Field was built in the early 1970s, night games will be played under the lights at the field on the city's west side.

On Thursday, a lighting dedication ceremony was held at the field, which is on county Housing Authority property near the Linn Street development in Newberry.


Logue Field, which is used by the Williamsport Area High School baseball team, adult men leagues and West End Babe Ruth League, was built by local businessman George Logue Sr. in honor of his brother Robert Logue, who was killed while serving on the submarine USS Wahoo during World War II."

Article written by David Thomson of sungazette.com

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Monday, February 08, 2010

Vintage Submarine Themed Valentine Card

 

Saw this vintage card on eBay a while back and thought it appropriate for the month. Don't forget your sweetie!
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Tuesday, February 02, 2010

USS Flier (SS-250) Found

Navy confirms sunken sub in Balabac Strait is USS Flier
From Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs
(PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii)  – Commander, Submarine Forces Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC), Rear Adm. Douglas McAneny announced today that a sunken vessel located in the Balabac Strait area of the Philippines is in fact the World War II submarine USS Flier (SS 250).
            “I am honored to announce that, with video evidence and information provided by a team from YAP Films and assistance from the Naval History and Heritage Command, USS Flier has been located,” said McAneny.  “We hope this announcement will provide some closure to the families of the 78 crewmen lost when Flier struck a mine in 1944.”
            USS Flier, a 1525-ton Gato class submarine built at Groton, Connecticut, was commissioned in mid-October 1943. She departed from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for her first war patrol in January 1944.  While entering the harbor at Midway Island during a storm, she went aground and was seriously damaged.
The damaged submarine was towed back to Pearl Harbor and finally reached the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, where she was repaired.  Flier made another start on her first war patrol in May 1944, heading from Pearl Harbor to the waters off Luzon. While en route on 4 June she attacked and sank the transport Hakusan Maru. On June 13, she attacked a Japanese convoy off Subic Bay, receiving a depth charging in return, and on June 22-23, hit another convoy off Mindoro, apparently damaging one or more ships.
In early August 1944 Flier left Fremantle, Australia, for her second war patrol. On 13 August, while transiting shallow water to enter the South China Sea, she struck a mine and quickly sank. Fourteen of 86 crewmen escaped, but only eight survived the subsequent long swim to reach shore. After making their way by raft to Palawan and being protected by local people and a group of guerrillas, at the end of the month they were evacuated by the submarine USS Redfin (SS-272).
The last surviving crew member of Flier, Ens. Al Jacobson, never gave up the search for his lost shipmates.  Sadly, Jacobson passed away in 2008, but his family was determined to continue the search.  The family provided notes and research to the production company YAP Films, which investigates nautical mysteries, and Jacobson’s son Steve and grandson Nelson participated in the search.
“After my father retired in 1990, he became very active in the quest to understand more of what happened,” said Steve Jacobson.  “He put together as much information as he could from naval records of the investigation and put together charts of where he believed Flier was.  We provided YAP Films with everything my father had collected.”  
In the spring of 2009, with the aid of the Jacobson family, the team from YAP Films located wreckage of a submarine in the area that USS Flier was lost.  Father and son divers Mike and Warren Fletcher of the television show “Dive Detectives” captured the first views of the sunken submarine in more than 64 years.  YAP Films provided the Naval History and Heritage Command with footage taken in the Balabac Strait to aid in the identification. 
"The Flier discovery presented the Dive Detectives with one of our most challenging dives,” said Warren Fletcher.  “At a depth of 330 feet there is little margin for error.  As my father and I descended into the dark blue water, the unmistakable shape of a Gato-class submarine came into view.  That moment made all of the hard work and danger pale in comparison with the feeling of pride it gave me to know that the Flier and her crew will not be forgotten."
With the information provided by YAP Films, COMSUBPAC and the Naval History and Heritage Command examined the evidence and historical records and determined that the submarine found at the reported position could only be USS Flier.  No Japanese or U.S. submarine other than Flier was ever reported lost in the area, and the gun mount and radar antenna clearly identifiable in the video matched historical photographs of USS Flier.  Additional identifiable characteristics of the hull indicated that the wreck is indeed a Gato-class submarine.  These factors taken together led COMSUBPAC and the Naval History and Heritage Center to conclude that the wreck found by YAP Films could only be that of USS Flier. 
"The Flier was found because all the right people came together for all the right reasons,” said Mike Fletcher.  “But mostly the Flier was found because of the love a family has for their dad."
“It was a pretty emotional experience,” said Jacobson.  “Although I was really confident of the position, you still don’t know.  Literally, it was exactly at the coordinates he said it would be.  It is tremendous closure and I wish that my dad could have experienced this.”
Former Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz once said, “When I assumed command of the Pacific Fleet on 31 December 1941 our submarines were already operating against the enemy, the only units of the Fleet that could come to grips with the Japanese for months to come.  It was to the Submarine Force that I looked to carry the load until our great industrial activity could produce the weapons we so sorely needed to carry the war to the enemy.  It is to the everlasting honor and glory of our submarine personnel that they never failed us in our days of great peril.” 
By the end of World War II, submarines had made more than 1,600 war patrols. Pacific Fleet submarines like Flier accounted for more than half of all enemy shipping sunk during the war.  The cost of this success was heavy: 52 U.S. Pacific Fleet submarines were lost, and more than 3,500 submariners remain on “eternal patrol.”
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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

3-D Wahoo

Recently received an email from Bob Johnson, USN Retired, who served as an Instructor at the Naval Submarine School Advanced Operations Department. During that time he worked in his off hours at the Submarine Museum and Library that at the time was located in Morton Hall. He delved into the loss of USS Wahoo (SS-238) and decided when I had the time I'd research her loss. Now that the time has come, he's started working on a CAD/CAE profile rendering of USS Wahoo (SS-238) for donation to the Submarine Museum and Library in Groton, CT and the Bowfin Memorial in Hawaii.

During the process, Bob came upon a research problem. "I've been researching all of the available on-line photos of the Wahoo to make the drawing as accurate as possible. I've developed a preliminary rendering of her in her Patrol 7 configuration. Some of the drawings I've come across in my research shows an illustration of a 20MM deck gun mounted aft of the sail (probably above the after battery compartment) but I'm not convinced that she was ever fitted like this. Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated."

Fortunately, I had the information he needed and pointed him to the third page of wreck images in the Wahoo scrap book on Legends (http://www.warfish.com/scrap-EP-3.html). There it shows the 20mm mount on the after deck behind the fairwater during Wahoo's return from her fourth war patrol and as she is now at the bottom of La Perouse Strait.

The image below is an in-progress image of Bob's work. He's making great progress.


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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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