The Daring Gambler Held All the Cards – The Plunger Legacy

There are few other submarine names that show the progression of the growth of America’s submarine propulsion power as clearly as the family of boats named Plunger I wanted to end Submarine Month (April 2020) with a classic story and a tribute to one of the most decorated submarines of the Cold War at the […]

Question for Smoke Boat Sailors from the Vietnam Era

I don’t often do this, but thought it was worth asking this question for a new follower of the blog. As a long time Submariner, I am sure that many of the environmental factors we were exposed to have long term effects. You should see my medical history. But I know that the use of […]

End of Watch USS Pittsburgh SSN 720 April 15, 2020

This will be the final chapter in the USS Pittsburgh story. On April 15, 2020, Commander Jason Deichler posted his farewell note on Facebook. He is leaving the boat for his new assignment and this was his last official act as the skipper. USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) was a Los Angeles-class attack submarine. The Los […]

The Mid Watch Revisited

The Mid Watch What does it feel like to be alone? I am sure that many people are starting to feel alone with the current condition of social distancing. In the interest of slowing down the spread of the Corona Virus, whole cities are being asked to isolate themselves from others. Since close proximity seems […]

1987 – The Counterpunch for a growing Soviet threat

1987 – The Counterpunch for a growing Soviet threat When I became a Machinist Mate Chief Petty Officer in August of 1987, I celebrated having served on a fair representation of Cold War submarines and stations. The journey took me from New London to Charleston to Pearl Harbor to Mare Island. Then the trip continued […]

We had Rickover – They had Gorshkov; The whole world watched

Soviet Submarine Threat: Part 1 The flag of the Soviet Navy flies over the oceans of the world. Sooner or later the United States will have to understand it no longer has mastery of the seas. Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union S. G. GORSHKOV I’m sure some people wonder why I spend […]

1959 – Why do you need so damn many submarines?

Why do you need so damn many submarines? I can almost hear the Air Force Brass asking that question of the Navy as they were presented the “threat” profile developed by the intelligence agencies in 1959. 1959 was a pivotal year for submarine development in the United States. The military in general was going through […]

How fast will that thing go? The USS Skipjack Story

How fast can you go on a submarine? Along with how deep, how fast is often one of the most asked questions once someone knows you were on board a submarine. The standard answer that was pounded into our heads in submarine school was in excess of 20 knots and deeper than 400 feet. Once […]

The Skipjack Class – Unleashing a New Kind of Sea Monster

There she blows!–there she blows! A hump like a snow-hill! It is Moby Dick! “Some of the subtlest secrets of the seas seemed divulged to us in this enchanted pond. We saw young Leviathan amours in the deep. And thus, though surrounded by circle upon circle of consternations and affrights, did these inscrutable creatures [mother […]

Building the next generation of boats – Nuclear power in 1955

Building the next generation of boats – Nuclear power in 1955 The power and possibility revealed in the USS Nautilus was enough to inspire the Navy’s leadership to want to move more quickly into this bold new age. The challenge was to find a way to build the new boats using existing resources blended with […]