The Story of the Submarine Base at Pearl Harbor

THE TRIP TO THE SUBMARINE – Key West 1960

Field Trips are Fun I remember as a kid we used to go to businesses on field trips to get a glimpse into what our parents and others did for a living. One year it was a bakery with all of the delicious smells you might expect. Another trip brought us to Menzie Dairy where […]

“Every man seen was at his station” – The tragic loss of the S-51

Every man seen was at his station – The tragic lass of the S-51 Caution – The descriptions are pretty graphic. I have written about the sinking of the S-51 before but today is the hundredth anniversary of the beginning of her recovery and restoration. In their day, the U. S. submarines S-50 and S-51 were the latest and […]

Cold War Stories: Submarines: Past, Present And Future Of Silent Service (1962)

In April of 1962, I had not even turned ten years old. But I already had a fascination with submarines But I was conscious of many of the things that were going on in the world. I read every book I cold find in the library about the wars that came earlier in the century. […]

And so, you master self then, laugh at fear – The Story of a Sub Man and USS Grayback SS 208

And so, you master self then, laugh at fear – The Story of a Sub Man There was a total of fifty-two American submarines lost during World War 2. The damage that the submarine force had inflicted on the Japanese and naval forces was staggering. But losing that many submarines was also a very high […]

Cold War Stories – Truman Joins the Royal Order of Deep Dunkers

The Royal Order of Deep Dunkers Up until today, I had only known of a few US Presidents that had submerged on board a submarine. The first was Theodore Roosevelt who rode an early sub called the Plunger. August 21, 1905 – Plunger to Oyster Bay today A partial list of modern Presidents that would […]

Cold War Stories – “Look at that thing fly” – Submarine Design in the Modern Ages

Look at that thing fly – submarine design in the modern ages The sleek submarines of today are powerful examples of the evolution of naval ship design. What were once awkward frames surrounding the simplest of motive engines, are now the deadliest hunter killers that have ever ranged the oceans deep. The technology to create […]

Cold War Stories – The next war will be fought on our own soil

Cold War Stories – The next war will be fought on our own soil In 1984, there was a fictional movie called Red Dawn that portrayed an invasion of the United States. It was a very interesting look at what would happen in the country if an enemy was successfully able to bypass all of […]

Cold War Stories – Homecoming 1946

Homecoming 1946 Nearly eight million men and women served in the United States Armed Forces during the second world war. Many recent articles in various news outlets and television stories highlight the hundred plus years the few remaining survivors are celebrating this year. But the numbers are diminished greatly with the passing of time. They […]

Cold War Stories – Prepare to Snorkel

Cold War Stories – Prepare to Snorkel When the word is passed “Prepare to Snorkel” on a submarine, a number of actions need to be taken immediately. The boat has to be at the correct depth, valves need to be adjusted and of course, the diesel operator needs to do some preliminary actions. The snorkel […]