Golden Corner Base MAY 2022 Newsletter

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER Issue 28

9 USSVI
7
Golden Corner Base
Newsletter

Issue 028
MAY
2022

HMMM, WHICH OF OUR MEMBERS IS IN THIS PHOTO? IN THIS ISSUE

Got Photos? A challenge has been tabled, who has Base Members Participate in
sailed the most seas. We may each be Veteran’s Last Patrol…page 12
by The Editor surprised if we investigate. Not sure?
Click here for help. See page 6 for more. Seven Seas…. and
Hello Shipmates, Last photo reference…. we appreciate counting?…page 6
and thank those members who
I almost took a photo of the gas pump volunteer to participate in Veteran’s Last
on my last fill because I thought nobody Patrol – see page 12.
would believe me, then I realized we are
all flabbergasted at the prices. No photo Hope to see you this Wednesday!
needed.
Fair Winds & Calm Seas,
However, don’t you have some old Navy
photos…send them in! I know you have Brett
snapshots of posed or candid “caught in
the moment” shots and there is EDITOR
undoubtedly a story behind each.
Seriously – send them to me. Brett Shone, [email protected]

Speaking of photos, I am contemplating
collecting photos of every Veteran
Memorial in the upstate. A photo
journal of sorts. If you can, send me
what you have and/or where you intend
to visit.

Had some great contributions this issue,
please keep them coming.

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 2

Tolling of the Boats  USS Squalus (SS-192)  USS Stickleback (SS-415)

Honoring our fallen submarine heroes is On May 23, 1939 USS Squalus suffered a Lost on May 28, 1958 when it sank off
fundamental to our creed as members of catastrophic valve failure during a test Hawaii while under tow after collision
U.S. Submarine Veterans (USSVI), which dive off the Isle of Shoals. Partially with USS Silverstein (DE-534). The
is… flooded, the submarine sank to the entire crew was taken off prior to
bottom and came to rest keel down in sinking.
“To perpetuate the memory of 240 feet of water. Commander Charles
our shipmates who gave their Momsen and Navy divers on the USS
lives in the pursuit of their duties Falcon (ASR-2) rescued 33 survivors use
while serving their country.” the diving bell he invented. 26 men
drowned in the after compartments.
Later Squalus was raised and
recommissioned as the USS Sailfish. In
an ironic turn of fate, Sailfish sank the
Japanese aircraft carrier carrying
surviving crew members from Sculpin,
which had located Squalus in 1939. Only
one of survived after spending the rest
of the war as slave laborers in Japan.

 USS Lagarto (SS-371) USS Squalus (SS-192) Photo courtesy of
onr.navy.mil (Office of Naval Research)
Lost on May 3, 1945 with the loss of 86 & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
men near the Gulf of Siam. On her 2nd
war patrol, she is believed to have been
lost to a radar equipped minelayer. This
minelayer was sunk by the USS Hawkbill
(SS-366) 2 weeks later.

 USS Scorpion (SSN-589)

USS Scorpion (SSN-589) was returning
to Norfolk, VA. from a Mediterranean
deployment. On May 22,1968 she
reported her position to be about 50
miles south of the Azores. Scorpion was
never heard from again. The exact cause
of her loss has never been determined.
99 officers and men were lost.

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 3

USSVI NEWS Online and mail-in paper ballot Voting
starts at 0001 on June 24, 2022
2022 USSVI National
Election Voting Dates Online Voting ends at 2300 on August
23, 2022
Hopefully all of you have read your
American Submariner by now and know Mail-in paper ballots must be received
all about this years National Election. by August 23, 2022

This year a 3rd-Party website will be Election Results will be announced at the
doing our election; all members with email National Convention
will be given the log-in information via
email by June 24th. If you do not receive Thanks,
this by then you may contact Tom Conlon
at [email protected] for the link. Wayne E. Phillips (former USN TM2(SS)
Launcher Tech)
You may vote by USPS mail by filling in USSVI ES2 District Commander (2017 -
the ballot in the American Submariner. Present)
You cannot vote by both methods; mail USSVI District Commander of the Year
and email. Your vote will not be counted. (2021-2022)
USSVI Denizens of the Deep Base
No proxy voting is not allowed. Commander (2021 - Present)

Dual-Base members may only vote for Link to Previous American
the Regional Director of their Primary Submariner Magazines:
Base Region. ESR District 2 is in the
Southeast Region. Past Issues: https://bit.ly/3w23gBF

We were notified at the last Board EDITORS NOTE:
meeting that some ballots had already I have tested several browsers and
been received. Hope these were not of successfully logged onto the USSVI
our District 2 members, as the ballots will website with the following browsers:
NOT be counted. Firefox & Internet Explorer.

Voting (email or mail) will begin at 0001 USSVI did NOT work with Edge,
on June 24th and will end at 2359 on Chrome, TOR, Onion or Brave.
August 23, 2022. Mail-in ballots must be
received by August 23, 2022 to be
counted.

Dates to remember:

Online ballot voting location will be
emailed by June 23, 2022

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 4

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 5

MAY WAYPOINTS FROM THE WARDROOM… GOLDEN CORNER BASE
LIBRARY
USSVI ANNIVERSARY The Golden Corner base will hold
James Bright 2020 Memorial Day Tolling of the Boats in LINK
Easley, South Carolina 30 May 2022.
GOLDEN CORNER BASE Time to be decided at the May
ANNIVERSARY meeting. It would be fantastic if all
Tom Vaughan 2011 base members could make this
Art Allum 2018 event.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I want to thank the Base Officers for
Bob Sullenberger 1937 their support during the past two
Bill Doe 1939 years. You know who they are but I
Brett Shone 1959 will list them anyway. Treasurer
Richard Franklin, Secretary David
Rocheville, Vice Commander Wayne
Hensarling, Chief of the Boat Thomas
Vaughan, and last but not least our
Newsletter Editor Brett Shone. The
base would not function without their
strong support. I also want to thank
all of you for your attendance at the
base meetings.

Our float is still in a state of disrepair
and the repairs may not be complete
before the Tolling of the Boats at the
end of this month. I will discuss
bringing the float without showing the
sub to the event at the May meeting.

Base Commander
Ed Evering

GOLDEN CORNER OFFICERS:

Base Commander: Ed Evering
Sr. Vice Commander: Wayne
Hensarling
Secretary: David Rocheville
Treasurer: Richard Franklin
Chief Of The Boat: Tom Vaughan
Chaplain: Wayne Hensarling
Eagle Scout Chair: Luis Garcia
Newsletter Editor: Brett Shone
Librarian: Brett Shone

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 6

Base News… -The Veteran died while getting VA And, from Luis….
care, either at a VA facility or at a
From the COB…. facility contracted by VA, or How many seas have you sailed?
-The Veteran died while traveling with
How to apply for a Veterans burial proper authorization, and at VA's Ever wonder how many seas you
allowance expense, either to or from a facility for have sailed? Do we know who in the
an examination, or to receive base has sailed the most seas?
Find out how to get Veterans burial treatment or care, or Send me a list of all the seas you
allowances (sometimes called -The Veteran died with an original or have sailed (by the June meeting)
“Veterans death benefits”) to help reopened claim for VA compensation and we will award the most sea-
cover burial, funeral, and or pension pending at the time of traveled base member with a drink of
transportation costs. death, if they would’ve been entitled their choice at the July base meeting.
to benefits before the time of death,
January 13, 2022 or The map pictured below may help….
-The Veteran died while receiving a maybe.
You may be eligible for Veterans VA pension or compensation, or
burial allowances if you’re paying for The Veteran died while eligible for a
the burial and funeral costs and you VA pension or compensation at time
won’t be reimbursed by any other of death, but instead received full
organization, like another government military retirement or disability pay
agency or the Veteran’s employer. Or:
You must also meet all of these -The Veteran had been getting a VA
requirements. pension or compensation when they
died, or
One of these relationships or -The Veteran had chosen to get
professional roles describes your military retired pay instead of
connection to the Veteran: compensation
Note: We’ll also provide an allowance
-You’re the Veteran’s surviving for the cost of transporting a
spouse (Note: We recognize same- Veteran’s remains for burial in a
sex marriages.), or national cemetery.
-You’re the surviving partner from a
legal union (a relationship made You can’t get burial allowances for
formal in a document issued by the certain individuals. We don’t provide
state recognizing the union), or burial allowances if the individual
-You’re a surviving child of the died:
Veteran, or
-You’re a parent of the Veteran, or -On active duty, or
-You’re the executor or administrator -While serving as a member of
of the Veteran’s estate (someone Congress, or
who officially represents the Veteran) -While serving a federal prison
sentence
The Veteran must not have received
a dishonorable discharge, and one of
these circumstances must be true:

-The Veteran died as a result of a
service-connected disability (a
disability related to service), or

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 7
Memories: (Name that sailor)

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 8

This Ain’t No Prior to the assignment that would Wahoo prior to launching. Notice signature
Shit….Sub Stories make him a legend, he served on of Richard O’Kane, who was her executive
and History various naval vessels. In 1942, he officer at the time.
became a lieutenant commander
The submarine commander and reported to SubRon 4 as a February 14th, 1942. USS Wahoo (SS-238)
who sank a ship with Molotov Prospective Commanding Officer launching in Mare Island shipyard.
cocktails (PCO).
The U.S. Navy submarine USS Wahoo (SS-
Nov 18, 2018 Claudia Mendes Dudley W. Morton 238) off the Mare Island Navy Yard,
(article from War History Online) California (USA), 14 July 1943.
Following a brief assignment to
Submarines use torpedoes to sink the USS Dolphin, he would arrive
ships. This is something that as a PCO. This was done to
everyone knows and accepts. But prepare him for command of a
while this fact applies to almost all fleet boat. He was placed under
of the campaigns by the USS Lieutenant Commander Kennedy.
Wahoo, the commander of The first mission by the vessel
the Wahoo discovered that under Kennedy was considered to
Molotov cocktails also worked be a failure. The first torpedoes
well. fired missed their target and a
The USS Wahoo was a US Navy second firing was also ineffective.
submarine of the Gato-class. The The second mission proved to be
building of the submarine began as dismal and led to Kennedy
before American engagement, but being replaced by Morton.
she was only used after military
campaigns began.
The Wahoo was to be active in
the Pacific arena, but the
submarine would only become
famous when Dudley Morton took
the helm.
Dudley Morton was born in
Kentucky in 1907 and entered the
United States Naval Academy in
1926. When he graduated, he
was commissioned and served in
Chicago and Saratoga. Upon his
promotion to lieutenant, he
attended Submarine School in
1933.

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 9

Morton speaks with his executive officer, regarding whether or not Morton In the first half of March 1943,
Richard O’Kane on the bridge of the Wahoo opened fire on troops in the open Morton and the USS Wahoo sank
ca. Feb 7, 1943 sea. nine ships before sighting a 100-
This action was to be a black ton trawler. Morton called for the
Today, the USS Wahoo is mark on Morton’s impressive deck gunnery to be used, but all
remembered as a combative and service record. Along with three failed during the
outstanding vessel, and this was another action, this is what the assault. Creativity was now the
largely due to Morton. During his vessel and her commander would order of the day with the
first mission at the helm, the be known for. The second event commander coming up with a
submarine would complete the happened in the next mission the novel idea.
controversial action of firing at the submarine undertook. Morton pulled his vessel
Buyo Maru, an enemy transport. The Korea Bay was the next area alongside the trawler while the
This was not problematic under the submarine was sent to. The submarine crew ran to the upper
the rules of war, and the people submarine stopped for fueling at decks. Once in place, the sailors
on the ship headed for lifeboats. Midway Island where the crew started to throw the marine-made
The controversy came when found Molotov cocktails that the Molotov cocktails onto the trawler.
the submarine started shooting at marines had used. Morton loaded The trawler was left wrecked,
the soldiers in the lifeboats. These some of the Molotov cocktails into gushing smoke and flames.
survivors were misidentified as the hold before heading off.
Japanese and were actually Morton (front) and O’Kane in the conning
Indian POWs. The U.S. Navy submarine USS Wahoo (SS- tower of Wahoo during an attack on a
238) at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (USA), soon Japanese convoy off New Guinea, 26
The Japanese freighter Nittsu Maru sinks after the end of her third war patrol, circa 7 January 1943
by the bow after being torpedoed by Wahoo February 1943. Her Commanding Officer,
Lieutenant Commander Dudley W. Morton, After this fourth patrol, the Korea
There is also some controversy is on the open bridge, in right center. Bay was littered with burning
ships and wreckage. American
intelligence received reports
stating that enemy command
believed a wolf pack had attacked
the area. The truth was that it was
only one US vessel under the
control of Dudley Morton.

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 10

The first three missions under the Wahoo should have been All hands were inside the
Morton placed this submarine in a heading out of the Soya Strait. submarine when it was hit. The
place of honor. The submarine According to Japanese records, a official announcement of death for
had a record of excessive breached submarine was spotted Dudley Morton would occur on 7
damage to enemy forces. and fired upon by aircraft. This is January 1946. He would later be
believed to be the remembered by Vice Admiral
The amount of time such damage USS Wahoo which was Charles Lockwood Jr. as a natural
had taken was also impressive, as announced as late on 2 leader and born daredevil.
Morton caused a total of 94,778 December 1943. The submarine
tons sunk and 31,380 tons of was stricken from the Naval Morton controlled the best
damage done in just 25 days. Vessel Register on December 6, submarine in the fleet for a few
months and became a legend, but
never received the Medal of
Honor.

Harusame torpedoed by Wahoo 1943.
September 1943 would mark the last time
Morton would command his submarine on a USS Wahoo (SS 238)
mission. Morton and his crew were
assigned the dangerous task of penetrating
the Sea of Japan.

On October 11, the Japanese
initiated a bomb and depth charge
campaign throughout the
day. This was when

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 11

Upstate-Carolina
Adaptive Golf

Support official base "Bringing friendships to veterans in hospice care"
charities: www.veteranlastpatrol.org
864-580-8005

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 12

Photo Tribute to Veteran’s Last
Patrol
Thank you to our base members who
are giving their time to this noble
cause….

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 13

SUBMARINES IN THE Atlantic’s finalist, was named country and carrying out the mission.
SUBLANT’s Shore SOY. This milestone shows how highly their
NEWS leadership thinks of their
Baker, assigned to the Virginia-class professionalism, work ethic and
NEWS STORIES fast-attack submarine Pre- dedication to duty. I am confident
SUBLANT ANNOUNCES 2022 commissioning Unit New Jersey they will all go on to be remarkable
SAILORS OF THE YEAR (SSN 796), won his boat and leaders and continue to exemplify the
BY MASS COMMUNICATION squadron’s SOY competition before best of our enlisted force.”
SPECIALIST 1ST CLASS going on to win SUBLANT’s Sea
CAMERON STONER SOY. As a result of winning, he will SUBLANT’s Force Master Chief
22 April 2022 be pinned to the rank of chief petty Steve Bosco expressed the difficulty
NORFOLK, Va. – officer after completing this year’s in selecting the Sea and Shore SOYs
Naval Chief Petty Officer Initiation. as all the finalists represented the
Commander, Submarine Force very best of the forces’ enlisted
Atlantic (COMSUBLANT) announced “I’m extremely grateful for the Sailors.
the Shore and Sea Sailors of the opportunity to be selected as the Sea
Year (SOY) during a ceremony Sailor of the Year,” said Baker. “I was “The finalists certainly made it difficult
aboard Naval Support Activity proud to represent my command and to pick a winner as they all displayed
Hampton Roads, April 21. squadron. It was a great competition the very best qualities the Submarine
as all the Sailors displayed the Force has to offer,” said Bosco. “Their
qualities it takes to be a great leader hard work and commitment has been
at the next level. I look forward to recognized by leadership and they
seeing them in the fleet.” are all certainly deserving of the SOY.
I am extremely proud of all of them
Lewis, who serves as SUBLANT’s and look forward to seeing them go
chief of staff administrative on to be the next generation of the
assistance, is responsible for Submarine Forces’ enlisted
processing flag level correspondence, leadership.”
travel and meeting coordination of all
U.S. submarine and strategic As the Shore Sailor of the Year for
commands. COMSUBLANT, Lewis will compete
in the 2022 Commander, U.S. Fleet
“It’s an honor to be selected as the Forces Command Sailor of the Year
Shore Sailor of the Year by competition.
leadership,” said Lewis. “It means my
supervisors, leaders and Sailors
under me believed in me. I couldn’t
have possibly got this far without
them.”

Vice Adm. William Houston,
commander, Submarine Forces,
spoke on the finalists’ dedication and
professionalism during the ceremony.

Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) 1st Class “Enlisted Sailors have always been Sailor of the Year is a time-honored
Paul Baker, Commander, Submarine the backbone of our Navy since its tradition introduced in 1972 by Chief
Squadron Eight’s finalist, was named inception,” said Houston. “Seeing our of Naval Operations, Adm. Elmo
Submarine Force Atlantic’s finalists here today is a reminder of Zumwalt and Master Chief Petty
(SUBLANT) Sea SOY. Yeoman 1st how committed our Sailors are to our Officer of the Navy John Whittet. This
Class Kirk Lewis, Submarine Force annual competition is held to
recognize superior performance of
individual Sailors, who best exemplify
the ideals of professional Sailor
throughout the fleet.

The Submarine Force executes the
Department of the Navy’s mission in
and from the undersea domain. In

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 14

addition to lending added capacity to (U.S. Navy photo by Electronics
naval forces, the Submarine Force, in Technician 2nd Class Leland T.
particular, is expected to leverage Hasty II)
those special advantages that come
with undersea concealment to permit
operational, deterrent and combat
effects that the Navy and the nation
could not otherwise achieve.

The Submarine Force and supporting
organizations constitute the primary
undersea arm of the Navy.
Submarines and their crews remain
the tip of the undersea spear.

PEARL HARBOR, HI, Today in Naval
UNITED STATES History
05.13.2022
Photo by Petty Officer 2nd
Class Leland Hasty
Commander, Submarine
Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

220513-N-LN285-1183 JOINT BASE 1930
PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (May 13,
2022) -- Capt. Melvin Smith, The streamlined submarine (V 5) is
commodore, Submarine Squadron 1, commissioned, then named
presents awards to the crew of the Narwhal in Feb. 1931, and receives
Virginia-class fast-attack submarine the hull number (SS 167) that July.
USS Missouri (SSN 780) May 13, During World War II, Narwhal
2022. The USS Missouri received participates in 15 war patrols,
plaques for winning The Battle serving in the Pacific Theatre,
Efficiency Award, the Supply Blue “E” earning 15 battle stars.
Award, and the Engineering
Readiness “E”. 1969

The pre-commissioned submarine
Guitarro (SSN 665) accidentally
sinks while moored at U.S. Mare
Island Naval Shipyard, Calif. Due to
the damage, her commissioning
date is rescheduled to Sept. 197

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 15

SUBMARINES IN THE satellite images were too limited China's attack submarines are
to definitively identify the vessel. evolving to tackle a growing range
NEWS The images "are very interesting of potential demands, from
but it is still very hard to be sure protecting ballistic missile
Satellite images raise yet whether we are looking at submarines and the People's
prospect of new class of some kind of refit for testing or a Liberation Army Navy's aircraft
Chinese submarine whole new class of submarine," carrier battlegroups to tracking
said Koh, of the S. Rajaratnam enemy ships.
HONG KONG, May 10 (Reuters) - School of International Studies. Jeffrey Lewis, a professor in arms
Military analysts say a vessel
spotted in a Chinese shipyard in Koh said he and others were control at the Middlebury Institute
rare, recent satellite images could watching closely to see whether of International Studies at
be a new or upgraded class of new Chinese submarines would Monterey, said the latest images
nuclear-powered attack shift to quieter pump-jets instead raised more questions than
submarine. of conventional propellers for answers as to whether they
propulsion. Because the stern is revealed a new class of vessel.
It is not clear whether the shrouded, it is not possible to tell "It's plausible, but there are
submarine is a new model, an what sort of propulsion the ship in questions I'd want answered. It
upgrade of an existing vessel or the image uses. wasn't in dry dock very long and it
something else. But diplomats Vertical launch tubes would add is unclear how they may have
and analysts have been watching considerable flexibility to China's reconfigured this submarine," he
closely after a Pentagon report in "hunter killer" submarine fleet, said. "Given the Pentagon report,
November said the Chinese navy arming the vessels with more there is certainly a lot of interest."
was likely in the next few years to guided missiles.
build a new attack submarine with The Chinese Defence Ministry did
vertical launch tubes for cruise not immediately respond to
missiles. Reuters' requests for comment.

Images obtained by Reuters from private
satellite imagery provider Planet Labs and
others circulating on social media show the
submarine in a dry dock in Huludao Port in
Liaoning province..

Greenish covers shroud areas
behind its superstructure and
stern - parts of the vessel that
could house missile launch tubes
and a new, quieter propulsion
system, analysts said. Such clear
images of submarines in dry dock
are seldom seen.

The submarine was out of the
water between April 24 and May
4, and was later seen mostly
submerged in the same place
after the dry dock was flooded.

Singapore-based security scholar
Collin Koh said there was a great
deal of interest in the prospect of
a new class of Chinese Type 093
"hunter-killer" submarine with
vertical launch tubes for guided
missiles. But he said the recent

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 16

VA asks for outdoor experience collaborating with our partners in
input making outdoor recreation a
foundational piece of VA’s world-
WASHINGTON — The Department class, Whole-Health-based care.”
of Veterans Affairs seeks input from As part of this request for
veterans outdoor recreation groups information, VA is asking individuals,
on how it can facilitate the health groups and entities involved in
and wellness of Veterans, their providing Veterans outdoor
families, caregivers and survivors recreation to submit comments,
through improved access to public from Feb. 23 to March 25, to help
lands and other outdoor spaces. guide the work of strengthening the
relationship between VA and
Research shows access to the managers of public lands, identifying
outdoors may contribute barriers that may prevent Veteran
significantly to better health and access to public lands to augment
well-being and VA wants to learn delivery of health and wellness
how it can best integrate outdoor services, and making
experiences into its Whole-Health recommendations to address those
approach to providing care to barriers.
Veterans and their families, The subject document above has
caregivers and survivors. officially published in the Federal
Register. The official version of this
“We want to use this opportunity to document, supporting documents
understand how VA can work closely and additional information about
with Veterans outdoor recreation this document is now available at
groups that have been leading the Federal Register public-inspection
way in using outdoor experiences to 2022-03
help their fellow Veterans heal and
stay healthy,” said Deputy Assistant
Undersecretary for Health for
Patient Care Services Maria Llorente,
M.D. “We look forward to

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 17

BOOK HIGHLIGHT: NON FICTION MOVIE HIGHLIGHT

BOOK HIGHLIGHT: FICTION

Crash Dive min | Action,
Unrated | 1 hr 46
Wake of The Wahoo Drama, War
By: Forest J. Sterling
Dangerous Ground IMDb: 6.4/10 Reviews: 1.6K
By: Larry Bond Goodreads: 4.45 · 129 ratings
En route to submarine duty in
Goodreads: 4.00 · 1,965 ratings From Pearl Harbor to her last and fatal Washington, naval officer Lt. Stewart
voyage, the heroic story of America's (Tyrone Power) meets the enchanting
The US submarine Memphis should have most daring World War II submarine, as Jean Hewitt (Anne Baxter). He begins a
been mothballed decades ago. Instead, told by the only surviving member of her whirlwind courtship, unaware she is
she is charged with one last, secret crew Forest J. Sterling. USS Wahoo (SS- already engaged to the commander
mission: to locate leaking containers of 238) was the most successful American (Dana Andrews) under whom he is about
Russian nuclear fuel on the floor of the submarine in the World War II Pacific to serve. Just when both men learn they
Arctic Ocean. More than just an Fleet. She was the first to penetrate an are in love with the same woman, they
environmental nightmare, this enemy harbor and sink a Japanese ship. are forced to work closely on a dangerous
radioactive burial ground houses enough And was the first to wipe-out an entire commando raid against Nazi tankers.
nuclear capability to destroy most of convoy single-handedly. In her 11 short
America’s major cities. months of life, Wahoo managed an
incredible 21 kills, totaling over 60,000
tons of ships. Then, just 45 minutes
before leaving Midway (island) for what
would be her last and fatal patrol,
Yeoman Forest Sterling was suddenly
transferred to other duty.

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 18

SUBMARINES ON

STAMPS

Not exactly “submarines on stamps” however it may be the earliest submarine related
philatelic/fiscal item, dated January 1870.

FROM THE DEEP: GOLDEN CORNER BASE NEWSLETTER | Issue 28 19

SUBMARINE ART

The Squalus (SS-192) hits the bottom of the ocean stern first Squalus (SS-192) crewmembers huddle around a lamp in the
off the coast of Portsmouth New Hampshire to rest in 240 feet forward torpedo room awaiting rescue in cold conditions which
of water. Thirty-three of the 59 crew members survived in the resulted in some survivors suffering from exposure. However, no
forward chambers of the submarine. This picture depicts the permanent adverse health effects were noted in survivors after the
control room of the submarine and crew members desperately rescue.
closing off water leaks.

The rescue divers were indispensable in the rescue and On the 4th rescue dive of the McCann diving bell, the steel wire
subsequent salvage operation of the Squalus (SS-192), used to raise the bell to the surface became fouled. The bell was
making a total of 648 deep-water tethered dives. They lowered to the ocean floor and divers sent down in an unsuccessful
dived first to the wreck, where they anchored guide wires attempt to unfoul the wire. The bell was subsequently raised
for the rescue bell to the escape hatch on the submarine. through the manipulation of buoyancy in the ballast tanks, and
When the rescue bell became fouled on the 4th rescue trip, manual hauling to the surface.
they attempted to unfoul the lines and get it to the surface.
Each dive entailed considerable risk for the divers due to risk #1: “Moment of Impact”, #2: “Sweating It Out, #3 “USS Squalus
from the bends and "narcosis of the deep," a hallucinatory and Diver”, #4: “USS Squalus and Diving Bell”
condition. Artist: John Groth
Watercolor & Ink, 1966
Subject: American submarine USS Squalus (SS-192)