USS Silversides

[19&41]

https://www.military.com/daily-news/202 ... n=20240307

[William]

Thanks, Rex, and for me, it's only 35 minutes away. One can make a day of it and also include this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Milwaukee_Clipper

Bill

[TC Chris]

I have not visited that sub, but across Lake Michigan at Manitowoc, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum has USS Cobia, another WW II sub that I've been aboard twice. The last time, a WW II crew member was aboard as a guide. He talked about sitting on the bottom that boat, being depth-charged. The capt. figured they might die soon, so he allowed the guys to smoke. The guide had been in the forward torpedo compartment, where he was telling us the story, a tiny space. Imagine the guys smoking up a storm in a tiny enclosed space... maybe it made death seem more welcome. In any event, they survived the assault. The were stuck to the bottom and it took some work to get free and sail away later.

The museum has spent much effort restoring systems (engines, electronics). The tube based radios are working. The radar is working. Engines run.

Read here:

https://www.wisconsinmaritime.org/submarines/uss-cobia/

Manitowoc is one of my favorite ports, a good friendly midwestern industrial community.

Chris Campbell

[19&41]

The men who sailed in those craft were and are special people. I find it extremely difficult to take a CT scan without closing my eyes for the entire procedure. It is hard to imagine being in such a craft with ordinance exploding around it under tons of water pressure. Just it's normal operation, being confined would prey on my mind the entire time. I worked with a fellow who wore his submariner's badge at work at Sperry Univac. He was the most even tempered guy I have worked with.