U.S.S. Batfish-Muskogee Oklahoma (Pic Heavy)

[sharkbit]

My son and I drove to Muskogee, Oklahoma from Denver, Colorado last weekend to see the U.S.S. Batfish.

Well worth the trip but very hot and pretty humid. I promised my son last year that we'd go but didn't have the opportunity until last weekend.
We drove almost 1600 miles round-trip. We also saw the Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, Kansas the day before.

Here are a few of the pictures I took.
Hope you enjoy!


Entrance to the park:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH.jpg


She's sitting in a grassy bowl: (Note how deep the rudder is embedded in the ground)
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH29.jpg

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH26.jpg

Volunteers working on replacing the deck, which is very deteriorated. Some of the deck is still original. They're replacing it all with a Brazailian hardwood. I didn't envy them one bit-it was very hot, humid, and there were wasp nests under there:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH27.jpg


Looking aft at the conning tower. You can see the new decking ready for install:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH25.jpg

Looking forward at conning tower:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH28.jpg

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH30.jpg

Good bullnose shot:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH32.jpg


Bow tubes:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH34.jpg

She's starting to show some other deterioration from sitting out in the elements, but overall looks pretty good except for the decking:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH35.jpg

Big submarine, little boy(He was starting to get grumpy from the heat):
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH36.jpg

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH37.jpg

Shot of the forward deck. It was cool being able to see beneath the decking. You could see the pressure hull, external frames, and a lot of the duct work:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH44.jpg

Checkers anyone?
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH4.jpg

Periscope in conning tower.
You couldn't go up so I took the picture hanging from the ladder through the cage they had set up. This was the best in three attempts:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH17.jpg

The boy on the hydroplane controls:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH19.jpg

Bow tubes:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH2.jpg

One of the forward diesels:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH5.jpg

They had a memorial to all the US subs lost during WWII. They had small plaques for each one with information about the sub.
Here is the Wahoo's:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH50.jpg

Lots more pictures, but these are the best.

They had a pretty interesting little museum inside and some other pretty good displays around the park as well.

We had a lot of fun, but a lot of driving.

:)

[Kloef]

Nice pics!

Thanks for posting them,i allways enjoy pics like this..

[Mikeb213]

Great Pics! I am trying to get the money together to go up to Omaha to see the museum up there. We are up in Fort Collins, it is really hard to be a fan of subs living in Colorado, we are so far from everything!

[snakeyez]

The Batfish has some dedicated volunteers working on her regularly. They are always looking for more volunteers to work on the work weekends. Take a look at their website for more information:

http://www.ussbatfish.com/

Great bunch of guys, many of them are regulars here on SUBSIM.

Thanks so much for sharing your photos sharkbit!

:salute:

[AVGWarhawk]

Nice photos. Nice to see she is getting the attention she deserves. Although she sits in her grass berth she still is and will be a grand old gal to many.

Tip my hat to the volunteers. I know of the 65 year old dust you carry home in your sinuses after putting in a days work on them. I'm suspecting we would not have it any other way on a good Saturday. :salute:

[Brenjen]

Thanks for sharing! I'd like to go see that myself. I wish they had gotten her up out of the grass; the enzymes will eat paint & steel eventually until there is nothing left where it's touching the ground.

[sharkbit]

The Batfish has some dedicated volunteers working on her regularly. They are always looking for more volunteers to work on the work weekends. Take a look at their website for more information:

http://www.ussbatfish.com/

Great bunch of guys, many of them are regulars here on SUBSIM.

Thanks so much for sharing your photos sharkbit!

:salute:

A definite thumbs-up to the volunteers. :yeah:

They were very helpful and took the time to answer a couple of questions. There was a group of Eagle Scouts hindering:D...I mean helping out as well. Just kidding...it looked like they were all pretty busy with maybe one or two exceptions.

:)

[Task Force]

Great pics of the Batfish... you never understand there size till a little kid stands next to one...:rotfl:

[snakeyez]

Thanks for sharing! I'd like to go see that myself. I wish they had gotten her up out of the grass; the enzymes will eat paint & steel eventually until there is nothing left where it's touching the ground.

Her keel is supposedly 4+ feet in the sand. However, there is a cathodic protection type system in place for the metal. As to how well it is working no one really knows.

[sharkbit]

Here's a few more:

"You want me to go up there?!?"
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH3.jpg

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH33.jpg

Christmas Tree:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH14.jpg

Control Room:
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH16.jpg

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH39.jpg


"Ready to Fire!"
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/DASH7_2007/USSBATFISH45.jpg

[Mikeb213]

Does the Batfish have working radar?

[FADM Gryphon]

Thanks for sharing the pictures skipper. Just wish the old girl could be seaworthy again.

[shoot-kill-win]

Great Pics! I am trying to get the money together to go up to Omaha to see the museum up there. We are up in Fort Collins, it is really hard to be a fan of subs living in Colorado, we are so far from everything!

I am from Colorado as well, however I have volunteered at the Batfish for the past 3 years but this is because I spend my summers with my grandparents down there and am currenly attending Oklahoma State University for my bachelor's. Anyway enough about my situation, the Batfish is an awesome sub. Currently there are many projects under development that will really spruce the boat museum and grounds up, cant wait for it all to be done. All the work so far has taken quite a while, we have been working on the deck for over a year, we really need more volunteers, and to spread the word the Batfish is there. Half of the people living in Muskogee do not know it is there, whic is truly sad.
Thanks for posting the pictures, it is awesome to see her get some publicity.:up:

P.S. Coming up in August there will be a Living History presentation on board the boat which will be a great experience, for everyone who attends, the "crew" -who are also volunteers- will be in period uniform protraying life aboard the Batfish during the war.

[Mikeb213]

Ok now I am moving to OK!

[Coopz]

How did they get that thing there? Is it by coast?

[ReallyDedPoet]

Thanks for sharing :yep::up:

[sharkbit]

How did they get that thing there? Is it by coast?

Not even close to a coast. The Arkansas River runs by there though. The river is just on the other side of those trees off the bow I believe. They towed it up that. I would love to find more details of exactly how they got it there though.

There's a couple of pictures in the museum of when the Arkansas flooded and filled the grassy bowl with water. It makes it look like she was floating again.

:)

[snakeyez]

How did they get that thing there? Is it by coast?

It's all right here:

http://ussbatfish.com/batfish-stats3.html

[shoot-kill-win]

The trip, and acquisition of the Batfish is a story in itself, so is the story of the first few years of the Batfish in Muskogee,it was almost as intense as a war patrol.

[Rockin Robbins]

Wow, snakeyez, thanks for the tour!:up:

[SteveUK]

Thanks for the pics :D sometimes I wish I lived in the US, we dont have any of the old subs in the UK.

Toured an old uboat many years ago in sweden though.

[AVGWarhawk]

Thanks for the pics :D sometimes I wish I lived in the US, we dont have any of the old subs in the UK.

Toured an old uboat many years ago in sweden though.


http://www.rnsubmus.co.uk/general/intro.htm

:D

[sharkbit]

http://www.rnsubmus.co.uk/general/intro.htm

:D

That looks like a really cool museum! :cool:

I'd love to see the X24 up close.

:)

[Monica Lewinsky]

Anyone forget what this sub accomplished three [3] nights in a row?

Sunk 3 IJN subs EACH night.

[shoot-kill-win]

I might be misunderstanding what your post said, but the Batfish sank 3 submarines in 3 days not 3 each night.

[SteveUK]

Thanks AVGWarhawk didn't know about that!! :oops:

[AVGWarhawk]

Thanks AVGWarhawk didn't know about that!! :oops:

Go and take pictures. Please post here. I would love to see them :yep::D

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Poor lady. I hope that part of the restoration involves somehow replacing her torpedo doors. :cry:

[Piggy]

I recently read the book "Final Patrol", Batfish is one of the boats mentioned, and yes that was quite a feat sinking 3 IJN Subs in three nights.

http://www.amazon.com/Final-Patrol-Stories-World-Submarines/dp/0451219511

Thanks for pics!

[FADM Gryphon]

[quote=Piggy;1139248]I recently read the book "Final Patrol", Batfish is one of the boats mentioned, and yes that was quite a feat sinking 3 IJN Subs in three nights.

http://www.amazon.com/Final-Patrol-Stories-World-Submarines/dp/0451219511

I just read this book to it is a great book. Thanks for the pics and showing us that they are trying to take care of the USS Batfish, the ole girl needs some love.

[Rugbyshark]

I was raised by my grandfather (Pete Morreale) who was on the USS Batfish during her 6th and 7th patrol (yes that is right the 3 enemy sub sinking record patrols I state proudly). He passed away about 6 years ago but I cherish the thousands of stories he shared with me about the USS Batfish. For years we had a tattered American flag that flew above the ship at our house my grandfather donated to the Batfish museum, I still have the photos of him at the museum during the ceremony. The guys at the park have done a great job and I am taking my wife and 4 boys up this summer to see her.

Richard Morreale

[eers75]

Very nice pics and thank you for posting them. Ive been to the Torsk museum in Baltimore but it was before I appreciated the subs of ww2.

[Fish40]

Great pics!:yeah: It's a shame she had to be buried half in the ground though. I'm going to make it a point to go to the USS Ling in NJ this Summer. It's a measley 1/2 hour drive from where I am in NY. I was already at the USS Intrepid museum (a couple of times), and the Sub Base in Groton, Ct. The Uss Nautilus is there;) Also great trips!

[sharkbit]

Very nice pics and thank you for posting them. Ive been to the Torsk museum in Baltimore but it was before I appreciated the subs of ww2.

Check out this thread:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=179724&highlight=torsk

@ Rugbyshark:
Nice story about your grandfather to resurrect this thread. :salute:

:)

[Platapus]

"we're in shallow water sir!"

Awesome pictures.

Any chance another forum could be made so that threads of pictures like this can be grouped together?

[eers75]

Check out this thread:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=179724&highlight=torsk
:salute:
:)

Thank you for that link, awesome pics as well. I read some war patrols on the Torsk and apparently only one life was lost on a training mission where they left the poor guy topside on a dive. Torsk fired the last torpedo of ww2 interesting read there too.

"we're in shallow water sir!"

Awesome pictures.

Any chance another forum could be made so that threads of pictures like this can be grouped together?

I think this is a great idea if it isnt already in place but I dont remember seeing any sticky or thread on this subject.

[CDR Resser]

I drive past the Batfish twice a day, on my way to and from work. Have visited the volunteer site several times. Need to get off my duff and do something more than visit the site. Looks like some painting has taken place since your visit, as the hull is now black.
The Batfish was brought to Muskogee up the Arkansas River and the park is about a 100 yards from the river. It was floated into the "bowl" and a berm was built up and the water drained. Lots of work going on in the area, but not sure if it is related to the park.

Respectfully Submitted;
CDR Resser
Wrote this before reading several of the other posts, sorry for the repeats. :oops:

[AVGWarhawk]

Very nice pics and thank you for posting them. Ive been to the Torsk museum in Baltimore but it was before I appreciated the subs of ww2.


She is still there with fresh paint and repairs. The interior is being restored by the TVA. Come on by and see her again. :salute:

[AVGWarhawk]

I was raised by my grandfather (Pete Morreale) who was on the USS Batfish during her 6th and 7th patrol (yes that is right the 3 enemy sub sinking record patrols I state proudly). He passed away about 6 years ago but I cherish the thousands of stories he shared with me about the USS Batfish. For years we had a tattered American flag that flew above the ship at our house my grandfather donated to the Batfish museum, I still have the photos of him at the museum during the ceremony. The guys at the park have done a great job and I am taking my wife and 4 boys up this summer to see her.

Richard Morreale

It is awesome that your grandfather could share this experience with you. It is even better he was able to return the tattered flag that flew over the boat! The Torsk has her WWII flag mounted and framed. The flag is in the aft torpedo room of the Torsk.

[Anthony W.]

Thanks for sharing the pictures skipper. Just wish the old girl could be seaworthy again.

A 1958 law restricts any decommissioned US Navy vessel from moving under its own power.

Learned that while researching the USS Requin and Bowfin. Really saddened me, considering the hulls of the Requin and Bowfin are in pretty good shape.

I love those pictures. If I ever had the time and gas money, I'd take a detailed pictorial diary of all the panels and gauges, then set to work adding the proper labels and textures to the sub interior

Oh - and - that open torpedo tube - I'd sooo be crawling in it, haha

Maybe I'll try to get somewhere like that next spring break, or maybe this summer.

Oh - I think somebody should have a shelter built over the poor old girl... Does my heart sad to see her like that... And I'd put glass over anything breakable to keep people from snapping switches, ect. I climbed in an F-100 Super Saber cockpit and barely anything worked in it. I'm assuming its the same with subs?

And does anyone know how I might go about volunteering to work on the restoration/upkeep of one of the surviving subs?

Well anyhow, thanks for the great pics

[sharkbit]

Oh - and - that open torpedo tube - I'd sooo be crawling in it, haha



I don't know about that. Some of the people I talked to there mentioned finding wasp nests many times under the decking. :o I'd bet there'd be one or two in those tubes as well.

As far as volunteering, check out the various museum boat websites. I bet they have contact information or volunteer information.
Try this site:
http://www.hnsa.org/location.htm#Oklahoma

Lists all the various museum sites around the world with links to there websites in most cases.
:)

[Overkill]

Great pictures, sir! Thank you very much for posting them. :yeah:

[Anthony W.]

A 1958 law restricts any decommissioned US Navy vessel from moving under its own power.

Learned that while researching the USS Requin and Bowfin. Really saddened me, considering the hulls of the Requin and Bowfin are in pretty good shape.

I love those pictures. If I ever had the time and gas money, I'd take a detailed pictorial diary of all the panels and gauges, then set to work adding the proper labels and textures to the sub interior

Oh - and - that open torpedo tube - I'd sooo be crawling in it, haha

Maybe I'll try to get somewhere like that next spring break, or maybe this summer.

Oh - I think somebody should have a shelter built over the poor old girl... Does my heart sad to see her like that... And I'd put glass over anything breakable to keep people from snapping switches, ect. I climbed in an F-100 Super Saber cockpit and barely anything worked in it. I'm assuming its the same with subs?

And does anyone know how I might go about volunteering to work on the restoration/upkeep of one of the surviving subs?

Well anyhow, thanks for the great pics

Itd be hard to imagine much for a wasp nest to hang onto there - but that is a good point