SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - The Lost USS Wahoo / SS-238

mrbassbone · 10-19-07, 05:33 AM

The pictures and the video of the dives that I have <courtesy of Bryan McKinnon> show that both periscopes WERE up and that WAHOO was approaching periscope depth for a "look-see" when she was first spotted by the Japanese planes.

I do not believe that the first bombs actually hit her but exploded beneath the boat forcing it up closer to the surface. WAHOO lies in approx 210 feet of water so had she NOT come to the surface but remained deep, she might have made the transit safely.

Like some of the Japanese NAVAL personnel...I do not believe WAHOO was on the surface and forced under by shore artty. The strait is pretty wide and for a shore battery to see...let alone fire on her sounds like "someone wanting a piece of the glory".

IF you have seen the photo of WAHOO's return to Pearl Harbor after her 3rd patrol which shows Dick O'Kane stand aft of the RT Antenna you will be able to follow the next bit.

The bomb that FATALLY holed WAHOO hit where O'Kane's foot rests and angled down from Port to Starboard. It blew out most of the cigarette deck just aft of the RT Antenna and took out the bulkhead between the galley and control room and exiting out the starboard side. The conning tower appears to be undamaged according to the Russian divers but there is no way WAHOO could survive such a hit.

It is possible that crew forward and aft of those two major areas survived the explosion but there would be no way to escape from the boat. The waters were freezing cold and any possible attempt to surface the boat would be "next to impossible" <IMO> as the control room controls were destroyed in the blast and flooding of the compartment.

I am not sure that any attempt to escape via Momsen Lungs would have been tried to to the depth <they actually could have survived an ascent from 200 feet> as the fear of the depth plus the cold water would have been enough to kill them before they reached the surface.

I was supposed to be at Pearl for the ceremonies but was unable to get the time off from work. All the places talked about on the www.warfish.com blog I had been to in my 4 years stationed at Pearl Harbor from 1977-1981. I am a "Plank Owner" of USS BOWFIN's restoration crew as well as a Charter Life Member of the Pacific Fleet Submarine Memorial Association which runs her. I also had the pleasure to meet with Bryan McKinnon <Mush Morton's Grand Nephew> while I was in Tokyo in October of 2001.

All the best.....

Shell aka MrBassBone

10-19-07, 05:33 AM	#64
mrbassbone Watch Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Central FL Posts: 25 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	The pictures and the video of the dives that I have <courtesy of Bryan McKinnon> show that both periscopes WERE up and that WAHOO was approaching periscope depth for a "look-see" when she was first spotted by the Japanese planes. I do not believe that the first bombs actually hit her but exploded beneath the boat forcing it up closer to the surface. WAHOO lies in approx 210 feet of water so had she NOT come to the surface but remained deep, she might have made the transit safely. Like some of the Japanese NAVAL personnel...I do not believe WAHOO was on the surface and forced under by shore artty. The strait is pretty wide and for a shore battery to see...let alone fire on her sounds like "someone wanting a piece of the glory". IF you have seen the photo of WAHOO's return to Pearl Harbor after her 3rd patrol which shows Dick O'Kane stand aft of the RT Antenna you will be able to follow the next bit. The bomb that FATALLY holed WAHOO hit where O'Kane's foot rests and angled down from Port to Starboard. It blew out most of the cigarette deck just aft of the RT Antenna and took out the bulkhead between the galley and control room and exiting out the starboard side. The conning tower appears to be undamaged according to the Russian divers but there is no way WAHOO could survive such a hit. It is possible that crew forward and aft of those two major areas survived the explosion but there would be no way to escape from the boat. The waters were freezing cold and any possible attempt to surface the boat would be "next to impossible" <IMO> as the control room controls were destroyed in the blast and flooding of the compartment. I am not sure that any attempt to escape via Momsen Lungs would have been tried to to the depth <they actually could have survived an ascent from 200 feet> as the fear of the depth plus the cold water would have been enough to kill them before they reached the surface. I was supposed to be at Pearl for the ceremonies but was unable to get the time off from work. All the places talked about on the www.warfish.com blog I had been to in my 4 years stationed at Pearl Harbor from 1977-1981. I am a "Plank Owner" of USS BOWFIN's restoration crew as well as a Charter Life Member of the Pacific Fleet Submarine Memorial Association which runs her. I also had the pleasure to meet with Bryan McKinnon <Mush Morton's Grand Nephew> while I was in Tokyo in October of 2001. All the best..... Shell aka MrBassBone