The Lost USS Wahoo / SS-238

woofiedog · 04-06-07, 08:30 AM

An article about the discovery of the wreck of the USS Wahoo...

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Oct 31, 2006) – For more than six decades her whereabouts have remained a mystery; her story one of submarine legend – her crew on “Eternal Patrol.”
Yet, after an extensive review of evidence, the last chapters are being written as the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet declared today that the sunken submarine recently discovered by divers in the Western Pacific is, indeed, the World War II submarine USS Wahoo (SS 238).

Link: http://www.warfish.com/scrap-EP.html

July 28-29, 2006 - Slightly lower shot showing marine growth on the deck surrounding the gun. Courtesy of Vladimir Kartashev.

Also...
http://www.warfish.com/PWA_103106-navy.html
http://www.warfish.com/gazette.html

Drebbel · 04-06-07, 08:32 AM

Please be aware that many people can not read your white text. The Lazyblue theme of this forum has a light back ground.

woofiedog · 04-06-07, 08:35 AM

Thank's for the info... Changed!

Canonicus · 04-06-07, 09:36 AM

That is way too cool...What a great find!

dean_acheson · 04-06-07, 10:10 AM

I don't suppose anyone has been awarded command of the USS Wahoo ingame yet? That would have to be the biggest easter egg ever.

'you have been given command of the USS Wahoo'

I'd spit my coffee all over the screen!

Only slightly less cool would the the Tang, Bowfin, and Drum.

Nightmare · 04-06-07, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dean_acheson

I don't suppose anyone has been awarded command of the USS Wahoo ingame yet? That would have to be the biggest easter egg ever.

'you have been given command of the USS Wahoo'

I'd spit my coffee all over the screen!

Only slightly less cool would the the Tang, Bowfin, and Drum.

My very first career after picking up the the game was in the USS Drum. I then pulled the USS Wahoo on my current career in 1943. Several other people on the forum also have done the same. I think you are just assigned a random boat from the class you've selected so I see no reason as to not get the Bowfin and or the Tang as well.

Mylander · 04-06-07, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dean_acheson

I don't suppose anyone has been awarded command of the USS Wahoo ingame yet? That would have to be the biggest easter egg ever.

'you have been given command of the USS Wahoo'

I'd spit my coffee all over the screen!

Only slightly less cool would the the Tang, Bowfin, and Drum.

I am in command of USS Wahoo. Started a new career in '43. Yes, I spit my coffee all over the screen

.

Mylander

klh · 10-18-07, 01:32 PM

Interesting story. Thanks for posting. It makes me appreciate even more what that generation did for us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drebbel

Please be aware that many people can not read your white text. The Lazyblue theme of this forum has a light back ground.

And the black text you're using now doesn't show up too well on the default theme which has a dark grey background. :rotfl:

wahoo · 10-18-07, 04:23 PM

I just found that the Honolulu Advertiser was there taking pictures, and I am
in one of them!!! In back of Doug Morton and Edwina Morton, son and daughter
of the famous Mush Morton.......
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../ln/wahoo.html

My 15 minutes of fame!!!!!

Hartmann · 10-18-07, 05:04 PM

The truth could be in the log book of the boat.

Could be possible raise a war grave ?? in the kursk accident the boat was raised, but it not was a war lost. :hmm:

odjig292 · 10-18-07, 07:09 PM

I'm grateful that this thread got bumped back to the top of the list. I just finished reading Unrestricted Warfare - How A New Breed Of Officers Led The Submarine Service in World War II that is one of the best books on Morton and O'Kane that I have ever read. It an old book (2000) but O'Kane and numerous other veterans have contributed to it so it appears to be first class. I recommend it highly if you play SH4 because it talks about the agressiveness of the US skippers in wiping out the Japanese merchant fleet, as well as the boredom of waiting for targets.The book says that the Japanese were plotting the sinkings of the Wahoo's ship victims and it was obvious that the Wahoo was heading for the Strait. They set up a special watch for the sub. Plane #319 spotted the Wahoo as it was exiting the strait underwater and dropped the bomb as described by Dean Acheson, The Satyr, AVGwarhawk and especially Mr. Bassbone. The pictures were great. I wiah I could have been with Wahoo going back the USS Bowfin. I've been there but not in such illustrious company. What a treat. This thread has been most interesting and I thank all of the people who contributed. It rerally makes histroy and the game more interesting.

TheSatyr · 10-18-07, 10:48 PM

After some recent reading I believe I now understand why Morton went through La Perouse Straight during the day instead of at night. The first time he went to the Inland sea he went through the Strait at night both ways and ran into very few contacts.

My guess is that Morton went through during the day simply due to the fact that from past experience he wasn't expecting to run into much in the way of ASW patrols,Plus he would have better visibility during the day than at night.

It was just a lousy break that an aircraft spotted the Wahoo while Morton was bringing her up for a periscope scan. It was even a lousier break that that aircraft actually hit her with a bomb.

From looking at what happened from various angles,it now looks like Wahoo's luck just ran out. Morton made the kind of decision you would expect from a man like him and it might have payed off if it wasn't for a VERY lucky Japanese pilot.

I still believe that Morton was worn out and never should have been sent out again,but now I believe he made his choice based on the best information he had at the time. It WAS a gutsy move,but gutsy moves are what Morton is famous for.

-Pv- · 10-29-07, 03:57 PM

I was referencing the Japanese narrative of the battle in my comments. If you look at the air photos taken of the Wahoo and ships attacking it, you'll realise this wasn't a slick caused by a cup of oil or normal loss. Any sub trailing a slip as large as this could not expect to come home when in the immediate area of hostile and attacking forces. If all our subs belched oil like this as a normal leak, none of them would have come home.
http://www.emackinnon.com/wahoo-fina...e-photos-1.jpg
http://www.emackinnon.com/wahoo-fina...e-photos-2.jpg
Narrative with above pics:
http://www.emackinnon.com/Wahoo-Fina...le-Report.html

What caused this unusual leak? We'll probably never know.
What weapon actually sunk the Yahoo? Shore battery, air bomb, depth charge, mine?
I personally would rule out the mine simply from reasonableness. Other than that, speculation. All we know for sure is air bombs and depth charges were both used on the boat.
I would further speculate rather than surrender to the Japanese, there was a period during which the boat was still manouverable to some extent and the crew attempted other options, but the circumstances of their tell-tail trail and over-whelming enemy forces brought to bear ended all options.
-Pv-

Packerton · 04-06-07, 03:25 PM

Really kicks you back into reality...

We may be able to restart when we screw up and stuff....but in real life imagine haveing to die in a steal coffin as it pretty much crushes around you...

nattydread · 04-06-07, 05:21 PM

Actually they say the sub doesnt crush in on you. It crushes only until the hull breaches and then you have an almost instaneous, explosive rush of water fill the whole sub. Thats why the subs are always found intact and still shaped roughly as they should.

But yeah, its sobering.

04-06-07, 08:30 AM	#1
woofiedog Engineer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New England Posts: 216 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	The Lost USS Wahoo / SS-238 An article about the discovery of the wreck of the USS Wahoo... PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Oct 31, 2006) – For more than six decades her whereabouts have remained a mystery; her story one of submarine legend – her crew on “Eternal Patrol.” Yet, after an extensive review of evidence, the last chapters are being written as the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet declared today that the sunken submarine recently discovered by divers in the Western Pacific is, indeed, the World War II submarine USS Wahoo (SS 238). Link: http://www.warfish.com/scrap-EP.html July 28-29, 2006 - Slightly lower shot showing marine growth on the deck surrounding the gun. Courtesy of Vladimir Kartashev. Also... http://www.warfish.com/PWA_103106-navy.html http://www.warfish.com/gazette.html __________________

10-18-07, 04:23 PM	#9
wahoo Watch Join Date: May 2005 Location: portland oregon Posts: 19 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Honollulu Advertiser Newspaper I just found that the Honolulu Advertiser was there taking pictures, and I am in one of them!!! In back of Doug Morton and Edwina Morton, son and daughter of the famous Mush Morton....... http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../ln/wahoo.html My 15 minutes of fame!!!!!

10-18-07, 05:04 PM	#10
Hartmann Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Grid CH 26, Spain ,Barcelona Posts: 1,857 Downloads: 204 Uploads: 0	The truth could be in the log book of the boat. Could be possible raise a war grave ?? in the kursk accident the boat was raised, but it not was a war lost. :hmm: __________________ But this ship can't sink!... She is made of iron, sir. I assure you, she can. and she will. It is a mathematical certainty. Strength and honor

10-29-07, 03:57 PM	#13
-Pv- The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 1,434 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	I was referencing the Japanese narrative of the battle in my comments. If you look at the air photos taken of the Wahoo and ships attacking it, you'll realise this wasn't a slick caused by a cup of oil or normal loss. Any sub trailing a slip as large as this could not expect to come home when in the immediate area of hostile and attacking forces. If all our subs belched oil like this as a normal leak, none of them would have come home. http://www.emackinnon.com/wahoo-fina...e-photos-1.jpg http://www.emackinnon.com/wahoo-fina...e-photos-2.jpg Narrative with above pics: http://www.emackinnon.com/Wahoo-Fina...le-Report.html What caused this unusual leak? We'll probably never know. What weapon actually sunk the Yahoo? Shore battery, air bomb, depth charge, mine? I personally would rule out the mine simply from reasonableness. Other than that, speculation. All we know for sure is air bombs and depth charges were both used on the boat. I would further speculate rather than surrender to the Japanese, there was a period during which the boat was still manouverable to some extent and the crew attempted other options, but the circumstances of their tell-tail trail and over-whelming enemy forces brought to bear ended all options. -Pv- Last edited by -Pv-; 10-29-07 at 08:34 PM.

04-06-07, 08:32 AM	#2
Drebbel Dutch Sea Lord Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Almost at periscope death ! Posts: 1,665 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Please be aware that many people can not read your white text. The Lazyblue theme of this forum has a light back ground.

04-06-07, 08:35 AM	#3
woofiedog Engineer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New England Posts: 216 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	Thank's for the info... Changed! __________________ Last edited by woofiedog; 04-06-07 at 09:01 AM.

04-06-07, 09:36 AM	#4
Canonicus XO Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: In your baffles... Posts: 434 Downloads: 624 Uploads: 7	That is way too cool...What a great find!

04-06-07, 10:10 AM	#5
dean_acheson Ace of the Deep Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Midwest - USA Posts: 1,057 Downloads: 42 Uploads: 0	I don't suppose anyone has been awarded command of the USS Wahoo ingame yet? That would have to be the biggest easter egg ever. 'you have been given command of the USS Wahoo' I'd spit my coffee all over the screen! Only slightly less cool would the the Tang, Bowfin, and Drum.

10-18-07, 07:09 PM	#11
odjig292 Mate Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 55 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I'm grateful that this thread got bumped back to the top of the list. I just finished reading Unrestricted Warfare - How A New Breed Of Officers Led The Submarine Service in World War II that is one of the best books on Morton and O'Kane that I have ever read. It an old book (2000) but O'Kane and numerous other veterans have contributed to it so it appears to be first class. I recommend it highly if you play SH4 because it talks about the agressiveness of the US skippers in wiping out the Japanese merchant fleet, as well as the boredom of waiting for targets.The book says that the Japanese were plotting the sinkings of the Wahoo's ship victims and it was obvious that the Wahoo was heading for the Strait. They set up a special watch for the sub. Plane #319 spotted the Wahoo as it was exiting the strait underwater and dropped the bomb as described by Dean Acheson, The Satyr, AVGwarhawk and especially Mr. Bassbone. The pictures were great. I wiah I could have been with Wahoo going back the USS Bowfin. I've been there but not in such illustrious company. What a treat. This thread has been most interesting and I thank all of the people who contributed. It rerally makes histroy and the game more interesting.

10-18-07, 10:48 PM	#12
TheSatyr Captain Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 545 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	After some recent reading I believe I now understand why Morton went through La Perouse Straight during the day instead of at night. The first time he went to the Inland sea he went through the Strait at night both ways and ran into very few contacts. My guess is that Morton went through during the day simply due to the fact that from past experience he wasn't expecting to run into much in the way of ASW patrols,Plus he would have better visibility during the day than at night. It was just a lousy break that an aircraft spotted the Wahoo while Morton was bringing her up for a periscope scan. It was even a lousier break that that aircraft actually hit her with a bomb. From looking at what happened from various angles,it now looks like Wahoo's luck just ran out. Morton made the kind of decision you would expect from a man like him and it might have payed off if it wasn't for a VERY lucky Japanese pilot. I still believe that Morton was worn out and never should have been sent out again,but now I believe he made his choice based on the best information he had at the time. It WAS a gutsy move,but gutsy moves are what Morton is famous for.

04-06-07, 03:25 PM	#14
Packerton Sonar Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Newfoundland,Canada Posts: 398 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	Really kicks you back into reality... We may be able to restart when we screw up and stuff....but in real life imagine haveing to die in a steal coffin as it pretty much crushes around you...

04-06-07, 05:21 PM	#15
nattydread Captain Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 498 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Actually they say the sub doesnt crush in on you. It crushes only until the hull breaches and then you have an almost instaneous, explosive rush of water fill the whole sub. Thats why the subs are always found intact and still shaped roughly as they should. But yeah, its sobering.