So how deep did the u.s subs go max?

geetrue · 12-13-06, 06:05 PM

Well, it wasn't WWII that's for sure, but about twenty years after the war (1964)we took the USS Salmon SS-573 down to 650' in a hurry. Her test depth had been limited by Nav Ops to 450' due to the huge radar set up on her rear deck.

The Salmon had been built in 1956 as a radar picket boat SSR, but after the nuc's came out in 58 or so they didn't need her anymore. They took the radar off in 1961. She was the largest diesel submarine in the world (after they scrapped the ugly Jap seaplane boats that is).

She was 350' long/displacement 2,334 tons surface/3,168 tons submerged

We were out on special ops training Marine Commando's (pre seal) off of San Clemente Island ... We were suppose to surface in an old fashioned battle surface, but it had never been done in a boat this big.

I was on the stern planes and the OOD said, "Were going to do a battle surface"

I said, "Sir what is a battle surface?" He explained that I would go to full dive on the stern planes and that the bow planesman would go to full rise. Then they would blow the tanks at the same time.

He said that we should pop up like a cork and let our (now they are friends, but in those days it was more like well you know) Marine Commando's depart the sub as soon as they could on the rubber rafts they had brought with them.

We had about thirty of them up forward in the toroedo room waiting for their chance to do their thing.

Now understand you don't tell officers what to do, but in my mind I'm thinking if you put these planes on full dive she's going to go on full dive.

Following orders: "Battle surface" "Battle surface" and sure enough I put the stern planes on full dive and the bow planesman put his on full rise and they blew all of the tanks (except sanitary

)

You guessed it ... we were at 400' and she went straight down ... We had really nice comfortable chairs with joy sticks and all of a sudden I was standing instead of sitting .

The controlerman back in the controller room goes all back full (on the battery is very dangerous) without recieving an order to go all back full. That alone saved us, because we were out of air. He didn't get in trouble later either.

We came up stern first of course exceeding test depth by over 200' with a real bad down angle. I was second man up with the captain coming up after me ... Just us three on the bridge as the Marines came out of the forward escape trunk to do their thing.

The OOD and the Captian and me all drew in a big gulp of air and looked at each other and started laughing ... We didn't say anything due to the seperation between officer's and enlisted men is real (know what I mean).

Later the Marines asked us if this was normal and we of course said, "Oh you bet we do it all the time"

USS Salmon SS-573

12-13-06, 06:05 PM	#7
geetrue Cold War Boomer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Walla Walla Posts: 2,837 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Well, it wasn't WWII that's for sure, but about twenty years after the war (1964)we took the USS Salmon SS-573 down to 650' in a hurry. Her test depth had been limited by Nav Ops to 450' due to the huge radar set up on her rear deck. The Salmon had been built in 1956 as a radar picket boat SSR, but after the nuc's came out in 58 or so they didn't need her anymore. They took the radar off in 1961. She was the largest diesel submarine in the world (after they scrapped the ugly Jap seaplane boats that is). She was 350' long/displacement 2,334 tons surface/3,168 tons submerged We were out on special ops training Marine Commando's (pre seal) off of San Clemente Island ... We were suppose to surface in an old fashioned battle surface, but it had never been done in a boat this big. I was on the stern planes and the OOD said, "Were going to do a battle surface" I said, "Sir what is a battle surface?" He explained that I would go to full dive on the stern planes and that the bow planesman would go to full rise. Then they would blow the tanks at the same time. He said that we should pop up like a cork and let our (now they are friends, but in those days it was more like well you know) Marine Commando's depart the sub as soon as they could on the rubber rafts they had brought with them. We had about thirty of them up forward in the toroedo room waiting for their chance to do their thing. Now understand you don't tell officers what to do, but in my mind I'm thinking if you put these planes on full dive she's going to go on full dive. Following orders: "Battle surface" "Battle surface" and sure enough I put the stern planes on full dive and the bow planesman put his on full rise and they blew all of the tanks (except sanitary ) You guessed it ... we were at 400' and she went straight down ... We had really nice comfortable chairs with joy sticks and all of a sudden I was standing instead of sitting . The controlerman back in the controller room goes all back full (on the battery is very dangerous) without recieving an order to go all back full. That alone saved us, because we were out of air. He didn't get in trouble later either. We came up stern first of course exceeding test depth by over 200' with a real bad down angle. I was second man up with the captain coming up after me ... Just us three on the bridge as the Marines came out of the forward escape trunk to do their thing. The OOD and the Captian and me all drew in a big gulp of air and looked at each other and started laughing ... We didn't say anything due to the seperation between officer's and enlisted men is real (know what I mean). Later the Marines asked us if this was normal and we of course said, "Oh you bet we do it all the time" USS Salmon SS-573 __________________ Last edited by geetrue; 03-13-07 at 11:22 AM.