Funny sub story-USS Bullhead

[Bubblehead1980]

Currently rereading Overdue and Presumed Lost:The story of the USS Bullhead by Martin Sheridan.A pretty good book about the last US sub and vessel lost in WW II.

While on her first war patrol under the Command of Walter T. Griffith, one of the sub force's top skippers, a plane appeared out of nowhere and the Officer of the Deck ordered a dive.Commander Griffith was in the head.After the boat leveled off at 100 feet, an explosion rocked the boat.Griffith opened the door and leaned out, yelled an order to take the sub to 150 feet.Again another explosion, Griffith again opened the door and ordered 200 feet.Finally the explosions stopped.Griffith was conning the boat while on the pot, gotta love it.


Note:This story is not word for word, not at home so dont have book right in front of me but is accurate.

[Dread Knot]

Does the book have any new perspectives on the Bullhead's sinking? Seems hard to believe that a US sub in 1945 with the latest in radar gear got caught on the surface by an old Japanese Army plane of all things. The theory is that perhaps the proximity to land hampered her radar.

[Platapus]

That's a skipper who can command while under "pressure"

[Bubblehead1980]

Dread Knot....

I am not to the end yet but read the book a while back, if I recall correctly the book accepts the theory that a Japanese plane was the cause of her loss and its likely that her radar was hampered by the islands since she was operating off Bali.Even with more advanced air search radar in late war, planes could sneak up on subs, such as the story mentioned in the original post about the skipper being in the head.

Interesting read though because Martin Sheridan(author) was the only correspondent allowed to go on a war patrol with a US submarine during the entire war, he wrote the book about a year after the war ended.This was 1945 so action was fairly limited to diving to avoid planes, picking up downed pilots, shooting lone mines and attacking small craft so Sheridan's patrol was not as action packed if he had went out in say early and mid 1944 still an interesting read though.

[Armistead]

I love those stories of skippers getting caught naked and taking the con with no clothes...course someone would bring them, but trying to remember the old commander of Wahoo before Mush that was at the scope naked.

[razark]

Originally Posted by Armistead

I love those stories of skippers getting caught naked and taking the con with no clothes...course someone would bring them, but trying to remember the old commander of Wahoo before Mush that was at the scope naked.

Marvin G. "Pinky" Kennedy.

He ordered all lights be replaced with red ones, except in the ship's office. This lead to problems with danger marks on the chart (being red) and the magazine flood valve wheel (also red). He also disallowed use of the fresh water stills. The crew was really unhappy that he had a cot set up in the conning tower, and slept there instead of his cabin.

[LukeFF]

That story reminds me a bit of this note from the war patrol log of the USS Spearfish, 29 November 1944:

0215 - Picked up voices in English on APR, listened to conversation very closely as follows:

"Look, a ship down there about four miles".
"No, I think it's a submarine at "two miles".
"Well, let's bomb the bastard anyway. Here we go, and use your rockets".

0221- Sighted Liberator distant about 4 miles, heading in from dead ahead. He apparently dropped as we ordered the bridge cleared, because a loud explosion was heard and felt just before the hatch was closed and the Officer of the Deck saw a large explosion plume about 700 yards away. He needs practice as well as briefing. Headed in toward our objective. It is noted that were were over twenty miles from any land when bombed and certainly not in an "enemy controlled harbor."