Squalus anniversary

Arlo · 05-23-21, 08:19 AM

I'm sure most every member of SUBSIM knows the following (either in great detail or at least superficially) but it is the anniversary and as I learn more about the subject, I am amazed.

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May 23 1939 - Was an amazing day in our Navy!! The Submarine USS SQUALUS (commissioned less than two months earlier) and her crew of 59 sunk in the Gulf of Maine. At a depth of only 60 feet something went terribly wrong in the engine room. Frantic voices from back aft came in over the battle phones "Take her up, Take her up NOW!!!" The main air induction valve had either opened or failed to close. Chief Electrician’s Mate Lawrence Gainor realized seawater was flowing into the aft battery room. Steam poured off the six-foot-high batteries and boiling acid rattled their caps. Gainor quickly grasped that the batteries were shorting out and would soon either ignite or explode. He crawled through a narrow opening to the switches and turned the first battery switch off, setting off a miniature lightning storm. Half blinded and sure he’d be electrocuted, he shut the other switch off just in time and entire sub blacked out.

Meanwhile in the operating compartment the CO ordered the closing of the water tight hatch between ops and the battery compartment an EM2 ignored that order and held the door open allowing eight men to get to safety before closing the hatch dooming those on the other side.

Elsewhere in the world at the Washington Navy Yard, LCDR Momsen's phone rang. Mr Momsen was a submarine rescue expert and head of the Experimental Diving Unit, one of his divers was just emerging from a pressure tank. It was the final test of a 10-year-series of tests using a mixture of helium and oxygen (Heliox) to avoid decompression sickness, or the bends.

LCDR Momsen scrambled his team together and headed North. The tender Falcon immediately got underway from Connecticut to transport the Momsen-McCann diving chamber (never before used in a rescue) to Maine.

Back on the SQUALUS in the dark and cold the crew took a quick count accounted for 33 of the ships crew. Ordered release of the rescue phone/buoy, sent oil out, as well as smoke. Another submarine near by saw the signals reached the buoy and briefly established coms with the sunken sub via the rescue phone before the cable was snapped. But the Navy now knew their were survivors 243 feet below the surface.

Over the next 39 hours four daring Navy Divers (William Badders, Orson L. Crandall, James H. McDonald, and John Mihalowski) took the experimental chamber down four times rescuing all 33 survivors. All four Drivers would later receive the Medal of Honor for their actions in saving the crew.

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The Squalus was eventually raised and the lost crew laid to rest. The boat was formally decommissioned on 15 November, renamed Sailfish on 9 February 1940, and recommissioned on 15 May 1940*.

(via US Naval History Buffs on FB)

*(via Naval History and Heritage Command

05-23-21, 08:19 AM	#1
Arlo The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,304 Downloads: 214 Uploads: 0	Squalus anniversary I'm sure most every member of SUBSIM knows the following (either in great detail or at least superficially) but it is the anniversary and as I learn more about the subject, I am amazed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May 23 1939 - Was an amazing day in our Navy!! The Submarine USS SQUALUS (commissioned less than two months earlier) and her crew of 59 sunk in the Gulf of Maine. At a depth of only 60 feet something went terribly wrong in the engine room. Frantic voices from back aft came in over the battle phones "Take her up, Take her up NOW!!!" The main air induction valve had either opened or failed to close. Chief Electrician’s Mate Lawrence Gainor realized seawater was flowing into the aft battery room. Steam poured off the six-foot-high batteries and boiling acid rattled their caps. Gainor quickly grasped that the batteries were shorting out and would soon either ignite or explode. He crawled through a narrow opening to the switches and turned the first battery switch off, setting off a miniature lightning storm. Half blinded and sure he’d be electrocuted, he shut the other switch off just in time and entire sub blacked out. Meanwhile in the operating compartment the CO ordered the closing of the water tight hatch between ops and the battery compartment an EM2 ignored that order and held the door open allowing eight men to get to safety before closing the hatch dooming those on the other side. Elsewhere in the world at the Washington Navy Yard, LCDR Momsen's phone rang. Mr Momsen was a submarine rescue expert and head of the Experimental Diving Unit, one of his divers was just emerging from a pressure tank. It was the final test of a 10-year-series of tests using a mixture of helium and oxygen (Heliox) to avoid decompression sickness, or the bends. LCDR Momsen scrambled his team together and headed North. The tender Falcon immediately got underway from Connecticut to transport the Momsen-McCann diving chamber (never before used in a rescue) to Maine. Back on the SQUALUS in the dark and cold the crew took a quick count accounted for 33 of the ships crew. Ordered release of the rescue phone/buoy, sent oil out, as well as smoke. Another submarine near by saw the signals reached the buoy and briefly established coms with the sunken sub via the rescue phone before the cable was snapped. But the Navy now knew their were survivors 243 feet below the surface. Over the next 39 hours four daring Navy Divers (William Badders, Orson L. Crandall, James H. McDonald, and John Mihalowski) took the experimental chamber down four times rescuing all 33 survivors. All four Drivers would later receive the Medal of Honor for their actions in saving the crew. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Squalus was eventually raised and the lost crew laid to rest. The boat was formally decommissioned on 15 November, renamed Sailfish on 9 February 1940, and recommissioned on 15 May 1940. (via US Naval History Buffs on FB) (via Naval History and Heritage Command __________________ -Arlo