Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum at North Little Rock

USS S-36 (SS-141) Runs Aground

2012-01-20T06:40:00.000-08:00

Originally built in 1918, USS S-36 was, at the time of her construction, on the cutting edge of technology. Armed with four torpedo tubes and a 4-inch gun, S-36 was, along with her sisters of the same "S" class, the workhorses of the American submarine force in the 1920s and 1930s.

A number of "S" class boats were assigned to the Asiatic Fleet, which operated out of American bases in the Western Pacific, including Qingdao, China (then known as Tsingtao) and Manila, Philippines.

When hostilities broke out, S-36 was on patrol in the northern Philippines. Hampered by repeated equipment failures, S-36 ended her patrol on December 18th. After repairs, she was ordered to make a final patrol of Philippine waters, then retire to the East Indies, where Allied forces were gathering after the loss of the Cavite Naval Yard in Manila.

On January 1st, S-36 located a small Japanese transport tied up to the seawall in the port of Calapan, Philippines. She fired a single torpedo at her stationary target and claimed a sinking. However, postwar records could not confirm this.

At the end of her patrol, S-36 was ordered to Surabaya, Indonesia. During the trip, S-36 ran hard aground on a reef in Makassar Strait. Despite damage control efforts, the decision was made to abandon the submarine. Dutch forces evacuated the entire crew, who were reassigned to other submarines and continued to fight.

After all classified material was removed or destroyed, S-36 was left for the sea to claim.

S-36 was awarded one battle star for her WWII service.

It's Been a BUSY Winter

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

During the winter, when the weather prevents us from working outside, we still have plenty to do inside. We have been removing many of the front covers off of various indicator panels and other pieces of equipment and restoring them to their original condition.

This work includes carefully removing label plates, lights and other items, then stripping off the existing paint (sometimes as many as 20 layers). Once cleaned, the cover is then re-painted with a historically accurate paint.

While this is going on, the lights are checked for damage and broken lenses or bulbs are replaced. The label plates (often themselves covered with multiple layers of paint) are cleaned and the lettering restored (using paint applied with a needle).

The all the parts are re-assembled, and the restored cover plate is replaced.

All this work is done in a matter of days, because the restored cover plates have to be back in place to allow tours to be safely conducted.

All told, nearly 50 pieces of equipment has been restored this winter alone.

Photograph courtesy of Joe Mathis. More photographs of the work we are doing can be seen on the 2011 Restoration Page.

Photographs of all of the restoration work done over the last 6+ years can be found here.

In Memoriam - USS Swordfish (SS-193)

2012-01-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

Swordfish (SS-193) was a very successful submarine, despite being a pre-war Sargo-class submarine with only four torpedo tubes forward (Razorback, like most WWII submarines had six torpedo tubes forward). During her career, Swordfish sank a destroyer and sank or damaged 28 merchant ships, including three that she engaged on the surface with her 3" 50-caliber deck gun.

Swordfish also holds the distinction for being the first U.S. submarine to sink a Japanese vessel during World War II. She also participated in the evacuation of critical personnel from the Philippines, including the President of the Philippines and his family.

USS Swordfish (SS-193) was lost with all hands during her thirteenth war patrol.

She had been ordered to conduct photographic reconnaissance of Okinawa, in preparation for the planned amphibious assault on the island, a Japanese stronghold. She transmitted a radio message on January 3rd and was never heard from again.

January 12th is given as the most likely date of her loss, as USS Kete (SS-369) reported radar contact with a submarine that morning, and then heard the sounds of a depth charge attack in the same area about four hours later. It is generally believed that the radar contact was with Swordfish, making it likely that she was lost in the subsequent depth charge attack. However, Japanese records do not record any attack, so her true fate may never be known.

In Memoriam - USS Argonaut (SS-166) - Sunk 10 January, 1943

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

USS Argonaut (SS-166) was sunk by Japanese forces on 10 January, 1943, after intercepting a Japanese convoy southeast of New Britain. An American pilot witnessed the attack from a U.S. Army plane and reported that Argonaut's torpedoes severely damaged a Japanese destroyer.

After withstanding an intense depth charge attack, Argonaut was forced to surface, apparently at a very steep up-angle. Her bow was shelled by the remaining destroyers in the convoy, and no further radio contact was made with her. Japanese records indicate that she was destroyed in this engagement by depth charging and subsequent gun fire.

Argonaut served three war patrols during WWII. During her second patrol, she coordinated with USS Nautilus to transport US Marines to Makin Island for an attack against enemy shore installations, and then to return the marines to Pearl Harbor, an operation which proved highly successful.

Just over four months after this accomplishment, Argonaut went down with all 105 hands.

Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center

Sailor, Rest Your Oars. Passing of CAPT Ken Brown, USN (ret)

2012-01-07T15:49:00.001-08:00

It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of Captain Ken Brown, USN (ret).

Captain Brown passed away at Tripler Army Medical Center, in Honolulu, Hawaii after a battle with cancer.

Captain Brown had been Razorback's Commanding Officer from March, 1966 to May 1968.

Captain Brown was an active and enthusiastic supporter of the museum. He traveled to visit us several times, and was even kind enough to donate his personal scrapbook to us. The scrapbook contained over 200 photographs, newspaper clippings and other documents related to his time aboard Razorback.

While some of the photographs were routine, many others offered a candid look at life aboard a submarine during the height of the Cold War. The above photograph was taken on New Years Eve 1966. A number of items from Captain Brown's scrapbook are on display in the museum.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Captain Brown's family, and have not yet reached us. Please take a moment to remember this member of Razorback's crew.

Anniversary of Razorback's Return to Duty

2012-01-07T06:33:00.000-08:00

On January 7th, 1954, Razorback returned to active duty after spending 16 months in the shipyard being modified and modernized under the GUPPY (Greater Underway Propulsive Power) program. The GUPPY modifications were so extensive and took so long to accomplish that submarines going through the program were routinely decommissioned, freeing up their crews for duty on other submarines.

Some of the major modifications included:

Increased battery capacity
Streamlined outer hull
Addition of a snorkel
Improved sensors

While the snorkel allowed Razorback to run her diesel engines while submerged at periscope depth, the streamlining of the outer hull greatly improved her underwater performance while on battery. Some of these changes were:

Removal of both deck guns
Removal of 20mm and 40mm anti-aircraft guns
Rebuilding of the bridge/periscope shears structure as a streamlined "sail"
Capstans made retractable
Deck cleats made retractable
Deck safety rail stanchions made flush with the deck
All deck safety rails made removable
Replacement of the pointed bow and towing fairlead with a rounded bow (known as the "Guppy Bow")

These improvements increased Razorback's top underwater speed from approximately 10 knots to nearly 20 knots, and increased her "sustained" speed (the speed she could maintain for long periods) from 2 knots to over 10 knots.

Razorback could now attack a formation of warships and "sprint" away faster than the responding destroyers could search, and she could cruise underwater for days or even weeks at a time, performance unimaginable just a few years before. It would be hard to overstate the effects that these developments had.

We have a copy of the booklet issued for the recommissioning ceremony. Her CO at recommissioning was LCDR Charles E. Stastny, USN. Six other officers, eight Chief Petty Officers, and 74 enlisted men were assigned to Razorback when she was commissioned. A digital copy of this program is available on our website. (Adobe PDF File)

We also have a large collection of digital blueprints from the GUPPY conversion, including blueprints for USS Picuda (SS-382), USS Balao (SS-385), USS Sea Fox (SS-402), USS Threadfin (SS-410) and USS Stickleback (SS-415). Contact the museum for more information.

Holiday Hours

2011-12-29T12:33:00.000-08:00

Holiday Hours

Friday December 30^th - Open Regular Hours
New Year's Eve (December 31^st) - Open 10a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
New Year's Day (January 1^st, 2012) - Closed

Christmas Menu from 1949

2011-12-25T05:51:00.000-08:00

Joe Bonds was a LT(jg) aboard Razorback from 1945 to 1949. When he visited AIMM last year, he generously donated several pictures as well as a menu from the Christmas dinner in 1949.

An Adobe PDF copy of the menu, which has a full crew list, is available on the website.

New and Notable Submarine History at AIMM

2011-12-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

Captain James Strong, USN (ret) has self-published a memoir, entitled, "Fortune Favors the Bold: Stories from Life at Sea". He graciously sent a copy to AIMM for the library.

Captain Strong first reported aboard USS Cochino (SS-345) in 1949, serving aboard her during her final deployment and surviving the accident that claimed the submarine, a member of her crew and six men from USS Tusk (SS-426) in August of that year. He then went on to serve aboard five other submarines. His final submarine assignment was Commanding Officer, Gold Crew, USS Lafayette (SSBN-616).

Although small at only 56 pages, Fortune Favors the Bold is an entertaining book and an enjoyable read. Captain Strong now lives in Savoy, IL. Fortune Favors the Bold was published by Minuteman Press in Champaign, IL.

Pearl Harbor Attack Fotage

2011-11-25T06:15:00.000-08:00

From the official You Tube Channel of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

This footage of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was shot by CWO4 Clyde Daughtry. The original footage has since been lost, and the poor quality of this footage is due to the fact that it is a copy, and believed to be the best remaining version of this film in existence. Among the many valuable portions of this footage are shots of USS Nevada (BB-36) underway and firing back at Japanese aircraft, USS Oglala (CM-4) rolling over and sinking, and USS St. Louis underway (CL-4).

Naval History and Heritage Command, Photographic Section, UM-10.

USS Arkansas (BM-7) Commissioned 109 years Ago Today

2011-10-28T05:12:00.000-07:00

The third ship to be named after the "Natural State" was commissioned 109 years ago today, 28 October, 1902.

USS Arkansas (BM-7) was a single-turreted "New Navy" Monitor, designed after the Civil War had shown that the days of wooden-hulled sailing warships was over.

She was also one of the last monitors built in the world.

Because of their design, monitors were not ocean-going and the development of the iron-hulled, ocean-going "dreadnaught" brought the monitor age to an end.

USS Arkansas served much of her career as a training ship for midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. She was re-named USS Ozark on 02 March 1909 and the name was freed up to be used on the battleship USS Arkansas (BB-33) when her construction started in 1910.

USS Ozark was assigned to the District of Columbia Naval Militia from 1910-1913. After that, she began conversion to a submarine tender, to support the rapidly growing submarine force.

As a submarine tender, USS Ozark operated along the US East Coast and off the Gulf Coast of Mexico. She sailed throughout Central America as far as the Panama Canal Zone.

In January, 1916, USS Ozark was serving as a tender for USS E-2 (SS-25). E-2 was having new, experimental batteries installed at the time. On the morning of 16 January, 1916, these batteries exploded. E-2's Commanding Officer, LT Charles Maynard "Saavy" Cooke, a native Arkansan, was aboard Ozark at the time of the explosion and personally led rescue and firefighting teams into the still burning submarine, saving the lives of nine men.

USS Ozark was decommissioned in 1919.

In Memoriam - USS Darter / USS Shark / USS Tang - Lost 24 October 1944

2011-10-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

24 October 1944 was the single worst day for the U.S. Submarine Service in World War II. Three submarines were lost.

Their stories have been told before on this blog, and can easily be found elsewhere, but a brief summary is:

USS Darter (SS-227) ran aground and was scuttled. Fortunately, the entire crew was saved.

USS Tang (SS-306) was sunk by a "circular run" of her own torpedo.

USS Shark (SS-314) was sunk by Japanese forces.

Graphic courtesy of the National War College Military Image Collection

In Memoriam - USS Escolar (SS-294) - October 17, 1944

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

The career of USS Escolar (SS-294) was tragically short. She set out on her first patrol on September 23, 1944 under the command of Cmdr. W. J. Millican, leaving Midway to conduct operations in the Yellow Sea alongside Croaker (SS-246) and Perch (SS-313) as part of a wolf pack known as "Millican's Marauders".

On September 30, a message was received from Escolar, stating that she had engaged a gunboat; however, the message was abruptly cut off, and no further communications were received by U.S. shore bases from Escolar. However, Perch and Croaker maintained short-range radio contact with Escolar until October 17, after which they were unable to raise her by radio. She was not heard from again and was reported as presumed lost November 27.

It is believed that Escolar was the victim of Japanese mines laid in the Yellow Sea, as post-war investigations into Japanese anti-submarine warfare records found no mention of her.

In Memoriam - USS Dorado (SS-248) - Sunk 12 October 1943

2011-10-12T07:27:00.000-07:00

Commissioned on 28 August 1943, USS Dorado (SS-284) left the submarine base at New London, CT on 06 October, 1943 bound for the Panama Canal.

She never arrived.

There are three possible causes of Dorado's loss:

U-214, a German submarine, laid mines outside the entrance the Panama Canal only a few days before Dorado's scheduled arrival and Dorado may have struck one of them.

She may have been accidentally sunk by U.S. aircraft. A PBM Mariner conducted two attacks on surface submarines on the night of 12 October. However, one of those attacks was actually on U-214, as she recorded the attack in her log book, which survived the war.

She may have suffered some kind of operational accident, such as an uncontrolled dive, a fire, or a "circular run" of her own torpedoes (a fate that claimed two other American submarines during the war).

Since no debris was found at the time, it is generally believed that Dorado fell victim to U-214's mines. However, until her final resting place is located, the truth will never be known.

In Memoriam - USS Wahoo (SS-238) - Sunk 11 October 1943

2011-10-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

Commissioned in May, 1942, USS Wahoo (SS-238) had little success on her first two war patrols.

However, on 31 December, 1942, LCDR Dudley W. "Mush" Morton took command.
Over the next three war patrols, Wahoo attacked a number of Japanese ships, sinking twelve, despite the defective and unreliable torpedoes that plagued American submarines during the period.

In addition, Wahoo took time to stop and assist the crew of a becalmed fishing vessel, providing them with food and water.

On her seventh war patrol in the Sea of Japan in September 1943, Wahoo sank four more ships. However, she was apparently damaged during one of her attacks and began leaking oil.

While exiting her patrol area through the narrow La Perouse Strait on the northern end of the Japanese home islands, Wahoo was spotted by a shore battery, then by a Japanese anti-submarine aircraft, which reported seeing an oil slick on the surface which allowed them to spot the conning tower. The aircraft dropped two bombs and reported a "gushing of oil and bubbles." Over the next seven hours, Japanese aircraft conducted fourteen attacks, dropping a number of bombs. Japanese patrol ships also dropped depth charges. A translation of the Japanese attack report, along with photographs, is available online.

Wahoo was lost with all hands.

CDR Morton is credited with sinking 19 ships for a total of 55,000 tons, making him the third most successful submarine commander in World War II. He received four Navy Crosses, the last one posthumously.

Despite being lost before a reliable torpedo was in the hands of the submarine fleet, Wahoo ranks seventh among all submarines in World War II in terms of number of ships sunk.

Postscript
Beginning in 1990, an international group began searching for Wahoo's final resting place. She was located in 2005 and based on the underwater photographs, positively identified in 2006. On 08 July 2007, the U.S. Navy, as part of a joint exercise with the Russian Navy, held a wreath-laying ceremony at the site of Wahoo's loss.

In Memoriam - USS S-44 (SS-155) - Sunk 07 October 1943

2011-10-06T06:29:00.000-07:00

Commissioned in 1925, USS SS-44 (SS-155) completed four war patrols during World War II. She sank three ships and damaged a fourth.

IJN Kako

One of the ships sunk was the heavy cruiser Kako, sunk on 10 August 1942. The previous night, Kako and three other cruisers had participated in the first Battle of Savo Island, sinking four Allied heavy cruisers, damaging a fifth cruiser and damaging two destroyers with only moderate damage to themselves.

Kako was the first major Japanese warship sunk by the single-handed action of an American submarine, and S-44's successful attack pointed the way for the successful prosecution of the war against the Japanese Navy.

S-44 departed on her fifth war patrol on 26 September, 1943 out of Attu, Alaska. During the night of 07 October, S-44 made radar contact with a vessel that the crew believed was a small merchant ship. The decision was made to attack on the surface and sink the small vessel with the submarines 4"/50-caliber deck gun.

S-44's 4"/50 Deck Gun

Unfortunately, the "merchant ship" turned out to be the Ishigaki, a Shimushu-class escort armed with three large guns and four machine guns. Outgunned, S-44 attempted to submerge, but was unable to do so before being hit in the control room, the forward battery compartment, and elsewhere throughout the submarine.

The order to abandon ship was given, and a pillow case was put up as a makeshift flag of surrender. The shelling continued and only eight men made it into the frigid Arctic waters before S-44 sank. Two men were picked up by Ishigaki and remained prisoners of the Japanese until the war ended.

Ishigaki was sunk by USS Herring (SS-233) on 31 May 1944.

All photographs courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center

In Memoriam - USS Seawolf (SS-197) - Sunk 03 October 1944

2011-10-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

USS Seawolf (SS-197), under the command of LCDR A.M Bontier, was sunk by U.S. forces on 03 October 1944 while on her 15th war patrol. She was carrying supplies and 17 U.S. Army personnel to Samar, in the central Philippines.

On the morning of 03 October, a U.S. task group was attacked by the Japanese submarine Ro-41. USS Shelton (DC-407) was torpedoed and sunk in the attack.

Shortly after the attack, a plane from the escort carrier USS Midway (CVE-63), sighted a submarine on the surface, and dropped two bombs on it as it was submerging, even though the submarine was in an established safety zone for U.S. submarines. USS Rowell (DE-403) steamed into the area and detected the submerged Seawolf. Believing the submerged contact to be a Japanese submarine, Rowell attacked, even though the submarine tried to send a series of dashes and dots with her underwater signalling equipment. Rowell's attack resulted in an underwater explosion, and debris rose to the surface.

Seawolf was the only U.S. submarine known sunk by American forces in World War II. 102 men, including the 17 U.S. Army personnel, were lost.

After the war, it was learned by Ro-41 successfully escaped detection by US forces. She would be sunk with all hands by USS Haggard (DD-555) on 22-23 March 1945.

LCDR Bontier had been the Commanding Officer of USS Razorback when she was commissioned.

October is National Archives Month - If You Love History, Thank an Archivist

2011-10-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

October is National Archives Month.

Archivists are the people who work, largely "behind the scenes" to collect, catalog and preserve the many documents that a museum holds.

Cataloging is far more than just creating an inventory. Descriptions of the material are written to help future researchers decide if the material is relevant to their project. Often the material is digitized so that it can be made available through the Internet.

For example, AIMM has all of the World War II deck logs and patrol reports in digital format on the website. This way, if someone wants to look through the deck logs, they don't have to travel to Washington, DC to the National Archives to read the originals.

Creating digital copies also reduces wear and tear on fragile and rare originals. AIMM has only a few copies of the World War II cruise book.

In Memoriam - USS Cisco (SS-290) - Sunk 28 September 1943

2011-09-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

USS Cisco (SS-290) was lost on her first war patrol. Operating out of Port Darwin, Australia, she left on her patrol on 18 September, but returned that evening due to a malfunction in her main hydraulic system. After repairs, she sailed on the 19th. She was never heard from again.

After the war, an examination of Japanese records revealed that on 28 September, an attack was made on "a sub tailing oil" by both aircraft and Japanese naval vessels, including the Gunboat Karatsu, the former US river gunboat USS Luzon (PR-7) which had been salvaged by the Japanese after being scuttled in Manila Bay in May, 1942.

The men aboard the former American warship did not enjoy their victory for long. IJNS Karatsu was sunk a few months later by USS Narwhal (SS-167).

In Memoriam - USS S-51(SS-162) - Sunk 25 September 1925

2011-09-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

USS S-51 (SS-162) sank after being struck by the merchant steamer City of Rome in Long Island Sound off Block Island.

S-51 was on the surface at night with City of Rome approaching from her port side. S-51, in accordance with the Nautical Rules of the Road at the time, was required to maintain her course and speed. However, because of her design, S-51's white masthead light obscured her red side light which would have warned the officers aboard City of Rome that they needed to change their course.

The lookouts and officers aboard City of Rome were unable to see the red side light until moments before the collision. Until that time, they saw a single white light, which indicated they were overtaking a vessel, not approaching one from the side.

Only three of the 36 men aboard S-51 were able to abandon the stricken submarine.

Salvage of the USS S-51 covered a ten month span of difficult and hazardous diving, and a special diver training course was made part of the operation. The submarine was finally raised and towed to the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. The salvage operation was headed by Commander Edward Ellsberg and chronicled in his famous book On the Bottom which is available in the AIMM Library

In the ensuing court case, the district court and the Circuit Court of Appeals found S-51 at fault for having improper lights.

The Navy argued that it was not practicable to have such small submarines comply with the literal provisions of the law, and that, as a special type of warship, S-51 was not under legal compulsion to comply with the law. The court responded by saying if these statements were correct, then submarines "should confine their operation to waters not being traversed by other ships."

New Museum Exhibit

2011-09-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

LCDR Bob Walls, USN (ret), donated his personal dress sword and scabbard to the museum. LCDR Walls served aboard three other submarines before reporting aboard Razorback as Executive Officer under CDR Talbert, a position he still held when Razorback was decommissioned in 1970.

LCDR Walls now lives in Kaneohe, on the island of Oahu.

Neither Rain nor Snow nor Dark of Night...

2011-09-20T16:24:00.000-07:00

Our annual return to fall hours doesn't mean that work has stopped around the museum. In fact, the spring and fall months probably involve more work for the museum staff, rather than less. We have a full schedule of maintenance, research and new exhibits planned, not to mention a number of school groups, birthday parties and overnight groups in the coming weeks.

Today, museum Duty Officer Joe Mathis spent part of his day climbing up and down the rocks along the waterfront, picking up trash.

Rest In Peace - Captain Joseph E. Bonds, USN

2011-09-11T11:31:00.000-07:00

It is with deep regret that we report the passing of Captain Joseph E. Bonds, USN (ret).

Captain Bonds served aboard Razorback during World War II. He made the fourth and fifth war patrols as an Ensign, then stayed aboard for five years after the war. He was a Lieutenant (Junior Grade), and was serving as the acting Executive Officer by the time he transferred off.

We were lucky enough to sit down with Captain Bonds last year and record an oral history from him. The audio file, along with a transcript, is available on our website, on the "Oral History" Page.

Captain Bonds passed away on 28 August, 2011 after a short battle with brain cancer. There was a memorial service held on 26 September at the Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra, FL.

The family did report that Captain Bonds greatly enjoyed his visit last year.

The photograph was donated by Captain Bonds and shows Razorback, with her two 5" deck guns, shortly after World War II.

AIMM to Honor and Remember 9/11 with Reduced Admission

2011-09-06T18:13:00.001-07:00

In honor and remembrance of the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum (AIMM), home of the historic submarine USS Razorback (SS-394), will offer ½ price admission on Sunday, September 11th, 2011. The adult admission, normally $6, will be $3. Admission for seniors, children and active duty or retired military, normally $4 each, will be only $2.

The museum will be open on its regular schedule, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The last tour will start at 5:30 p.m.

As always, the museum will be available, by appointment, for school groups or other similar group tours during the week. Group tours may be arranged by calling the museum at 501-371-8320.

Submarine Posters for Sale

2011-09-06T08:20:00.001-07:00

We have three posters for sale in the museum store. One charts the history of U.S. submarine development from USS Holland to the present. One covers the Balao class during World War II in detail and the third shows the GUPPY Program.

Each poster is $15 shipped in a cardboard mailing tube (with free postage), or $10 if you come into the store and pick them up in person.

They will be on the online museum store page shortly.

In Memoriam - USS Cochino (SS-345) Lost 26 August 1949

2011-08-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

USS Cochino (SS-345) was a Balao-class submarine, built at the Electric Boat Company shipyard in Groton, Connecticut. Completed too late to see wartime service, she received a GUPPY II conversion in 1949.

Later that same year, she was assigned to conduct operations (probably surveillance and intelligence gathering) in the Barents Sea.

Cochino encountered a severe gale on 25 August, and a battery explosion and fire occurred. For the next fourteen hours, Cochino's officers and crew fought to save their submarine, but a second battery explosion occurred on 26 August, and the order to "Abandon Ship" was given. Fortunately, a sister ship, USS Tusk (SS-426) was operating in the area, and the crew was able to evacuate. One civilian engineer died aboard Cochino and six men from Tusk were also lost at sea.

Photograph courtesy of the Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, DC.

In Memoriam - USS Harder (SS-257) - Sunk 24 August, 1944

2011-08-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

Official U.S. Navy Photograph
USS Harder

Official U.S. Navy Photograph
CDR Sam Dealey

USS Harder (SS-257) under the command of CDR Sam Dealey, was sunk by Japanese ships off the Philippines in the pre-dawn hours of 24 August, 1944 while on her sixth war patrol.

Harder had been operating with USS Haddo (SS-255) and USS Hake (SS-256) as a "wolf-pack," or a group of submarines operating together and conducting coordinated attacks together. On 21 August, the wolf-pack was joined by three other submarines and made an attack on a convoy, sinking four Japanese merchant ships. Over the next two days, the wolf-pack attacked two different groups of Japanese ships, sinking several frigates and a destroyer. Haddo, having expended all of her torpedoes, left the wolf-pack on the 23rd.

Early the next morning, while cruising only 600 or so yards apart, Harder and Hake sighted a minesweeper and a destroyer operating together. As they approached, they were detected and the Japanese ships attacked. Hake was able to avoid the attack, but heard a series of 15 depth charges explode.

The Japanese records note that after the attack, "much oil, wood chips and cork floated in the vicinity."

Harder was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her first five patrols, and CDR Dealey was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his fifth war patrol, which included sinking five Japanese destroyers in five days.

AIMM Returns to Fall Hours September 5th

2011-08-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

AIMM will return to our fall schedule on September 5th.

We will be open on the following schedule:

Friday - 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday - 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday - 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

As always, we are available for group tours, especially school groups, during the week by appointment, and we continue booking evening events, including our popular birthday parties and overnight group events.

To book a group tour or other special event, contact the museum at 501-371-8320.

"Arkansas, Arriving" (Artifact, That is...)

2011-08-21T17:02:00.000-07:00

The helm station from USS Arkansas (CGN-41), the last ship to be named for the state, is being prepared for public display.

The helm station, along with several other artifacts, were removed when Arkansas was decommissioned in 1998. One anchor, along with part of her anchor chain, has been on display outside our museum for several years, and her bell is inside our museum. (Another anchor is on display outside the Craighead County Courthouse in Jonesboro, AR, in the northeast part of the state.)

The helm station has been in storage for the last several years while we built an appropriate place for it to be displayed. It will be next to the stern plate, which was put on display earlier this year.

AIMM Closed Due to Air Conditioner Breakdown

2011-08-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, the air conditioner in our main barge (where some semi-important things like the waiting area, ticket booth, ship's store and restrooms are) has suffered a compressor failure.

Therefore, AIMM will be closed on Saturday, August 19th and Sunday, August 20th.

We apologize for the inconvenience, but the circumstances are beyond our control. We expect to have the system fixed on Monday and we will return to our regular hours on Wednesday.

In Memoriam - USS Bullhead (SS-332) Sunk - 06 August, 1945

2011-08-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

USS Bullhead (SS-332), a Balao class submarine built at Groton, CT, was probably lost on this day in 1945.

She had been ordered to patrol in a "wolf pack" with two other submarines. Bullhead left Fremantle, Australia on 31 July, and on 06 August, reported she had passed through the Lomok Strait.

She was never seen or heard from again.

Japanese records show many anti-submarine attacks in the area during this time just before the war ended (the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima this same day). However, there were also at least six other allied submarines in the vicinity, all of whom survived Japanese efforts to sink them.

One report from a Japanese Army aircraft claimed two direct hits with depth charges on a submarine, resulting in a great amount of gushing oil and air bubbles in the water. The position given for the attack is very near the Lombok Strait, so it is possible that the nearby mountain peaks on the island of Bali blocked Bullhead's radar, preventing her from spotting the approaching plane.

Bullhead was the last U.S. submarine sunk during World War II.

Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC.

Confederate Ironclad CSS Arkansas Ends Her Short Career

2011-08-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

Originally laid down near Memphis, TN in October 1861, CSS Arkansas was supposed to be delivered to the Confederate Navy three months later. By the time she actually entered service on 12 July 1862, the Union Navy controlled much of the Mississippi.

Arkansas saw combat immediately, engaging Union ships three times on 14 July as she made the dash from the Yazoo River to the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, then under seige by Union naval forces. Her presence at Vicksburg forced the Union ships to keep up steam constantly (rather than remaining at anchor and being vulnerable to attack) and this drain on their resources eventually forced them to withdraw, breaking the siege.

The ironclad's short career ended when she set forth from Vicksburg to support a Confederate attack on Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On 06 August, 1862, her engines failed during an engagement with the Union ironclad Essex. She ran aground and was intentionally burned to prevent her capture.

She currently rests under a large rock levee on the west bank of the Mississippi River. It is likely that no artifacts will ever be recovered from the site.

In 21 days, CSS Arkansas was in five battles with Union ships. She badly damaged many of her opponents and established a fearsome reputation during her short career.

More information about CSS Arkansas can be found on the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command website, or by visiting our exhibit "We Fought Them" at the museum, which will run through the fall.

Image courtesy of the U. S. Navy History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC.

In Memoriam - USS G-2 (SS-27) - July 30, 1919

2011-07-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

This very early submarine was designed in the late 1900s, with construction starting in 1909. Originally named USS Tuna, her name was changed prior to commissioning (all named US submarines were given letter and number designations on 17 November 1911, and this practice continued until just before the start of World War II).

G-2 spent much of her time conducting exercises and training, as the exact role of submarines was still being studied. (G-2's maximum depth was less than 50 feet.)

During the First World War, G-2 was used as a training boat for the then newly established submarine school in Groton, CT. She did conduct several short war patrols, searching for reported German U-Boats.

She was decommissioned on April 2, 1919 and was scheduled to be used as a target for testing depth charges. While being used for that duty, she sank at her moorings near Niantic Bay, CT, killing three of her inspection crew. Too deep for the salvage technology of the day, she was left where she sank. In 1962, she was partially salvaged by the U.S. Navy, then allowed to re-sink at the same spot.

Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC.

In Memoriam - USS Robalo (SS-273) - Lost 26 July 1944

2011-07-26T06:05:00.000-07:00

USS Robalo (SS-273) was a Gato-class submarine built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Commissioned on 28 September, 1943, she was assigned to the Pacific Theater.

On her third war patrol, Robalo was assigned to patrol the South China Sea. She made a contact report on 02 July, 1944, but was not heard from again. She was reported overdue and was presumed lost.

After the war, it was learned that Robalo had struck a Japanese mine in the Palawan Strait on 26 July. Only four men, an officer and three enlisted men survived and were able to swim ashore. Unfortunately, they were captured by the Japanese, and after spending time in a prison camp, were loaded aboard a Japanese destroyer in August, 1944 for transport back to the Japanese home islands to work in a prison work camp. However, both of the destroyers that departed the Philippines that month were sunk.

Photograph courtesy of the Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, DC.

In Memoriam - USS O-9 (SS-70) - Foundered 20 June 1941

2011-06-20T06:07:00.000-07:00

USS O-9 (SS-70), a 500-ton submarine, was commissioned in 1918.

During the First World War, she operated along the Atlantic coast. Although she was sent to Britain for combat, the war ended before she reached Europe.

After serving as a training ship, she was decommissioned in 1931 and spent the the next ten years in reserve status in Philadelphia, PA.

As American involvement in the Second World War loomed, production of new submarines was greatly increased, with nearly 100 submarines on order by early 1941. In early 1941, nine O-class submarines, including O-9 returned to active duty to serve as training vessels for the many new officers and crewmembers that the fleet would need.

On the morning of 20 June, 1941, O-9 submerged as part of her recommissioning. She failed to surface.

By that evening, debris from the submarine's interior was recovered, indicating that she had suffered a hull rupture and that the entire crew had almost certainly perished. Despite this, Navy divers attempted to locate the sunken submarine, diving to 432 feet and pushing their equipment far beyond the 300-foot limit that was the design depth at the time. Given the extreme depth and the apparent damage to the submarine, rescue efforts were terminated and a memorial was held on 22 June, 1941.

O-9's exact location was lost to time, but in 1997, Klein Sonar (now L-3 Communications - Klein Associates, Inc.) located the the wreckage using side-scan sonar.

The forward hull is intact, but the entire hull abaft the conning tower has been crushed by water pressure. Her diving planes are level, indicating she suffered a flooding accident while near her test depth of 200 feet (the water depth is 432 feet).

The exact location of the wreck has been kept secret and is known only the a few people in the US Navy.

In 2005, the History Channel premiered an episode of "Deep Sea Detectives" titled "The USS O-9: The Forgotten Sub of WWII".

In Memoriam - USS S-27 (SS-132) - Grounded on 19 June 1942

2011-06-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

USS S-27 (SS-132) was an S-class submarine, built in the period after the First World War and incorporating many of the lessons learned about submarine operations during that conflict. During the 1920s and 1930s, S-27 operated in the Pacific. When World War II started, S-27 was undergoing a routine overhaul at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

At the end of the overhaul, S-27 was dispatched to the Aleutian Campaign. After conducting a reconnaissance of Constantine Harbor on Amchitka Island and finding no sign of Japanese activity (the village had been evacuated), S-27 headed for Kiska Island, which had been occupied by Japanese forces.

However, the dense fog prevented S-27 from knowing exactly where she was, and a swift current pushed her five miles off course. Despite moving slowly, S-27 grounded on Amchitka Island. Unable to free herself, and suffering damage from the pounding surf, the decision was made to abandon ship and transfer the crew ashore. This was done without incident, and the crew occupied the abandoned buildings in Constantine Harbor.

On 24 June, a PBY Catalina on patrol spotted signs of activity, and landed to investigate. The entire crew was rescued.

In Memoriam - USS Bonefish (SS-223) - Lost 18 June 1945

2011-06-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

USS Bonefish (SS-223), a Gato-class submarine, was built by the Electric Boat Company at their shipyard in Groton, Connecticut. Commissioned on 31 May, 1943, she was assigned to the Pacific campaign and operated out of the submarine base established at Fremantle, Australia for six combat patrols. After an overhaul in San Francisco, California, the veteran submarine returned to action, operating out of Guam.

In one of the more unusual incidents of the war, Bonefish rescued two Japanese aviators after their plane had been shot down by a U.S. Navy aircraft.

Bonefish's eighth war patrol was to be her last. Operating with USS Tunny (SS-282) and USS Skate (SS-305) as a "wolfpack", she penetrated the Sea of Japan, one of the last places Japanese shipping could be found in numbers.

At the end of the patrol, Bonefish did not make the scheduled rendezvous with the other members of her "wolfpack". After waiting three days, Bonefish was declared overdue and presumed lost.

A postwar examination of Japanese records revealed that Bonefish sank the 5,488 ton cargo ship Konzan Maru on 19 June. The resulting Japanese counterattack involved at least five Japanese warships and brought up a large amount of debris and a large oil slick.

Bonefish was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for her first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth war patrols and she received seven battle stars.

The Sail-Powered Submarine - USS R-14

2011-06-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

On 02 May, 1921 USS R-14 (SS-91) got underway from Pearl Harbor to participate in the search for USS Conestoga (AT-54), an ocean-going tug.

After seven days of searching, R-14's engines had to be stopped due to an excessive amount of water in the fuel. On 12 May, the Engineering Officer, LT Roy T. Gallemore, came up with the idea of rigging a sail. A foresail was made by sewing twelve hammocks together and using the torpedo loading crane as a mast. A top boom was made out of bunk frames.

This sail was enough to propel the submarine at about 1 knot, which turned the propellers enough to allow the batteries to be slowly charged. A main sail was then made by sewing blankets together and lashing them to the radio mast and then a third sail was made with even more blankets.

Together, the three sails provided enough force to move the submarine at about two knots.

On the morning of 15 May, R-14, after three days under sail, was able to begin running her electric motors, and she made port in Hilo, Hawaii at 9:45 a.m.

USS Conestoga was never found.

Image courtesy of Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, DC.

In Memoriam - USS Golet (SS-361) - Lost 14 June, 1944

2011-06-14T05:54:00.000-07:00

USS Golet (SS-361) was a Gato-class submarine built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She was commissioned on 30 November, 1943.

Golet was lost on her second war patrol. Assigned a patrol area off the Japanese home island of Honshu, she failed to return and was declared overdue and presumed lost.

A postwar examination of Japanese records revealed an ASW attack in Golet's area on 14 June. This attack brought up "corks, raft, and so on, and a thick pool of oil..."

In Memoriam - USS R-12 (SS-89) Lost 12 June 1943

2011-06-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

USS R-12 (SS-89) was part of a class submarines built after the First World War. These submarines were envisioned as being used for coastal and harbor defense, but they were able to carry enough fuel for extended operations. Habitability was improved over previous submarines, and there was even room aboard R-12 for a small machine shop, allowing for at least limited repairs while underway.

Most of the R-class submarines were decommissioned in the 1930s to save money, and R-12 was no exception. She spent nearly eight years in the reserve fleet before being returned to service in 1940.

R-12 conducted war patrols out of the Panama Canal Zone during the first few years of the war, then shifted to the New England area for a time before being transferred to Key West, Florida to be a training ship, providing instruction for the many submariners being trained to serve aboard the newer Gato and Balao class subs being built for the war.

R-12's career as a school ship was short. She arrived in Key West in May 1943. On 12 June, 1943, R-12 sank during a training exercise. She was scheduled to practice an underwater torpedo attack. As she was preparing to dive, a report was made that there was flooding in the forward battery compartment. Despite an order to blow all ballast tanks, the small submarine quickly flooded and within 15 seconds of the initial alarm, R-12 sank.

The only survivors were the Commanding Officer, two other officers and three enlisted men, all of whom were on the bridge when the accident occurred. No one from inside the submarine was able to escape. In all, 42 men, including two Brazilian Navy observers, lost their lives.

Since the water depth in the area was about 600 feet, and R-12's crush depth was around 300 feet, no rescue or salvage was attempted.

The Naval History and Heritage Command announced on 24 May, 2011 that R-12 had been located on the sea floor in 600 feet of water. A detailed examination of the site is planned for 2012.

Image courtesy of Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, DC.

In Memoriam - USS Herring (SS-233) - Sunk 01 June 1944

2011-06-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

USS Herring (SS-233) was one of only a handful of American submarines to see combat in the Atlantic. Shortly after being commissioned, Herring was sent to the Mediterranean to support Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. During her maiden war patrol, she sank the Vichy French cargo ship Ville du Havre.

Remaining in the Atlantic, and based out of Rosneath, Scotland, Herring was credited with sinking the German submarine U-163 (some accounts credit a Canadian corvette with the sinking). Her fifth war patrol in the Atlantic ended with her return to New London, CT. She was then transferred to the Pacific Theater.

Operating out of Pearl Harbor, Herring was lost on her eighth war patrol. Her last contact with other American forces was a rendezvous with USS Barb (SS-220) on the afternoon of 31 March, 1944. Both submarines were to patrol the Kurile Islands area and cooperate in attacks if possible.

An examination of Japanese records after the end of the war revealed Herring's fate.

Shortly after leaving Barb's company, Herring made contact with a convoy of three merchant ships escorted by a single destroyer. Herring attacked and sank the Japanese destroyer Ishigaki and one of the merchant ships. The remaining two merchant ships were sunk by Barb. Barb also rescued a survivor of the Japanese destroyer.

The next morning, Herring sank two merchant ships, the Hiburi Maru and the while both vessels were at anchor at Matsuwa. However, a shore battery located Herring and scored two direct hits on the conning tower. According to Japanese records, after this, "bubbles covered an area about 5 meters wide, and heavy oil covered an area of approximately 15 miles."

New and Unusual Submarine Related Ephemera

2011-05-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

Ephemera are printed items that are designed to be used for a brief time (often only once) and then thrown away. Things like this chow pass. Because of their very nature, they are sometimes rare, but also provide a glimpse into the daily routine of the past, a routine that was poorly documented (because it was so mundane) and quickly forgotten.

Here are some other examples, one a beer pass to the Submarine Base Mess (probably in Groton, CT) the other for a Beer Hall at another Submarine Base, probably in Australia.

These items come from the estate of Wendell Mertz, who was a Motor Machinist Mate Third Class in the submarine service during World War II. These items were donated to AIMM by his grandson.

2011-05-22T04:59:00.000-07:00

Today is a little remembered holiday about an often ignored part of America's heritage and, just as importantly, an important part of our national defense and economy.

National Maritime Day was established in 1933. It celebrates the 1819 Atlantic crossing of the steamship Savannah, the first steam-powered ship in the world to cross the Atlantic.

Like submarine history, maritime history has been a history of America and American technological innovation. Steam powered ships and cargo containers are but two examples of American innovation over the years.

In addition, the bravery of American mariners has been instrumental in America's defense. During World War II, 9,300 American merchant mariners lost their lives delivering the vital food, fuel, spare parts, ammunition and other supplies that our forces needed.

During the first Gulf War, American mariners delivered nearly 2 and a half MILLION tons of cargo to the war zone - four times the amount of cargo delivered to support the Normandy invasion.

In 2010 alone, the civilian ships of Military Sealift Command (MSC) delivered nearly 2.5 BILLION gallons of fuel, supporting both U.S. Navy combatant ships at sea and American forces ashore. In addition, nearly 12 million square feet of dry cargo was delivered worldwide.

Forgotten Book about USS Snook Crewmember

2011-05-16T07:10:00.000-07:00

USS Snook (SS-279) was lost on or about April 8, 1945, likely near Hainan Island on the coast of SE China.

One member of Snook's crew when she was lost was Seaman First Class Thomas William Lamont II. Born into a wealthy family, he traveled Europe at 13, attended school in Switzerland before the start of World War II and was accepted into Harvard in 1942.

In 1943, Tommy was accepted into the Naval Aviation Cadet program and advanced as far as solo flight before washing out. Offered a chance to enter the V-12 program and become an officer, Tommy refused, opting instead for Boot Camp. After Boot Camp in San Diego he was again offered the chance to enter the V-12 program but chose Quartermaster School and then volunteered for submarine training. After training aboard USS S-34 (SS-139), which had been built in 1918, Tommy shipped out for Midway Island aboard the submarine tender USS Fulton (AS-11). While at Midway, the young quartermaster worked to overhaul submarines as they returned from patrol and served as a relief crewman.

Finally, in late August, 1944, Tommy was assigned to USS Snook. He joined the veteran sub just before she began her seventh war patrol. He was still aboard Snook when she was lost on her ninth war patrol.

After the war ended, Tommy's father gathered as many of Tommy's letters and other writings as he could and published them in a book titled, Things to be Remembered. It is unknown how many copies were printed or how they were distributed, but there probably weren't many.

AIMM is lucky to have acquired a copy, thanks to the efforts of Bonnie Zonner, who spotted the book for sale, purchased it, and donated it to the museum.

USS Snook photograph courtesy of the Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, DC.

Photograph of Tommy scanned from the book.

A Submarine History Mystery

2011-05-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

On May 5th, 1972, USS Silversides (SSN-679) was commissioned.

A submarine's commissioning booklet, given as a souvenir to participants and guests, usually includes some history of the vessel, some remarks about history of the commssioning ceremony and the photographs and biographies of the VIPs and the Captain, along with pictures of the other officers and crew, and sometimes pictures or drawings of the boat.

The commissioning booklet for Silversides includes most of these things, with one notable exception - the picture and biography of Silverside's Commanding Officer. The program of events shows CDR John E. Allen as the Commanding Officer, but nothing else.

While there is probably a simple explanation for the omission, like an error by the printer that was wasn't caught in time, until we find out, this will be a submarine history mystery...

2011-05-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

As you know, the Razorback Crewmember's Association donated a high-pressure air compressor to us, and during their recent work party, they were able to get it installed.

We're now able to blow Razorback's horn.

You might want to turn your volume down before you hit play...

Video recorded by Mike Hopper.

Ever Wanted Your Own USS Razorback Notepaper?

2011-05-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

Notepads (the paper kind) are great things.

You can doodle on them, you can make paper airplanes with the pages, you can write love notes, you can even make grocery lists that you will leave behind at the house when you go buy groceries. (Don't get us wrong, notebook computers are pretty great things, too, but you can't make a very good airplane out of one...)

Every once in a while, you can take notes in class or at a meeting.

If you click on the image above, you should get a full-sized graphic. If you save that to your hard drive, you can import it into your favorite word processor and print your own, custom USS Razorback note paper.

If you have problems, just drop us an e-mail and we can send you the file. We have pages with lines and without lines (we can't link to a Word document through Blogger, or we would just put the files up for you to download...)

From the Archives - Welcome Aboard Booklet - USS Puffer (SS-268)

2011-05-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

USS Puffer (SS-268), a Gato-class submarine, was built at the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company shipyard in Manitowoc, WI. She was commissioned on this day in 1943. Puffer completed nine war patrols during World War II, winning nine battle stars for her service.

The end of the war sent Puffer to the West Coast, and on Navy Day, October 27th, 1945, she was opened to the public for tours in San Francisco. A small, four-page booklet, with general information about Puffer's war record and awards received was produced. That booklet is now available in a digital format in the AIMM archives.

Official U.S. Navy photograph

Sailing Calmly

2011-04-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

The recent storms in Central Arkansas have not impacted us here at the museum directly. We lost power for a short time, but otherwise have been unaffected.

The high water (currently at about 19 feet and expected to crest at 20 feet) will force us to be closed Friday. As you can see, the water is above our gangway.

SS Sultana - The Forgotten "Titanic" of Arkansas

2011-04-27T01:30:00.000-07:00

On the morning of April 27th, 1865, just a few weeks after the end of the Civil War and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the worst maritime disaster in American history occurred, right here in Arkansas waters.

The side-wheel steamship Sultana, shown above, exploded and burned on the Mississippi River, just a few miles upstream from Memphis, TN. The burning hulk drifted to the Arkansas side of the river, finally sinking near Mound City, Arkansas before dawn.

Approximately 1,800 men were killed.

Most of the men killed were Union soldiers just released from Confederate Prisoner of War Camps including Cahaba and the infamous Andersonville prison.

When Sultana exploded, many men were forced into the cold waters of the Mississippi, which was swollen with with spring flood waters. Many drowned, while hypothermia claimed others. All but two of Sultana's officers, including her Captain, were killed.

An exact toll can never be determined, because the official records were known to be incomplete (for example, a number of dead men were identified, but were not on the passenger list). Many bodies were never recovered at all. A number of victims were buried in mass graves in the Memphis area.

Only a single photograph of Sultana is known to exist. It was taken at Helena, Arkansas by T.W. Banks and clearly shows the severe crowding of the decks.

Because this disaster took place so soon after the end of the Civil War and just days after the assassination of President Lincoln (and the day after John Wilkes Booth and co-conspirator David Herold were finally captured), it was largely overshadowed by the greater tragedies the nation had faced.

Several books have been written about Sultana's loss. One, Loss of the Sultana and Reminiscences of Survivors, was originally published in 1892 and is available on Google Books.

There is also an online, searchable database of Sultana passengers.

Top illustration - a drawing from Harper's Weekly, originally published in the May 20th, 1865 issue.

Bottom illustration - Library of Congress

In Memoriam - Corpral Charles L. Gilliland, US Army

2011-04-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

Not many people know it, but there is a U.S. Navy ship sailing the oceans today named for a Korean War hero from Arkansas.

USNS Gilliland (T-AKR-298) is a Large, Medium Speed, Roll-On/Roll-Off Cargo vessel, or LMSR. A single LMSR can carry enough ammunition, food, water, fuel, equipment and other supplies to sustain up to 20,000 troops for 15 days.

On April 25, 1953, Corporal Charles L. Gilliland of Mountain Home, Arkansas was killed near Tongmang-ni, Korea while serving in the U.S. Army.
He received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions.

The citation reads:

"Cpl. Gilliland, a member of Company I, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. A numerically superior hostile force launched a coordinated assault against his company perimeter, the brunt of which was directed up a defile covered by his automatic rifle. His assistant was killed by enemy fire but Cpl. Gilliland, facing the full force of the assault, poured a steady fire into the foe which stemmed the onslaught. When 2 enemy soldiers escaped his raking fire and infiltrated the sector, he leaped from his foxhole, overtook and killed them both with his pistol. Sustaining a serious head wound in this daring exploit, he refused medical attention and returned to his emplacement to continue his defense of the vital defile. His unit was ordered back to new defensive positions but Cpl. Gilliland volunteered to remain to cover the withdrawal and hold the enemy at bay. His heroic actions and indomitable devotion to duty prevented the enemy from completely overrunning his company positions. Cpl. Gilliland's incredible valor and supreme sacrifice reflect lasting glory upon himself and are in keeping with the honored traditions of the military service."

For more information about Corporal Gilliland, please visit the MSC Medal of Honor Recipient web page.

For more information about USNS Gilliland, please visit her home page.

For more information about the LMSR program, please visit the program information web site.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph

In Memoriam - USS Bonefish (SS-582) Fire - 24 April 1988

2011-04-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

On 24 April, 1988, USS Bonefish (SS-582) was conducting ASW (anti-submarine warfare) exercises with USS Carr (FFG-52) off the coast of Florida.

While submerged, an electrical short started a small fire that quickly grew. While Bonefish was surfacing, the fire caused an explosion in the battery well. Smoke quickly filled the submarine as she was brought fully to the surface. When attempts to contain the growing fire failed, the submarine's Commanding Officer, ordered the crew to evacuate to the deck.

Three men - LT Ray E. Everts, RM1 (SS) Robert W. Bordelon, Jr., and YN3(SS) Marshall T. Lindgren died due to smoke inhalation.

The rest of the crew were able to safely evacuate and were rescued. USS Carr was able to launch both a helicopter and ship's boat to assist in the evacuation. One SAR (Search And Rescue) Diver, AW3 Larry Grossman, spent several hours in the water and received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroism.

Once the fire was extinguished, Bonefish was towed to Charleston, SC. Her damage was deemed to be so extensive that she could not be economically repaired. She was decommissioned on 28 September 1988.

Official U.S. Navy photograph of an SH-3H Sea King Helicopter hoisting a crewman off Bonefish's deck. Photograph taken 28 April, 1988 during rescue operations after the fire had been extinguished. Photograph from the Defense Visual Imagery Directorate, DN-ST-88-09333

In Memoriam - USS Grenadier (SS-210) - Scuttled 22 April 1943

2011-04-22T06:24:00.000-07:00

While patrolling the Indian Ocean, USS Grenadier (SS-210), was badly damaged by a Japanese air attack. Her crew attempted to make repairs, but were forced to scuttle the submarine when Japanese ships closed in.

Grenadier was lost on her sixth war patrol.

Her entire crew was captured. Four men died as prisoners of war.

Additional information and photographs can be found at the Naval Historical Center website.

Patch from the AIMM collection, donated by Sue McLaughlin. This is one of the many patches and other insignia designed by employees of the Disney company during World War II. Over 1,200 insignia were designed for Army Air Corps units alone...

In Memoriam - USS Gudgeon (SS-211) - Declared Lost - 07 June 1944

2011-04-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

USS Gudgeon (SS-211) was a Tambor-class submarine commissioned on April 21, 1941. Her initial assignment after shakedown was at Pearl Harbor. She was away on a training mission when the base was attacked on December 7, 1941. She immediately returned to base and on December 11 she was sent on her first war patrol. This photograph shows Gudgeon as she appeared in the Summer of 1941, just before the war started:

Gudgeon was a submarine of “firsts.” She was the first American submarine to be sent on an offensive war patrol. She was the first American submarine to patrol along the Japanese coast itself. On January 27, 1942 Gudgeon became the first American submarine to sink an enemy warship in World War II, the Japanese submarine I-73.

Gudgeon would eventually complete 11 successful war patrols. She tallied a total of 14 confirmed kills equaling 71,372 tons sunk. She won the Presidential Unit Citation and earned 11 battle stars.

Gudgeon got underway for her 12^th war patrol on April 4, 1944. After stopping at Johnston Island on April 7, 1944 for fuel, she was not seen or heard from again. On 7 June 1944, Gudgeon was officially declared overdue and presumed lost.

A postwar examination of Japanese records did not uncover an attack that could be tied to Gudgeon's loss with certainty.

However, a recent book, Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em by Mike Ostland, ties Gudgeon's loss to an experimental Japanese ASW aircraft squadron, the 901st Kokutai, deployed to the Iwo Jima area with a MAD, or Magnetic Anomaly Detector. This would have allowed the Japanese aircraft to detect a submerged submarine, and according to Japanese records for this squadron, a MAD-equipped aircraft detected a submarine during the night of April 17-18, 1944 and tracked the submarine all night. As dawn approached, a bomber, with a pair of 250-KG (600 lb) bombs was sent to attack the sub. According to the Japanese records, both bombs struck...

"...the first hit the bow and the second hit the bridge. [A] big yellow-green explosion was seen in the center of the boat."

Fuel was observed spouting from the submarine in a "big pillar", then spreading in a large pool as the submarine foundered.

While is is not definative proof, this report does provide the best clues to Gudgeon's loss.

USS Gudgeon escutcheon courtesy of Mike Ostlund, author of Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em. Photograph courtesy of the Naval History and Heritage Center, Washington Navy Yard, DC

Razorback Association Aboard

2011-04-15T13:35:00.001-07:00

AIMM would like to thank all of the Razorback Crewmembers Association members who came from around the country to be here and work this past week.

Lots of projects were completed, and alot of progress was made on others.

More Submarine History - Booklet from USS Thresher

2011-04-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

As everyone who has studied Cold War submarine history knows, USS Thresher (SSN-593) was lost on 10 April, 1963. 129 men lost their lives in the worst post-war disaster to strike the submarine service.

AIMM has in its archives a partial "Welcome Aboard" booklet from USS Thresher, issued sometime in few months, or possibly just days, before Thresher's loss. It features the biography of LCDR John W. Harvey, Thresher's Commanding Officer, who had only assumed command on 18 January, 1963 and was lost when Thresher went down.

The booklet is only six pages, and includes a cutaway diagram showing the general layout of Thresher's decks as well as a short history of Thresher's World War Two namesake (SS-200) and the shark that the original Thresher was named for.

Some of the statements from the booklet:

USS Thresher (SSN-593) is the lead ship of the world's most advanced class of nuclear submarines.

She is one of the most effective anti-submarine weapons in the Navy arsenal.

She has the ability to operate deeper as well as more silently than her predecessors.

Her advanced sonar is the most comprehensive detection system ever devised for an underwater craft.

Clearly, Thresher's officers and crew were (rightly) proud of their boat.

AIMM honors Thresher's memory by making this booklet available in PDF format through our website. We would like to thank the donor who made this possible (the original booklet was loaned to AIMM and the donor wanted to remain anonymous).

Happy Birthday Submarine Service

2011-04-11T05:34:00.000-07:00

On this day, the U.S. Navy made history by purchasing the first powered submersible.

USS Holland, named for designer and builder John P. Holland, was a small craft. She was only 53 feet long with a single 50-horsepower gasoline engine. Her test depth was only 75 feet! (This is about the depth of a modern Ohio-class submarine at periscope depth...)

Holland's career was brief, but vital. Within 10 years, over 25 submarines were in service or under construction, each new class larger and more capable than the last. Holland was struck from the Naval Register in 1910. Unfortunately, she was sold for scrap in 1913.

Fortunately, many patents were filed by Mr. Holland and many of her construction drawings remained in archives. In 2002, IBM digitally reconstructed USS Holland and brought her back to virtual life. AIMM has a copy of "The Holland Project" CD available for researchers.

In Memoriam - USS Thresher (SSN-593) - Lost 10 April 1963

2011-04-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

46 years ago, USS Thresher (SSN-593) became the first American nuclear powered submarine to be lost.

Thresher was built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, the same shipyard were Razorback was built. Commissioned in 1961 as the lead ship of her class, she conducted extensive training and trials in 1961 and 1962.

On April 10th, 1963, following an overhaul, Thresher returned to sea. During her deep-diving tests, while near her test depth (in excess of 1,000 feet) Thresher apparently suffered a failure of a pipe fitting somewhere in the Engine Room.

The leak almost certainly caused an automatic shut-down of the nuclear reactor, and a combination of loss of power, flooding and a previously unknown fault in the ballast system caused Thresher to sink below her test depth.

At approximately 2,000 feet below the surface, Thresher's hull imploded, killing all 129 men aboard instantly.

After an extensive underwater search, Thresher's wreckage was positively identified in 8,400 feet of water.

Following a Court of Inquiry, the "SUBSAFE" program was developed to correct the design and construction problems that led to Thresher's loss.

For additional information about USS Thresher, please visit the Naval Historical Center web site.

Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.

In Memoriam - USS Snook (SS-279) - Sunk April 8, 1945

2011-04-08T05:45:00.000-07:00

While on her ninth war patrol, USS Snook (SS-279) was lost with all hands.

While the exact cause of her loss remains unknown to this day, she was likely sunk by the Japanese submarine I-56 on April 8th, 1945. Japanese records also record a combined attack by three Japanese coastal defense vessels and naval aircraft in the same area.

I-56 was herself sunk by U.S. forces a few days after Snook was lost.

Before her loss, Snook compiled an impressive record, sinking a confirmed 17 Japanese ships for a total of 75,000 tons, the 10th highest total among U.S. Submarines.

For additional information about USS Snook, visit the AIMM Snook memorial web page and the U.S. Naval Historical Center website.

52 American submarines were lost during WWII. After the war, each state was assigned a submarine for commemorative and memorial purposes (California and New York were each assigned two submarines).

USS Snook is Arkansas' adopted submarine.

The Snook Memorial, at the entrance to the North Shore Maritime Center, on Riverfront Drive in North Little Rock, AR

Patch from the AIMM collection, donated by Sue McLaughlin.

In Memoriam - USS Pickerel (SS-177) - Sunk on April 7, 1943

2011-04-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

USS Pickerel (SS-177) was a Porpoise-class submarine, designed in the 1930s and commissioned in 1937. She was similar to Razorback in many respects, but only had a test depth of 250 feet.

On March 22nd, 1943, Pickerel left Midway island on her seventh war patrol. Her assigned patrol area was off the Japanese home island of Honshu.

She was never heard from again.

After the war, Japanese records revealed that Pickerel sank two vessels during her final patrol. The first, a submarine chaser was sunk on April 3rd and the second, the merchant ship Fukuei Maru was sunk on April 7th. There were several anti-submarine attacks carried out by Japanese forces in the area, and one of these attacks was the likely cause of Pickerel's loss.

In Memoriam - USS Trigger (SS-237) - Lost 28 March 1945

2011-03-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

USS Trigger (SS-237) left Guam for her twelfth war patrol under the command of Cmdr. D. R. Connole on 11 March 1945, with orders to provide rescue for carrier based aircraft and to carry out a normal offensive patrol.

On 18 March, she reported having sunk one freighter and damaged another, both part of a convoy she had already reported. The other ships in the convoy, four escorts and two merchantmen, proceeded eastward into a Japanese restricted area in the East China Sea. Allied forces knew that the region was mined, and generally kept clear of it. The convoy entered the restricted area. Trigger was instructed to monitor its movements in hopes of discovering a safe passage through the mined area. Unfortunately, Trigger was unable to track the convoy; its escorts kept her submerged for several hours after her initial attack, and when she surfaced she was unable to reestablish contact with the convoy.

26 March brought new orders to join the Wolf Pack "Earl's Eliminators" with Seadog (SS-401) and Threadfin (SS-410). The same day, Trigger radioed a weather report that did not contain an acknowledgment of her new orders.

She was never heard from again.

An examination of Japanese reports after the war revealed that Trigger torpedoed and sank the Japanese repair ship Odate on 27 March. The next day, a Japanese airplane spotted an American submarine. After bombing it, several Japanese warships were summoned to the area. A two-hour depth charge attack ultimately produced a large oil slick. The sounds of the attack were heard by other American submarines in the area.

All 89 officers and crew aboard USS Trigger were killed.

"I'm the Galloping Ghost of the Japanese Coast" was written by Constantine Guiness MOMM1/C, to honor Trigger:

I'm the galloping ghost of the Japanese coast
You don't hear of me and my crew.
But just ask any man off the coast of Japan
If he knows of the Trigger Maru.

I look sleek and slender alongside my tender
With others like me at my side,
But we'll tell you a story of battle and glory,
As enemy waters we ride.

I've been stuck on a rock, felt the depth charge's shock,
Been north to a place called Attu,
And I've sunk me two freighters atop the equator
Hot work, but the sea was cold blue.

I've cruised close inshore and carried the war
To the Empire Island Honshu,
While they wire Yokahama I could see Fujiyama,
So I stayed, to admire the view.

When we rigged to run silently, deeply I dived,
And within me the heat was terrific.
My men pouring sweat, silent and yet
Cursed me and the whole damned Pacific.

Then destroyers came sounding and depth charges pounding
My submarine crew took the test.
Far in that far off land there are no friends on hand,
To answer a call of distress.

I was blasted and shaken (some damage I've taken),
my hull bleeds and pipe lines do, too
I've come in from out there for machinery repair,
And a rest for me and my crew.

I got by on cool nerve and in silence I served,
Though I took some hard knocks in return,
One propeller shaft sprung and my battery's done,
But the enemy ships I saw burn.

I'm the galloping ghost of the Japanese coast,
You don't hear of me and my crew.
But just ask any man off the coast of Japan,
If he knows of the Trigger Maru.

In Memoriam - USS Tullibee (SS-284) - Lost 26 March 1944

2011-03-26T06:45:00.000-07:00

On 05 March, 1944, USS Tullibee (SS-284) departed Pearl Harbor for her fourth war patrol. She arrived at Midway island on the 14th. After topping off her fuel tanks and restocking her pantry, she turned west. Her assigned patrol area was near the Palau Islands, 500 miles east of the Philippines. Tullibee was scheduled to support air strikes against these islands on 30 and 31 March.

After reporting her arrival on station on 25 March, Tullibee was never heard from again.

When the war ended and American POWs were rescued from Japanese prison camps, Tullibee's story was finaly learned from the sole survivor, Gunner's Mate Second Class C.W. Kuykendall:

On 26 March 1944, USS Tullibee (SS-284) made radar contact with a convoy of ships including a large troop and cargo ship, a pair of medium sized freighters, two escort vessels and a large destroyer. Tullibee attempted a surface attack, but had difficulty obtaining a firing solution because of bad weather.

Tullibee finally closed with the convoy and fired torpedoes from two bow tubes. Not long after, a massive explosion shook the boat.

This explosion was almost certainly the result of a "circular run" of Tullibee's own torpedo. The malfunctioning torpedo was not seen by the bridge crew due to the poor weather conditions.

Petty Officer Kuykendall was thrown from the bridge during the explosion. The force of impact with the rough seas knocked him senseless. When he came to, he was able to hear the shouts of his fellow sailors for several minutes. Machine gun fired peppered the water around him, but the escorts eventually picked him up for questioning. After receiving a beating for refusing to disclose any information beyond what was required by international law, he was sent to the copper mines in Ashio. He remained there until he was rescued in September of 1945.

Tullibee's loss was one of two American submarines that were sunk by malfunctioning torpedoes.

In Memoriam - USS F-4 (SS-23) - Lost 25 March 1915

2011-03-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

USS F-4 (SS-23) was commissioned 3 May 1913. Originally named USS Skate, she was one of the first submarines to be built on the West Coast. F-4 participated in developmental operations with the First Submarine Group, Pacific Torpedo Flotilla on the West Coast until the summer of 1914, when she moved on to Hawaiian waters. On 25 March 1915, she sank during training maneuvers, just over a mile from the harbor at Honolulu. Rescue efforts failed, and her entire crew of 21 sailors was lost.

This was America's first major submarine accident.

F-4 was finally raised in August of 1915. Since the sunken submarine lay at a depth of over 300 feet, at the very limits of the diving equipment of that time, this was a major accomplishment for the Navy. After examining the wreckage, analysts decided that the most likely explanation for the sinking was corrosion of the lead lining in the battery tank. The corrosion would would have permitted sea water to seep into the battery compartment, causing the CO to lose control of his submerged vessel. F-4's remains were ultimately towed to a remote part of the Naval Base, where they could remain, undisturbed for all eternity.

Of the 21 sailors who went down with F-4 in March of 1915, only four could be positively identified. The remains of their shipmates were interred together at Arlington National Cemetery, where they rest today. The original headstone, shown here, has been replaced and is now on display at the USS Bowfin submarine museum in Honolulu, HI.

Another part of Razorback's History in Digital Format

2011-03-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Navy Day was first organized in the 1920s by the Navy League. October 27th was chosen, since it was the birthday of President Theodore Roosevelt, who was an avid supporter of the Navy (and who had passed away in 1919).

The 1945 Navy Day celebrations, coming so soon after the end of World War II, were especially large. However, official U.S. Navy celebrations have been largely shifted to Armed Forces Day in May. In addition, the U.S. Navy's official birthday is recognized as October 13th, the day in 1775 that the Continental Congress authorized the building of the first ships for the fledgling Navy.

While this booklet does not contain any particularly new information, it is still an important part of Razorback's history that has been preserved. Electronic copies of this booklet are available upon request, and it will be put up on the AIMM website in the near future.

In Memoriam - USS Kete (SS-369) - Lost on or about 20 March 1945

2011-03-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

USS Kete (SS-369), a Balao-class submarine (sister ship to USS Razorback) was lost to unknown causes on her second war patrol.

Departing Guam on March 1^st, 1945, her assignment was to gather weather data for the upcoming invasion of Okinawa and to also perform lifeguard duty as needed.

Although she had encountered no Japanese ships on her first war patrol, Kete surprised a small Japanese convoy and sank three Japanese merchant ships during the night of March 9^th and 10^th. On March 14^th, she unsuccessfully attacked a Japanese cable-laying ship. These attacks left Kete with only three torpedoes remaining and she was ordered to depart her patrol area on March 20^th.

Kete acknowledged receipt of these orders and sent in a weather report on that day.

She was neither seen nor heard from again.

After the war, Japanese records revealed no attacks on American submarines in Kete's area, so her loss remains a mystery to this day.

It is known that at least three Japanese submarines passed through the area that Kete was transiting. All three were sunk by American warships in late March. It is possible that one of these three subs sank Kete, but was unable to report the attack before they were, in turn, sunk. Another possibility is that she suffered some kind of operational accident, such as a battery explosion or even a "circular run" of a torpedo during an attempted attack on one of the Japanese submarines.

Until and unless her final resting place is found, her loss will likely remain a mystery.

Last Razorback Plankowner Officer Passes Away

2011-03-16T15:06:00.001-07:00

Lawrence Bruce Crann died on Sunday, February 27th in Mount Vernon, VA. He was 94.

As a Lieutenant (Junior Grade), he served aboard Razorback during World War II. He was assigned to Razorback before she was commissioned, making him a "Plankowner".

The term "plankowner" dates back to the days of wooden warships. By being part of the original crew, a Sailor had bragging rights to "owning" one of the planks on the main deck. When a ship was decommissioned, a Plankowner (or his widow) could request a piece of the deck as a memento.

When a ship is commissioned, a plaque is made listing the names of all the "plankower" officers. This plaque stays on the ship until the last "plankowner" leaves, then it is given to him. As the officers pass away, the plaque is supposed to be then passed to the next younger officer, if he or she can be located. In Razorback's case, the plaque was donated to AIMM shortly after the museum was established. It is now on display in the museum.

LT(jg) Crann made all five war patrols and was present aboard Razorback in Tokyo Bay when the surrender was signed.
LT Crann also donated his personal uniform to the museum shortly after it opened. It is also on display.

The photograph shows Razorback's officers on the day she was commissioned. The officers are (l-r):

LT R. L. Smith, USNR
LT R. S. Thompson, USNR
LT(jg) J. H. King, USN(T)
LT J. L. Haines, USN
LCDR A. M. Bontier, USN, Commanding Officer
LT(jg) A. R. Hersh, Jr., USN
LT(jg) L. B. Crann, USNR
ENS L. T. Adains, USNR

A link to LT Crann's online obituary can be found here.

LT Crann was able to be in North Little Rock in 2004, when Razorback arrived. His daughter informs us that he wore his Razorback ball cap every day during the last year of his life, and that one of his last requests was to die with his cap on, which he did.

Please join AIMM in wishing LT Crann's family all the best in this most difficult time.

In Memoriam - USS Triton (SS-201) - Sunk 15 March 1943

2011-03-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

On 15 March, 1943, USS Triton (SS-201), a Tambor-class submarine (only slightly smaller than Razorback, but with a test depth of only 250 feet) was lost on her sixth war patrol near Rabaul, Papaua New Guinea. Two days before, she had been notified of a group of Japanese destroyers operating in her patrol area and that the destroyers might be enroute to meet up with a convoy of Japanese merchant ships.

The Japanese destroyers made a successful anti-submarine attack and reported "a great quantity of oil, pieces of wood, corks and manufactured goods bearing the mark "Made in U.S.A."

In addition, USS Trigger (SS-237), made an attack on this same convoy on 15 March and, after being depth charged for a short time, heard a more distant depth charge attack that was sustained for about an hour.

USS Triton was lost with all hands.

Patch from the AIMM collection donated by Sue McLaughlin
Official U.S. Navy photograph from the Naval Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard, DC

AIMM Returns to Spring Hours

2011-03-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

Starting March 14th, AIMM will return to its Spring schedule.

We will be open on Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., in order to take advantage of the extra daylight provided by the switch to Daylight Savings Time.

The image is of the U.S. Naval Observatory time vault. The computer servers are what keeps track of the "official" clock for the United States. Services such as GPS (among many others) depend on keeping accurate time...

In Memoriam - USS H-1 (SS-28) - Lost 12 March 1920

2011-03-12T06:09:00.000-08:00

USS H-1 (SS-28), originally named USS Seawolf, was an early U.S. Navy submarine, built by the Union Iron Works in San Francisco, CA and commissioned in 1913. She was one of the first submarines built on the West Coast.

She operated on the West Cost during most of her career. However, in 1920, she traveled to the East Coast via the Panama Canal in early 1920. While on the East Coast, the submarine visited Norfolk, VA, Key West, FL and Havana, Cuba.

During the return trip, H-1 ran aground off Santa Margarita Island, an island off the southwest coast of Baja California.

Four men, including the Commanding Officer died trying to reach shore. The repair ship USS Vestal (AR-4) was able to free the submarine from the rocks four days later, but the submarine sank a short time after being freed.

The hulk was never salvaged and its exact location was lost for many years. The hulk was finally relocated in 1992. It has occasionally been used as a training target by the U.S. Navy. It is also a destination for recreational divers.

Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center, Washington, DC.

Air Compressor Donated to AIMM

2011-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Razorback Crewmember's Association continues to be an active and vital part of AIMM's success. Although these men are scattered across the nation, they visit regularly and help out in many ways.

The Association was able to secure the donation of a high-capacity air compressor from Fairbanks-Morse, the company that originally built Razorback's engines. Fairbanks-Morse still builds a similar engine today. This compressor came from their plant in the Houston, TX area, and is worth about $3,000.

The Razorback Crewmember's Association also donated the transportation of the compressor. Former Razorback crew member Rick Pressly drove from his home in North Carolina to the factory, where the 600-pound compressor was loaded into the back of his truck. He drove up to North Little Rock. We offloaded the compressor, and he was nice enough to help us get the compressor down the gangway before he headed home.

We would like to thank Rick and all the members of the Razorback Crewmember's Association who helped acquire the compressor. AIMM volunteer Hal Haislip and local sub vets Joe Manning and Mark "Mark-Mark" Taylor helped the AIMM staff get the compressor down the gangway.

The next step is to get the compressor hooked up to Razorback's air systems. Using the high-pressure air, we hope to be able to start one engine in April, something few other museum subs have been able to do...

Funny Incident from Razorback's Third War Patrol

2011-03-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

Razorback's third war patrol was conducted from 01 February 1945 to 26 March 1945. She operated as part of a "wolf pack" of three submarines - "Fulp's Fiddlers" - Razorback, USS Sea Cat (SS-399), and the USS Segundo (SS-398).

At the end of the the patrol, Razorback was shadowing a large two-masted schooner of about 100 tons. The conditions were bad with heavy seas, so Razorback was waiting for conditions to improve to make it easier for the gun crew to shoot at the target.

At 1145, the deep fat fryer burst into flames, apparently due to a faulty thermostat switch. While the fire was easily put out, the hot oil continued to smolder, filling the boat with smoke, so despite the bad weather, Razorback surfaced and her gun crew went to work, quickly sinking the schooner.

After the battle, the faulty equipment was dealt with.

"1300 - Gave one deep fat fryer the deep six."

In Memoriam - USS Grampus (SS-207) - Lost 5 March 1943

2011-03-05T06:04:00.000-08:00

Very little is known for certain about the demise of USS Grampus (SS-207).

On 2 March 1943, she and USS Grayback (SS-208) were ordered to sink enemy ships fleeing from American vessels approaching the Stanmore airstrip in the Solomon Islands. On the evening of 5 March, Grayback spotted a boat her crew believed to be Grampus; unfortunately, Grayback was unable to communicate with the other vessel. Since the two submarines were sister ships, the chance of mis-identification is slim.

Grampus did not respond to orders to report given on 7 and 8 March. She had been operating near USS Amberjack, which make piecing together records concerning her loss difficult to decipher, as both boats were lost within three weeks of each other. Enemy seaplanes reported having attacked a US submarine on 17 February near Grampus' position, and a large oil slick discovered by enemy patrol boats on the surface on 19 February seems to confirm a kill.

Grayback and Grampus had been warned that a pair of destroyers were making their way through the Blackett Strait on 05 March. Grayback never saw them. If Grampus did, she failed to, or was unable to, report it. The two enemy ships sailed on into Kula Gulf, where they were sunk by American warships. Survivors reported that their ships conducted an attack on an American submarine before their encounter with the American warships.

An oil slick was reported on 06 March in that area.

Therefore, the most likely explanation for the loss of USS Grampus is attack by Japanese destroyers on the night of 05 March.

Whatever the precise date of Grampus's sinking, she took with her all 71 members of her crew.

In Memoriam - USS Perch (SS-176) - Sunk on 03 March, 1942

2011-03-03T06:03:00.000-08:00

USS Perch (SS-176), a Porpoise-class submarine designed in the early 1930's and commissioned in 1936, was sunk on 03 March, 1942 after a three-day battle with Japanese forces. She was conducting her second war patrol.

On 01 March, Perch attempted to attack a Japanese convoy that was landing troops near Surabaya, Indonesia. However, two Japanese destroyers saw the approaching submarine and attacked. Perch, caught in shallow water, was severely damaged in two separate attacks lasting overnight and into the next day.

After making all possible repairs, the crew attempted to escape the area, but the submarine was spotted by two Japanese cruisers and three destroyers. As the ships began to fire at the crippled submarine, her Commanding Officer, LT Kenneth G. Schacht, ordered his crew to scuttle the submarine and abandon ship. LT Schacht was awarded a Navy Cross for his actions.

The entire crew, fifty-four men and five officers, were captured by the Japanese and held as prisoners. Six men died during captivity. However, the survivors were repatriated at the end of the war.

Perch's wreck was located in November 2006. Her conning tower plaque was located by divers and photographed, so that can be no doubt as to her location. Pictures of the wreck can be found at the Pacific Wrecks website.

In Memoriam - USS Grayback (SS208) - Sunk 27 February 1944

2011-02-27T06:04:00.000-08:00

USS Grayback (SS-208) was a Tambor-class submarine designed in 1937 and commisioned on 03 April 1940.

On 28 January 1944, the veteran submarine left Pearl Habor for her tenth and final patrol. After sinking three large merchant ships and damaging three more, Grayback reported she was down to only two torpedoes and was ordered to return home on 25 February. She was never heard from again.

After the war, captured Japanese records revealed Grayback's fate. After turning for home, Grayback encountered a Japanese freighter, the Ceylon Maru. Grayback used her last two torpedoes to send the Japanese ship and her war cargo to the bottom. Later that same day, a Japanese carrier-based airplane spotted Grayback on the surface and attacked, causing the submarine to explode and sink "immediately". Japanese anti-submarine warships were sent to the area and depth charges were dropped until a heavy oil slick swelled to the surface.

The Tambor class took full advantage of everything American engineers had learned about submarine design and added to that knowledge new technologies in fire control and propulsion. These submarines were also designed to fight a war in the Pacific, as opposed to the coastal defense roles and Alantic war zone envisioned for earlier submarines. These submarines were nearly identical to Razorback in size and armament, but only had a safe diving depth of 250 feet.

In drydock at the beginning of the war, Grayback began her first war patrol in February 1942, and successfully completed nine war patrols, sinking 11 Japanese ships including a submarine.

USS Arkansas (CGN-41) Stern Plate on Exhibit

2011-02-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

The name of a vessel is required to be displayed permanently and prominently across the stern. The color, size and spacing of the letters are designed to ensure that the name can be seen and clearly read from other ships many miles away.

Ships also display their name, or in the case of warships, their unique hull number, on either side of the bow to identify them. (Since the bow of a submarine is underwater, the numbers are displayed on the sail.)

This stern plate is from the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN-41). It was removed when she was decommissioned and recycled.

The stern plate is on loan from the U.S. Navy.

New Models in Stock

2011-02-20T18:25:00.000-08:00

The long awaited models from OKB Grigorov have arrived.

We have the following models in stock:

USS Skipjack-class SSN - $20

USS Sturgeon class SSN - $20

USS Permit-class SSN - $20

USS Tulibee (SSN-597) - $20

USS Ohio class SSBN / SSGN - $40

Russian Borei-class SSBN - $40

Russian Yasen-class SSN - $35

Russian November-class SSN - $25

French Redoutable-class SSBN - $35

As you would expect for 1/700 resin kits, the part count is low, with most kits having four resin parts and one photo-etched metal part.

- Hull

- Starboard diving plane

- Port diving plane

- Propeller (photo-etched)

- Dunce cap (the cone-shaped part on the back of the propeller)

There is also a display stand in each kit.

All kits are "full-hull", that is, they show the entire ship, including the part that would normally be underwater. The hulls have a resin block along the keel, which will have to be carefully removed and sanded smooth before painting. If you've never built a resin kit before, this is normal and expected.

Overall detail is good. When comparing the model to the available (unclassified) blueprints that are available, it doesn't look like OKB missed anything. All the various hatches, torpedo tube doors, and intakes are there.

That's not to say that these kits are perfect. There are occasional bubbles, small voids and rough spots in the molds. These are to be expected in resin kits and are easy to fix. The vertical rudders are often rough and lacking the seam that should show the separation between the rudder and the rudder stock, but this should also be easy to fix and again, isn't completely a surprise to anyone who has built resin ship models.

The four SSN kits were examined in detail.

The Tulibee kit has excellent detail, but appears to have the after PUFFS array in the wrong position, at least as compared to the "as built" drawings that I have on hand. The arrays themselves also don't look quite right, but both position and appearance are relatively easy to fix. USS Tulibee (SSN-597) was a unique submarine.

The Skipjack and Sturgeon class kits have excellent detail, as does the Permit-class kit, which is incorrectly labeled as a "Thresher" class (the entire class was renamed after USS Thresher (SSN-593) was lost in an accident in 1963).

Since this was the first order of kits from this company, only limited numbers of each kit were ordered (only one in some cases), so if you want one, call or e-mail soon.

Sales tax is included in the price, but postage will be "at cost".

In Memoriam - USS Amberjack (SS-219) - Lost 16 February 1943

2011-02-15T08:51:00.000-08:00

Japanese reports record three engagements believed to have destroyed US submarines just about the time Grampus (SS-207) and USS Amberjack (SS-219) disappeared. Any of these attacks could have sunk either boat, so it is uncertain as to the exact dates of the losses of the two submarines. Amberjack's last radio transmission was sent 14 February 1943.

An attack by a Japanese torpedo boat and a sub-chaser on 16 February is considered the most likely end of Amberjack. Whatever submarine they depth charged that day had already been attacked by an escorting patrol plane. Oil and "parts of the hull" came to the surface. The next day, however, a US submarine was spotted; on 19 February one was believed to have been sunk; and yet another sighting was recorded on 24 February. It is possible that the attack of 19 February is what actually finished Amberjack off; or, all of these sightings could have been made on Grampus.

Amberjack was lost during her third war patrol, with 73 men, and is credited with sinking three ships and damaging two more.

In Memoriam - USS Shark (SS-174) - 11 February 1942

2011-02-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

USS Shark (SS-174), the first submarine in the U.S. Navy to feature all-welded construction, was lost with all hands on or about 11 February 1942, somewhere off the Philippines. Shark was conducting her second war patrol. She was the first American submarine to be lost during a war patrol.

Following the war, an examination of Japanese records revealed three attacks which might have claimed Shark. One depth charge attack on 11 February, another anti-submarine attack on 17 February, and a third operation on 21 February. Additionally, in 1944, a Japanese press release claimed that a Japanese subchaser rammed an American submarine in Manipa Strait in February, 1942. However the attack described in the press release is not mentioned in the official Japanese records.

Since both English and Dutch submarines were also operating in the area at the same time as Shark, it is impossible to determine if any or all of the above mentioned attacks were successful in sinking Allied submarines. Another possibility is that of some kind of operational accident. However, based on the available records, the attack on 11 February is thought to have been the most likely cause of Shark's loss.

Official U.S. Navy photograph from the Naval Historical Center. Patch from the the AIMM collection.

New Submarine Publication

2011-02-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

The Naval War College Press has just released a new manuscript as part of their Newport Papers series.

Titled "Defeating the U-boat: Inventing Antisubmarine Warfare" and written by Dr. Jan S. Breemer, a professor of National Security Decision Making at the Navy War College in Monterey, CA, this manuscript covers the British response to the German submarine threat during the First World War. Dr. Breemer also discusses how the history of events nearly 100 years ago holds implications for decision makers today.

"Defeating the U-boat: Inventing Antisubmarine Warfare" is available as a free download from the Naval War College Press website. Copies may also be ordered through the Government Printing Office, or by signing up for the Newport Papers via the Naval War College. The AIMM Library also has a copy for researchers to read.

Image courtesy of the Naval War College Press

In Memoriam - USS Barbel (SS-316) - Lost With All Hands - 04 February, 1945

2011-02-04T06:51:00.000-08:00

USS Barbel (SS-316) was a Balao-class submarine. Similar in design to Razorback, she was built at the Electric Boat Company shipyard in Groton, CT. Commissioned the same day as Razorback - April 3rd, 1944, Barbel actually beat Razorback to the war zone by a month, departing for her first war patrol on July 15th, 1944. During three war patrols, Barbel sank six Japanese ships, for a total of 15,263 tons.

Operating as part of a "wolf pack" out of Fremantle, Australia, Barbel left for her fourth war patrol on January 5th, 1945. The wolf pack was assigned to patrol the waters between the Philippines and Malaysia. On February 3rd, Barbel reported that she had been depth charged three times by Japanese aircraft. She indicated that she would send more information the next night.

Barbel was never hear from again.

A postwar examination of Japanese records showed that Japanese aircraft attacked a surfaced submarine in the area on February 4th. Two bombs were dropped, with one exploding near the bridge.

USS Barbel was lost with all hands.

Thanks!!!

2011-01-26T17:12:00.000-08:00

Today, we had a short notice work day aboard Razorback to troubleshoot the high efficiency geothermal units that provide both heat during the winter and air conditioning during the summer aboard Razorback. We pulled 3 of the 4 heat exchangers out of the river for cleaning and checked the fittings. We purged all 4 units and 3 of the 4 are working again.

A big Thank You goes out to: John Albers, Jim Franks, Jim Gates, Joe Mathis, Tom Salisbury, Ray Wewers and Greg Zonner. And a special "Well Done" to Ray Wewers for getting us the additional help.

In Memoriam - USS S-26 (SS-131) - 24 January 1942

2011-01-24T06:35:00.000-08:00

USS S-26 (SS-131) was designed during the First World War, and were based on the experience gained fighting the German U-Boats of that period.

S-26 was built by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation at their shipyard in Quincy, MA. Commissioned in 1923, she, along with her sisters of the same "S" class, were the workhorses of the American submarine force in the 1920s and 1930s.

After the Pearl Harbor attack, the Navy decided to press as many submarines into service as possible. Even the "S" class boats, by then near 20 years old and lacking the speed and range of more modern submarines, could be used to patrol areas like the Aleutian Islands, the Philippines, the East Indies and the approaches to the Panama Canal, where their limited performance could be offset by greater numbers, at least until newer submarines could be built.

S-26 was assigned to patrol the Atlantic Ocean approaches to the Panama Canal. On January 24th, the submarine chaser USS Sturdy (PC-460) was assigned to escort four submarines out to their patrol areas. At 2210, Sturdy sent the message that, having reached the patrol zone, she was leaving the formation, and that the submarines should begin their assignments.

S-26 did not receive the message.

Since wartime rules were in effect, both S-26 and Sturdy were traveling under blackout conditions. Neither the small submarine nor the small patrol boat saw each other in the darkness, and at 2223, USS Sturdy struck S-26.

The submarine sank almost immediately. The only survivors were the men on the bridge at the time of the collision - the Commanding Officer, the Executive Officer, and an enlisted lookout.

Although salvage operations were begun immediately, they were unsuccessful. 46 men were lost. S-26 was never raised.

New Book - "A Razorback Submariner"

2011-01-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

Captain Lennis L. Lammers, USN (ret) has penned a brief, but interesting, collection of short stories about his time aboard USS Razorback. CAPT Lammers, now of Holly Grove, AR, served aboard Razorback as Weapons Officer and Engineering Officer from 1963 to 1966. He served under LCDR Wittier Davis and also under LCDR Glen "Pappy" Sears.

Captain Lammers visited the museum a while back and took the time to relate a few of these stories. We are happy to see these stories collected and printed.

The book runs 86 pages and is in a nicely produced softcover. Most of the photos in the book will be familiar to visitors to our website, but there are couple from Captain Lammers personal collection. We hope to borrow this collection long enough to scan all of them and get them posted to the website, where they will join the many other photos there.

Copies are available from the AIMM museum store by calling (501)-371-8320. The cost is $9 in person, or $11 if you want a copy mailed to you.

A Submarine in the Snow

2011-01-09T13:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, some of us were crazy enough to be down here in the snow. (Don't be like us, stay home...)

Got some great pictures, though. Posted more to the AIMM Facebook page.

In Memoriam - USS San Francisco (SSN-711)

2011-01-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

On January 8, 2005, USS San Francisco (SSN-711), a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine ran aground on an uncharted seamount while traveling submerged at a speed of about 35 knots at a depth of approximately 525 feet. Machinist Mate 2nd. class Joseph Allen Ashley of Akron, OH perished in the accident. 23 other crewmen were severely injured and 74 other crewmen were slightly injured.

The area in which San Francisco was operating was relatively uncharted, and even though there were references in some of San Francisco's charts to discolored water (an indication of the presence of a sea mount), the warning was not transferred to the charts her crew was using during the accident.

As a result of the accident, her Commanding Officer, Kevin Mooney was reassigned to unspecified duties in Guam and given a nonjudicial letter of reprimand. Six crew members were also issued similar letters, and received a reduction in rank. In contrast, twenty other officers and crew members were awarded for their actions during the crisis.

San Francisco was repaired at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA. Her heavily damaged bow section was replaced with that of the retired USS Honolulu (SSN-718). By "recycling" parts from one submarine to repair the other, the Navy saved approximately $100 million.

More than 1,000,000 pounds of material was involved in the transfer of the bow section.

USS San Francisco returned to service in 2009 and is now home ported in San Diego, CA.

Ship's patch graphic courtesy of Paul Honeck.

Official U.S. Navy photograph.

Sailor, Rest Your Oar

2011-01-05T07:09:00.000-08:00

AIMM notes with sadness the passing of former Razorback Commanding Officer Whittier Gale Davis, CDR USN (ret).

CDR Davis was Razorback's CO from July 5th, 1962 until April 30th, 1964.

A graduate of the Navy's wartime "V-12" program, he chose to accept an appointment as a Midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy, even though he was eligible for a commission as an Ensign. While at Annapolis, he met his future wife, Elizabeth (Libby) and developed passion for sailing. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1949.

After serving in destroyers, Whit attended submarine school and was assigned to several submarines, culminating in his command of Razorback.

After his retirement from the Navy in 1972, CDR Davis was an active sailor, racing frequently and contributing greatly to the sport.

He is survived by Libby, his wife of 61 years, three sons and eight grandchildren.

Friends are invited to Coronado Yacht Club, January 27, 2011, 5 to 7 p.m. to revisit happy times. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Coronado Maritime Foundation are suggested.

Photograph and information courtesy of the Coronado Eagle and Journal.

In Memoriam - USS Scorpion (SS-278) - Last Seen 05 January 1944

2011-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

USS Scorpion (SS-278), a Gato-class submarine left Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 29 December 1943 to conduct her fourth war patrol. Her assigned patrol area was the northern East China Sea and the Yellow Sea between mainland China and Korea.

On the morning of 05 January, 1944, Scorpion requested a rendezvous with the nearby USS Herring (SS-233) in order to transfer a sailor who had suffered a severely broken arm. The rendezvous was accomplished late that afternoon, but heavy seas prevented the transfer of the injured man.

Scorpion was never seen or heard from again.

After the war, an examination of Japanese records revealed that a number of anti-submarine mines had been laid in the approaches to the Yellow Sea in late December 1943. Although several American submarines crossed the minefields without incident, Scorpion was in the area at the time when the mines would have been the freshest, and therefore the greatest danger.

Although the exact cause for Scorpion's loss may never be known for certain, the most likely cause is a Japanese mine.

2011-01-02T07:34:00.000-08:00

The current issue of The Submarine Review has arrived and is in the library.

Among the notable articles:

USS MISSOURI Commissioning Keynote Speech

The Great Draft of 1963

Tragedy at Sea, Military Tribunals, 18th Century Style

A Brief History of Sub Radio Communications Part II

Submarine News from Around the World

Filipinos in Submarines During World War II

BOOK REVIEWS
An Honorable German by McCain
War Beneath the Waves by Keith

Goodbye Kodachrome

2010-12-29T19:04:00.000-08:00

We don't normally comment about non-submarine news, but this is one item that seems worthy of note.

The last place to process Kodak Kodachrome film is closing.

You can read the story on the New York Times website.

Kodak quit manufacturing the film, used by both professional and amateur photographers (and celebrated in song) last year, citing declining demand in the face of the explosion of digital photography.

Here at AIMM, we have scanned MANY photographs taken by Razorback sailors on Kodachrome film, and of course, many more taken in black and white (and with excellent skill). We're thankful that photography advanced enough after World War II to make it affordable for the average submarine sailor to be able to afford to buy cameras and film and take lots of photos...

New in the Library - Book Featuring RAZORBACK Sailors

2010-12-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

McFarland Publishing has just released a new book, titled Food in the American Military - A History. Written by John and Carol Fisher, it covers the entire gamut of ways and means for feeding men under arms, both in the field and in the barracks. Each chapter is devoted to a particular conflict or era, and the food practices of each service are examined within the context of that era.

An entire section is devoted to food preparation in the submarine service. Razorback cooks Maurice Barksdale and Mark Marmon were both interviewed about their experience about cooking for diesel submarine crews underway in the 1960s. AIMM staff member Joe Mathis was also interviewed about his more recent experiences aboard nuclear submarines, but from the viewpoint of a crewmember being cooked for.

Particular attention is paid to both the technological advances and to the social pressures that changed military food over time. Drawing heavily on first-person accounts throughout the book, the Fishers have constructed an interesting and often compelling narrative.

AIMM will be ordering this book, so if you would like a copy, please let us know. Retail price for Food in the American Military - A History is $38.

AIMM Closed Christmas Weekend

2010-12-19T19:54:00.000-08:00

Although AIMM is normally open weekends, because Christmas Day falls on a Saturday this year, we will be closed the entire weekend in order to allow our staff to spend time with their families.

We will be open our regular hours on New Year's weekend, including New Year's Day.

We hope that everyone has a safe and joyous time during this season.

NPR Story - Research Sub ALVIN to get new hull and upgrades

2010-12-18T11:46:00.001-08:00

The research submarine Alvin is about to leave active research for an 18-month upgrade and overhaul.

It has been in operation for 46 years, doing both scientific research in the deep ocean while remaining available to conduct deep-water missions for the U.S. Navy. Some of these missions are public, such as the search for, and ultimate recovery of a nuclear bomb in the waters off Palomares, Spain in 1966. Others remain classified.

Most recently, Alvin has been conducting research on the effects of the Gulf oil spill.

Alvin will return to service in 2012.

Image courtesy of NOAA.

New in the Library

2010-12-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

Eight Survived by Douglas A. Campbell is the story of USS Flier (SS-250) and the eight men who survived her sinking.

On August 13, 1944, Flier struck a Japanese mine in the Balabac Strait, between modern-day Malaysia and the Philippines. Although the submarine sank in a matter of seconds, fifteen men somehow escaped. Unfortunately, many of these men were badly injured, and lacking any survival equipment, only eight managed to swim the approximately five miles to a nearby island.

These men were able to avoid capture by the Japanese, who were still occupying the Philippines and were actively patrolling, by both airplane and boat. They managed to make contact with a resistance group and were ultimately rescued by USS Redfin (SS-272).

They were the only men to survive the sinking of their submarine in enemy waters and avoid capture by the Japanese. (A small group of men survived the similar sinking of USS Robalo (SS-273) in the same area. They were known to have been captured and tortured by the Japanese, but they did not survive captivity.)

Eight Survived is published by Lyons Press and is available through your local bookstore, or online. Image courtesy of Lyons Press.

Meet the Newest Member of the Crew - Cap'n Stormy!

2010-12-13T08:50:00.000-08:00

Cap'n Stormy joined our gallant crew yesterday, courtesy of Fred Weilminster, USSVI Razorback Base member and WWII submarine veteran. Fred served aboard USS Pintado (SS-387) during World War II.

We want to thank Fred for his generous gift, and we'd like everybody to give Cap't Stormy a warm welcome.

USS Arkansas (CGN-41) Exhibit Coming Soon

2010-12-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

USS Arkansas (CGN-41) was the last ship to be named for the state. After she was decommissioned in 1998, parts of the vessel were removed for preservation. Of course, AIMM did not even exist at the time. One of her anchors is on display outside of the Craighead County Courthouse in the northeast part of the state. The other has been on display, along with a length of anchor chain, outside the museum for several years now. It can be seen even when the museum is closed, and is a popular backdrop for photographs.

This fall, we have been working to put several other artifacts on display, including the sternplate, the helm station, and the Captain's chair.

The sternplate has been properly preserved, repainted and has now been moved down to the museum for display. Once the weather warms back up, we will do some touch-up painting (including painting the letters black, like they should be).

The helm station and Captain's chair will be on display next to the sternplate. We will post more pictures as the exhibit progresses.

KUAR Program About Pearl Harbor Now Available for Download

2010-12-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

As an update, the audio of the show that aired on KUAR's "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" show on Tuesday, December 7th is now available for download.

The direct link to the audio file is here. It is a 40MB MP3 file, which can be played on your computer, or on most any portable device.

For more information about the show, go to the "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" page.

KUAR's home page is here.

Radio Show About Pearl Harbor

2010-12-03T09:02:00.001-08:00

The radio show "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow", which offers perspectives on our world through the eyes of three different generations, will air a program about the Pearl Harbor attack. Greg Stitz, AIMM's Curator, participated in the program as a representative of the middle generation.

The show will air on the evening of December 7th at 7:00 p.m. It is broadcast on KUAR, 89.1FM, the public radio station for central Arkansas. It is also available as a podcast through ITunes.

New Submarine Models

2010-11-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

AIMM is pleased to announce that we will soon be carrying the OKB Grigorov line of submarine models. These models are produced in 1/700 scale and are made of resin with photo-etched details.

We are ordering the following models:

USS Skipjack class SSN
USS Sturgeon class SSN
USS Permit class SSN
USS Tullibee
Russian Borei class SSBN
Russian Yasen class SSN
Russian November class SSN

The company is introducing new models on a regular basis, and we will be able to special order kits as well. We're excited to carry this line, as many of these models have never been available - in any scale - at any price.

There's even talk of a USS Razorback model....

USS Herring (SS-233) Sinks Ship in the Atlantic

2010-11-08T06:00:00.002-08:00

On this day in 1942, USS Herring (SS-233), a Gato-class submarine, sank the Vichy (Axis-allied French) merchant ship Ville du Havre, 5,083 tons, off of Casablanca, Morocco, during "Operation Torch", the invasion of North Africa. Herring was one of five U.S. submarines to participate in Operation Torch.

Herring is one of the few U.S. submarines to sink an enemy ship in the Atlantic.

She conducted four more Atlantic patrols, but was unsuccessful, and she was, like the rest of the U.S. submarine force, redeployed to the Pacific.

On 01 June 1944, Herring was sunk by a Japanese shore battery.

Construction Started on First American Submarine

2010-11-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

It could be said that submarine history began on this day in 1896, when construction was started on the vessel that would become USS Holland, the first truly successful submarine in the world.

Her designer, John P. Holland, is pictured above.

Within five years of being commissioned in 1900, over 20 Holland-type submarines were in operation around the world. Modern submarines still use many of the same basic engineering principles that John P. Holland incorporated into his submarine.

Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum at North Little Rock

USS S-36 (SS-141) Runs Aground

It's Been a BUSY Winter

In Memoriam - USS Swordfish (SS-193)

In Memoriam - USS Argonaut (SS-166) - Sunk 10 January, 1943

Sailor, Rest Your Oars. Passing of CAPT Ken Brown, USN (ret)

Anniversary of Razorback's Return to Duty

Holiday Hours

Holiday Hours

Friday December 30th - Open Regular Hours New Year's Eve (December 31st) - Open 10a.m. - 2:00 p.m. New Year's Day (January 1st, 2012) - Closed

Christmas Menu from 1949

New and Notable Submarine History at AIMM

Pearl Harbor Attack Fotage

USS Arkansas (BM-7) Commissioned 109 years Ago Today

In Memoriam - USS Darter / USS Shark / USS Tang - Lost 24 October 1944

In Memoriam - USS Escolar (SS-294) - October 17, 1944

In Memoriam - USS Dorado (SS-248) - Sunk 12 October 1943

In Memoriam - USS Wahoo (SS-238) - Sunk 11 October 1943

In Memoriam - USS S-44 (SS-155) - Sunk 07 October 1943

In Memoriam - USS Seawolf (SS-197) - Sunk 03 October 1944

October is National Archives Month - If You Love History, Thank an Archivist

In Memoriam - USS Cisco (SS-290) - Sunk 28 September 1943

In Memoriam - USS S-51(SS-162) - Sunk 25 September 1925

New Museum Exhibit

Neither Rain nor Snow nor Dark of Night...

Rest In Peace - Captain Joseph E. Bonds, USN

AIMM to Honor and Remember 9/11 with Reduced Admission

Submarine Posters for Sale

In Memoriam - USS Cochino (SS-345) Lost 26 August 1949

In Memoriam - USS Harder (SS-257) - Sunk 24 August, 1944

AIMM Returns to Fall Hours September 5th

"Arkansas, Arriving" (Artifact, That is...)

AIMM Closed Due to Air Conditioner Breakdown

In Memoriam - USS Bullhead (SS-332) Sunk - 06 August, 1945

Confederate Ironclad CSS Arkansas Ends Her Short Career

In Memoriam - USS G-2 (SS-27) - July 30, 1919

In Memoriam - USS Robalo (SS-273) - Lost 26 July 1944

In Memoriam - USS O-9 (SS-70) - Foundered 20 June 1941

In Memoriam - USS S-27 (SS-132) - Grounded on 19 June 1942

In Memoriam - USS Bonefish (SS-223) - Lost 18 June 1945

The Sail-Powered Submarine - USS R-14

In Memoriam - USS Golet (SS-361) - Lost 14 June, 1944

In Memoriam - USS R-12 (SS-89) Lost 12 June 1943

In Memoriam - USS Herring (SS-233) - Sunk 01 June 1944

New and Unusual Submarine Related Ephemera

Forgotten Book about USS Snook Crewmember

A Submarine History Mystery

Ever Wanted Your Own USS Razorback Notepaper?

From the Archives - Welcome Aboard Booklet - USS Puffer (SS-268)

Sailing Calmly

SS Sultana - The Forgotten "Titanic" of Arkansas

In Memoriam - Corpral Charles L. Gilliland, US Army

In Memoriam - USS Bonefish (SS-582) Fire - 24 April 1988

In Memoriam - USS Grenadier (SS-210) - Scuttled 22 April 1943

In Memoriam - USS Gudgeon (SS-211) - Declared Lost - 07 June 1944

Razorback Association Aboard

More Submarine History - Booklet from USS Thresher

Happy Birthday Submarine Service

In Memoriam - USS Thresher (SSN-593) - Lost 10 April 1963

In Memoriam - USS Snook (SS-279) - Sunk April 8, 1945

In Memoriam - USS Pickerel (SS-177) - Sunk on April 7, 1943

In Memoriam - USS Trigger (SS-237) - Lost 28 March 1945

In Memoriam - USS Tullibee (SS-284) - Lost 26 March 1944

In Memoriam - USS F-4 (SS-23) - Lost 25 March 1915

Another part of Razorback's History in Digital Format

In Memoriam - USS Kete (SS-369) - Lost on or about 20 March 1945

Last Razorback Plankowner Officer Passes Away

In Memoriam - USS Triton (SS-201) - Sunk 15 March 1943

AIMM Returns to Spring Hours

In Memoriam - USS H-1 (SS-28) - Lost 12 March 1920

Air Compressor Donated to AIMM

Funny Incident from Razorback's Third War Patrol

In Memoriam - USS Grampus (SS-207) - Lost 5 March 1943

In Memoriam - USS Perch (SS-176) - Sunk on 03 March, 1942

In Memoriam - USS Grayback (SS208) - Sunk 27 February 1944

USS Arkansas (CGN-41) Stern Plate on Exhibit

New Models in Stock

In Memoriam - USS Amberjack (SS-219) - Lost 16 February 1943

In Memoriam - USS Shark (SS-174) - 11 February 1942

New Submarine Publication

Friday December 30^th - Open Regular Hours
New Year's Eve (December 31^st) - Open 10a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
New Year's Day (January 1^st, 2012) - Closed