A question about submarines?

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Watching an old flick about submarines in WW II. I noticed that WHILE SUBMERGED,

the actors were smoking cigarettes like there was no tomorrow. I would have thought

this action would be verboten. Air was at a premium while submerged. I can't see

them burning it up. Am I wrong or is Hollyweird?

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I don't now about WWII but I suspect it was allowed. In 2010, the navy nixed smoking on subs.

[Trailrider #896]

Unfortunately, my source for WWII submarine warfare, RAdm (ret) "Acey" Burrows has passed. He was a friend of my uncle. I suspect that smoking while submerged was probably not allowed for the reasons you state. Done forget, aside from the German U-boats that were equipped with snorkles "submarines" were really submersibles, capable of limited running submerged. Not only was air in short supply, but the life of the batteries powering the motors that turned the propellers were of limited duration. Most U.S. subs ran on the surface at night or when it seemed safe to do so in daylight. During those periods, the hatches could be opened, as well as the main induction for the diesels, and then "the smoking lamp" could be lit, at the captain's discretion.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

BMC

 

I have it on somewhat beliveable info

 

they AIN'T got screen doors

 

[Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171]

NO SCREEN DOORS??? That would make Bugs a problem on submarines!

 

There's a pun in there someplace from a guy that gets claustrophobic in large crowds.

[Shawnee McGrutt]

Screen doors or not, wouldn't catch me in no tin can under the water.

My nephew did it for a year, better man then me.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Well, no screen doors, because there are no bugs at sea.

Flies and mosquitoes get sea sick.

[Captain Bill Burt]

During the 80's we smoked on submarines, a lot. Those were nuclear and there was no shortage of air or power. During WWII I think they were actually issued cigs as rations.

[Captain Bill Burt]

 

Well, no screen doors, because there are no bugs at sea.

Flies and mosquitoes get sea sick.

 

The submarine I was on had a screen door. Luckily it didn't open to the outside.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

That could present a problem, if somebody left the door open.

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

WWII and older boats where limited by their batteries.

Not the amount of breathable air.

They carried air bottles (S-boats ...273.5 cubic feet at 2800 psi) that could be opened and closed to help the air quality during long runs submerged.

The WWII submarine was rated 48 hours submerged at 2 knots with about 15 to 18 hours reserve air.

The batteries and air supply would be recharged almost every time the diesels were ran.

 

There are stories of longer down times do to war actions when the motors where shut down and not using battery.

 

Nuke boats generate their own oxygen during the water distilling process.

They have high presser air banks and they also carry oxygen candles which when burned produce breathable oxygen.

[Trailrider #896]

Speaking of screen doors... You know why the Titanic sank? That gal kept singing, "Once more you open the door...." Opened it once too many times, and down she went!

[Bo Dacious]

I spent a few years on one in the early 80s and smoking was not an issue. All boats were nukes by then, had great air scrubbers, and we could even generate O2 from sea water if needed. Of course you could smoke on aircraft and elevators back then too.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Well, in WW II almost everybody smoked. Wounded men were given a cigarette while on the

stretchers getting plasma.

[Clueless Bob]

I put submarines in the same class as parachutes of things I will not do. I will NOT jump out of a perfectly good airplane, and I will NOT go on a boat that is designed to sink!!

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Good plan, Bob.

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

Submarines, ships and boats will all sink.

Submarines are designed to come back to the surface. ;^)

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Cliff, wasn't it you who told me about the nuclear sub that Mexico was building and how it sunk during its first trials because when it got wet the adobe hull washed away?

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

It wasn't so much the adobe washing away as it was the water running through the reinforcing straw in the adobe.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Back in... oh, lessee... I think it was late 70's or early 80's... I was working for a banking outfit in San Francisco (Western States BankCard Assoc.). And I knew it wouldn't last forever, but I really appreciated my office - not a private office, but my desk (I was the department head) was in a corner, second floor of the three-story building. And it came with a Million Dollar View for sure! I could turn around and there was the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, and heck... the Bay itself - literally right across the street! That "street" was the Embarcadero, and if my window would open I coulda plunked a stone into the drink from my chair. So cool...!

 

So there I was. It was a Saturday morning, and I'd decided to go in and do some "catch up" work while the office was mostly deserted and quiet. Sitting there, working on budget stuff (pre-PC days). Paper spreadsheets piled on my desk, adding machine cranking away, when ol' Bob Lyons, my boss, comes wanderin' in.

 

"Hey! Rod! Did you SEE it??"

 

"Uh... huh? Did I see what?"

 

Bob grinned, and said "Well poop! Turn around and look out the $^%&* window!"

 

Puzzled, I did as directed, looked out the window, let my eyes wander about the vista... and then, they snapped back to center.

 

Holy Cow!

 

Right there, right in front of me... was a submarine, literally parked across the street!

 

"Damn, Bob!! Wouldya look at THAT!"

 

"I was lookin' at it. And look again - apparently it's open! I see people wandering about!"

 

So, bein' the bright boys we were, we hauled spuds out of the office and across the Embarcadero to check it out.

 

Sure 'nuff... anyone interested was invited aboard to check it out. And needless to say, we were interested. A young sailor took us aboard, and gave us a tour - the thing was absolutely fascinating. And of course, we eventually ended up in the control room. And there it was... the periscope!

 

Bob asked, "Can I look though this?" And the the sailor said "Of course!"

 

Well... Bob eagerly plastered his face against whatever the danged thing's called that you look through... smiled... grinned... and busted out laughing. Finally pulled away with tears literally running from his eyes. Gasping, he pointed to the "whatever the danged thing's called that you look through" and gasped... "Look... LOOK! Ya gotta LOOK!!"

 

The sailor sorta smiled, and I took Bob's place, got in position, and looked.

 

First impression... Huh! This is just like looking through a riflescope... there's cross hairs... and... and... and it's focused... on a window... and... the cross hairs... are... RIGHT ON MY FREAKIN' CHAIR!!

 

I was quite impressed. Wish I coulda gotten a picture!

 

By the way, I wouldn't swear to it, but I think she was the USS Blueback. The sailor told us that she was one of only four diesel boats remaining in service. As they used to shout at the Horse and Cow... DBF~!

[Tucker McNeely]

Yes, you can smoke on submarines, at least between 1990 and 2001. There are plenty of air contaiminates on board besides the cigarettes. Usually around 135 crew members, lube oil mist, the galley and whenever the black water tanks were mistakenly blown inboard. This was usually a fine gusher of goo propelled by high pressure air.

 

My submarines had two smoking areas that we limited to three smokers at a time. It was funny to witness the smoking line longer than the line to the head.

 

The fun thing to do was put one of your best buddies cigarette near the O2 bleed port. The cigarette absorbs O2 like a magnet. Then burns super hot and quick on the first puff of the day. :-]

[Grapeshot 8553]

Submarines and Tanks are great when they have the advantage over the enemy. Once the tide turns, the sub is sunk and the tank becomes a funeral pyre.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Cool avatar, Tucker!

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I had a coworker who was an Annapolis grad. He described the Navy's branches as Submarines, Aviation, and targets.

[Paladin Gun For Hire]

Back in... oh, lessee... I think it was late 70's or early 80's... I was working for a banking outfit in San Francisco (Western States BankCard Assoc.). And I knew it wouldn't last forever, but I really appreciated my office - not a private office, but my desk (I was the department head) was in a corner, second floor of the three-story building. And it came with a Million Dollar View for sure! I could turn around and there was the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, and heck... the Bay itself - literally right across the street! That "street" was the Embarcadero, and if my window would open I coulda plunked a stone into the drink from my chair. So cool...!

 

So there I was. It was a Saturday morning, and I'd decided to go in and do some "catch up" work while the office was mostly deserted and quiet. Sitting there, working on budget stuff (pre-PC days). Paper spreadsheets piled on my desk, adding machine cranking away, when ol' Bob Lyons, my boss, comes wanderin' in.

 

"Hey! Rod! Did you SEE it??"

 

"Uh... huh? Did I see what?"

 

Bob grinned, and said "Well poop! Turn around and look out the $^%&* window!"

 

Puzzled, I did as directed, looked out the window, let my eyes wander about the vista... and then, they snapped back to center.

 

Holy Cow!

 

Right there, right in front of me... was a submarine, literally parked across the street!

 

"Damn, Bob!! Wouldya look at THAT!"

 

"I was lookin' at it. And look again - apparently it's open! I see people wandering about!"

 

So, bein' the bright boys we were, we hauled spuds out of the office and across the Embarcadero to check it out.

 

Sure 'nuff... anyone interested was invited aboard to check it out. And needless to say, we were interested. A young sailor took us aboard, and gave us a tour - the thing was absolutely fascinating. And of course, we eventually ended up in the control room. And there it was... the periscope!

 

Bob asked, "Can I look though this?" And the the sailor said "Of course!"

 

Well... Bob eagerly plastered his face against whatever the danged thing's called that you look through... smiled... grinned... and busted out laughing. Finally pulled away with tears literally running from his eyes. Gasping, he pointed to the "whatever the danged thing's called that you look through" and gasped... "Look... LOOK! Ya gotta LOOK!!"

 

The sailor sorta smiled, and I took Bob's place, got in position, and looked.

 

First impression... Huh! This is just like looking through a riflescope... there's cross hairs... and... and... and it's focused... on a window... and... the cross hairs... are... RIGHT ON MY FREAKIN' CHAIR!!

 

I was quite impressed. Wish I coulda gotten a picture!

 

By the way, I wouldn't swear to it, but I think she was the USS Blueback. The sailor told us that she was one of only four diesel boats remaining in service. As they used to shout at the Horse and Cow... DBF~!

Hardpan,

Nest time you are in the Portland,Oregon, ya can take another tour of the Blueback. she is docked here and open to tourists.

[Captain Bill Burt]

Submarines and Tanks are great when they have the advantage over the enemy. Once the tide turns, the sub is sunk and the tank becomes a funeral pyre.

There are two types of ships in the Navy, subs, and targets.

 

Since WWII the Navy has lost about 30 ships, 3 of which were submarines. Submarines constitute roughly a third of the Navy, so those numbers indicate subs are safer than surface ships. It's tough to get on a submarine and every crew member is required to be submarine qualified. When I was in being Surface qualified was optional for surface sailors and most weren't.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Since WWII the Navy has lost about 30 ships, 3 of which were submarines.

I only knew of Thresher and Scorpion. In looking up the third, I found there were four lost since WWII. I learn something new every day!

 

Cochino: 1949

Stickleback: 1958

Thresher: 1963

Scorpion: 1968

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Hardpan,

Nest time you are in the Portland,Oregon, ya can take another tour of the Blueback. she is docked here and open to tourists.

 

I'll do that, Paladin.

 

And next time you're in Bremerton, you can drop in at The Horse and Cow.

 

I understand it's been spruced up a mite since moving from Hunter's Point* and Vallejo.

 

*Actually, on Mission Street in the Mission District, but "home away from home" for submariners when tied up at Hunter's Point. And patronized by submariners, butchers, and a few guys from SF State's Kappa Phi Delta fraternity.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

I never knew about this until today.

 

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

without seeing the program, I'm guessing this is a doctored photo The History Channel came up with. Nearest info I could come up with are the Japanese I-400 subs and the French Surcouf. BIG subs of that era - Interesting stuff.

 

Edit: found this "...this is in fact not a picture of Le Surcouf, but of the fictional I-507 from the japanese movie Lorelei:The witch of the Pacific"

[Captain Bill Burt]

I only knew of Thresher and Scorpion. In looking up the third, I found there were four lost since WWII. I learn something new every day!

 

Cochino: 1949

Stickleback: 1958

Thresher: 1963

Scorpion: 1968

I did not know about the Stickleback. Interesting!

 

That would not be the outcome of a collision between a modern nuclear submarine and a surface ship. In almost every case the surface ship would lose. My sub, the Von Steuben had the dubious honor of holding the record for peacetime tonnage sunk. Subs are tough!

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

My sub, the Von Steuben had the dubious honor of holding the record for peacetime tonnage sunk. Subs are tough!

 

Wikipedia does not mention the honor.

[Captain Bill Burt]

Nope, nor does it mention any of the incidents that gave rise to it. It merely mentions that after patrols in 1969 it returned for repairs.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Youse guys are making this mundane thread very interesting.

Thanks

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I don't think we have ever made an interesting thread be mundane --- without moderator involvement.