Thar She Blows!

[Sedalia Dave]

 

PICKEREL (SS-524)

 

 

Pickerel (SS-524), surfacing at a 48 degree up angle, from a depth of 150 feet, during tests off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, 1 March 1952.

 

"The purpose of this operation was to enable the Navy's submarine experts to evaluate the sub's capabilities and characteristics of the GUPPY-snorkel type sub.

 

This picture was taken from Sabalo (SS-302). Her sonarmen kept Pickerel under observation while she was submerged and preparing to surface. During Pickerel's maneuvering the sonar gear delivered the constantly changing relative bearing which enabled the photographers to make this shot as she broke the surface."

Note: The official record of the "surfacing" pictured above is that it started at 150 feet and reached a 48 degree up-angle. From a crew-member manning the helm during this evolution:

 

"We started at 250 feet, flank speed. The surfacing order included 'use 60 degrees' (the highest reading on the -bubble-type' angle indicator).

 

"We overshot, and lost the bubble at 65 degrees. The maximum angle (72 degrees) was calculated later by the highwater marks in the Pump Room bilges. Thinking back, even with the bow sticking above water up to the bridge fairwater, the screws wouldn't have been much above where we started, still pushing us upward.

 

"First message from the Queenfish (SS-393) which was accompanying us: 'What is the specific gravity of your Torpedo Room bilges?'

 

"As you may imagine, the C.O. was something of a competitive wildman, pushing to find out what the limits were for these new GUPPY boats, after putting up with the older WW2 boats. And, we had to beat the Amberjack's (SS-522) record of 43 degrees."

(National Museum of U.S. Navy.)

 

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

I can’t imagine being a crew member inside.  I hope everyone had something to hang on to tight.  Otherwise it’d be like a ball bearing inside a paint can in a mixer.

[Pat Riot]

I wonder if that was the first sub to also see a recordable amount of zero gravity by the crew? 

 

When I was on mess duty we were in the Atlantic on maneuvers with another battle group and a couple of submarines. 
The word was passed on the 1MC (PA) that all hands topside must must go below to clear the main deck and upper decks by non-essential personnel for submarine maneuvers.

The ship’s Wardroom was on the Main Deck level of the ship. 

About 15 minutes later one of the cooks caught a pan of grease on fire. Instead of allowing the other cook, both were idiots, to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. I did not want to clean up that mess so I grabbed two mits, grabbed the pan and another opened doors for me and he and I ran out onto the main deck from mid ships and I tossed the pan into the drink. 
About this same time a fast attack sub breached the surface at a steep angle (maybe 45°) matching our speed of about 20 knots. Very impressive! At that same moment an officer yelled at both of us and told us to get off the main deck. 
We did.

About a half-hour later my Division Officer (CO Div), the Ops Division Officer, the ship’s Security Officer and an officer representing the Admiral overseeing these operations came to the officer’s wardroom to discuss what myself and my Ops shipmate on mess duty witnessed. They also had us sign documents that stated that we would not discuss this matter with anyone under penalty of Court Martial and a change of command to Leavenworth KS. 
We signed and shut the hell up!

 

 

[Subdeacon Joe]

32 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

About 15 minutes later one of the cooks caught a pan of grease on fire. Instead of allowing the other cook, both were idiots, to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. I did not want to clean up that mess so I grabbed two mits, grabbed the pan and another opened doors for me and he and I ran out onto the main deck from mid ships and I tossed the pan into the drink. 

 

 

Why didn't you just cover the pan?

[Trailrider #896]

Impressive. But I'm not sure the tactical practicality was of such maneuvers. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

Well, we know that the crew found every bit of gear that wasn't secured.

 

10 minutes ago, Trailrider #896 said:

Impressive. But I'm not sure the tactical practicality was of such maneuvers. 

 

Maybe a fire onboard and they need to surface quickly.  Or some other emergency.  They even have a special button for it.
https://americanhistory.si.edu/subs/operating/attackcenter/controlstation/emergblow.html

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

didn't a US sub do this and end up wrecking a civilian boat it landed on?  or something like that?

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

1 hour ago, Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L said:

didn't a US sub do this and end up wrecking a civilian boat it landed on?  or something like that?

 

Yup.  Been forbidden ever since.  

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehime_Maru_and_USS_Greeneville_collision#:~:text=As the submarine shot to,teachers%2C and three crew members.&text=Pacific Ocean%2C 9 nmi (17,) off Oahu%2C Hawaii%2C U.S.

[Pat Riot]

12 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

 

Why didn't you just cover the pan?

Actually, I don’t know.

[Subdeacon Joe]

21 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

Actually, I don’t know.

 

In college the guy in the apartment next to me rushed over and said he had a pan on fire.  I went back with him, grabbed a baking sheet and slid it on top of the burning pan.   He stood there with a shocked look on his face that it was so easy.   It's something that most people don't think of.   Even a carefully laid wet dish towel will work. You just have to remember that a second or two of flam isn't likely to burn you.

[bgavin]

On 8/23/2023 at 3:35 AM, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

I can’t imagine being a crew member inside.  I hope everyone had something to hang on to tight.  Otherwise it’d be like a ball bearing inside a paint can in a mixer.

My exact thoughts when I saw that image.