Mare Island, 1946

[Subdeacon Joe]

This photo was taken at Mare Island in late fall 1946. In the background are several recently mothballed submarines that served during World War II, though the image quality isn’t clear enough to identify specific boats.

In the foreground are three submarines, all still in commission as indicated by the 48-star flags flying from their bows. From left to right, they are:

USS Dentuda (SS-335) – She remained in service until 1967.

USS Searaven (SS-196) – Scheduled for decommissioning on December 11, 1946.

USS Tuna (SS-203) – Also slated for decommissioning on December 11, 1946.

Looking closely at the decks of the Searaven and Tuna, just forward of their conning tower fairwaters, you can see the boat-shaped covers of deck hatches. These once housed the ship’s boats—small craft carried on pre-WWII submarines for ferrying crew and supplies. During the war, these were deemed unnecessary and removed.

On the foredeck of the Tuna, an emergency messenger buoy is visible—identified by its domed top, just to the right of the jack staff. A similar buoy is on Searaven, though it has a flat top and is harder to distinguish. The Dentuda’s buoy is also clearly visible.

 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I have a friend left over from my Marine days, a Lieutenant JG, who worked at Mare Island as a civilian and retired after they shut the place down and did the HAZMAT clean up that was required.

[Subdeacon Joe]

17 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

I have a friend left over from my Marine days, a Lieutenant JG, who worked at Mare Island as a civilian and retired after they shut the place down and did the HAZMAT clean up that was required.

 

I've only been there twice,  both times after it closed,  but before all the civilian stuff was built.   Amazing and beautiful brickwork.  Some nice leaded glass windows on the workshops. All that artistic detail designed into warehouses and machine shops. 

 

The display of weapons outside the Commodore's House (Admiral's Mansion) was magnificent.   I wonder if it's still there?

 

But what really made my brain twitch was that when I was driving around in the areas away from the shops, where the munitions bunkers had been,  I realized that not too long before (30 years or so) if I had managed to get there I could have been shot on sight.