Lesnansky's Control Center 3.0

U.S.S. Squalus

THE DATE:

May 24, 1939

THE PLACE:

The Atlantic Ocean (off the waters of New Hampshire and Maine)

THE STORY:

I am always fascinated by an amazing story and I love to read about and study the stories that not everyone knows. I found this one in the book Amazing Miracles from Newsweek magazine. In May 1939 (before the United States entered World War II a U.S. Naval submarine, the U.S.S. Squalus, was on it's 19th test dive off the coast of New Hampshire. During the test run a valve either malfunctioned or was not closed and the submarine sank in 240 feet of water in the Atlantic Ocean.

The stories and sub stories that came from the dramatic rescue are incredible. Never before had a rescue been successful past 20 feet deep and yet after 39 hours in the cold and darkened submarine 33 survivors were rescued.

INTERNET BASED RESEARCH:

Naval History and Heritage Command

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/squalus-ss-192/squalus-ss-192-sinking-rescure-of-survivors-and-salvage.html

New England Historical Society

http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/the-great-submarine-rescue-squalus-2/

The U.S. Naval Institute

https://www.navalhistory.org/2014/05/23/remembering-the-uss-squalus-75-years-later

Fosters

https://www.fosters.com/news/20170521/heroism-marked-rescue-of-sunken-uss-squalus

Cist Atlantic

http://www.cisatlantic.com/other/squalus.htm

INTERESTING FACTS

When the Squalus sank, she lost all power (including electricity, communications, lights and heat) and the 33 surviving sailors were submerged in 240 feet of water in the dark.
Commander Lt. Oliver Naquin, a 35-year-old Louisiana native, is credited with keeping order and calm and saving his men. He was the last man off of the ship.
Electrician’s Mate Lloyd Maness was saved the lives of the crew by closing a 200 pound door to keep the water from flooding the entire ship. His decision had to be made with his best friend trapped on the other side of the door. Torpedoman Sherman Shirley had asked Maness to be the best man at his wedding which was scheduled for the following week.
The Squalus was raised to the surface but only 25 of the 26 bodies were recovered. It was believed that one sailor was lost during the salvage operation.
The Squalus was salvaged, repaired and recommissioned as the Sailfish and served during World War II.
Several of the 33 sailors who survived the disaster remained in the Navy and many served on other submarines during World War II.
The U.S.S. Sailfish fought in World War II damaging thirteen (13) enemy ships and sinking an additional seven (7).
The officers and the seamen of the Squalus and their rescuers received four Medals of Honor, 46 Navy Crosses and one Distinguished Service Medal.
When she was decommissioned in 1945 her conning tower was cut away and placed in a park at the shipyard, where memorial ceremonies are conducted in May each year.