[Composed 9/21/2024]
After a proper Uncle Ben Approved Breakfast of fruit loops and cream cheese with chocolate chips* we made our way down to the Baltimore Harbor to tour the historic ships on display.
First up, we visited the USS Torsk. The Torsk is a submarine that was built for, and saw action at the end of WII.
It's first war patrol in 1945 was to serve as a lifeguard for B-29's making raids on the Japenese empire. While the Torsk had no notable saves during this time, it's worth taking a moment to appreciate the USS Finback which did. In this grainy footage you can see a handful of the USS Finback's crew picking up a downed airman from a life raft. That crewman would go on to be the 41st president of the United States. That's right, that's George H. W. Bush being pulled out of the drink. After seeing that footage I can't help but see the former President in a new light.
The Torsk did have notable action at the very end of the war; it holds the distinction of sinking the last Japanese vessel of World War II.
Around noon [on August 14th, 1945], another frigate appeared, apparently a reinforcement which had been called in. Continuing her aggressive action, Torsk fired a Mark 28 torpedo at the frigate which had already detected the submarine's presence. Comdr. Lewellen then initiated deep submergence procedures and ordered the crew to rig for silent running. After a tense five minutes, she reached 400 feet and there she launched another torpedo, this time the new acoustic Mark 27. Almost immediately, a loud explosion announced that the first torpedo had found its mark, and a minute later a second explosion sounded, followed by strong breaking up noises. The secret new torpedoes had proven their worth in battle, and Torsk was credited, not only with two enemy warships, but also with sinking the last Japanese warship sunk in World War II. Held down by enemy planes and patrol vessels, the submarine remained submerged more than seven hours. Then, she surfaced and headed for the Noto peninsula.
On the 15th, following four highly successful days of aggressive patrolling, Torsk received word of the cessation of hostilities.
I've toured the Torsk a number of times, and it simply never ceases to delight. You start in the aft torpedo room, which jumps right to the point. G noticed that above the torpedoes are bunks. Apparently, 12 to 18(!) sailors slept in this comically small space. Using every inch of space is a common theme aboard the Torsk.
Climbing through a G-sized hatch, we made our way to the maneuvering room, which has countless gauges, knobs and levers for us to oggle and handle. From there, it was on to the engine rooms, which must have been impossibly loud and hot. From there, we saw the eating and kitchen area. Everything about the Torsk is on the extreme side, so not only did 20 men have to squeeze into small eating area at one time, but they had only 10 minutes to eat before the next shift's turn.
From the mess, we made our way to the control room, which continues the theme of offering countless bits of hardware to futz with. Here there are giant wheels used to control the dive angle of boat. Or, as G and I imagined it: the perfect place to derive the sub. The depth gauge here shows that the Torsk was rated to go down to 600 feet. Man these sailors were next level brave.
Climbing through the last hatch below, we ended up in the aft torpedo room. From there, we made our way back to the top of the boat and then down the gangway back to dry land.
I think G really enjoyed exploring the sub. The relatively small size, relatable details like the bunks and mess, endless physical controls and the torpedoes all made for an experience that was perfect for a 4 year old. Up next, we're heading to the U.S Coast Guard Cutter 37.
*Wait, did you say cream cheese and chocolate chips? I did. When you travel with your Uncle Ben and Aunt Shira, we go big!
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