Submarines (1/2)

USS Blenny reef
World War II - USS Blenny SS-324 - 312 ft, 1,810 tons, 8 knots submerged

Everyone knows what a submarine is - a ship that can go underwater. Hardly needs any explanation. Unless you're in the US Navy. By the Navy definition, only their modern, nuclear-powered boats ( all submarines are called "boats" ) are true submarines, designed to operate beneath the surface almost indefinitely. Anything else is merely a "submersible", tied to the surface by the need for fuel and air. Whatever.

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U-151's path from Isabel B Wiley to Carolina

The U-151 was the first German U-boat to operate in U.S. territory in World War I. The U-151 is not actually sunk in these waters ( it was sunk deep off Virginia after the war, ) but it did "contribute" the following six shipwrecks, all on the same day, Sunday, June 2, 1918:


Submarine Defender as rebuilt with sharply raked bow, and her topsides changed, ready for launch at Lake's Bridgeport base. Above her twin propellers is the shutter of a stern torpedo tube. Lake's characteristic pair of amidships planes have been folded up (they are forward and abaft the big conning tower).
Type:
shipwreck, submarine, private
Built:
1906, Lake Torpedo Boat Company, Newport News, VA USA,
as Simon Lake XV
Specs:
( 92 x 13 ft ) 200 tons
Sunk:
1946, scuttled

Type IX U-boat
Type:
shipwreck, Type IXc/40 U-boat, Kriegsmarine, Germany
Built:
1942, Germany
Specs:
( 252 x 22 ft ) 1051 displacement tons, 48-56 crew
Sunk:
Saturday April 16, 1944
by depth charges and gunfire from destroyer escorts USS Gandy, USS Joyce and USS Peterson after torpedoing tanker Pan Pennsylvania - 44 casualties.
Depth:
300 ft

Shipwreck U-853
Type:
shipwreck, Type IXc/40 U-boat, Kriegsmarine, Germany
Built:
1943, Germany
Specs:
( 252 x 22 ft ) 1051 displacement tons, 48-56 crew
Sunk:
Saturday May 6, 1945
sunk by destroyer escort USS Atherton - no survivors
Depth:
110-130 ft

Shipwreck U-869
Type:
shipwreck, Type IXc/40 U-boat, Kriegsmarine, Germany
Specs:
( 252 x 22 ft ) 1051 displacement tons, 48-56 crew
Built:
1944, Germany
Sunk:
February 11, 1945
sunk by destroyer escort USS Howard D. Crow - no survivors
Depth:
240 ft

Shipwreck USS Bass
This photo is signed by Admiral Chester W Nimitz.
Type:
shipwreck, submarine, U.S. Navy
Built:
1924, Portsmouth Navy Yard, NH USA
Specs:
( 341 x 28 ft ) 2000 displacement tons, no crew
Sunk:
Monday March 12, 1945
deliberate - weapons test
Depth:
155 ft - sand ; 140 ft - deck ; 120 ft - conning tower

Shipwreck USS Blenny
The Blenny as she appeared during World War II.
Type:
shipwreck, Balao ( modified Gato ) class submarine, U.S. Navy
Built:
1944, Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT USA
Specs:
( 312 x 27 ft ) 1810 tons, no crew
Sunk:
Wednesday June 7, 1989
"Africa Queen" artificial reef, Maryland
Depth:
70 ft


Shipwreck USS G-2
Type:
shipwreck, submarine, U.S. Navy
Built:
1912, Lake Torpedo Boat Company, Newport News, VA USA
Specs:
( 161 x 13 ft ) 400 tons, no crew
Sunk:
Wednesday July 30, 1919
foundered after weapons tests - 3 casualties (inspection crew)
Depth:
81 ft


Submarines

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A Glittering Piece of History is Recovered From the Briny Deep

disco ball

ASSOCIATED PEST
July 25, 2004

Chatterbox

Deep Sea Defectives is proud to announce the recovery of the Andrea Doria's disco ball. World-famous deep-sea scuba diver John Chatterbox found the ball after mining hidden nuggets from blueprints and records of the vessel to determine its most likely location. He then did a hazardous penetration deep into the bowels of the wreck, which is lying on its side in crazy deep lotta water.

Right: Chatterbox "gets down" with some hot wreck-diving moves