Farewell U.S.S. Clamagore

[Gomez Adams]

I've been on that sub several times, including a paint party back in '92 or '93. They had multiple crews of us scraping rust, treating with naval jelly and then painting.

She's just too old to maintain anymore.

USS Clamagore submarine will be destroyed and recycled, museum says

The USS Clamagore submarine, built at the end of World War II, will be dismantled and recycled, the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in South Carolina announced Friday.

www.cnn.com

 

[Zeedox]

That's really too bad. She was part of the GUPPY program as they mentioned. It was the first streamlining program which would also quiet submarines further.

If you go looking you'll find she's a Balao class. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balao-class_submarine

I did 23 days on a similar type boat back in the 90's. (Oberon class) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberon-class_submarine

 

[Gomez Adams]

I tell you what, no way I could serve on one. I got claustrophobic just being in that thing for an hour or so. No way I could do months of duty on it. I'd go absolutely nuts.

 

[Zeedox]

They warned me that the first dive could be bad - that's when people start to feel the claustrophobia. I have to admit I did have some feelings of dread in the first few moments until I realized I flew for a living and crushing/crashing were pretty much the same.

 

[Gomez Adams]

Well, you have a chance, however slim, to bail out of an aircraft.

There is zero chance of survival in a sub going down.

 

[Zeedox]

Yes and no. There are escape hatches and basically it's exhale all the way up. I know they test in deep ass pools just for this. There is also a suit to wear that is good from 600ft.
And although parachutes are available they typically aren't worn in a multi-person crew environment with people moving about until you are actually ready to bail out. I only ever actually got into a chute harness and attached a chute in yearly safety training. For us ditching was always the better survival tactic then jumping.