Posted on 05/24/2019 10:35:36 AM PDT by DFG
A historic Second World War submarine took to the waters for the first time in nearly 50 years when heavy rains flooded its military museum home - causing it to refloat.
The USS Batfish, a 77-year-old Balao-class submarine, was placed on display at the Muskogee's War Memorial Park in Oklahoma - a region that has experienced flash flooding and tornadoes this week - causing rivers to flood and banks to spill over.
Dry docked in a park alongside the Arkansas River since 1973, flooded water brought the USS Batfish - best known for sinking three Japanese Imperial Warships during a 76-hour period in 1945 - back to life as it floated comfortably once more.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Still has Hull integrity hope they reposition it before the waters subside
The story (as I heard it) was that some wealthy gentleman had bought her surplus and was going to have her brought up the river to (somewhere), but due to the river becoming shallow and narrow, she only made it to Muskogee and there she stays.
Now might be a good time to finish the journey.
(Although, I’m sure the fellow is long gone by now)
Glad she’s still floating and not sitting flooded out in the silt.
I have a friend who served on the newer USS Batfish (SSN-681). Attack sub, decommissioned in 1999.
“Balao-class!!” - Kelsey Grammar
Nice-looking boat.
The local fire department was called in to fill the empty ballast tanks!
We were living in Tulsa when the first ocean going ship made it to the port of Catoosa.
It was a German ship and the captain and crew were surprised by the welcome. In an interview, the captain said they originally had some problems as the river buoys, navigation directions etc. were the very opposite of European rivers.
https://warmemorialpark.org/about/u-s-s-batfish/
[snip] The famed submarine was a powerful U.S. weapon during World War II. Named for a ferocious West Indian fish, the Batfish sank 15 Japanese vessels during the war, among them three submarines in just 76 hours. The latter accomplishment has not since been matched and U.S.S. Batfish to this day remains the most successful submarine killing sub in history [/snip]
Anchors away!
[the Batfish sank 15 Japanese vessels during the war, among them three submarines in just 76 hours]
Wow
They have taken good care of that old girl. She’ll be just fine. Served on board a Balao class boat that had a GUPPY III conversion during the cold war. DBF!!!
Been there, seen that, and it is well worth the trip.
Cuz where else would you display a submarine?
Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport - Batfish would look good moored in the lagoon.
Good duty for a Coast Guard submarine land guy.
...ping....
[Maybe I could be a land guy]
Somebody’s gotta unhook the boat from the thing when it leaves the place!!!
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