Author Topic: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC  (Read 10964 times)

Offline K0EFV

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THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« on: March 29, 2008, 01:40:03 PM »
I plan to add things to this topic on an ongoing basis.  So this is the first but not the last.  In looking at some old files and I was reminded of the USS Greenville incident with the Japanese fishing boat Ehime Maru a few years back.  I made myself very unpopular with some Navy and Marine Corps people in some remarks I made at the time  (Mar 2000) when 19 Marine bodies were recovered and returned home from Makin Island.  I will put some of those remarks below. in this post, but I will be doing another posting under "Marines and Submariners" soon regarding the "MAKIN RAID" (1942) by the USS Nautilus SS-168,, USS Argonaut SS-166,and the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion.  That's another story in itself so enough on that.

My remarks as follows:
"The recent submarine accident off Hawai resulted in the sinking of a Japanese fishing boat, and the loss of NINE Japanese sailors has demonstrated once again the American attitude of the nineties.  First an immediate investigation of the commander and crew of the Greenville.  (Probably similar to that of the  ill fated USS Indianapolis). Then a formal  apology to the Japanese Government, with  financial aid to the families of the fishermen, and the boat owners. And finally assume responsibility for the recovery and return of the bodies of the NINE fisherman".  Well that's exactly what we did.

"If the Japanese government will give us a formal apology for the execution by beheading NINE  Marine POW's from the Makin Raid;  AND if the Japanese will recover and return to us the NINE bodies of the Marines buried on Kwajalein Island, AND make financial compensation to their families.  THEN  and only then should we abide by their demands regarding the fishing boat".

Enough of the soap box, and back to the USS Mero
K0EFV Tom USMC  
« Last Edit: March 29, 2008, 06:19:45 PM by K0EFV »
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Offline K0EFV

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2008, 08:01:03 PM »
These are two pages from my Book "Manitowoc's 28 Submarines.  Will do more of the pages when I get them scanned.
Tom USMC

chris

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2008, 08:54:35 PM »
COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME SOME MORE ABOUT YOUR BOOK?

Offline K0EFV

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2008, 01:54:58 PM »
Chris:
Thanks for your interest.  Actually what started out as a single scrap book is now three books.  Originally I made a cover, a brief history of the Manitowoc ship builders, a page for each boat with very brief history and specifications, a photo, and a page with  postal first day issues for Keel Laying, Launch, and Commissioning.  There seemed to be an interest of late in the postal issues.  I was fortunate enough to find that an old Manitowoc native had collected a set of all three issues for all 28 of the Manitowoc Subs.  I scanned all of them and put them on an individual page for each sub with a patch, and Navy Seal.  This was when I moved other data like Deck Logs, Memorials, News releases, tons of photos and Museum History to a second book.  I, like many others, am overwhelmed by the amount of data available on the web pages today.  So now the second book has got too large.  To add insult to injury most of the pages are no longer on files, do to a computer crash some time ago, and they must be scanned back into jpeg files.  I am considering doing this for book #1, and making it available on a CD free to anyone who might be interested.  I have always believed that scrap books should be heavy on photos and graphics and light on text.  Also I have about 15 or so other scrap books I am trying to keep up for WWII, and beyond, for other Veteran's groups, and friends.  I also thank my good friend Don Messener (USS DIODON) for condensing the Manitowoc Ship Builders History into one page, a rather difficult task.         
« Last Edit: April 01, 2008, 02:04:58 PM by K0EFV »
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Offline K0EFV

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2008, 02:12:43 PM »
Sorry missed one page on attachs
K0EFV
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Offline Fred Tannenbaum

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2008, 02:15:18 PM »
Looks like a nice project and a labor of love. However, are you giving credit to Navsource.org for some of the information? That first page about the Raton looks almost identical to what's on their page. A lot of good people have worked extremely hard to make Navsource the excellent resource it is and they certainly deserve credit where credit is due.

Offline K0EFV

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2008, 02:20:43 PM »
FRED:
Well I think Navsource probably got it from via the museum,  If it's identical then it's the one I gave to the Museum.
K0EFV
Tom USMC

Offline Fred Tannenbaum

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2008, 02:29:27 PM »
The museum has donated hundreds of images to Navsource. I'm saying that the top of your Raton page looks exactly like Navsource's down to the signal flags for the radio call sign.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08270.htm

Offline K0EFV

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2008, 02:50:36 PM »
Fred:
Sorry for the confusion.  You are correct that one page is from NAV SOURCE.  When I finished the book the first time the Museum made copies of it and sold them in the  museum's gift shop.  The page I used then was from Subnet .com.  When I did this posting I found Subnet.Com was no longer in existance so I used part of a page one from Navsource to make that one page.  All the other pages are the originals without Nav Source pages.  As you well know copy writes and acknowledgements etc are a very touchy subject.  I do my best to abide by all the rules.  Thanks for your input.
K0EFV Tom USMC    
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Offline K0EFV

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2008, 11:05:44 AM »
How good were the Manitowoc boats?  An old amateur radio friend Bert Thompson (WA1NEZ) who was on the commissioning crew, and served on all six war patrols of the Hammerhead SS-364 sent me the following deck log entry by Lt Cdr J.C. Martin the skipper of her on the first three patrols.  I find it to be a fine tribute to the 7,000 dedicated workers at the Manitowoc Shipyards.  Some of them not only built submarines, but went on to serve on them.  This is the deck log entry:

"It is with great satisfaction that the commanding officer notes the pride the officers and Crew take in maintaining a good operating and clean ship.  It reflects the fine workmanship and cooperation of the building yard at Manitowoc in turning over the ship that is excellently constructed and finished.  This ship was by far the most complete and finished of any of the 4 submarines in which the commanding officer has assisted in fitting out.  It is also noteworthy that with the large number of days operating with little chance of dockside upkeep in the fact that the crew although tired prefer to do a lot of the work prior to reaching port instead of turning it over to the relief crew."

To some of my critics  please note that he uses the word "ship" not "boat".

K0EFV Tom USMC
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Offline K0EFV

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Re: THE 28 BOATS FROM MANITOWOC
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2008, 12:08:55 PM »
ADD to my Hammerhead posting.
In one of my early visits to Manitowoc I told Bert the Hammerhead Battle Flag he donated to the Museum was prominently displayed just inside the main enterance, and I would get a picture for him.  One of the museum workers took it down so we could take the picture.  On another visit I noticed the flag was missing and I asked why.  They told me someone told them it was a "replica" not an original.  I told them not only was it the original but it was also carried aboard Hammerhead II SSN-663.  On a later visit I asked where it was, and they said it was stored in the archives section, and would I like to see it.  They opened a large drawer and there it was laid out unfolded, and wrapped in a special storage paper, and not to touch it unless I put on special white handling gloves.  WOW

K0EFV Tom USMC  
Tom USMC