SUBMARINEMUSEUMS.ORG Forum

Individual Submarine Boards => USS Drum (SS-228) => Topic started by: Lance Dean on October 18, 2008, 10:53:01 PM

Title: Navsource odd photo
Post by: Lance Dean on October 18, 2008, 10:53:01 PM: http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08228.htm

Go there, scroll down and you'll see this photo:

(http://www.drum228.org/pics/drum_maybe.jpg)

"The Drum (SS-228) departing San Francisco Navy Yard, at Hunter's Point in July 1945. Note her heavy armament of two 5inch/25 guns, and a 40mm mounted forward on the conning tower step. Additional 20mm and .50 calibre guns will be carried into combat. Note the two periscope shears atop the conning tower, with a separate radar mast behind them." - USN photo & text from "The American Submarine" by Norman Polmar, courtesy of Robert Hurst.

Any ideas on this one Tom? This is what I was asking you about today. Either this is new to us and she did indeed have two 5" guns at this point, or the photo is not of the Drum.
Title: Re: Navsource odd photo
Post by: Tom Bowser on October 19, 2008, 07:48:46 AM: It is possible, but the periscope shears don't look right, it maybe the angle, they look more like the original Gato. I will take a closer look at the boat today or tomarrow and also will check with a couple of the crew that were on board at Hunters point. Thanks for sharing this and I really enjoyed your visit.
Tom
Title: Re: Navsource odd photo
Post by: Lance Dean on February 09, 2009, 06:58:53 PM: Still trying to determine if the above photo is the Drum. We hope to find the answer soon.
Title: Re: Navsource odd photo
Post by: Paul Farace on February 10, 2009, 01:51:24 AM: http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0822801.jpg

The picture above, the one above the photo you display, clearly shows DRUM with 5 inch guns forward and aft!!!

So yea, at one point she was one tough BITCH the Japs had to deal with...!!!
Title: Re: Navsource odd photo
Post by: Tom Bowser on February 10, 2009, 08:23:50 PM: Paul
If you are talking about the port bow view, I don't believe that is the Drum. The Drum had and still has a port and stbd anchor well.
Our machinery history records aren't real clear about the gun, it does say they remove the 4" from forward and got a 5". it doesn't say if it was one or two. we do have a verified photo showing the 5" aft at hunters point june '45 and we are looking though other photos and I will try to get a hold of a gunners mate that was on board at that time.
The shears do look like balao and everything else looks right, it could be.
Tom
Title: Re: Navsource odd photo
Post by: Lance Dean on February 11, 2009, 12:31:11 AM: In the photo at the top of this thread, you can see the ~~port~~ starboard anchor well is still there and the dive planes are up (on the surface). I don't know if this is the photo Paul was referencing or not. NavSource is smart and does not allow hotlinking photos. :)

edited:
Stupid me can't tell left from right sometimes.
Title: Re: Navsource odd photo
Post by: Lance Dean on February 11, 2009, 12:37:23 AM: I was just sent 3 photos of the Drum as she left Mare Island Shipyard on March 22, 1945. This was between war patrols 8 and 9 when she received the Balao conning tower. More soon.
Title: Re: Navsource odd photo
Post by: Lance Dean on February 12, 2009, 10:47:16 AM: Take a look at http://www.drum228.org/warpatrol14.html
Title: Re: Navsource odd photo
Post by: Tom Bowser on February 13, 2009, 09:08:23 PM: It has now been confirmed that the Drum left Hunters Point with two 5" guns and kept them until decommisioning.
Tom