Good Morning: Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare invokes US wrath

[Okla-homey]

May 7, 1915: Lusitania sinks

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/413/lusi94747a.jpg

94 years ago today, on the afternoon of May 7, 1915, the British ocean liner Lusitania is torpedoed without warning by a German submarine off the south coast of Ireland. Within 20 minutes, the vessel sank into the Celtic Sea. Of 1,959 passengers and crew, 1,198 people were drowned, including 128 Americans.

The attack aroused considerable indignation in the United States, but Germany defended the action, noting that it had issued warnings of its intent to attack all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2072/lusitania3.jpg

When World War I erupted in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson pledged neutrality for the United States, a position that the vast majority of Americans favored. Britain, however, was one of America's closest trading partners, and tension soon arose between the United States and Germany over the latter's attempted quarantine of the British isles.

Several U.S. ships traveling to Britain were damaged or sunk by German mines, and in February 1915 Germany announced unrestricted submarine warfare in the waters around Britain.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/114/lusitaniasinkingposter.jpg

In early May 1915, several New York newspapers published a warning by the German embassy in Washington that Americans traveling on British or Allied ships in war zones did so at their own risk. The announcement was placed on the same page as an advertisement of the imminent sailing of the Lusitania liner from New York back to Liverpool.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/7606/lusitaniawarning305x543.gif

The sinkings of merchant ships off the south coast of Ireland prompted the British Admiralty to warn the Lusitania to avoid the area or take simple evasive action, such as zigzagging to confuse U-boats plotting the vessel's course. The captain of the Lusitania ignored these recommendations, and at 2:12 p.m. on May 7 the 32,000-ton ship was hit by an exploding torpedo on its starboard side. The torpedo blast was followed by a larger explosion, probably of the ship's boilers, and the ship sunk in 20 minutes.

It was revealed that the Lusitania was carrying about 173 tons of war munitions for Britain, which the Germans cited as further justification for the attack. The United States eventually sent three notes to Berlin protesting the action, and Germany apologized and pledged to end unrestricted submarine warfare.

In November, however, a U-boat sunk an Italian liner without warning, killing 272 people, including 27 Americans. Public opinion in the United States began to turn irrevocably against Germany.

On January 31, 1917, Germany, determined to win its war of attrition against the Allies, announced that it would resume unrestricted warfare in war-zone waters. Three days later, the United States broke diplomatic relations with Germany, and just hours after that the American liner Housatonic was sunk by a German U-boat.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6630/lusitania.jpg

On February 22, Congress passed a $250 million arms appropriations bill intended to make the United States ready for war. In late March, Germany sunk four more U.S. merchant ships, and on April 2 President Wilson appeared before Congress and called for a declaration of war against Germany. On April 4, the Senate voted to declare war against Germany, and two days later the House of Representatives endorsed the declaration.

With that, America entered World War I.

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/2623/insane7zo.jpg

[Lott's Bandana]

When I was a young squid on patrols in the North Atlantic, I had a book at the chart table that listed all the latitudes and longitudes of all the known wrecks, with the date sunk.

On our classified charts, there were little purple circles that showed the locations of the wrecks which corresponded to the data shown in that book.

When we operated near one of the circles, I'd look it up in the book and see what the wreck was.

Several times we passed right over the Lusitania and others. Quite often there would be five or so circles. Four would be names and dates of ships that were sunk on the same day, and one would be a U-boat, also sunk that day...or the next day. Those little circles told stories. It was a serious battle out there during both wars and as a young kid on a nuclear submarine, it was rather humbling to learn about these individual gravesites.

The entrance to the Mediterranean is so covered with purple circles from sunk ships that they are hardly distinguishable from each other.

[picasso]

When I was a young squid on patrols in the North Atlantic, I had a book at the chart table that listed all the latitudes and longitudes of all the known wrecks, with the date sunk.

On our classified charts, there were little purple circles that showed the locations of the wrecks which corresponded to the data shown in that book.

When we operated near one of the circles, I'd look it up in the book and see what the wreck was.

Several times we passed right over the Lusitania and others. Quite often there would be five or so circles. Four would be names and dates of ships that were sunk on the same day, and one would be a U-boat, also sunk that day...or the next day. Those little circles told stories. It was a serious battle out there during both wars and as a young kid on a nuclear submarine, it was rather humbling to learn about these individual gravesites.

The entrance to the Mediterranean is so covered with purple circles from sunk ships that they are hardly distinguishable from each other.

that is quite interesting.

[Lott's Bandana]

that is quite interesting.


When we were near a particularly noteworthy wreck, like Titanic, I would publish a short note in that day's "Plan of the Day" so the crew would get a feel for what they were doing and where they were, relative to history.

I wish the book wasn't classified. I'd have a copy.

The reason it is classified is because it was an appendix to our bathymetric charts that had such incredible detail of the entire ocean floor that a single ship hull was large enough to stand out on our sounding gear.

A nuclear submarine can navigate entirely using the ocean floor and the sounding information, without ever having to get a satellite or GPS fix. Thanks to the Cold War efforts of our NOAA cartographic brethren, submarines remain virtually undetectable and frankly the most effective seagoing intelligence, warfighting and nuclear deterrent platform that exists.

It was fun to be a part of.

[C&CDean]

Crazy-assed mother****ers. People go "you must be crazy to jump out of a perfectly good airplane." I go "if there was any such thing as a perfectly good airplane, they never would have invented a parachute. But if you want crazy, go live in a tin can under the ocean for months at a lick. That's some crazy **** right there."

[JohnnyMack]

I found a pic of Dean parachuting when he was a young man:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Early_flight_02561u_(4).jpg/410px-Early_flight_02561u_(4).jpg

[C&CDean]

Of course if you weren't such a lazy **** you'd have farked my face and name into that thing.

[Lott's Bandana]

Crazy-assed mother****ers. People go "you must be crazy to jump out of a perfectly good airplane." I go "if there was any such thing as a perfectly good airplane, they never would have invented a parachute. But if you want crazy, go live in a tin can under the ocean for months at a lick. That's some crazy **** right there."


Actually, if you don't mind a never-empty coffee pot, air conditioning, best food and $$$ in the military and the fact that the 18 year-old brand new zitfaced Seaman Apprentice on board is the one driving your 3 billion dollar, nuclear reactor submerged rocket/airplane, it isn't so bad.

Well, that and the insufferable "peacetime" Skippers.

[SoonerJack]

As a huge fan of submarine books and movies, Lott's Bandana, I am extremely jealous of your experience.

[Lott's Bandana]

As a huge fan of submarine books and movies, Lott's Bandana, I am extremely jealous of your experience.


Jack, thanks man...I am proud of what I did, but as any vet can tell you, there were many more days of cold canned ravioli, sanitary tanks venting into the boat's atmosphere, meetings to plan meetings and nut-to-butts with stinky nuclear engineers ("f'in Nukes"), etc., than I would have liked.

Still, I would do it again and I bet any vet would also say that as well...


If you are interested, the part of The Hunt For Red October where Jack Ryan is dropped aboard Dallas and his time spent onboard is the most realistic depiction of Cold War submarining I have ever seen Hollywood recreate. All but the Crazy Ivan stuff, which is true but highly exaggerated.

[fadada1]

what boat were you on, LOTT??? i worked in 38N on the L.Y. Spear for 2+ years (norfolk). spent way too many (shift work) hours fixing fast attack reactors (688's and 637's). be interested to know if when know some of the same folks.

[BudSooner]

Jack, thanks man...I am proud of what I did, but as any vet can tell you, there were many more days of cold canned ravioli, sanitary tanks venting into the boat's atmosphere, meetings to plan meetings and nut-to-butts with stinky nuclear engineers ("f'in Nukes"), etc., than I would have liked.

Still, I would do it again and I bet any vet would also say that as well...


If you are interested, the part of The Hunt For Red October where Jack Ryan is dropped aboard Dallas and his time spent onboard is the most realistic depiction of Cold War submarining I have ever seen Hollywood recreate. All but the Crazy Ivan stuff, which is true but highly exaggerated.
Red October is my favorite sub movie, then Grey Lady Down, Run Silent Run Deep, Das Boot, and Ice Station Zebra.

Crimson Tide was....bloated, it had it's moments mainly when Mr Hackman and Washington were nose to nose, but other than that it sucked.
U-571 was a good story, K-19...god Harrison Ford was dreadful and so was Liam Neeson.

[Crucifax Autumn]

Crimson Tide was a piece of ****...Red October was great and I enjoyed the way they handled the Russian language by starting off with the Russian and subtitles and then that weird slow motion warp into English...very original.

[Lott's Bandana]

Crimson Tide was a piece of ****


This.

A supply officer making a fleet sailor do pushups?

All-hands quarters in the pouring rain on the pier?

A dog on the boat?

Crimson Tide was an abortion of a movie and embarrassing to the submarine force.

[picasso]

I saw Run Silent Run Deep the other day. Some iconic actors in that one.

[Lott's Bandana]

what boat were you on, LOTT??? i worked in 38N on the L.Y. Spear for 2+ years (norfolk). spent way too many (shift work) hours fixing fast attack reactors (688's and 637's). be interested to know if when know some of the same folks.


Ah, the Spear. You sub tender guys worked your azzes off. I was never stationed in Norfolk and am glad of it, frankly.
Spent a year at Dam Neck training to be a nuclear missile technician, something I didn't do very well and thankfully, with the help of Dave McCurdy, US Congressman from Norman, I got to change ratings.

Didn't the Spear end up in LaMad?

I was on the Daniel Webster Gold in Groton, CT, refitting in Holy Loch for seven patrols. Then a shore tour in Charleston followed by seven patrols on Casimir Pulaski Gold crew, refitting at Kings Bay, GA.
Another shore tour teaching ROTC and sailing at Florida State/Florida A&M.
Then 3.5 years on Santa Fe retiring out of Pearl. My retirement ceremony was on the aft deck of USS Missouri before it was opened to the public. I actually had the ceremony arranged before they towed her over from Bremerton, WA.

14 SSBN patrols, 1 WestPac. That was enough. When we were doing exercises with Malaysian coastal patrol boats, I knew it was time to do something else. It just wasn't as fun as literally being at war with the Russian Bear.

However, as a navigator, I might be one of the few Americans that has ever seen Iraq, Iran and North Korea through a periscope. Funny, they all look the same.

Fadada, we probably do know some of the same people, starting with Admiral Al Konetzni (Big Al, the Sailor's Pal - http://www.submarinesailor.com/biography/bigal/bigal.asp
* ), as the Submarine Force is only about 8% of the USN population.


* I retired with a chest full of medals and ribbons and a rewarding career, but the best thing I ever received in my time on subs was after spending 3 days on my feet in the Control Room, navigating in and out of Tokyo Bay with Japanese VIP's, Big Al stopped me in the upper level passageway in Tokyo Bay and said, "Great job there Butch...you can drive this sumbitch. Keep charging." and handed me one of his ever-present cigars. I'd been around Al my entire career and he always called me by my first name yet I'd never received a cigar until then. Man, that was one of the highlights of my service.

[Harry Beanbag]

Jack, thanks man...I am proud of what I did, but as any vet can tell you, there were many more days of cold canned ravioli, sanitary tanks venting into the boat's atmosphere, meetings to plan meetings

Yeah, I remember having brown trout in our berthing area a few times.



and nut-to-butts with stinky nuclear engineers ("f'in Nukes"), etc., than I would have liked.

:mad:

[fadada1]

Ah, the Spear. You sub tender guys worked your azzes off. I was never stationed in Norfolk and am glad of it, frankly.
Spent a year at Dam Neck training to be a nuclear missile technician, something I didn't do very well and thankfully, with the help of Dave McCurdy, US Congressman from Norman, I got to change ratings.

Didn't the Spear end up in LaMad?

I was on the Daniel Webster Gold in Groton, CT, refitting in Holy Loch for seven patrols. Then a shore tour in Charleston followed by seven patrols on Casimir Pulaski Gold crew, refitting at Kings Bay, GA.
Another shore tour teaching ROTC and sailing at Florida State/Florida A&M.
Then 3.5 years on Santa Fe retiring out of Pearl. My retirement ceremony was on the aft deck of USS Missouri before it was opened to the public. I actually had the ceremony arranged before they towed her over from Bremerton, WA.

14 SSBN patrols, 1 WestPac. That was enough. When we were doing exercises with Malaysian coastal patrol boats, I knew it was time to do something else. It just wasn't as fun as literally being at war with the Russian Bear.

However, as a navigator, I might be one of the few Americans that has ever seen Iraq, Iran and North Korea through a periscope. Funny, they all look the same.

Fadada, we probably do know some of the same people, starting with Admiral Al Konetzni (Big Al, the Sailor's Pal - http://www.submarinesailor.com/biography/bigal/bigal.asp
* ), as the Submarine Force is only about 8% of the USN population.


* I retired with a chest full of medals and ribbons and a rewarding career, but the best thing I ever received in my time on subs was after spending 3 days on my feet in the Control Room, navigating in and out of Tokyo Bay with Japanese VIP's, Big Al stopped me in the upper level passageway in Tokyo Bay and said, "Great job there Butch...you can drive this sumbitch. Keep charging." and handed me one of his ever-present cigars. I'd been around Al my entire career and he always called me by my first name yet I'd never received a cigar until then. Man, that was one of the highlights of my service.
you might actually be shaving with the Spear. at the very least, it's in mothballs somewhere. had to transfer to the Enterprise my last year in due to the decommissioning.

sounds like you did a lot of time on boomers. most/all of the guys i worked with were fast-attack guys. i wasn't a submariner at all - just luck of the draw (working in nuke repair) after i got to the Spear (after ringing out at BUD/S). turned out to be a blessing in disguise. worked with some pretty sharp guys (all nukes). Still think my old boss was one of the smartest people i've ever met (Ed Bluestone - just retired recently). The only other guy you might know would be Ed Harrison. Weapons officer (LDO), but enlisted for about 15 years - been in about 25 years now.

sounds like you had some great experiences. most of the guys i worked with on the Spear, that were doing their "shore duty" away from the boat, have a variety of interesting stories from being stuck underwater for too long.

[Lott's Bandana]

:mad:

:P

[BudSooner]

This.

A supply officer making a fleet sailor do pushups?

All-hands quarters in the pouring rain on the pier?

A dog on the boat?

Crimson Tide was an abortion of a movie and embarrassing to the submarine force.
As I said, the only good parts of CT were Hackman and Denzel...the rest of it blew harder than Capt Tupolev's sub being blown to hell.

[JohnnyMack]

I saw Run Silent Run Deep the other day. Some iconic actors in that one.

The porno or the WWII flick?

[Lott's Bandana]

after i got to the Spear (after ringing out at BUD/S). turned out to be a blessing in disguise.


How far did you get? Still have splinters from carrying telephone poles on the beach?

It always amazed me everytime we did exercises with the SEAL Teams how unremarkable and unassuming those guys are. Regular size, normal demeanor...sometimes you can't measure the fire inside a person by their outer appearance.

They'd carry their RIB's and Outboards up and down the ladder...sleep on them in pukas all over the boat. When we'd "dump 'em" they'd go out the escape trunk, inflate the RIB's, attach the motors and tie a line between all the boats and we'd come along with our periscope up, snag the line and tow them into shore. (nothing funnier than turning the periscope aft and seeing six little inflatable boats bobbing along at 4 knots, all in a line)
When we were just about too shallow, we'd lower the scope, they'd power their silenced outboards up and run into the beach. I'd always lose sight of them in the shorebreak.

One time, a guy stood up on the edge of the boat and started to take a leak, while the little RIB was going full speed. His buddy driving cut a hard left and threw the Pisser into the ocean topsy-turvy. Then the boat did a 360, still at full speed and did the arm-lock pickup and off they went. All the other guys were laughing their heads off.

It was a real benefit having the periscope as my personal window to the world. Topless yacht cruisers off Capri in the Med, green-flash sunsets in the western Pacific, a zillion stars on a moonless night and the best part...seeing the family on the pier at the return from a 6 month deployment...

We had a camera in the periscope and a monitor in the Control Room and the IC guys hooked the feed to the Wardroom and Crew's Mess televisions. In between fixes, I'd scan the pier stopping on obvious family groupings. I'd hear guys whoop from the middle level when I would stop on his family, usually carrying signs and all dressed up for the return of their hubby/Dad.

Leaving sucked, but coming home is a feeling that doesn't compare to much else...

[olevetonahill]

Salut to the Navy dudes

I wouldn't be anywhere near a tin can in time of WAR
I want solid ground under these Boots

[Lott's Bandana]

Au contraire' GI Joe,

On a submarine you actually spend time worrying that you'll end up the only ones left alive.

Hell, we can't even find us. That says something right there.

[olevetonahill]

Au contraire' GI Joe,

On a submarine you actually spend time worrying that you'll end up the only ones left alive.

Hell, we can't even find us. That says something right there.

At leat wit the gound under my Boots and a rifle I have a chance.
If yer in or on the water, and get Hit aint No medivac gonna save ya from the sharks and stuff:eek:

[Lott's Bandana]

One thing I never thought about much was the fact that when a submarine implodes at depth, the crew dies from fire and not drowning. The pressure tube acts like a diesel engine and creates an air/fuel mixture that combusts when the pressure reaches its zenith.

Sharks would get shish kebab.

[C&CDean]

One thing I never thought about much was the fact that when a submarine implodes at depth, the crew dies from fire and not drowning. The pressure tube acts like a diesel engine and creates an air/fuel mixture that combusts when the pressure reaches its zenith.

Sharks would get shish kebab.

Somehow, that's.......comforting to know? If I was in a tin can at 1,000 feet and the ****er implodes I'd die of ****ting myself.

[olevetonahill]

Somehow, that's.......comforting to know? If I was in a tin can at 1,000 feet and the ****er implodes I'd die of ****ting myself.

Yup

[fadada1]

How far did you get? Still have splinters from carrying telephone poles on the beach?

It always amazed me everytime we did exercises with the SEAL Teams how unremarkable and unassuming those guys are. Regular size, normal demeanor...sometimes you can't measure the fire inside a person by their outer appearance.

They'd carry their RIB's and Outboards up and down the ladder...sleep on them in pukas all over the boat. When we'd "dump 'em" they'd go out the escape trunk, inflate the RIB's, attach the motors and tie a line between all the boats and we'd come along with our periscope up, snag the line and tow them into shore. (nothing funnier than turning the periscope aft and seeing six little inflatable boats bobbing along at 4 knots, all in a line)
When we were just about too shallow, we'd lower the scope, they'd power their silenced outboards up and run into the beach. I'd always lose sight of them in the shorebreak.

One time, a guy stood up on the edge of the boat and started to take a leak, while the little RIB was going full speed. His buddy driving cut a hard left and threw the Pisser into the ocean topsy-turvy. Then the boat did a 360, still at full speed and did the arm-lock pickup and off they went. All the other guys were laughing their heads off.

It was a real benefit having the periscope as my personal window to the world. Topless yacht cruisers off Capri in the Med, green-flash sunsets in the western Pacific, a zillion stars on a moonless night and the best part...seeing the family on the pier at the return from a 6 month deployment...

We had a camera in the periscope and a monitor in the Control Room and the IC guys hooked the feed to the Wardroom and Crew's Mess televisions. In between fixes, I'd scan the pier stopping on obvious family groupings. I'd hear guys whoop from the middle level when I would stop on his family, usually carrying signs and all dressed up for the return of their hubby/Dad.

Leaving sucked, but coming home is a feeling that doesn't compare to much else...

all great stuff. never even knew about the "green flash" until i did a windjammer cruise in the caribbean - pretty cool.

and true, there is nothing better than returning home after 6 months away. even more so, you can never express the feeling of leaving the ship for the last time - regardless of amount of time served. definitely a sweet sense of accomplishment.

was in the 3rd official week of BUD/S (6th true week of training). they've changed a lot since then. hell week is now the 3rd week. i've never understood that - seems to be a bit of a watering down effect. it used to be week 8. 2 months of pain before even more pain. hardest thing i did there was "admit defeat". but, learned more about myself in that short time than anything else ive ever done.

[BudSooner]

all great stuff. never even knew about the "green flash" until i did a windjammer cruise in the caribbean - pretty cool.

Dang, and here I thought the stuff from "Pirates of the Carribean" was all bull****....maybe that explains the Elvis sightings i've heard about? :D

[fadada1]

Dang, and here I thought the stuff from "Pirates of the Carribean" was all bull****....maybe that explains the Elvis sightings i've heard about? :D
every time you see a green flash, elvis dies... or gets wings... or something like that.

actually, pretty cool phenomenon.