TheSubReport.com Daily News Roundup 1-22-06

This Day in Submarine History

On January 22 of ...

1941

The USS R-20 (SS-97) was recommissioned.

1942

The USS STURGEON (SS-187) endured two and a half hours of depth charges, but escaped undamaged.

1943

The USS PICKEREL (SS-177) began its sixth war patrol.

The USS TAUTOG (SS-199) sank the Hasshu Maru, a former Dutch passenger-cargo ship that had been taken over by the Japanese.

The USS TRIGGER (SS-237) completed its third war patrol.

The keel was laid for the USS ARCHERFISH (SS-311).

1944

The USS CAIMAN (SS-323) completed its first war patrol.

The USS PIPEFISH (SS-388) was commissioned.

1945

The USS SEADRAGON (SS-194) completed its last war patrol.

The USS BARB (SS-220) ...

... penetrated Namkwan Harbor on the China coast and wrought havoc upon a convoy of some 30 enemy ships at anchor. Riding dangerously in shallow waters, Barb launched her torpedoes into the enemy group and then retired at high speed on the surface in a full hours run through uncharted, heavily mined, and rock-obstructed waters. In recognition of this outstanding patrol, Commander [Eugene B.] Fluckey was awarded the Medal of Honor and Barb received the Presidential Unit Citation. [original links removed, link added]

1966

The USS GEORGE BANCROFT (SSBN-643) was commissioned.

1973

The USS BATFISH (SSN-681) ran hard aground at Charleston, SC.

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The Ship of the Day

The USS GLENARD P. LIPSCOMB (SSN-685) (Photos)

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Bail denied for engineer arrested in military secrets case

SANTA ANA, Calif. - A judge on Friday denied a request to free a Chinese-American engineer who was arrested for allegedly trying to send military secrets to China.

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Prosecutors have said previously that authorities recovered from the disk restricted documents on the DDX Destroyer, an advanced technology warship. They also allege that they found two lists in Chinese asking [the engineer, Chi Mak,] to get documents about submarine torpedo technology ....

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Former DoD analyst imprisoned for passing information to Israeli lobbyists

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A former Pentagon analyst who gave classified information to an Israeli diplomat and two members of a pro-Israel lobbying group was sentenced Friday to more than 12 years in prison. ...

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Guam expansion plan encounters resistance

HAGATNA, Guam - Guam Gov. Felix Camacho is leading local support for a planned increase in the U.S. military presence on Guam, but a native Chamorro group says it will only create more problems for the tiny, remote U.S. territory. ...

[Guam is also still in the running as home port for the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73). --ed]

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12th Annual Polar Bear Swim

The crew of the USS HELENA (SSN-725), which recently drydocked in the ARCO (ARDM-5) at Naval Base Point Loma, CA, should mark their calendars. They have arrived in the nick of time for the 12th Annual Polar Bear Swim! It is scheduled for February 9 at Smuggler's Cove (scroll down) aboard Naval Submarine Base Point Loma.


Naval Base Point Loma, Calif. (Jan. 10, 2006) - The crew of the floating dry-dock, ARCO (ARDM-5), use mooring lines to pull the Los Angeles-class fast-attack nuclear submarine USS Helena (SSN 725) into the dry-dock. Helena is entering dry-dock for routine scheduled maintenance. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Joseph Caballero (RELEASED)

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For the first time since record-keeping began in 1913, a whale has been sighted in the River Thames. Read all about it. The incident has inspired at least two submarine-themed spoofs.

A Northern bottle nose whale's progress along the River Thames is closely monitored in central London, Friday, 20 January 2006. It is the first time a whale has been spotted on the river since records back in 1913. The stranded animal's size has been estimated at between 5-6 metres in length. EPA/RICHARD POWELL

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Sure. Everyone knows Jimmy Carter was a submariner, but did you know that Al Gore has been to the North Pole on a U.S. submarine? In fact, he made two submarine trips with research expeditions.

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This article discusses precautions to be taken by residents near the shipyard that is fueling the HMS Astute. This just so happens to be the site of a horrible nuclear reactor fire that occurred in 1957.

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Hmmm! I wonder whether this guy's Japanese captors needed a "Royal Baby".... (Scroll down or search the word "cherry". This was too good not to take artistic license.)

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Hurricane Katrina has destroyed a submarine memorial (news link, memorial group web site) in Mississippi. Fortunately, Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama, has reopened. It had been closed for 19 weeks!

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His ship is in Bahrain. I never made a port call to that part of the world, so here's my question: Is the sailor in the picture, in fact, "getting the good deal" while his shipmates are on liberty, but completely bereft of entertainment options?

-- CAV

posted by Gus Van Horn @ 6:05 AM