According to Channel 13 TV News in Orlando, another WW II was found at the former Pinecastle Jeep Range near Orlando, Florida.
The nearly 12,000 acre range was used during World War II for practice bombing, air-to-ground rocket firing, and high-explosive bombing.
Most of the heavy practice occurred in a 500 acre part of the training grounds.
Showing posts with label USS Grunnion. WW II. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Grunnion. WW II. Show all posts
Monday, November 24, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
USS Grunion Ceremony
On October 15th, I wrote about the discovery of the final resting place of the USS Grunion, a World War II submarine that was lost.
The October 12th Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that more than 200 attended the ceremony honoring the Grunion's crwe held aboard her sister submarine, the USS Cod, now located in Cleveland. Both subs were built in the same year.
There was a tolling of the Grunion's salvaged bell and a 21-volley salute and casting of carnations on Lake Erie.
The Grunion's final radio message said she was under intense ant-submarine activity near Kiska Harbor in the Aleutians. That was the last anyone ever heard from the 70 crew members.
A Salute to the Undersea Service.
The October 12th Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that more than 200 attended the ceremony honoring the Grunion's crwe held aboard her sister submarine, the USS Cod, now located in Cleveland. Both subs were built in the same year.
There was a tolling of the Grunion's salvaged bell and a 21-volley salute and casting of carnations on Lake Erie.
The Grunion's final radio message said she was under intense ant-submarine activity near Kiska Harbor in the Aleutians. That was the last anyone ever heard from the 70 crew members.
A Salute to the Undersea Service.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
USS Grunion-- Continued
WHAT HAPPENED
It is now thought that on the morning of July 21, 1942, the Grunion attacked a Japanese troop transport, but only one of four torpedoes hit and detonated. The Grunion surfaced to finish off the Kano Maru with her deck gun, but the Japanese ship returned fire and allegedly hit the Grunion's conning tower and sank her.
A wreck was discovered in August 2007 and it was verified earlier this month as the wreck of the USS Grunion.
THE STATS
The Grunion was 311 feet 9 inches in length and had a 27 feet 3 inch beam.
Speed was 23 knots on the surface and 9 knots submerged. The Grunion had a range of 11,000 nautical miles.
Armament: ten torpedo tubes, 6 forward and 4 aft, 1x3 inch deck gun and 4 machine guns.
THE SONS
The Grunion's skipper, Lt-Cmdr Mannert L. Abele, had three sons by the name of Bruce, John, and Brad. For years it was their mission to find out what happened to the Grunion. This effort was funded mostly by John who is the founder of Boston Scientific, a major medical device company. In 2005, Forbes ranked him as the #132 richest person in the world with a net worth of $4 billion.
He began funding the effort after a discussion with undersea explorer Robert Ballard who declined to look for the ship.
In 2002, now armed with the information from Yataka Iwasaki, they began the search in earnest. They also searched for the wrecks of the Japanese subchasers SC-25 and SC-27 as well as the Japanese destroyer Arare.
The Grunion was found in 3,300 feet of water.
A memorial service was held in Cleveland, Ohio, at the USS Cod on October 11th.
Job Well Done Abele Brothers. --Cooter
It is now thought that on the morning of July 21, 1942, the Grunion attacked a Japanese troop transport, but only one of four torpedoes hit and detonated. The Grunion surfaced to finish off the Kano Maru with her deck gun, but the Japanese ship returned fire and allegedly hit the Grunion's conning tower and sank her.
A wreck was discovered in August 2007 and it was verified earlier this month as the wreck of the USS Grunion.
THE STATS
The Grunion was 311 feet 9 inches in length and had a 27 feet 3 inch beam.
Speed was 23 knots on the surface and 9 knots submerged. The Grunion had a range of 11,000 nautical miles.
Armament: ten torpedo tubes, 6 forward and 4 aft, 1x3 inch deck gun and 4 machine guns.
THE SONS
The Grunion's skipper, Lt-Cmdr Mannert L. Abele, had three sons by the name of Bruce, John, and Brad. For years it was their mission to find out what happened to the Grunion. This effort was funded mostly by John who is the founder of Boston Scientific, a major medical device company. In 2005, Forbes ranked him as the #132 richest person in the world with a net worth of $4 billion.
He began funding the effort after a discussion with undersea explorer Robert Ballard who declined to look for the ship.
In 2002, now armed with the information from Yataka Iwasaki, they began the search in earnest. They also searched for the wrecks of the Japanese subchasers SC-25 and SC-27 as well as the Japanese destroyer Arare.
The Grunion was found in 3,300 feet of water.
A memorial service was held in Cleveland, Ohio, at the USS Cod on October 11th.
Job Well Done Abele Brothers. --Cooter
USS Grunion Follow-Up
On October 4th, I had an entry about the submarine USS Grunion being found in the Aleutian Islands. I did a follow-up thanks to Wikipedia.
The Grunion was a Gato-class submarine and the only naval vessel ever named after the grunion, a small fish found off the US west coast. It was built and launched December 22, 1941 (15 days after Pearl Harbor) by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, and commissioned April 11, 1942.
The Grunion picked up 16 survivors of the USAT Jack as it exited the Panama Canal on its way to Pearl Harbor. I was unable to find out any other information as to this ship sinking or even what a USAT was. I was also unaware that German U-boats might have been sinking US ships in the Pacific.
After Pearl Harbor, the Grunion took up station off the Aleutian Islands and engaged a Japanese destroyer with no results. During July, it sank two Japanese patrol boats.
MISSING
The Grunion reported encountering heavy anti-submarine efforts and was ordered back to Dutch Harbor on July 30, 1942 and was never heard of again.
A big search was conducted and on October 5th, was reported as overdue from patrol and assumed lost with all hands. It was stricken from the Naval Register on November 2, 1942.
And, That was how it remained for the next 65 years, until this month.
More to Come. --Cooter
The Grunion was a Gato-class submarine and the only naval vessel ever named after the grunion, a small fish found off the US west coast. It was built and launched December 22, 1941 (15 days after Pearl Harbor) by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, and commissioned April 11, 1942.
The Grunion picked up 16 survivors of the USAT Jack as it exited the Panama Canal on its way to Pearl Harbor. I was unable to find out any other information as to this ship sinking or even what a USAT was. I was also unaware that German U-boats might have been sinking US ships in the Pacific.
After Pearl Harbor, the Grunion took up station off the Aleutian Islands and engaged a Japanese destroyer with no results. During July, it sank two Japanese patrol boats.
MISSING
The Grunion reported encountering heavy anti-submarine efforts and was ordered back to Dutch Harbor on July 30, 1942 and was never heard of again.
A big search was conducted and on October 5th, was reported as overdue from patrol and assumed lost with all hands. It was stricken from the Naval Register on November 2, 1942.
And, That was how it remained for the next 65 years, until this month.
More to Come. --Cooter
Saturday, October 4, 2008
USS Grunion Found
The WW II submarine Grunion left on a mission and never returned, and until recently, no one knew what had happened to it.
Today, I was watching TV when they had a segment on two brothers who financed an expedition to find it. Their dad commanded it.
A while back, a Japanese researchere came across a short account of a battle between a Japanese armed cargo ship and an American submarine off the Aleutian Islands. This took place about the same time as the Grunnion disappeared.
This bit of information led to the submarine's discovery. Photos were taken of the badly damaged vessel.
Always Glad When This Happens. --Old Coot
Today, I was watching TV when they had a segment on two brothers who financed an expedition to find it. Their dad commanded it.
A while back, a Japanese researchere came across a short account of a battle between a Japanese armed cargo ship and an American submarine off the Aleutian Islands. This took place about the same time as the Grunnion disappeared.
This bit of information led to the submarine's discovery. Photos were taken of the badly damaged vessel.
Always Glad When This Happens. --Old Coot
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