Comments on: Status Report October 2nd

by: Ed Walson

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 18:20:47 +0000

Ah, ‘das snorkle’, all very clear and logical now. Thanks. My original query on the presence of a GDU unit was related to the AFB hatch hand rails and the theory’s that Grunion was surfaced and ‘dumping garbage’ from that hatch.

‘Rig for Dive’ was a formal condition that allowed the Conning Tower Hatch to be open at various times during operations. But to open the ABH, at sea, at night, in a war zone, in the Bering Sea would still have taken a small act of congress. I still don’t think this happened. They may have dumped slops and sinkables from the bridge hatch. Under these conditions I suppose there were no other options.

I concluded that the hand rail at ABH was left in position for some other reason. Note also, the stanchions and steel wire life lines remained rigged in position. It would take very little damage to see these wires trailing behind a boat and getting in the screws at an awkward momement. Was this a common practice during this time period?

Although the Grunion had eliminated 2/3rds of the Kiska/Attu surface ASW fleet a couple of days prior to this, (Subchasers #23 & #24) I don’t think they would have fully appreciated that fact. I don’t think they would have allowed any floating debris or other calling cards to mark their lurking point when only 12-20 miles offshore of the harbour they were guarding.

by: David Decrevel

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 06:12:57 +0000

John and Ed. My blueprint of Charr from the early 50’s shows the GDU (Garbage Disposal Unit), which I would guess was installed at the time of her conversion to ‘fleet snorkel’ in 1951. With the GUPPY and FS conversions, boats were rarely, if ever, surfacing at night, so garbage could no longer be thrown over the side. The GDU had become necessary. Redfish SS-395 was never converted to GUPPY or FS, and as I have a good friend who rode her, I’ll ask if she was so equipped.

by: John Fakan

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:45:46 +0000

In answer to Ed Walson’s query, COD does not have a garbage ejector. I am unaware of any EB boat from that era being equiped with such a device.

John Fakan

by: Bob

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 18:55:19 +0000

Ed…

The dumping of garbage is mentioned in numerous patrol accounts, annecdotes, and period books (written by sub skippers/crew). They even mention the need to carry additional weights for the bags, and complain about the cooks not “double wrapping” the wet stuff.

Remember “Bungo Pete” recovering the EELs garbage in one of the books by Beach?

by: Ed Walson

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 21:37:13 +0000

For John Fakan of USS Cod Memoriall. Were Cod or Grunion equipted with ‘Garbage Ejector’ in Aft Battery Mess Area? This relates to the repeated comments of ‘dumping trash or garbage from After Battery Hatch. By mid sixties all ‘Wet Garbage’ ie; mess hall slops were loaded into bio-degradeable green mesh bags, added a steel plate ‘garbabe weight’ to assure it all sank and ejected several times a day.

I don’t believe Grunion or any other submarine were allowed to dump garbage in a War Zone or in War Time for that matter. There were probably regulations against cigarette butts being thrown overboard while on Patrol