Comments for The Search for the Grunion Blog

Comment on Comments and Guestbook by Carole Boo-Harrington

Carole Boo-Harrington — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:19:29 +0000

I just finished watching the Grunion Memorial DVD for the third time; as well as family members who were not able to attend the memorial got to see it. I learn something new each time I watch it. I am so impressed with the love and time that went into it. It brought back all the emotion of our trip to Cleveland. Thank you so much to my Grunion family. God bless all of you.
Carole Boo-Harrington

Comment on Comments and Guestbook by Pete Stephens

Pete Stephens — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 03:52:11 +0000

Just returned from Charleston, SC from a reunion for my ship the USS Marias (AO-57) and four other ships. I gave a presentation on the Grunion Search using the latest DVD which held interest and was greatly accepted by the Navy personnel attending. This was the perfect setting since some of the attendees served on submarines. I just received a call today from one of them which was so impressed that as soon as he returned home he researched the Grunion in a submarine book he had for years and found it to be lost but no details. Had a lot of discussion and questions after the presentation. No one could believe that the Abele Brothers took on this great task and of course our great Sub Ladies research. The presentation went so well that I was asked to MC the Memorial Services for our passed shipmates. When it came to reading the names I wish the GREAT Mary Bentz could have been there to assist me.

While touring Fort Sumter we were informed that not only were the first shots of the Civil War fired here but also the first submarine torpedo was fired and sunk one of the ships in Charleston Harbor.

Peter Thomas Stephens

Comment on Comments and Guestbook by Tina Youngman

Tina Youngman — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:45:50 +0000

I received the book to go alone with the DVD and I thank you again for all you have done.
I am awaiting information from the Ohio Dept of Vital Statistics on getting Ralph Youngman’s birthdate.
Mary, I will be in touch, hopefully with the information.
Tina

Comment on The Attack Analysis by G Wilson

G Wilson — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:47:18 +0000

I have studied the images on this site and read through most of the comments on the condition of Grunion as she lies on the bottom. The images, drawings, plans and research are extraordinarily well done. In my opinion the catastrophic damage to the bottom half of Grunion’s hull is most probably due to heavy impact with the bottom after falling 500 fathoms while full of water. Topside damage could have been the result of rolling over and sliding down the slope- although my first thought was that she had been run over by a surface ship.

Images most certainly show a large impact explosion- of whatever cause- which started Grunion on her last dive. The huge amount of damage topside was caused by that set of impacts as shown in the images and exhaustively discussed.

Regarding the conning tower hatch- bent into a “U” shape and the missing bow, I offer another possible explanation: Explosive combustion (dieseling) inside the hull caused by extremely rapid compression of air in the hull mixed with oil (hydraulic, fuel oil, lube oil…) as water enters the compartment quickly.

When a sub goes down it retains air in each compartment if it is intact . As the water rushes in at at phenomenal rate, the hydrocarbons and air in the compartment compress and explode. The resultant explosions blow out each bulkhead one by one as the sub sinks. In the bow torpedo room the explosion might either blow the bow off by itself or trigger secondary explosions (torpedo warheads principally) which blow the bowcap (the rounded end of the pressure hull) off the submarine. This phenomenon could also be the cause of the conning tower hatch damage and probably the battery hatch (it appears the dogs on the hatch have been torn off leaving the hatch looking normal in its locked up position.)

The bow of the I-52 has a similar missing portion-bowcap and outer hull- probably due to a dieseling explosion in the forward torpedo compartment.

Comment on Comments and Guestbook by Tina Youngman

Tina Youngman — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:34:09 +0000

I received the DVD & now the book, the DVD was very moving to me. I did not know my Uncle Ralph Youngman aboard the USS Grunion, but having the information to give my father, his brother, is wonderful. It is a keepsake our family can add to our family treasures.
Thank you again for all the hard work and God Bless you all.