The Search for the Grunion Blog

Bruce

Jim Christley has painted a watercolor of the Grunion and it is now in the Christley Photo Album on the website.

It is worth seeing. He has more coming.

Bruce

Jim Christley has put together a sketch of the Grunion wreck that is rather amazing.

His annotations are listed below.

The numbers:
1. The general shape and size of the bow portion that is missing.

2. The forward bulkhead of the Forward Battery. I noticed that structural failure in this area took with it the structure in and around the torpedo loading hatch.

3. A major structural break which may have been caused by impact with the bottom.

4. The conning tower barrel with the reachrod type mechanisms for the helm. In later boats this was replaced by hydraulics, but the Grunion used electric planes and helm control.

5. A ‘debris’ or torn tankage area that deserves further study. I believe this is in way of a fuel tank and may point toward shell damage to the tank and possibly some internal piping.

6. Lines that indicate the the size of the pressure hull over the engine rooms.

7. A major hull break in way of the After Engine Room after bulkhead.

Bruce

Yutaka and his son, Shun, visited us Jan 5th thru 8th.

A number of individuals wrote thank you notes to Yutaka and that clearly was the highlight of the entire trip. You could see that he clearly treasured those notes.

One thing we learned that there was a 4th witness to the incident, Fukazawa, who wrote a book (novel) on the subject. It sold an astounding 33,000 copies.

Yutaka brought some remarkable models, one made by Motoyuki Iwashige, of the Kano Maru which is truly amazing.

Yuyaka also made models of the Grunion at the same scale (1 to 700), the sub chasers and a mini-sub.

I hope to get a photo of them on the website in the near future.

Yutaka and Pete at Bruce Abele’s reenacting the Grunion- Kano Maru confrontation

Photo by Shun.

Tokens from Kiska for Yutaka

Bruce

Richard Lane just sent an informative photo of the Kano Maru in Kiska Harbor which I have put on the photo album. Worth seeing.

Bruce

Bruce

Richard Bentz has put together a poem that sums up this whole experience rather nicely. I have copied it below. For those who have a high speed connection if you go to 999info.net and right click on Poem.mov you can download a movie version of that poem.

You can also get a pdf version (without music and dialog but with photos) by going to 999info.net/Poem.pdf

I think you will enjoy it.

All May Rest
© 2007 By Richard Bentz

God rest you merry gentlemen
Of Grunion two sixteen.
Aquila made it possible
Your grave site to be seen.

For sixty years you’ve been at peace;
But miles and miles away,
Your families have wondered
What happened on that day.

Sons, daughters, wives and cousins too,
Have lived their whole lives through
With restless thoughts – and wondering
Just what became of you.

Bruce, Brad and John remembered dad;
So set the wheels in motion
To look for signs of Grunion at
The bottom of the ocean.

With Sonar’s help (Garcias’ too),
A shadow did appear
That gave them inspiration
To come again next year.

Equipped with HD cameras
Aboard an ROV,
They found what they’d been seeking
Beneath the Bering Sea.

Your secret’s out beloved ones.
We’ve solved the mystery.
Rest in peace our precious sons;
And know now, so will we.