Web-Master's USNR and USN active duty on USS Diodon (SS-349)

Since 12-01-11

 

 

Went to and graduated from Reserve SP/SG Submarine School at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, CA in July  - August 1965. Went to and graduated from graduate of Basic Electricity/Electronics Prep (BEEP) School and TM "A" school in San Diego, CA in 1966.

 

I came aboard Diodon on Feb. 2, 1967 as TMSN(SG). Became Non Qual as Deck Force in port, lookout, diving planes & helm underway.

 

Took the Service Wide exam for TM3 before leaving for West Pac.

 

Went to WestPac, Had my oral exam in the Forward Torpedo Room while on 55 day submerged patrol. I aced the exam by describing how each of a drop of oil & water could be moved through the boat this way and that.   

 

I Qualified in Submarines on Aug. 2 1967.

 

We went to Okinawa, then Hong Kong. On way back to Japan, had a serious fire on board in middle of storm at sea, almost killed two EMs on watch in Maneuvering Room.  Stranded Diodon 3 days before being towed back to Yokosuka, Japan by a Navy Sea Tug. 

 

I was notified that I had passed the SWE and was advanced to TM3(SS).

 

Then we went on to fleet exercises with the Japanese Navy.  I had the After Torpedo Room watch while diving when we hit something 250 feet down.  Diodon did an emergency surface during maneuvers off Okinawa with the Japanese Fleet.

 

Diodon almost hit a Japanese Destroyer on coming up so fast.  Our bow sonar dome was severely damaged from the underwater collision.  Diodon went back to Yokosuka for repairs.

 

We were in the Yokosuka Shipyard a week or two. We had to clean out the rotting sea growth throughout the superstructure on return to San Diego.

 

We almost blew ourselves up under topside decking near the FTR escape trunk when painting the boat, due to paint fume build up.. Painted entire sub a grand looking black, but we had to repaint it Navy Gray!

 

I took the SWE to TM2 and passed it.  I picked up the TM2(SS) on return to my reserve unit in October 1968.

 

When I had the Top side watch one evening there was a chlorine leak in the forward battery wells.  The duty officer came out of the forward battery with a wild look in his eyes, I heard about.  The below decks watch passed the word and the crew began ventilating the submarine by running the diesel engines which pull air from forward through the sub into the engine intakes by opening the forward torpedo room hatch to topside and closing all other hatches in Control Room and After Battery and Engineering Rooms to draw out the chlorine and exhaust it over board through the running engines.

 

However, when the chlorine went thought the engines it was change chemically from the Engine heat to phosgene gas.  So, we were spewing out phosgene gas, a toxic gas, out the engine exhausts to the night air!

 

I was Team Leader of the Survey Team during sub's overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard un 1968. After finishing shipyard overhaul, Diodon went back to local ops out of San Diego and then Vancouver, B.C. I spent 3 days liberty in that fine town.

 

I left Diodon on about Oct. 2, 1968 when she was back in San Diego.  I was sent to Treasure Island Naval Base, in San Francisco Bay, for transfer from active duty back to reserve duty.