Memory of Diving Aft Torpedo Tubes on USS Diodon SS-349

Since 10-25-03

Memory of your Web-Master, James R. Santos

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Image of Torpedo Tube interior, much like the 21" x 24 Foot ones I had to clean on USS Diodon (SS-349) in the ATR.

I did so wearing overalls, laying on a curved coaster in the damp smelling tube, with diesel oil in a bucket and steel wool to scrub to tube interior surfaces.

Not so bad on my stomach, or my side.  Dripping fuel oil onto my face and overalls was the situation while laying on my back to scrub the upper side and top interior surfaces.

Of course, while in the tube, I was rather concerned that one of my shipmates might close the breech door as a joke on me.  Fortunately, that did not happen!

Once I was finished scrubbing, from the breech door end to the inside of the outer tube door surface 24 feet back into the tube, I got out of the tube, rather soaked in fuel oil.

Well, that is the memory to share here.