Friday Film: Deep Submergence Rescue System (DSRV) (1972)

Friday Film: "The Submariners" (1965)

Friday Film: A Salute to the Silent Service - "The Growler Story" (1958)

Featuring one of truly heroic acts in American Naval history - Commander Gilmore and his "Take her down" order:



His Medal of Honor citation:

Medal of Honor Citation for Commander Howard W. Gilmore
For distinguished gallantry and valor above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding

Officer of the USS Growler during her Fourth War Patrol in the Southwest Pacific from 10 January to 7 February 1943. Boldly striking at the enemy in spite of continuous hostile air and antisubmarine patrols, CDR Gilmore sank one Japanese freighter and damaged another by torpedo fire, successfully evading severe depth charges following each attack. In the darkness of night on 7 February, an enemy gunboat closed range and prepared to ram the Growler. CDR Gilmore daringly maneuvered to avoid the crash and rammed the attacker instead, ripping into her port side at 11 knots and bursting wide her plates. In the terrific fire of the sinking gunboat’s heavy machineguns, CDR Gilmore calmly gave the order to clear the bridge, and refusing safety for himself, remained on deck while his men preceded him below. Struck down by the fusillade of bullets and having done his utmost against the enemy, in his final living moments, CDR Gilmore gave his last order to the officer of the deck, “Take her down.” The Growler dived; seriously damaged but under control, she was brought safely to port by her well-trained crew inspired by the courageous fighting spirit of their dead captain.

Drawing by Fred Freeman from the Naval History and Heritage Command collection.

Friday Film: "Submarine Physical Principles (1940)"

You can change the size of submarines and you can change their power systems, but you can't change the scientific principles under which they operate, which are very well explained in this film:

Enhanced Submarine Invisibilty?

Perhaps a game changer in the world of submarine warfare? Reported here:

Led by mechanical science and engineering professor Nicholas Fang, Illinois researchers have demonstrated an acoustic cloak, a technology that renders underwater objects invisible to sonar and other ultrasound waves.

“We are not talking about science fiction. We are talking about controlling sound waves by bending and twisting them in a designer space,” said Fang, who also is affiliated with the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.

While materials that can wrap sound around an object rather than reflecting or absorbing it have been theoretically possible for a few years, realisation of the concept has been a challenge. In a paper accepted for publication in the journal Physical Review Letters, Fang’s team describe their working prototype, capable of hiding an object from a broad range of sound waves.

Probably not the best news for your friendly neighborhood sonar tech. They had a hard job anyway.

Super stealth stuff.

"Denying safe haven..."

Analysis: US denying safe haven for al-Qaida in Somalia:

In the early hours of Monday morning, a number of missiles fired from an American naval ship fell on the small Somali town of Dobley. The target according to a US military official, was a "facility where there were known terrorists" affiliated with al-Qaida. The Monday attack was reminiscent of the January 2007 air strike, which the US carried out against suspected al-Qaida operatives involved in the 1998 US bombings in East Africa. This latest show of US force in the Horn of Africa emphasizes Washington's continued resolve to attack al-Qaida operatives and their bases wherever they are in order to deny them safe havens.

There is discussion that the "naval ship" involved was a submarine, as Bubblehead, does. Galrahn has more and more.

Of course, I just have a music video to offer:


You can sing along.

Image is from a previous planet improvement project in Yemen. But I like it.