Lost Boats

Lost Boats

USS SQUALUS (SS 192)

LOST WITH 26 HANDS, 33 SURVIVORS- 23 MAY 1939

On 23 MAY 1939, USS SQUALUS suffered a catastrophic valve failure during a test dive off the Isle of Shoals. Partially flooded, the submarine sank to the bottom and came to rest keel down in 240 feet of water.

Commander Charles Momsen and Navy divers on USS FALCON (ASR 2) rescued thirty-three survivors use the diving bell he invented. Twenty-six men drowned in the after compartments.

Later USS SQUALUS was raised and recommissioned as USS SAILFISH. In an ironic turn of fate, USS SAILFISH sank the Japanese aircraft carrier carrying surviving crew members from USS SCULPIN, which had located USS SQUALUS after sinking in 1939.

USS SAILFISH was sold for scrapping to Luria Brothers of Philadelphia, PA.

Her conning tower stands as a memorial to the lost crew of USS SQUALUS at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME. 

 

Share the good stuff, shipmate!
0
Shares
USSVI DISCLAIMER:

The Cold War Boats Association is not affiliated with the United States Submarine Veterans, Incorporated (USSVI).

Logos, trademarks, the name "United States Submarine Veterans, Incorporated", and the acronym "USSVI" remain the property of United States Submarine Veterans, Incorporated, and are used here solely as a courtesy to USSVI and USSVI Bases that host their USSVI Base websites on www.coldwarboats.org.

If you are the webmaster for a USSVI Base that wishes to host your base website on Cold War Boats, please contact the USSVI Base Coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

OPSEC Policy

The Cold War Boats Association prohibits the posting of Classified material on the the coldwarboats.org website.

Any documents, photographs, audio or video recordings, or artifacts that are currently considered Classified are not permitted, and will be removed.

Any information that could compromise the operational security of active duty personnel, commissioned ships, or their missions is not permitted, and will be removed.

Access to personally identifiable information (PII) of active-duty service members or information related to the crews of submarines currently in full or limited commission is restricted to administrators only.

Full details of the Cold War Boats Association's Security Policy can be found at: www.coldwarboats.org/security.

Questions and concerns should be directed to the Security Manager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Copyright Information

 
 
© 2024 Brad Williamson
and/or the
Cold War Boats Association
or respective image owners
 
All Rights Reserved
 
Permission is granted for not-for-profit reproduction
of text and images under the condition that
all attribution as to owner and source is included,
and additionally, when republished electronically, a link to is provided.
 
 

Privacy Policy

The Cold War Boats Association is committed to protecting your personally identifiable information (PII). 

This information, your PII,  includes your email, your street address, your phone number(s), your personal records (such as a DD-214) and various other related information.

Your PII will never be shared, given, sold, or rented. It will not be accessible by others, except by administrators or moderators of the www.coldwarboats.org website as necessary in the performance of their duties.

Your use of the www.coldwarboats.org website is your acknowledgement that these limitations are understood.

Full details of the Cold War Boats Association's Privacy Policy can be found at: www.coldwarboats.org/privacy.

Questions and concerns should be directed to the Privacy Manager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

0
Shares