Category Archives: Video Clip

Coalition torpedoes Collins submarine plan in Labor’s defence white paper _ Video Clip

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White paper a ‘disaster’ for defence

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White paper a ‘disaster’ for defence

Greg Sheridan believes the government’s defence white paper lacks both operational and strategic sense.

BIPARTISANSHIP on defence policy has been fractured after the Coalition today ruled out a “Son of Collins” submarine, which Labor is keeping on the table in its latest defence white paper.

The white  paper released today rules out an off-the-shelf design for 12 new  submarines, which would be either a more highly-evolved version of the  existing Collins Class boats, or an entirely new, tailor-made, design.

The  paper also commits Australia to the purchase of 12 new “Growler”  electronic warfare fighter jets at a cost of $1.5 billion, while taking a  more conciliatory position on the rise of China than the previous  strategic blueprint in 2009, which warned against China’s growing  military might in the Asia Pacific region.

The document, released  today, rules out an off-the-shelf design for the new submarine fleet to  replace the trouble-plagued Collins Class boats.

“We’ve come to  the conclusion, as reflected by the white paper, that an off-the-shelf  submarine does not give us the strategic or the operational reach that  we need for Australia’s interests as a maritime country and continent,”  Defence Minister Stephen Smith said.

He said Australia had gained  intellectual rights to the Collins Class design, “so we’ll progress  that”, while the alternative was a wholly new design.

Whatever the design, the fleet would be built in South Australia and be installed with US combat systems.

Opposition defence spokesman David Johnston said a new design could present problems, but the Collins Class design should be avoided at all costs.

“You know, I wouldn’t want to go back near Collins if it was the last thing on earth that we had to do” he said.

“I think Collins has been a very expensive disaster.”

Minister Smith and Julia Gillard said the upcoming May budget would include a modest rise in defence spending, after last year’s cut.

Mr Smith confirmed the government aspired to lift defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP, subject to economic circumstances.

“What we have discovered over the time since then is it is very difficult, if not impossible, to map out precise funding for defence or any other area of government when you are facing changing economic and fiscal circumstances,” Mr Smith said.

“In this case, it is called the global financial crisis … the adverse consequences of which are ongoing,” he said.

Senator Johnston said the Coalition had a similar target, but it also had a plan to get there by lifting defence spending by 3 per cent a year.

He attacked the white paper for its lack of financial detail, saying the Coalition would redo the white paper in office, including the full cost of hardware procurement.

“What sort of a plan is this when the department cannot or is not permitted to put a dollar figure on any of these acquisitions?” he said.

“We have the biggest capital works program, not just in defence’s history but in commonwealth history, (and) there is no plan, no schedule, no money. So where does that leave 12 submarines?”

Defence Force Chief General David Hurley said he believed there had been a good budget process given the reality of the government’s fiscal position, which preserved defence capability into the future.

“I think this has been a good outcome for all,” he said.

The purchase of the 12 new Growler aircraft is a change of plan for the government, which had intended to refit 12 of its fleet of 24 Super Hornets as Growlers.

The government says that will not affect plans to buy around 100 fifth generation Joint Strike Fighters.

The government will also bring forward replacement of the navy’s Armidale Class patrol boats, which have been heavily used on border protection operations across Northern Australia.

Replacement supply ships may be built in Australia to replace HMAS Sirius and HMAS Success.

The white paper makes no commitment to acquiring a fourth air warfare destroyer.

Neither does it make a firm decision on long-running proposals to acquire long-range surveillance drones to watch over Australia’s northwest.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said the white paper was a “long list of acquisitions without the money to pay for it”.

“The reality is this government talks a good game on defence, but defence spending as a proportion of GDP is at the lowest level since 1938,” Mr Abbott said.

But a leading defence analyst says the new white paper fixes some of the errors of the 2009 document and does a far better job of matching capability with available resources.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute defence capability expert Dr Andrew Davies said some unnecessary capabilities, such as offshore patrol combatant vessels, had gone, while the number of Joint Strike Fighters had been scaled back from 100 to 72, with future governments able to opt for more.

“Resources and aspiration have come back closer. It remains to be seen whether they will match but it’s certainly closer than it was four years ago. Let’s give credit where it’s due. This fixes some of the errors of the last one.”

Source – The Australian

Explore HMCS Victoria, submarine docked at Canada Place – Video Clip

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The Canadian Maritime Force has four Victoria class diesel-electric submarines, formerly Upholder Class submarines of the UK Royal Navy.

The Canadian Maritime Force has four Victoria class diesel-electric submarines, formerly Upholder Class submarines of the UK Royal Navy.

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HMCS VICTORIA’s displacement  is approximately 2,200 tons surfaced and 2,400 tons submerged.

Covered in  anechoic tiles to reduce her detection by active SONAR, HMCS VICTORIA is 70.3  meters long, 7.6 meters across the beam and has a deep diving depth in excess of  200 meters.

The main hull is constructed of high tensile steel sections  stiffened by circular internal frames. Equipment located outside the main hull  is covered by the Casing, which also gives the crew a safe walkway when the  submarine is surfaced.

The Fin, which helps support the masts, serves as a kind  of keel and provides a raised conning position.

HMCS VICTORIA has six torpedo  tubes and can carry up to eighteen Mark 48 Mod 4 heavyweight torpedoes for use  against surface and sub-surface targets. She is also capable of carrying  sub-harpoon missiles and laying mines.

HMCS VICTORIA’s SONAR sets allow her to  locate and track ships and other submarines “passively”, that is without  transmitting on active sonar and thus giving way her location.

HMCS VICTORIA is  fitted with RADAR for general navigation, attack and search periscopes  (incorporating video recording and thermal imaging), and an Electronic Support  Measures suite.

HMCS VICTORIA has two diesel generators, each capable of  producing up to 1,410 kilowatts, and one main motor. The generators are used to  charge two main batteries, each consisting of 240 battery cells. These batteries  are used to power the submarine, which can reach a submerged speed of up to 20  knots.

The HMCS Victoria is one of several Canadian navy vessels anchoring in  Vancouver this weekend.

The long-range hunter-killer submarine will be docked at Canada Place until  Sunday, along with the HMCS Algonquin, a destroyer.

While the Algonquin is open to the public, who can enter the ship and meet  the crew, the Victoria is not. But you can take a tour in this video.

The Victoria, decommissioned in 1994, is 70.3 meters long, 7.6 meters across  the beam, and has a deep diving depth in excess of 200 meters. It has a crew of  280. It also has six torpedo tubes and can carry up to eighteen heavyweight  torpedoes for use against surface and sub-surface targets. The Victoria is also  capable of laying mines. The submarine can reach a submerged speed of up to 20  knots.

Source – Vancouver Sun

Wife of shot submariner Ian Molyneux accepts Elizabeth Cross – Video Clip

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 Click on picture for video clip

Gillian Molyneux says Lt Cdr Ian Molyneux would have wanted to “protect” his fellow submariners when he was shot.

The widow of a naval officer who was shot dead by a junior rating on board a nuclear submarine has been awarded a medal to mark her loss.

Lt Cdr Ian Molyneux was killed by Able Seaman Ryan Donovan while HMS Astute was docked in Southampton in 2011.

Gillian Molyneux was given the Elizabeth Cross, which is awarded to servicemen’s next-of-kin and women killed on duty, at a ceremony in Wigan.

She said it was a “recognition” of what she and her four children had lost.

Mrs Molyneux, who lives in Standish, said the medal was one “no next-of-kin ever wishes to receive” but it recognised her family lost “through Ian’s dedication to the Royal Navy, Queen and country”.

“I lost my soul mate when Ian died and our children lost a wonderful daddy,” she said.

“I will always take great pride in my husband, his heroic actions on the day of his death and the submarine service and all it stands for.”

She added she was accepting the medal “with deep sorrow and immense pride”.

‘Incalculably brave’

Mrs Molyneux, who wore the posthumous George Medal awarded to her husband during the ceremony, was presented with the medal by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester at Wigan Town Hall.

Lt Cdr Ian Molyneux
Lt Cdr Ian Molyneux was posthumously awarded the George Medal for his actions on board HMS Astute

 

During the ceremony, Regional Naval Cdr Commodore Dickie Baum said Lt Cdr Molyneux had been one of the Navy’s brightest prospects and a role model to future submariners.

“At all times he set an example, displaying his high moral standards and leadership,” he said.

“It was typical that when a crisis arose in HMS Astute involving an armed sailor who had begun shooting indiscriminately for reasons that have never been fully explained, Ian was the first to react to the noise and commotion.

“Ian acted with complete disregard for his own safety and made the ultimate sacrifice – his actions were incalculably brave.”

Ryan Donovan admitted murdering Lt Cdr Molyneux and was jailed for life at Winchester Crown Court in September 2011.

Source – BBC News

Royal Navy submarine HMS Alliance restoration under way – Video Clip

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The restoration of a World War II submarine is expected to be completed next year.

HMS Alliance, based at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport, Hampshire, is undergoing a £6.75m revamp.

The project, which was awarded £3.4m by the Heritage Lottery Fund, still has a shortfall of £200,000 and efforts continue to raise the cash.

Work on the 1940s submarine, which will be a memorial to 5,300 British submariners who gave their lives in service between 1904 and the present day, started in October 2011 and expected to finish in

ALLIANCE RENOVATION UPDATE – Video Clip

TAKEN FROM WIKIPEDIA

HMS Alliance is a Royal Navy A-class, Amphion-class or Acheron-class submarine, laid down towards the end of the Second World War and completed in 1947. The submarine is the only surviving example of the class, having been a memorial and museum ship since 1981.

The Amphion-class submarines were designed for use in the Far East, where the size of the Pacific Ocean made long range, high surface speed and relative comfort for the crew important features to allow for much larger patrol areas and longer periods at sea than British submarines operating in the Atlantic or Mediterranean had to contend with. Alliance was one of the seven A-class boats completed with a snort mast – the other boats all had masts fitted by 1949.

History

From 9 October 1947 until 8 November the submarine undertook a lengthy experimental cruise in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa to investigate the limits of the snort mast, remaining submerged for 30 days.

Between 1958 and 1960 Alliance was extensively modernised by having the deck gun and external torpedo tubes removed, the hull streamlined and the sail replaced with a larger (26 feet 6 inch high), more streamlined one constructed of aluminium. The purpose of these modifications was to make the submarine quieter and faster underwater. Following the modifications the wireless transmitting aerial was supported on a frame behind the sail; but was later replaced with a whip aerial on the starboard side of the fin which could be rotated hydraulically to a horizontal position.

The original gun access hatch was retained however, allowing Alliance to be equipped with a small calibre deck gun again when serving in the Far East during the Indonesian Confrontation of the earlier 1960s.

In May 1961 the pennant numbers of British submarines were changed so that all surviving submarines completed after the Second World War were now numbered from S01 upwards, and Alliance was given the number S67.

On or around 30 September 1971 a fatal battery explosion occurred on board, whilst at Portland.

From 1973 until 1979 she was the static training boat at the HMS Dolphin shore establishment, replacing HMS Tabard in this role. In August 1979, she was towed to Vosper Ship Repairers Limited’s yard at Southampton to have her keel strengthened so that she could be lifted out of the water and preserved as a memorial to those British submariners who have died in service. Since 1981 the submarine has been a museum ship, raised out of the water and on display at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport.

Damage to the stern of Alliance in 2008

 

Although listed on the National Historic Fleet, Core Collection, in recent years as many as 100 pigeons have been nesting in the submarine, causing extensive corrosive damage. She also sits on cradles over sea water, adding to problems of corrosion and preventing easy and economical maintenance to her exterior. Urgent restoration work is required to save the boat, and a major restoration program is underway, which includes reclaiming land beneath HMS Alliance using a cofferdam and backfill. This will also provide easy access for future maintenance and new viewing platforms for visitors, additionally opening up the conning tower and casing. A new HMS Alliance gallery is also part of the project to help ensure visitors fully appreciate the significance of this submarine and what she represents. It was announced on 30 May 2011 that HMS Alliance would share in a £11 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant. Alliance will receive £3.4 million to repair her bow and stern and address extensive surface corrosion.

HMS Alliance on display at Royal Navy Submarine Museum
Career Royal Navy Ensign
Ordered: 1943 Emergency war programme
Builder: Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down: 13 March 1945
Launched: 28 July 1945
Commissioned: 14 May 1947
Decommissioned: 1973, static training boat until August 1979
Identification: Pennant number: P147 (S67 from 1961)
Fate: Museum ship/memorial since 1981 at Royal Navy Submarine Museum
General characteristics
Displacement: 1,360/1,590 tons (surface/submerged) 1,385/1,620 tons after streamlining
Length: 281 ft 4.75 in (85.7695 m)
Beam: 22 ft 3 in (6.78 m)
Draught: 17 ft (5.2 m)
Propulsion: Two 2,150 hp (at 450 rpm) supercharged Vickers 8-cylinder diesel engine, Two 625 hp electric motors for use underwater, driving two shafts
Speed: 18.5/8 knots (surface/submerged) 18.5/10 knots after streamlining
Range: 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h) surfaced 16 nautical miles (30 km) at 8 knots (15 km/h) submerged 90 nautical miles (170 km) at 3 knots (6 km/h) submerged
Endurance: 36 hours submerged at 2.5 knots
Test depth: 500 ft (150 m)
Complement: 5 officers, 56 ratings (63 ratings after modernisation in 1960)
Armament: Six 21-inch bow torpedo tubes (including 2 external dry close fit) Four 21-inch stern torpedo tubes (including 2 external dry close fit) 20 torpedoes carried (externals could not be reloaded at sea) Mark V mines could be launched from the internal tubes External tubes removed during streamlining/modernisation. One QF 4 inch Mark XXIII deck gun on S2 mounting One 20 mm AA Oerlikon 20 mm gun on Mark VII mounting Submarine was briefly fitted with a twin Oerlikon on Mark 12A mounting. All guns removed during streamlining/modernisation.

Source – BBC News, Wikipedia, Youtube

 

Two North Korean Submarines Allegedly Missing – Video Clip

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Mini Submarines at Pipa Got Naval Base, North Korea

Two North Korean submarines have reportedly disappeared from  port. Although the subs were last seen at a naval base in the Hwanghae Province  in early April, the news is just now filtering out to media outlets. While the  capability of North Korea to shoot a long-range missile at the United States has  largely been nixed during press conference about EMP attack threats, the possibility of a missile attack from  a submarine has rarely been mentioned.

The thought of missing North Korean subs aiming a missile at a coastal city  is causing concern for some Americans. While any coastal city could become a  target, some analysts think California is a very likely location. If North Korea  shot a missile along the coast of the state, some feel than an earthquake could  occur and allow the attack to go largely undetected – at least for a time.

North Korea also allegedly bought 1,452 pounds of silver from China. Some  researchers believe the silver was purchased to use for batteries on the Sang-O  (Shark) mini-subs. Generals in the North Korean Navy allegedly feel the Shark  submarines are viable weapons which could be used against both America and South  Korea. The Sang-O submarines are typically considered coastal submarines. The  subs can reportedly carry at least 15 crew members and a dozen scuba  commandos.

While many Americans might believe that a missing North Korean submarine  trolling the coast would quickly be detected, that may not necessarily be the  case. During a recent discussion about the EMP Commission, Dr. William Forstchen  highlighted just how real the possibility is for an EMP attack from a cargo ship or a submarine.

In 2012, a Russian boomer went unnoticed for nearly a month in US waters on  the Gulf of Mexico. The nuclear-powered submarine sighting was not the only such  occurrence in recent history. In 2009, another Russian submarine patrolled very  close to the United States. The incident happened about the same time as Russian  bombers were spotted in restricted airspace near Alaska and  California.

Dr. Forstchen, a North Carolina college professor said just how woefully unprepared America is for an EMP attack. The  professor wrote the bestselling novel One Second  After. The book details the chaos which occurred in a small town after  an EMP attack. His research was cited on the floor of Congress during  discussions about EMP threats and the vulnerability of the power grid.

As the renowned professor so aptly noted, life as we know it would end  without a functioning power grid. The nation’s electrical systems could be  repaired, but most of the necessary components are made in China. The time frame  to repair a downed power grid is a hotly disputed topic, but a quick flip of the  switch after a visit to the storage room would not be a possibility. Many  experts feel that it would take months, if not years, to get the overly-taxed

The bestselling author also pointed out the many ways a downed power grid  would increase the EMP attack death toll sooner rather than later. The most  obvious and immediate impact would involve the thousands of Americans who would  perish when planes near the EMP zone would fall from the sky.

Without power, hospitals with still-functioning generators would not be able  to keep patients alive after they run out of stored fuel. Grocery stores would  reportedly have only empty shelves after about three days, leaving those without  a garden or ability to hunt or fish with very empty stomachs. Civil unrest would  also cause an unthinkable amount of deaths, according to Dr. Forstchen.

The EMP Commission was established under a Republican-controlled  Congress in 2001. The commission was re-established under a Democratic majority  in 2006. The EMP preparedness commission was disbanded in 2008. EMPact America  is an outspoken advocate for re-convening the Congressional commission to  further preparedness efforts.

How concerned are you about the missing North Korea missing submarines and  the possibility of a downed power grid?

Source – The Inquisitr

UK must defend against North Korea’s nuclear threat, says PM – video

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2013/apr/04/uk-defend-north-korea-pm-video

The prime minister has stressed the need for the UK to retain its Trident nuclear deterrent, saying it would be “foolish to leave Britain defenceless” in the face of the growing threat posed by North Korea andIran.

David Cameron’s insistence on the need for an independent nuclear deterrent came as the US said it was moving a missile defence battery to the Pacific island of Guam as Pyongyang continued to ratchet up the rhetoric against South Korea and its American ally.

What did Cameron say?

Writing in Thursday’s Daily Telegraph, the prime minister said such “evolving threats” underlined the need for the UK to maintain the ultimate deterrent.

“We need our nuclear deterrent as much today as we did when a previous British government embarked on it over six decades ago,” he said. “Of course, the world has changed dramatically. The Soviet Union no longer exists. But the nuclear threat has not gone away. In terms of uncertainty and potential risk it has, if anything, increased.”

Cameron said Iran was continuing to defy the will of the international community over its nuclear programme while North Korea may already be building a nuclear arsenal.

“The highly unpredictable and aggressive regime in North Korea recently conducted its third nuclear test and could already have enough fissile material to produce more than a dozen nuclear weapons,” he said.

“Last year North Korea unveiled a long-range ballistic missile which it claims can reach the whole of the United States.”

Were such a weapon to exist, he said, the whole of Europe – including the UK – would be affected.

The prime minister added: “Does anyone seriously argue that it would be wise for Britain, faced with this evolving threat today, to surrender our deterrent?

“Only the retention of our independent deterrent makes clear to any adversary that the devastating cost of an attack on the UK or its allies will always be far greater than anything it might hope to gain.”

What do the PM’s comments mean for the future of Trident?

Cameron’s comments underline the Conservatives’ commitment to a like-for-like replacement for the ageing Trident submarine fleet, although their Liberal Democrat coalition partners are seeking a cheaper alternative.

The shadow defence minister, Kevan Jones, said that while it was “absolutely right and necessary” for the UK to retain an independent nuclear deterrent, the costs involved needed to be taken into account.

“World events demonstrate that in an unpredictable era our country needs the ultimate security guarantee,” he said. “The precise nature of the deterrent must be judged on meeting military capability requirements and cost.”

The prime minister attempted to head off such questions in his Telegraph article, arguing that national security was worth the price of the deterrent.

“Our current nuclear weapons capability costs on average around 5%-6% of the current defence budget,” he said. “That is less than 1.5% of our annual benefits bill. And the successor submarines are, on average, expected to cost the same once they have entered service. It is a price which I, and all my predecessors since Clement Attlee, have felt is worth paying to keep this country safe.”

How much would renewing Trident cost?

According to conservative estimates, renewing Trident would cost £100bn. The key choice on a Trident replacement will arise in 2016, when the government will need to decide whether to spend between £25bn and £30bn on replacing the four Vanguard-class submarines, which are due to be taken out of service in the mid-2020s, with a Successor class. If the government commits to replacing the Trident nuclear deterrent fleet, the cost could swallow 35% of the military equipment budget over the coming years at a time when the MoD is facing deep cuts.

Where do the political parties stand on Trident?

The Conservatives are committed to replacing Trident with a “continuous at-sea deterrent” in which, similar to current practice, nuclear warheads on intercontinental ballistic missiles are carried on four Vanguard-class submarines.

The Lib Dems have raised the possibility of a land or air-based system or carrying smaller nuclear warheads on cruise missiles on board Astute-class submarines.

Labour has a long standing commitment to a like-for-like replacement to Trident but is believed to be rethinking it and is yet to state a firm policy.

The future of Trident is also likely to feature in next year’s looming Scottish independence referendum campaign, with the SNP insisting that it would not allow nuclear missiles to be based in an independent Scotland.

The timing of the Trident decision means it could be a major issue in the 2015 general election.

David Cameron says North Korea’s nuclear possibilities are a ‘real concern’ for the UK, after visiting a British Naval nuclear submarine in Scotland on Thursday. The PM took a tour of the submarine following the printing of an article he wrote in the Daily Telegraph, stressing the need for strong nuclear defences. At a question and answer session after the tour, Cameron says of North Korea’s weapons: ‘They can reach Europe. They can reach us too’

Source – The Guardian

Submariner calls for official presentation of Arctic convoy medals – Video Clip

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A World War Two submariner has said the long-awaited Arctic convoy medals awarded to him and his comrades ought to be presented officially.

 

Eric Wills, aged 92, of Kingsthorpe, made two treacherous journeys between Britain and Russia, protecting vital supplies that kept Stalin’s soldiers fighting on behalf of the Allies.

He is one of more than 200 remaining survivors of the Arctic convoys and is finally due to be sent an Arctic Star medal from the UK government. He said: “I was thrilled to bits when I heard we’d finally been recognised. But it would be nice for there to be some sort of presentation rather than it being handed over by the postman.

“It seems there are a handful of us left in Northampton so it would be a worthwhile ceremony.”

Although the Russian Government had issued several anniversary medals to Arctic Convoy veterans, the British Government had never done so. Unofficially, the reason was believed to be that Britain and Russia became Cold War enemies soon after World War Two, so a decoration linked to Russian aid was thought inappropriate.

However, veterans told of enduring horrific weather conditions of minus 30C and mammoth waves for the Allied war effort, as well as enemy fire from land, sea, air and beneath the water.

Even submarines were not able to keep out of the terrifying conditions, Mr Wills said.

“We were a close escort to the ships we were protecting, which meant we had to be on the surface all the way to Russia unless the really heavy German ships attacked,” he recalled. “It was an unusual job from that aspect alone.

“But we were told that if we dived there was a good chance we’d hit our own convoy’s depth charges. As a result we were very exposed to enemy planes.”

Roger Conroy, Mayor of Northampton, said: “We need to recognise what they went through because I think it’s despicable how they’ve been ignored.

“I, for one, would be fully supportive of an official presentation of the medal, and I’d be prepared to do it myself if that’s allowed.”

Councillor Conroy said any potential recipients of the Arctic Star, or families of deceased veterans who have applied for the medal, can contact the Chronicle & Echo on Northampton 467033 so interest in a local medals’ ceremony can be gauged.

Source – Northampton Chronicle

Royal Navy funnies – Shep Woolley – Video Clips

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Whilst scanning the resources for submarine news and views etc. I came across these beauties on Youtube. I’d forgotten all about this fellow and his tunes.

I apologise for veering off track a bit here but thought they might stir a few old memories and remind a few of us about times gone by.

Hope you like!

Messing around in the dockyard

Ram it

Watching the Ships sail by

First nuclear submarine disaster marks 50-year anniversary – Video Clip

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USS Thresher sank in Atlantic in 1963

USS Thresher

Click on picture for Video Clip – USS Thresher

Bob Miller – USS Thresher Veteran

 Fifty years ago next month, the U.S. Navy suffered one of the worst disasters in submarine history when the USS Thresher sank, killing all aboard. A North County man still feels the impact of that disaster on that day in April 50 years ago.

“It was one of a kind,” said Bob Miller of Vista. Miller was among a handful of sailors who was actually aboard the USS Thresher during its launch on July 9, 1960.

Three years later, the nuclear-powered submarine sank in the Atlantic, killing the 129 people aboard.

The USS Thresher was designed to go faster and deeper than anything that came before it.

Miller had been to sea on the submarine at least 40 different times but in 1963, the electronics technician made a decision to advance his career and go to school. It was a decision that saved his life.

“I was driving back from school with three others in the car,” he said. “When I heard the news that Thresher had sunk, I blacked out.”

It was later determined that a weld on a pipe or valve gave way, which flooded the engine room and ultimately doomed everyone on board. The submarine sank in about 5,000 feet of water.

Initially, Miller was haunted by what had happened.

“I kept thinking that maybe if I was there, I could’ve done something to help save her,” he said.

Miller said he has since come to realize that those who were aboard that fateful day were as skilled as anyone who ever sailed and that did all they could.

Miller is preparing to attend the 50-year memorial in Maine next month. A second nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Scorpion, sank five years later under different circumstances.

Source – ABC 10 News

Japan Submarine Relics Stolen By Vandals – Video Clip

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Japanese mini sub taken from Sydney Harbour

Australian authorities investigate after divers damage the hull of a wartime mini submarine in the waters off Sydney.

Vandals have damaged the wreckage of a Japanese mini submarine that attacked Sydney Harbour during World War Two, stealing parts and protected relics.

The crews from two of the three vessels involved in the assault scuttled their boats and committed suicide, but the fate of the third was unknown until 2006 when scuba divers discovered it off Sydney’s northern beaches.

Authorities put an exclusion zone around the vessel, which is believed to contain the remains of the two crew members and personal items such as samurai swords and good luck charms. It is supposedly monitored by long-range cameras.

But divers entered the site, damaged the hull of the midget submarine and stole relics, Australia’s Environment Department said in an appeal for information, without specifying what had been taken.

“The resulting damage includes the breaking off and removal of two of three visible propeller blades … of the submarine, causing permanent damage to a significant piece of Australia’s WWII heritage,” the department said.

The damage was discovered during an archaeological inspection.

Anyone found guilty of damaging or disturbing a protected wreck faces up to five years in jail.

The site is also protected under New South Wales heritage laws, with a breach incurring a fine of up to AU$1.1m (£763,000).

The lethal assault in 1942 came after a Japanese reconnaissance flight reported Allied warships anchored in Sydney Harbour.

The commanding officer of a flotilla of five large Japanese submarines cruising off the city decided to attack with three mini submarines, each carrying a two-man crew.

They avoided the partially constructed Sydney Harbour anti-submarine boom net and attempted to sink the warships but were detected and attacked.

One submarine attempted to torpedo the heavy cruiser USS Chicago, but instead sank the converted Australian ferry HMAS Kuttabul, killing 21 sailors.

Source – Sky News