The engines could be used to drive the submarine at or near the surface and/or charge the battery banks. The engine room seemed to be the dirtiest, least shiny area of the sub. It looks like 27 bunks were located in the compartment between the kitchen and engine room. Assuming six sailors per table, 24 men could be fed at a time here. The dining room/mess hall, like everything else was small. It is hard to imagine feeding 80 men from a kitchen so small. There wasn’t enough space for two men to pass each other. The kitchen/galley was so small that their never could be too many cooks to spoil the broth. No idea what this stuff was used for but it sure looks cool. The big wheels with handles were used to open and close valves affecting the amount of air versus water in the ballast tanks. Did he drive facing forward or backwards? Ballast Controlsīallast controls helped keep the submarine at a constant depth, neither sinking or rising. It is difficult to tell if the helmsman faced forward or aft. The helm or steering wheel is barely visible at the bottom left of the picture. The sub’s driver or helmsman sat in front of these dials and gauges. The top of the hatch is below where one’s head would be. The bottom of the hatches, the part to step over, is around knee height. Main Passageway Through BulkheadĪnother hatch to another section of the sub. It looks like no more than six men could sit around this table bumping elbows. The wardroom was used by officers for meals and meetings. Getting through hatches like this requires hunching over to keep from banging the head and making a big giant step over the wide step to keep from banging the knees. During combat, the hatches were closed tight to minimize flooding, fire or smoke in adjacent compartments in case the inner or outer hull was breached. In the main passageway, hatches provided access to each section of the sub. There was very little room for each individual sailor. Forward Torpedo Room, Beds And TorpedoesĬrew member beds were stacked in between torpedoes. Most of the failures were torpedoes just stopping well before their target. Fortunately for the crew, it didn’t sink the submarine. This doesn’t count the number of times torpedoes simply missed their target.ĭuring one attack, a torpedo was fired and it exploded just outside the torpedo tube. The torpedoes used during WWII were unreliable with failure rates higher than 50% at times. Four torpedoes could be loaded in these tubes. Visitors have to stoop to get down to the main deck. The passageways below decks are narrow and steep. Space between the conning tower and the railings isn’t large enough for two sailors to easily pass each other. The narrow gangplank drops visitors on the submarine’s forward deck. Tickets can be purchased at either the USS Bowfin entrance or at the Visitor Center’s Tickets & Information. Some street parking is available but requires walking on a street without shoulders or sidewalks. Lots often fill up before lunch and can remain full all day long. Be sure to lock cars and put valuables out of site. Thieves breaking into cars parked in the Visitor Center parking lot is a persistent and long term problem. Refer to Bag Policy and Safety Information in advance to avoid having to leave valuables behind in cars. Items like large purses or camera bags are not allowed through the checkpoint. Entrance to the Visitor Center complex is a security checkpoint. The Bowfin Submarine is inside the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites Visitor Center area. Map of Pearl Harbor Historic Sites Visitor Center It is a wonder that 85 crewmen could occupy such a small space under crowded and hot conditions for months at a time. Walking through the submarine and crawling through the interior bulkhead hatches, one feels claustrophobia. Fortunately, none of the crew died during their missions but on occasion, the submarine was damaged enough that it required immediate repair. Attacked vessels and convoys often fought back with depth charges and surface weapons (machine guns and cannons).ĭuring some exchanges of fire, the submarine got damaged and sometimes a crewman was injured. The submarine sank a number of enemy vessels using torpedoes and deck mounted guns. Depending on the mission, between 70 and 85 crewmen manned the Bowfin submarine during combat missions in the WWII Pacific Theater.
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