Fort Wool During World War II-- Part 7

Again, anti-submarine nets were stretched across the harbor between Fort Wool and Fort Monroe.

Battery 229 with two 6-inch shielded guns on long range  carriages was constructed on a rebuilt Battery Horatio Gates from March 1943 to January 1944.  The work was completed and the shielded  carriages were installed; however, the gun tubes were not installed.

On 30 September 1943, the installation was  completed on an SCR-296A radar to provide fire control for Battery 229, which of course, was never needed.

The previous six-inch guns were scrapped in 1942-1943.  Battery Lee's  four 3-inch guns were transferred to Fort Story (across the bay by Virginia Beach), two each in 1942 and 1943.

In 1946, Battery Hindman's pair of three-inch guns were transferred to Fort Monroe as a saluting battery.

--Old Secesh

Fort Wool's Endicott Batteries and World War I-- Part 6

ENDICOTT BATTERIES

In 1885, the Endicott board met and determined that the coastal defenses of the U.S. needed to be updated.  As a result, all but a small part of Fort Wool's  western end of the fort were demolished to make room for what eventually became five batteries.  

As funding became available they were constructed starting in 1905  Fort Wool's armament was of relatively smaller-caliber, rapid-firing guns because Fort Monroe  had the bigger guns.  The three-inch guns were primarily emplaced to protect underwater mine fields from minesweepers.  Some of the mines, still called torpedoes at the time were stored at Fort Wool.

WORLD WAR I

In 1917 and 1918, all but two of the six-inch guns at Fort Wool  were removed to potentially be sent to the Western front in Europe.  The remaining guns were shifted to Battery Gates.

During both wars, submarine nets  were stretched across the harbor from Fort Monroe to Fort Wool.

--Old Secesh

Wisconsin Pearl Harbor Survivor Will Lehner Writes a Book About It

From December 6, 2019, WXOW 19, ABC News "Wisconsin Pearl Harbor survivor to release book detailing  his life story" by Kevin Millard.

Will Lehner, 98, a prominent central Wisconsin World War II veteran planes to release his book "Legacy of a Pearl Harbor Survivor" on Saturday.  A good day to do the release.  He had help writing it from Patty Drier over 8 months.

He joined the Navy at age 17 and was later stationed at Pearl Harbor.  "I was at Pearl when the war started."  And, you could say he was there for the first shot of the war for the United States.  Aboard the destroyer USS Ward, his ship attacked a Japanese submarine attempting to enter the harbor.

The confrontation took place several hours before the Japanese planes attacked.   That submarine was found in 2002 by deep sea diver Terry Kirby and Lehner went to Pearl Harbor to go down 1200 feet to view it.  "When I saw that submarine, the hair on the back of my neck stood up," said Lehner.
After Pearl Harbor, he took part in many Pacific Campaigns and battles until diagnosed with battle fatigue between 1944 and 1945.

--GreGen

MCCWRT Meeting Tuesday, May 14: "Hi Tech Rebs and Their Infernal Machines"

This Tuesday, may 14, the McHenry County Civil War Round Table will be having their monthly meeting at the Woodstock, Illinois, Library on 414 Judd Street at 7 pm.

This month's presentation will be "Damn the Torpedoes:  Hi Tech Rebs and Their Infernal Machines" by Bruce Allardice.

Of course, that would cover torpedoes and submarines among other things, right up this navy  guy's alley.

Everyone Welcome.  --Old Secesh

Six Fascinating Civil War Battlefields Across the Continent

From the July-August AARP Magazine by Bill Newcott.

1.  PICACHO PASS, ARIZONA-- Westernmost battle.

2.  SAINT ALBANS, VERMONT--- Northernmost battle.

3.  CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA-- First submarine attack.

4.  FORT MYERS, FLORIDA--  Cattle Battle.

5.  GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA--  Deadliest Battle.

6.  PALMITO RANCH, TEXAS--  Final Battle.

Of course, the article went into more detail.

Firstest With the Mostest.   --Old Secesh

An Early Submarine Attack?

From the Civil War Naval Chronology.

October 9, 1861

According to the chronology, this date marked the first documented attempt to sink and enemy ship with a submarine in the Civil War. The target was the USS Minnesota, the location Hampton Roads, Virginia.

The attack failed when the submarine got caught up in some grappling hanging over the Minnesota's jib boom (which its occupants mistook for an anchor cable). The strange vessel escaped.

An October 12th newspaper reported that a Confederate deserter claimed the sub employed an India rubber suction plate to attach to its target and then was to plant a timed bomb on the hull.

I did some research, but never found any other mention of the attack. Of interest, the US Navy currently has a nuclear submarine under construction named the Minnesota.


OTHER EVENTS

October 10, 1861

The USS Daylight, Cmdr. Lockwood, silenced a Confederate battery attacking the American ship John Clark anchored at Lynnhaven Bay, Virginia. This was the ship that started the blockade of Wilmington.

OCTOBER 18th-- The USS Gemsbok, Acting Master Cavendy, captured the brig Ariel off Wilmington with a cargo of salt. (With that cargo, it was probably inbound.)

It's a Sea Thing. --Old B-Runner

Confederate Sub Upright for First Time Since 1864

Scientists in North Charleston, SC, are hoping that the newly revealed "hidden side" of the Confederate submarine Hunley will give clues as to its sinking and deaths of its eight crew members.

So far, there have been no immediate things that stick out as to the answer, but there are "tantalizing clues" according to researchers. They already knew that there were large hull breaches on the starboard side that had remained out of view ever after the sub's raising.

Even stranger, the areas around the breaches was smooth where the sediments that had hardened all over the rest of the hull had been blasted away. Scientists are not sure if the breaches are man-made, caused by an explosion or caused by nature.

The sediment might have been scoured away by water and tides.

In any event, the newly upright Hunley now looks more like the stealth weapon that it was.

The next step will take place when the sub is lowered onto its keel blocks and in another month, the truss and slings will be removed, giving an even better view of the ship.

There are many good videos of the rotation process on YouTube.

Looking Forward to Seeing the Ship. --Old B-Runner

The Hunley on a Slow Roll-- Part 2

Two lab workers began ratcheting down each sling, one at a time. In the first hour, the submarine rotated about 2 degrees. By early afternoon, more than a dozen workers were stationed along the strap controls and the Hunley began moving about 4 milliliters at a time.

Shortly after 4:30 pm, worked came to a stop after the Hunley had moved some 200 milliliters and the sub now didn't look quite as wide as it had before and, it looked smaller.

There were several comments in the article, with several wondering how much this effort had cost taxpayers. One reply said that all money for the project had come from the Clemson University Restoration Institute, the South Carolina Hunley Commission and the Naval Historical Center.

Saving a Ship, One Millileter at a Time. --Old B-Runner

The Hunley on a Slow Roll-- Part 1

Sure is a lot of news about the rotating of the Confederate submarine Hunley to an upright position. From the Charleston (SC) Post and Courier by Brian Hicks.

Engineers and scientists at Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston are working at uprighting the Hunley, three milliliters at a time. The pace is plodding and progress barely visible, but they are avoiding hull stress by adjusting the 15 straps holding the vessel.

They are also keeping a laser sight running from stern to bow to detect any twisting of the hull.

One upright, conservators can begin removing the crusted sand and shells on this part of the hull they were formerly unable to approach.

Work began last Wednesday while the ship rested at a 45 degree angle (actually 49.3 degrees starboard).

More to Come. --Old B-Runner

What Sank the Hunley?

From the June 22nd Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

There are three major theories as to why the Hunley sank on its way back from sinking the USS Housatonic.

1. It was hit by cannon fire from the Housatonic.

2. The crew was knocked out from the concussion of the blst of the torpedo that sank the Housatonic.

3. It was damaged by another Union vessel coming to the aid of the stricken Union ship.

Studies conducted since the ship was raised show that the crew died from lack of oxygen. They were all found at their stations when the ship was excavated. Death came quickly. There was no evidence of a rush to escape.

This Will Be Interesting. --Old B-R'er

Righting the Hunley

From the June 22nd Atlanta (Ga) Journal-Constitution.

On June 22nd, the Hunley was rotated by 10 degrees by mid-afternoon in a delicate effort expected to take two days. In all, the ship will be righted into an upright position a little over 45 degrees.

Experts are hoping that once the submarine is upright and the slings removed, that they will be able to find what sank the ship back in 1864. The exact reason has nor been found for the ten years the ship has been ashore.

Last week, the ship was raised three feet off the floor of the tank it rests in and 90,000 gallons of water drained. After that, half of the 15 slings were removed. The remaining ones now have sophisticated sensors to tell how much weight each is supporting.

Once upright, it will rest on keel blocks.

Several years of planning have gone into this effort.

Go, Guys!! --Old B-Runner

Happenings Last Year-- USS Alligator

Going back through some old stuff.

Most CW buffs have heard lots and lots about the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley, but few know that the North had one as well.

The Jan. 14, 2008, North Attleboro (Ma) Sun Chronicle had an article about Chuck Veit, president of the Navy and Marine Living History Association who received a $4,999 grant to update and distribute posters of the Union Navy's 1862 submarine called the Alligator which was largely forgotten until five years ago.

It was built by the French inventor Brutus de Villeroi who immigrated to the US.

The 47-foot-long, oar-propelled Alligator got its name from what it looked like. Its first mission was to destroy a bridge on the Appomattox and James rivers, but they were too shallow for a complete submerge and there was a fear that Confederates would capture it so the mission was aborted.

It sank in 1863 off Cape Hatteras while being towed for an attack on Charleston.

See www.navyandmarine.org which has a whole page on the Alligator Project.

Wouldn't that be something to find this wreck and possibly recover it. The direct predecessor of today's nuclear subs. Had the Alligator reached Charleston, we might have had the first battle of the submarines.

Just Thinking. --B-Runner