All of us were quite excited. We have never been in a submarine, let alone a submarine which has survived the World War II!
A little info on USS Pampanito:USS Pampanito (SS-383), a Balao-class submarine, was a United States Navy navy ship, the only one named for a variety of the pompano fish (see gafftopsail pompano). She completed six war patrols from 1944 to 1945 and served as a Naval Reserve Training ship from 1960 to 1971. USS Pampanito's keel was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, on 15 March 1943. She was launched on 12 July 1943, sponsored by Mrs. James Wolfender, and commissioned on 6 November 1943, with Lieutenant Commander Charles B. Jackson, Jr. in command.
After shakedown off New London, Connecticut, Pampanito transited the Panama Canal and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 14 February 1944. Her first war patrol, from 15 March to 2 May, was conducted in the southwest approaches to Saipan and Guam. She served on lifeguard duty south of Yap, then scored two torpedo hits on a destroyer before sailing for Midway Island and Pearl Harbor for refit and repairs to a hull badly damaged by depth charges.
Pampanito’s second war patrol, from 3 June to 23 July, took place off Kyūshū, Shikoku, and Honshū. On 23 June, a submerged Japanese submarine fired two torpedoes, just missing Pampanito. On 6 July, Pampanito damaged a Japanese gunboat, and 11 days later headed for Midway Island.
Pampanito’s third war patrol, from 17 August to 28 September, a "wolfpack" operation with submarines Growler (SS-215) and Sealion (SS-315), was conducted in the South China Sea. On 12 September, she sank 10,509 ton transport Kachidoki Maru and the 5,135 ton tanker Zuihō Maru, and damaged a third ship, which unbeknownst to them was a "hell ship" carrying POWs. On 15 September, she moved back to the area of the original attack and found men clinging to makeshift rafts. As the sub moved closer, the men were heard to be shouting in English. Pampanito was able to pick up 73 British and Australian survivors and called in three other subs, Sealion, Barb (SS-220) and Queenfish (SS-393), to assist with the rescue. She then set course for Saipan, disembarked the survivors, and steamed on to Pearl Harbor.
Pampanito’s fourth war patrol, from 28 October to 30 December, took place off Formosa and the coast of southeastern China with Sea Cat (SS-399), Pipefish (SS-388), and Searaven (SS-196). Sinking 1200 ton cargo ship Shinko Maru Number One, 19 November, she damaged a second ship before putting in to Fremantle for refit. Her fifth war patrol in the Gulf of Siam, from 23 January to 12 February 1945, with Guavina (SS-362), was highlighted by two sinkings, the 6,968-ton cargo ship Engen Maru 6 February and the 3,520-ton passenger-cargo ship Eifuku Maru on 8 February.
Refitted at Subic Bay, Pampanito returned to the Gulf of Siam for her sixth war patrol. Operating with Caiman (SS-323), Sealion, and Mingo (SS-261), she sighted only one target before sailing for Pearl Harbor.
From Pearl Harbor the ship proceeded to San Francisco for overhaul, departing for Pearl Harbor again 1 August. With the end of the war, she was ordered to return to San Francisco. She was decommissioned at Mare Island on 15 December 1945. She remained in reserve until April 1960 when she was assigned to Naval Reserve Training at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Reclassified AGSS-383, 6 November 1962, she served as a Naval Reserve Training ship at Vallejo, California, until she was stricken from the Navy Register on 20 December 1971.
Pampanito earned six battle stars for World War II service.
You can visit her official website here.
The tour through the USS Pampanito descends into the rear of the sub, and it's actually just a short walk through the compartments. Into the rear torpedo room, the 2 engine rooms that reek of diesel fumes, the eating quarters, the tiny galley, the sleeping quarters, and the forward torpedo room.
It's remarkable on how small the place is within the subs. The inner walls are only a few feet apart. The inside of the submarine is sectioned off into small compartments, all separated by tiny water tight doors. To think 80 men lived for months on end within these cramped quarters takes a bit of visualization. And the smell...arghh..for me who is a bit of a claustrophobic and an anxiety disorder patient, it was quite a task to finish up the tour. But the historian in me get the best. Thanks to my dad's gene who was a History teacher. :)
Have a look at a few snaps inside the submarine.
The torpedo room. Yeah, that yellow and black things are torpedos. KABOOMMM!
We could see hundreds of meters and other sorts of control 'thingy'.
So small!
Gadgets again.
Dining area
Water tight doors between compartments.
The service men.The tour was an educational one. Especially for Harith and dear Hubby who are interested in anything to do with gadgets, meters and all. Me, I'm just interested in the historical part. Hey, it's the WWII submarine ok! Even my Dad was just a little toddler at that time. For Adik Hannah, it was just a small playground. She had fun going through the submarine, climbing the stairs, lying on the bunk(although that wasn't allowed, of course), hehe..
So if any of you folks happened to be in San Francisco, go ahead and take the trip down to Pier 45. The ticket only cost USD7. But I can assure you what you will experience will worth much more than that.
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