Navsource odd photo

[Lance Dean]

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08228.htm

Go there, scroll down and you'll see this photo:



"The Drum (SS-228) departing San Francisco Navy Yard, at Hunter's Point in July 1945. Note her heavy armament of two 5inch/25 guns, and a 40mm mounted forward on the conning tower step. Additional 20mm and .50 calibre guns will be carried into combat. Note the two periscope shears atop the conning tower, with a separate radar mast behind them."  - USN photo & text from "The American Submarine" by Norman Polmar, courtesy of Robert Hurst.

Any ideas on this one Tom?  This is what I was asking you about today.  Either this is new to us and she did indeed have two 5" guns at this point, or the photo is not of the Drum.

[Tom Bowser]

It is possible, but the periscope shears don't look right, it maybe the angle, they look more like the original Gato. I will take a closer look at the boat today or tomarrow and also will check with a couple of the crew that were on board at Hunters point. Thanks for sharing this and I really enjoyed your visit.
Tom

[Lance Dean]

Still trying to determine if the above photo is the Drum.  We hope to find the answer soon.

[Paul Farace]

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0822801.jpg

The picture above, the one above the photo you display, clearly shows DRUM with 5 inch guns forward and aft!!!

So yea, at one point she was one tough BITCH the Japs had to deal with...!!!

[Tom Bowser]

Paul
If you are talking about the port bow view, I don't believe that is the Drum. The Drum had and still has a port and stbd anchor well.
Our machinery history records aren't real clear about the gun, it does say they remove the 4" from forward and got a 5". it doesn't say if it was one or two. we do have a verified photo showing the 5" aft at hunters point june '45 and we are looking though other photos and I will try to get a hold of a gunners mate that was on board at that time.
The shears do look like balao and everything else looks right, it could be.
Tom

[Lance Dean]

In the photo at the top of this thread, you can see the port starboard anchor well is still there and the dive planes are up (on the surface).  I don't know if this is the photo Paul was referencing or not.  NavSource is smart and does not allow hotlinking photos. 

edited:
Stupid me can't tell left from right sometimes.

[Lance Dean]

I was just sent 3 photos of the Drum as she left Mare Island Shipyard on March 22, 1945.  This was between war patrols 8 and 9 when she received the Balao conning tower.  More soon.

[Lance Dean]

Take a look at http://www.drum228.org/warpatrol14.html

[Tom Bowser]

It has now been confirmed that the Drum left Hunters Point with two 5" guns and kept them until decommisioning.
Tom