USN:
78 years ago today, USS
Salmon (SS-182) survived 30 close-range depth charges causing pressure hull deformation, flooding, & jammed stern planes. The most serious damage to have been survived by a
USN submarine. She surfaced & gunned her way out.
On 30 October 1944 during her eleventh war patrol,
Salmon underwent a severe depth charge attack southeast of Kyushu while submerged at a depth of about 300 feet. As a result of this attack,
Salmon incurred severe damage. This case of damage can be considered one of the most serious to have been survived by any U.S. submarine during World War II. Pressure hull deformation was extensive in way of both engine rooms. The external main engine air induction piping collapsed and flooded, causing the ship to become heavy overall, and the stern diving planes jammed in "full dive" position. Depth control was immediately lost and
Salmon oscillated up and down several times, remaining submerged only by blowing the safety tank and by going ahead at emergency speed with a 20 degree up angle on the boat. Seventeen minutes after the attack, with batteries depleted, the after engine room flooded almost to the level of the main motors, and still not having achieved depth control,
Salmon surfaced, outgunned the opposing Japanese escorts and escaped with three engines on full power. This report is based on the information contained in the references and on further informal correspondence with the then Commanding Officer. The Photographs were furnished by Naval Drydocks, Hunter's Point.
