I and many other submariners from that era volunteered to conduct tours of the boat. It was a great experience that I wish I could still do. Legs gone. Memory still good. DBF.
Hello Jamie, I believe the only tour that was recorded was the one that you just watched. All the tours that I conducted were just walkthroughs and me giving information and answering questions from the tourists. The submarine group here in Mobile has a good organization and gave many many tours. Hundreds of thousands of people have toured the Battleship and the submarine. If you can please come for a tour. I can no longer lead tours due to bad knees but other retired submariners would be happy to walk you through the boat.
I visited this submarine back in August of this year (2019) and it looked absolutely amazing. I spent the whole day a Battleship Memorial Park touring the USS Alabama and the USS Drum. Both are absolutely amazing to see in person. I encourage everyone to visit all the magnificent ships still left from WWII, they are a great way to live history.
I went through the USS Drum when I was a teenager (70's) because it was next to the USS Alabama. I'm glad to see it out of the water. Always wanted to go back and see both.
The souls are no longer here but the machines that they operated remain behind as a reminder of their deeds.. Your hard work will ensure future generations will have a place where they can become alive again and never to be forgotten. Thank you!.
my wife an i were passing through mobile a few years ago being a longhaul trucker from Canada we saw the battle ship called and asked if they could handle a tractor trailer they were welcoming we toured both ship sub and plane museum what a great experience thanks to all workers and volunteers
As you can see my name is Bill Jordan. This video is GREAT. It truly touches me at hart and to my being. You see, my father was JAMES FRANKLIN JORDAN. He is the only known casualty to die while serving on the Drum. He died on July 25, 1952. In 2012 on the 25th. of July Tom and the subvets of Mobile Bay Base honored my family and my brother and I with a remembrance ceremony marking the 60th. anniversary of my dad's passing. I will be forever indebted to Tom and the subvets for what they did for us. Last year My brother. James A. Jordan passed away on July 1st. and really tried to make it to the 25th. I miss them both. Tom and Leslie, YOU are the Best !!!! I will never be able to thank you enough and I will never forget you both.
I remember on my trip to the park, I met Tom. At the time, I knew nothing about the Drum. He was up in the conning tower and he and I talked for a little while about the boat. I think it’s cool that he cares so much about the boat and shares so much information about it.
A very dear frend ove mine who was a crew member here would tell me many of his stories while at sea. I happened to stumble on this video while surfing the internet. Thank you for keeping there memory forever.
i was accually on this sub back in 87 when i was stationed in gulfport. this is awsome. the ship looked good back then but you two are doing a bang up job on her. alot of you may also recognize her as the sub from under seige. when she was still in the water i instantly recognized her and the alabama when they were trying to drop the dive planes. i am very proud of your progress and i. will be sending some donations. this is wonderfull. thank you vets and gods speed
I had the honour of touring the drum in mobile Alabama in 1988 along with the Alabama I have many photos and great memories love and prayers from Australia
I and my Dad while on vacation took a tour of the USS Alabama and the Drum when i was 16 yo. I am so glad to see that its being taken care of by people who care about keeping history alive. I am 54 now and would love a return trip to see the restoration !
Thank you for this great video. I offer all my respect and admiration for her crew and all of the submarine crews that are on "eternal patrols", regardless of their countries of allegiance. Serving on a "boat" was/is a very hard life, the loyalty and professionalism of each crew member towards one another made it livable. Those were the "best years of my life". Thank you for filming/posting this video, Ciao L (SSBN-642 officer).
Served 23 years on the boats. Two diesels, one SSN, and 4 Boomers one of which was the Kamehameha SSBN 642. I think those who served on the boats look back on their time as the "best times" of their lives. QMC/SS Retired.
I didn't get the man and young lady's names who are restoring this submarine, but to me they are what being American is all about. I'm so glad we still have people like them that care and take pride for what America stands for. God Bless them, God Bless all that served on the Drum and God Bless America !
DRUM was assigned to Navy Reserve Submarine Division 5-8 until Spring 1968. I made QM1 & QMC and Qualified in Submarines. In those days DRUM had a GUPPY Sail. Nice to see the WWII configuration restored.
Best modern ww2 submarine documentary that I've seen~thank you. I'll watch this several times over. Thanks to all who served on the boat, your all heroes.
I live in Alabama and served in the Navy. I have been to this park multiple times with my family and just recently with my granddaughter. I have several pictures of the Drum and my granddaughter inside. Great work that is still in progress.
I toured the USS Drum and the USS Alabama while on my way to New Orleans for a ships reunion for my first ship USS Dahlgren DLG-12 back in May 2014. Wish I had met these people when I was there. I did the National WW2 Museum in New Orleans and then the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola on my way back home. What a trip. As an ex-sailor I have to say though that the battleship was to big and the sub to small. Glad I served on destroyers...
Great video. So thankful for Tom and Leslie and their hard work. Grew up in Pensacola, FL about 60 miles east. Spent many a day going through the Alabama and Drum. They almost lost the Drum during Hurricane Georges in 1998 when it smacked Biloxi, MS when she was still sitting in the water. The damage to it was pretty severe. Was after that they moved it to its dry berth on land. Its a remarkable piece of US Naval history.
Great video and two dedicated people. I served on the USS Clamagore, SS343 and was on decommissioning crew. She is in Patriots point at the Museum but they have let her get in bad repair and looking at scrapping or turning her into a reef. She was one of the first boats at the end of WW2 to undergo upgrades. She served the US until 1976 when she was decommissioned. DBF
I was Radioman while on board her. She is at Patriots point and a web search should bring her up. Also, go to Patriots point website and you can view photos of her. She needs some work on her super structure due to being in water and no maintenance. She was an awesome boat and we would go out and be "bad guys" to the Nukes or surface Navy could try to find us. I was on her for about a year when she was decommissioned. Great boat. Also, Bruce Schick, former CO wrote a book called " Whales Tales" which is good reading
I visited the Clamagore while my ship was undergoing DPRAV in Charleston NB in 1986. Wife also wanted to see the Yorktown as she'd never seen a carrier before. Visited the Laffey and I showed her my berthing and work areas on the same class ship (USS Hawkins). I served in USS Blueback (SS-581) for a while in 1977. We visited the Drum while touring the Alabama in 2017. Middle son (Air Force) was amazed at how small she is and the lack of space.
I have been visiting the Drum in 2014 and one of the first things I noticed was good the sub looks, how well everything is restored and how "pretty" they painted and polished everything. The video does not even show all of the many details they have paid attention to. Absolutely fantastic work. Right beside the sub is the battleship Alabama, and while is is also restored, it is not done at the level of spit shine this sub is restored. Of course, to restore a battleship to museum level is a gigantic task and just about all of this is done through donation and pure dedication. Besides the battleship there is also planes and more. You can make a whole day of it to see everything, and if you are anywhere near come by and see it.
great video, thank you. i went on the Drum in the summer of 2010. I was working the BP spill on a Task Force station in Theodore, AL. It was my first bow to stern tour of an U. S. sub. I highly recommend seeing the Drum and of course the U.S.S. Alabama and the rest of the complex. Well done. Roll Tide!
The Drum was built at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Commissioned 11 - 1 - 41. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard set a record on January 1944 by launching 4 subs in 1 day. My grandfather help build the Drum. Im 3rd generation working there.
I lived in mobile for a few years working at midtown restaurants. Visited this park many times. Always a fun thing to do. God bless the crew and those who maintain and keep this history alive.
Battleship Park is the best run ship Museum I’ve ever visited. I grew up south of Asheville and as a schoolboy I donated my nickels and dimes to save the USS North Carolina. When I lived in the Mobile area I worked as a port mate in the Benders Shipyard and would visit the USS Alabama and the Drum whenever I could. They also have a very impressive Aircraft collection. The park was badly damaged by Camille and again later by another hurricane. But largely through the efforts of volunteers they were able to make repairs and go on.
I just want to express my sincere thanks to the men and women that served our country and mankind during WWII. Also the enormous restoration work that has been done on this Submarine so that we can, today, visit and get a close experience of the life and function on this vessel. I visited in April 2015 and can not wait to get back again. I live in Orlando Florida and hope to be back in November again. I wish there would be a possibility to spend a night and day on board. To eat and sleep, just to get an even deeper realistic experience of the ship. Thank you for all your work on this submarine so that we can come and visit. Bo in Florida
Nice work.Great overview of the boat and the repairs and blood sweat and tears of dedication.God bless your efforts.You have made a difference in thousands of lives for generations.Naval heritage is vital to understand in order to understand the value of the U.S Navy to our freedoms and liberty. Hats off to you and the team there!
It's looks way bigger on here than in real life. The conning tower is really small. Read the Gato class operation manual off the internet before you go see the sub. Everything you see makes more sense. Really great exhibit to see!
I lived in Alabama most of my life. I visited the USS Alabama and the USS Drum when I was a kid with my parents. I joined the US Navy when I was 19 and served for 11 years. I took my 2 oldest kids to visit them while still on active duty, both my ex-wife and myself were active duty in the navy, and they really enjoyed it. The Drum was still in the water at that time. I also enjoyed going on the tours, this was back in the mid to late 80's and Battleship Park offered active duty personnel free admission at that time. I wish the state would do a little more to help in the restoration.
I have been there a few times - my first visit in 1996, the USS Drum was still in the water, and I was unable to go on board, as the state Governor was there. Later visit, had the Drum on shore (permanent dry-dock), and gaping holes were visible in the lower hull, cut to give access to interior spaces for repairs. Keep up the good work.
Nice job you guys are doing there, preserving a piece of history for generations to come and see her and also learn about the brave men who went out on those patrols, few experiences of war could equal the terror of being depth-charged, all WW2 class subs usually had a max submerged speed of around 7-8 knots so when they were under attack they just had to ride it out and hope their skipper could keep the boat far enough away from the depth charges, it was not easy as a Gato is a big sub for her day and we lost some of the finest generation who are on "eternal patrol", my deepest respect goes to these men who saved our asses when it mattered the most, "the greatest generation", truer words were never spoken..
Great vid. Airplanes, code breakers, and big battles get a lot of well deserved attention, but factory workers (making an infinite amount of gear - like this sub) and thousands of these smaller battles played just as big a cumulative role in WW2. This is the first intimate look I've ever had of a particular US sub and the difficult and extended role this particular machine and it's men played. Chock full of technical and human detail. I wanted everyone you interviewed to just keep talking. The combination of highly skilled - grubby - demanding work, difficult living conditions, hostile environment, and plenty of opportunities to die, is hard to imagine. I was shocked when Tom was describing the diesels and an edit happened just after he said: "opposing pistons that share a cylinder and also act as intake and exhaust valves on an engine that's still produced"! Really? Maybe I'm just geeky, but I could have sat for a few more hours of the stuff you were filming. I didn't mind the reality (noise) the kids added. Just part of the working conditions like the oil and rust on the "wardrobes". Thanks for posting!
I salute anyone and everyone whos served as a submariner, thats gotta be one hell of a job that takes massive balls to do. I toured the USS Drum a few weeks ago, an i got this weird feeling inside me like i was walking on sacred grounds. Words cant describe it good enough but it was pride an respect.
Dang! I just drove through Mobile a couple weeks ago enroute to Houston. You can imagine my surprise when I saw a big ol' battleship up ahead of me as I drove into town. Had I known they had a sub there too, i would have stopped off and taken a tour.
in the control room is a brass plaque with the names of all Alabama submariners. My uncle, Foy B Hester was on the Nautilus as chief electricians mate. Made 14 cruises I think. Was an old school submariner from the pig boats just after WW I. By the time WW II came along, he was an old time submariner. Thanks for the video
We toured the Drum with two of our sons who were Air Force Master Sergeants. They were both amazed at how full the interior was. I served in USS Blueback (SS-591), one of the last diesel boats. The Blueback's displacement was about 200 tons more than the Drum; but inside there sure wasn't much more room! D B F!
Great video and many thanks to the restoration crew for all their efforts in preserving an important part of our history. I'm sure that many who see this are already aware of this, but the US Submarine service accounted for more tonnage sunk than ALL the other branches of the US Armed Services combined. We owe our submariners a great debt (and of course all the other services as well).
i AM happy and sad at the same time ...Happy the sub is being remembered and restored .And sad that one man and one woman (and maybe a few others) have been working so hard and so long ,on a restoration that should be handled by hundreds of people ...And the United States Navy ,it's there history .I no not every sub and ship needs to be restored . But this sub does ...THANK YOU SIR FOR YOUR SERVICE .THANK YOU MADAM FOR SERVICE TO THE SUB .
I have been on the Drum a couple of times. In 1983, I tried to get a picture of my 18 month old daughter on one of the bunks. She would have none of it, I guess she figure we were going to leave her. Went back when she was seven, and I trouble keeping up with her in the sub and battleship. I hope to take the grandsons someday, but I am a lot older and a lot bigger.
Took my 12 year old Daughter and her classmates on a walkthrough. I retired after 23 years in the boats and had never really talked to her about my service. After the tour she was the queen of her class for days with her classmates all asking about her "hero" Dad. I told her to tell them that we were not heroes, just submariners doing what had to be done. I think she had a little more respect for me and my service for the country.
I was on this boat in 1988 and thought then what a shame it's condition was. I no idea until tonight how much work has been done to it since then. wow, I am so impressed with the work and these two wonderful people for dedicating themselves to saving history. My thanks to both of them.
One of my very best friends, Orba Nelso Hall. was COB on the Drum during the war. What a war for him. Met his wife, a Japanese young lady in Japan. Only death did them part.
Matured in life . . . one hour from this missions evolution - New London, CT. Even had a brother-in-law, made a career working for Electric Boat - a producer of nuclear submarines ! 🇺🇸
Fantastic Video. I love Submarines as well and will have to make this one of my bucket list destinations. Only distraction of the video was the visitors talking in the background. Should have had the video shot when it was closed. :-) Cheers.
Chicago, Il used to have two (2) submarines from WW II ! Mayor Harold Washington ran the American submarine out of town from Navy Pier. Now in the State of Michigan; just North of Holland, Michigan where the car ferry leaves from. One sailor from the submarine had his appendix operated on per the Navy Manual ! The sailor survived WW II and the operation ! The other submarine is the German submarine U-505 captured two days before D-Day by Admiral Dan Gallery from Chicago. After WW II he was on the aircraft carrier that launched a German V-2 rocket (burned a hole in the deck); after that the Navy stayed with solid fuel rockets. Thank you for the video ! tjl
Absolutely Wonderful. Thanks to these two dedicated Americans, all the submariners who did and are doing so much for this country and All who have donated tward this restoration work. Thanks so much for posting this !
I would love to volunteer on a project such as this,am very handy with lots of different knots,splicing,weaving and many different types of coverings,if I was close enough I would sign up!!
This is a priceless American treasure that sounds corny, but this machine along with it's dedicated crews and skippers death a mighty blow to the Japanese war effort sinking countless transports and japanese navy vessels. Just read James Scott's book The war Below (?) and it's one of the three subs in the book. Vivid story of all of it's missions. A must read I think for submarine buffs. Wonderful dedication on the restoration y'alls effort are very much appreciated I cannot wait to see this fine vessel. Please send a few dollars to help these heroes repair a legend!
Do right to look after it. In the UK, we have only the light crusier - HMS Belfast - left from WW1/2. Efforts were made to save the last (and latest) WW2 battleship - HMS Vanguard - but pen-pushers said NO; and that irreplaceable warhorse was lost for ever. And this in a country that prides itself upon nautical history. But then, that history is so long, I guess you can only save so much from each epoch. For example - we still have Nelson's HMS Victory. A couple of years ago, I saw an ex-ASRL (Royal Air Force) Air Sea Rescue Launch up for sale in Spain. After WW2 it had been bought by Germans(!) and converted into a motor yacht. Being wooden, by then it was in a bit of a mess. The wartime commander had been awarded the DSM for courage under fire, succesfully rescuing a downed Catalina crew within range of Sardinian shore batteries. Yet there it was - rotting away in Spain. So sad.
D3cyTH3r The shock wave from the exploding depth charge causes the filament (made out of tungsten) inside the bulb to vibrate and shake wildly, when the filament is glowing it is brittle, causing it to break.
cmsracing I see -and when the bulbs actually explode, is that caused by vibrations running through the hull or the air-pressure inside the sub changing rapidly?
D3cyTH3r The bulbs don't really explode, that's just Hollywood special effects. When the bulb "blows" it just means it burned out. I have seen them pop when cold water hits them, that's all. Now if you have explosive gas in the area... well that's a different story!
To all who served in the Silent Service and especially to those 54 submarines and crews still "on eternal patrol" thank you for holding the line and taking the war to the enemy until the US could turn its plows into new ships , tanks, planes and trained men and women who turned the tide. Well Done and fair winds and following seas for those still on eternal patrol ( Trigger, Tang, Wahoo, Harder and the rest )!
Is this submarine locatef in Baltimore, Md? I believe we saw this particular sub on display along with other American ships of various era's. Absolutely awesome!
There are cuts in this video to interviews with original crewmen that look like they were from another documentary. Do you have a link to that doc, or at least the name so I can look it up? thanks
USS Seahorse SSN-669? That was a Sturgeon-class boat in my squadron, SUBRON4 in Charleston, SC. When were you on board Seahorse? She was decommissioned in 1995 after I left the squadron in 1986. I was on the Sub-Tender USS Frank Cable AS-40 at Pier Mike in Charleston.
Have you worked with any of the members of the USS Cod (SS-224) team in Cleveland during your restoration work? It's another Gato-class boat that has been kept in fully working order for nearly 40 years now, and is open for tours during the summer.
I and many other submariners from that era volunteered to conduct tours of the boat. It was a great experience that I wish I could still do. Legs gone. Memory still good. DBF.
@Russell Mordechai No one cares. Quit causing misery to people. Grow up.
Please record interviews and put them on UA-cam
Hello Jamie, I believe the only tour that was recorded was the one that you just watched. All the tours that I conducted were just walkthroughs and me giving information and answering questions from the tourists. The submarine group here in Mobile has a good organization and gave many many tours. Hundreds of thousands of people have toured the Battleship and the submarine. If you can please come for a tour. I can no longer lead tours due to bad knees but other retired submariners would be happy to walk you through the boat.
Thank you for serving sir!
I visited this submarine back in August of this year (2019) and it looked absolutely amazing. I spent the whole day a Battleship Memorial Park touring the USS Alabama and the USS Drum. Both are absolutely amazing to see in person. I encourage everyone to visit all the magnificent ships still left from WWII, they are a great way to live history.
I recommend the USS Batfish museum in Mascogee, Ok. Great Sub
@@TERoss-jk9ny ...APPARENTLY, THERE ARE SUBMARINE DISPLAYS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY-!
just went yesterday!!!!
I went through the USS Drum when I was a teenager (70's) because it was next to the USS Alabama. I'm glad to see it out of the water. Always wanted to go back and see both.
I did the same it was moored behind the Alabama. What got me was how small it was it was I wouldn't want to be underwater in that thing.
Did the same thing in the seventies!!
The souls are no longer here but the machines that they operated remain behind as a reminder of their deeds.. Your hard work will ensure future generations will have a place where they can become alive again and never to be forgotten.
Thank you!.
my wife an i were passing through mobile a few years ago being a longhaul trucker from Canada we saw the battle ship called and asked if they could handle a tractor trailer they were welcoming we toured both ship sub and plane museum what a great experience thanks to all workers and volunteers
As you can see my name is Bill Jordan. This video is GREAT. It truly touches me at hart and to my being. You see, my father was JAMES FRANKLIN JORDAN. He is the only known casualty to die while serving on the Drum. He died on July 25, 1952. In 2012 on the 25th. of July Tom and the subvets of Mobile Bay Base honored my family and my brother and I with a remembrance ceremony marking the 60th. anniversary of my dad's passing. I will be forever indebted to Tom and the subvets for what they did for us. Last year My brother. James A. Jordan passed away on July 1st. and really tried to make it to the 25th. I miss them both. Tom and Leslie, YOU are the Best !!!! I will never be able to thank you enough and I will never forget you both.
I remember on my trip to the park, I met Tom. At the time, I knew nothing about the Drum. He was up in the conning tower and he and I talked for a little while about the boat. I think it’s cool that he cares so much about the boat and shares so much information about it.
A very dear frend ove mine who was a crew member here would tell me many of his stories while at sea. I happened to stumble on this video while surfing the internet. Thank you for keeping there memory forever.
i was accually on this sub back in 87 when i was stationed in gulfport. this is awsome. the ship looked good back then but you two are doing a bang up job on her. alot of you may also recognize her as the sub from under seige. when she was still in the water i instantly recognized her and the alabama when they were trying to drop the dive planes. i am very proud of your progress and i. will be sending some donations. this is wonderfull. thank you vets and gods speed
I had the honour of touring the drum in mobile Alabama in 1988 along with the Alabama I have many photos and great memories love and prayers from Australia
I and my Dad while on vacation took a tour of the USS Alabama and the Drum when i was 16 yo. I am so glad to see that its being taken care of by people who care about keeping history alive. I am 54 now and would love a return trip to see the restoration !
Thank you for this great video. I offer all my respect and admiration for her crew and all of the submarine crews that are on "eternal patrols", regardless of their countries of allegiance. Serving on a "boat" was/is a very hard life, the loyalty and professionalism of each crew member towards one another made it livable. Those were the "best years of my life".
Thank you for filming/posting this video, Ciao L (SSBN-642 officer).
Served 23 years on the boats. Two diesels, one SSN, and 4 Boomers one of which was the Kamehameha SSBN 642. I think those who served on the boats look back on their time as the "best times" of their lives. QMC/SS Retired.
I didn't get the man and young lady's names who are restoring this submarine, but to me they are what being American is all about. I'm so glad we still have people like them that care and take pride for what America stands for. God Bless them, God Bless all that served on the Drum and God Bless America !
The restorers names are in the credits.
America is useless!!
@@Martin19661 ...IT SURE SEEMS THAT WAY-!!!
DRUM was assigned to Navy Reserve Submarine Division 5-8 until Spring 1968. I made QM1 & QMC and Qualified in Submarines. In those days DRUM had a GUPPY Sail. Nice to see the WWII configuration restored.
Best modern ww2 submarine documentary that I've seen~thank you. I'll watch this several times over. Thanks to all who served on the boat, your all heroes.
Thank you
I live in Alabama and served in the Navy. I have been to this park multiple times with my family and just recently with my granddaughter. I have several pictures of the Drum and my granddaughter inside. Great work that is still in progress.
I toured the USS Drum and the USS Alabama while on my way to New Orleans for a ships reunion for my first ship USS Dahlgren DLG-12 back in May 2014. Wish I had met these people when I was there. I did the National WW2 Museum in New Orleans and then the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola on my way back home. What a trip. As an ex-sailor I have to say though that the battleship was to big and the sub to small. Glad I served on destroyers...
...so did I in 1986- except I was on my way to Florida-!
Is the "Calamity Jane" still there?
Great video. So thankful for Tom and Leslie and their hard work. Grew up in Pensacola, FL about 60 miles east. Spent many a day going through the Alabama and Drum. They almost lost the Drum during Hurricane Georges in 1998 when it smacked Biloxi, MS when she was still sitting in the water. The damage to it was pretty severe. Was after that they moved it to its dry berth on land. Its a remarkable piece of US Naval history.
Great video and two dedicated people. I served on the USS Clamagore, SS343 and was on decommissioning crew. She is in Patriots point at the Museum but they have let her get in bad repair and looking at scrapping or turning her into a reef. She was one of the first boats at the end of WW2 to undergo upgrades. She served the US until 1976 when she was decommissioned. DBF
I was Radioman while on board her. She is at Patriots point and a web search should bring her up. Also, go to Patriots point website and you can view photos of her. She needs some work on her super structure due to being in water and no maintenance. She was an awesome boat and we would go out and be "bad guys" to the Nukes or surface Navy could try to find us. I was on her for about a year when she was decommissioned. Great boat. Also, Bruce Schick, former CO wrote a book called " Whales Tales" which is good reading
Toured your boat it was a lot bigger, nicer than the Drum.
@@53bigmikejones Thank you for your service. Considering your experience, you must have appreciated the movie "Down Periscope".
I visited the Clamagore while my ship was undergoing DPRAV in Charleston NB in 1986. Wife also wanted to see the Yorktown as she'd never seen a carrier before. Visited the Laffey and I showed her my berthing and work areas on the same class ship (USS Hawkins). I served in USS Blueback (SS-581) for a while in 1977. We visited the Drum while touring the Alabama in 2017. Middle son (Air Force) was amazed at how small she is and the lack of space.
I have been visiting the Drum in 2014 and one of the first things I noticed was good the sub looks, how well everything is restored and how "pretty" they painted and polished everything.
The video does not even show all of the many details they have paid attention to.
Absolutely fantastic work.
Right beside the sub is the battleship Alabama, and while is is also restored, it is not done at the level of spit shine this sub is restored.
Of course, to restore a battleship to museum level is a gigantic task and just about all of this is done through donation and pure dedication.
Besides the battleship there is also planes and more.
You can make a whole day of it to see everything, and if you are anywhere near come by and see it.
great video, thank you. i went on the Drum in the summer of 2010. I was working the BP spill on a Task Force station in Theodore, AL. It was my first bow to stern tour of an U. S. sub. I highly recommend seeing the Drum and of course the U.S.S. Alabama and the rest of the complex. Well done. Roll Tide!
The Drum was built at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Commissioned 11 - 1 - 41. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard set a record on January 1944 by launching 4 subs in 1 day. My grandfather help build the Drum. Im 3rd generation working there.
Some things should never be forgotten...
Great Video, Great Stories, and epic restore!
I lived in mobile for a few years working at midtown restaurants. Visited this park many times. Always a fun thing to do. God bless the crew and those who maintain and keep this history alive.
Battleship Park is the best run ship Museum I’ve ever visited. I grew up south of Asheville and as a schoolboy I donated my nickels and dimes to save the USS North Carolina. When I lived in the Mobile area I worked as a port mate in the Benders Shipyard and would visit the USS Alabama and the Drum whenever I could. They also have a very impressive Aircraft collection. The park was badly damaged by Camille and again later by another hurricane. But largely through the efforts of volunteers they were able to make repairs and go on.
I just want to express my sincere thanks to the men and women that served our country and mankind during WWII.
Also the enormous restoration work that has been done on this Submarine so that we can, today, visit and get a close experience of the life and function on this vessel.
I visited in April 2015 and can not wait to get back again. I live in Orlando Florida and hope to be back in November again.
I wish there would be a possibility to spend a night and day on board. To eat and sleep, just to get an even deeper realistic experience of the ship.
Thank you for all your work on this submarine so that we can come and visit.
Bo in Florida
Amen to that. It took a very special kind of pluck to go down in a submarine, I think.
Nice work.Great overview of the boat and the repairs and blood sweat and tears of dedication.God bless your efforts.You have made a difference in thousands of lives for generations.Naval heritage is vital to understand in order to understand the value of the U.S Navy to our freedoms and liberty. Hats off to you and the team there!
A big thanks to these 2 proud Americans for restoring this Sub and a bit of our History !!!!
It's looks way bigger on here than in real life. The conning tower is really small. Read the Gato class operation manual off the internet before you go see the sub. Everything you see makes more sense. Really great exhibit to see!
I lived in Alabama most of my life. I visited the USS Alabama and the USS Drum when
I was a kid with my parents. I joined the US Navy when I was 19 and served for 11 years. I took my 2 oldest kids to visit them while still on active duty, both my ex-wife and myself were active duty in the navy, and they really enjoyed it. The Drum was still in the water at that time. I also enjoyed going on the tours, this was back in the mid to late 80's and Battleship Park offered active duty personnel free admission at that time. I wish the state would do a little more to help in the restoration.
The park still does for active duty personnel
Thank you for posting and sharing this video. I visited the Drum in 1993 and am due to visit again.
Thanks for watching, it was great fun making it and I learned a lot.
I have been there a few times - my first visit in 1996, the USS Drum was still in the water, and I was unable to go on board, as the state Governor was there. Later visit, had the Drum on shore (permanent dry-dock), and gaping holes were visible in the lower hull, cut to give access to interior spaces for repairs. Keep up the good work.
Nice job you guys are doing there, preserving a piece of history for generations to come and see her and also learn about the brave men who went out on those patrols, few experiences of war could equal the terror of being depth-charged, all WW2 class subs usually had a max submerged speed of around 7-8 knots so when they were under attack they just had to ride it out and hope their skipper could keep the boat far enough away from the depth charges, it was not easy as a Gato is a big sub for her day and we lost some of the finest generation who are on "eternal patrol", my deepest respect goes to these men who saved our asses when it mattered the most, "the greatest generation", truer words were never spoken..
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GREAT VID brought back memories of my short time on the uss pomfret ss391.
Thanks to you both for your dedication, and hard work with this very worthy restoration.
Great vid. Airplanes, code breakers, and big battles get a lot of well deserved attention, but factory workers (making an infinite amount of gear - like this sub) and thousands of these smaller battles played just as big a cumulative role in WW2.
This is the first intimate look I've ever had of a particular US sub and the difficult and extended role this particular machine and it's men played.
Chock full of technical and human detail. I wanted everyone you interviewed to just keep talking.
The combination of highly skilled - grubby - demanding work, difficult living conditions, hostile environment, and plenty of opportunities to die, is hard to imagine.
I was shocked when Tom was describing the diesels and an edit happened just after he said: "opposing pistons that share a cylinder and also act as intake and exhaust valves on an engine that's still produced"! Really? Maybe I'm just geeky, but I could have sat for a few more hours of the stuff you were filming.
I didn't mind the reality (noise) the kids added. Just part of the working conditions like the oil and rust on the "wardrobes".
Thanks for posting!
I salute anyone and everyone whos served as a submariner, thats gotta be one hell of a job that takes massive balls to do. I toured the USS Drum a few weeks ago, an i got this weird feeling inside me like i was walking on sacred grounds. Words cant describe it good enough but it was pride an respect.
Awesome, y'all are giving her another 100 years!!
Incredible Herculean effort that is never done. Bless you for the work preserving history and devoting your life
Dang! I just drove through Mobile a couple weeks ago enroute to Houston. You can imagine my surprise when I saw a big ol' battleship up ahead of me as I drove into town. Had I known they had a sub there too, i would have stopped off and taken a tour.
When I visited in 1986, there was a B-52 on display too, along with a few other airplanes.
I visited the Drum and the Alabama in the 1970s. Beautiful 1940s technology.
I took a day/leave from my AOCS class 42-82 to see the Alabama and the Drum...with a friend. What a welcome break from the DI's hollerin'
Beautiful historic artifact. Thank you for your service.
Thank's Gary both of you have done a fine job keeping history alive
in the control room is a brass plaque with the names of all Alabama submariners. My uncle, Foy B Hester was on the Nautilus as chief electricians mate. Made 14 cruises I think. Was an old school submariner from the pig boats just after WW I. By the time WW II came along, he was an old time submariner. Thanks for the video
wow so awesome to see history remembered and restored
great documentary
We toured the Drum with two of our sons who were Air Force Master Sergeants. They were both amazed at how full the interior was. I served in USS Blueback (SS-591), one of the last diesel boats. The Blueback's displacement was about 200 tons more than the Drum; but inside there sure wasn't much more room! D B F!
went through last week and its a really impresive museum
Thanks for watching, yes they are great people working on history
I've taken the tour of this vessel. Really amazing
I even took a picture through the periscope-!
Great video and many thanks to the restoration crew for all their efforts in preserving an important part of our history. I'm sure that many who see this are already aware of this, but the US Submarine service accounted for more tonnage sunk than ALL the other branches of the US Armed Services combined. We owe our submariners a great debt (and of course all the other services as well).
Well, now I've gotta go play Silent Hunter 4 again... :)
It's nice to know there are good people like this working to keep history alive.
DBF!
GREAT JOB y'all !!! THANK YOU for restoring such an awesome piece of history !!!
That is an Ambitious Restoration. Many Thanks Shipmates. Respectfully CTO1 Wm "Chip" Nagel USN(R).
i AM happy and sad at the same time ...Happy the sub is being remembered and restored .And sad that one man and one woman (and maybe a few others) have been working so hard and so long ,on a restoration that should be handled by hundreds of people ...And the United States Navy ,it's there history .I no not every sub and ship needs to be restored . But this sub does ...THANK YOU SIR FOR YOUR SERVICE .THANK YOU MADAM FOR SERVICE TO THE SUB .
Alway glad to see a gal that isn't afraid of hard work. Well done Mam, I hope this video gives you the recognition you so richly deserve!!!!!!
At the end of the day we will remember them..
Great video, thank you for taking time it and sharing it on UA-cam.
thanks
I have been on the Drum a couple of times. In 1983, I tried to get a picture of my 18 month old daughter on one of the bunks. She would have none of it, I guess she figure we were going to leave her. Went back when she was seven, and I trouble keeping up with her in the sub and battleship. I hope to take the grandsons someday, but I am a lot older and a lot bigger.
Took my 12 year old Daughter and her classmates on a walkthrough. I retired after 23 years in the boats and had never really talked to her about my service. After the tour she was the queen of her class for days with her classmates all asking about her "hero" Dad. I told her to tell them that we were not heroes, just submariners doing what had to be done. I think she had a little more respect for me and my service for the country.
I was on this boat in 1988 and thought then what a shame it's condition was. I no idea until tonight how much work has been done to it since then. wow, I am so impressed with the work and these two wonderful people for dedicating themselves to saving history. My thanks to both of them.
One of my very best friends, Orba Nelso Hall. was COB on the Drum during the war. What a war for him. Met his wife, a Japanese young lady in Japan. Only death did them part.
Matured in life . . . one hour from this missions evolution - New London, CT. Even had a brother-in-law, made a career working for Electric Boat - a producer of nuclear submarines ! 🇺🇸
Bravo Zulu. Thank you for keeping her alive.
Outstanding video , learned some stuff ,Thanx for yer service
Old Navy guy subbed here w/bell- this is outstanding Sir.
These men truly were..."The Greatest Generation."
...I hate to even IMAGINE what they would be thinking if they could see what is happening now-(!)
I saw the USS Drum when I visited Mobile in 1986.
My dad served on the Drum in the 50's.
Great job with this video Tom, from a shipmate on the USS James Madison. Hope to see you at our reunion next year in Mobile....Joe Chay.
It was the USS barb that sank the train. Being on blocks is the best, it takes time with just two people. DeRosa past away a couple of years ago
great tour, thanks :)
Fantastic Video. I love Submarines as well and will have to make this one of my bucket list destinations. Only distraction of the video was the visitors talking in the background. Should have had the video shot when it was closed. :-) Cheers.
I saw the USS Drum at Mobile Bay by the USS Alabama Battleship.
If this is not preserved . . . it will be forgotten. Thia memorial, keeps it alive ! 🇺🇸
Chicago, Il used to have two (2) submarines from WW II ! Mayor Harold Washington ran the American submarine out of town from Navy Pier. Now in the State of Michigan; just North of Holland, Michigan where the car ferry leaves from. One sailor from the submarine had his appendix operated on per the Navy Manual ! The sailor survived WW II and the operation ! The other submarine is the German submarine U-505 captured two days before D-Day by Admiral Dan Gallery from Chicago. After WW II he was on the aircraft carrier that launched a German V-2 rocket (burned a hole in the deck); after that the Navy stayed with solid fuel rockets. Thank you for the video ! tjl
I saw that guy yesterday after going on the submarine in Mobile Alabama
My late father was the last commander of the Ling, I think... Commander Robert Brodeur
Fantastic. Must make it there someday
Absolutely Wonderful. Thanks to these two dedicated Americans, all the submariners who did and are doing so much for this country and All who have donated tward this restoration work. Thanks so much for posting this !
Thank you for taking care of this piece of history..too bad the NAV has no interest...this from a Navy veteran. You are an inspiration.
Great video. Thanks
I would love to volunteer on a project such as this,am very handy with lots of different knots,splicing,weaving and many different types of coverings,if I was close enough I would sign up!!
I would like to get those radios working. How do I get in contact with them? Anyone?
This is a priceless American treasure that sounds corny, but this machine along with it's dedicated crews and skippers death a mighty blow to the Japanese war effort sinking countless transports and japanese navy vessels. Just read James Scott's book The war Below (?) and it's one of the three subs in the book. Vivid story of all of it's missions. A must read I think for submarine buffs. Wonderful dedication on the restoration y'alls effort are very much appreciated I cannot wait to see this fine vessel. Please send a few dollars to help these heroes repair a legend!
Priceless American treasure, not corny at all!
Do right to look after it. In the UK, we have only the light crusier - HMS Belfast - left from WW1/2. Efforts were made to save the last (and latest) WW2 battleship - HMS Vanguard - but pen-pushers said NO; and that irreplaceable warhorse was lost for ever. And this in a country that prides itself upon nautical history. But then, that history is so long, I guess you can only save so much from each epoch. For example - we still have Nelson's HMS Victory. A couple of years ago, I saw an ex-ASRL (Royal Air Force) Air Sea Rescue Launch up for sale in Spain. After WW2 it had been bought by Germans(!) and converted into a motor yacht. Being wooden, by then it was in a bit of a mess. The wartime commander had been awarded the DSM for courage under fire, succesfully rescuing a downed Catalina crew within range of Sardinian shore batteries. Yet there it was - rotting away in Spain. So sad.
Had the Clamagor sub in Charleston SC, but is going to sunk off the coast of Florida of it already hasn't been sunk
What makes bulbs blow during depth charge attacks? -Ive seen it in movies and one of the vets mentions it in this vid...
D3cyTH3r The shock wave from the exploding depth charge causes the filament (made out of tungsten) inside the bulb to vibrate and shake wildly, when the filament is glowing it is brittle, causing it to break.
cmsracing I see -and when the bulbs actually explode, is that caused by vibrations running through the hull or the air-pressure inside the sub changing rapidly?
D3cyTH3r The bulbs don't really explode, that's just Hollywood special effects. When the bulb "blows" it just means it burned out. I have seen them pop when cold water hits them, that's all. Now if you have explosive gas in the area... well that's a different story!
Cant believe it was all open deck up there! I wouldnt want to go topside either!
My grandfather was on this sub during the war
To all who served in the Silent Service and especially to those 54 submarines and crews still "on eternal patrol"
thank you for holding the line and taking the war to the enemy until the US could turn its plows into new ships , tanks, planes and trained men and women who turned the tide. Well Done and fair winds and following seas for those still on eternal patrol ( Trigger, Tang, Wahoo, Harder and the rest )!
Thanks....
Is this submarine locatef in Baltimore, Md? I believe we saw this particular sub on display along with other American ships of various era's. Absolutely awesome!
+Ricky Adams
Mobile, Alabama
This one is in Mobile Alabama. There's a different one in Baltimore but I can't remember which one.
Leslie is awesome!
I would have thought the steel in the pressure hull would have been much more than 9/16 of an inch thick.
How can I volunteer...
Just stunning how something so complex can be assembled and work efficiently 💪🇺🇸🇺🇸💪
Absolutely great!!!
There are cuts in this video to interviews with original crewmen that look like they were from another documentary. Do you have a link to that doc, or at least the name so I can look it up? thanks
best TTS I ever saw
I've a novel about the USS Tang submarine that was also a prolific hunter while it served in ww2
USS Seahorse SSN-669? That was a Sturgeon-class boat in my squadron, SUBRON4 in Charleston, SC. When were you on board Seahorse? She was decommissioned in 1995 after I left the squadron in 1986. I was on the Sub-Tender USS Frank Cable AS-40 at Pier Mike in Charleston.
I visited the USS Drum in the late 70’s, I was 6’1" and about 200 lbs one can remember was how tie it was.
Have you worked with any of the members of the USS Cod (SS-224) team in Cleveland during your restoration work? It's another Gato-class boat that has been kept in fully working order for nearly 40 years now, and is open for tours during the summer.