Life on a WWII Fleet Submarine: the Officers' Pantry
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- To many visitors it's a tiny kitchen, but to a submarine officer it's one of the small perks of command that made life under the sea a bit more comfortable. A feature of all fine homes, the pantry on a sub was the domain of the sub's stewards. Food cooked in the larger galley was plated and served to the ward room by the stewards from this phone booth-sized compartment. But Cod's pantry was the scene of a terrible accident that painfully scarred a member of the crew, proving that danger lurked everywhere on a war patrol.
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I too am a member of third-degree burn Club. You do not want to join third-degree burn Club. Though he is long gone I still feel for that Steward's mate.
It's not a burn, but I am currently going through wound care for a rather large wound which includes debridement and is probably going to take a few months. After my own experiences, I'm of the considered opinion that you and that Steward's mate went through hell.
My dad lost a pot of coffee off a tray and down his back when he was a waiter.
I put a cigarette out on my body one time. Does that count?
Same here.
Coffee. Back in the 70's my sister had this 12 cup glass coffee pot. She loaded it up put the pot on the stove, turned it on and forgot about it. I came over on one errand or another - I can't remember what for - and came through the kitchen and found the coffee pot rapidly boiling. There was an inch or two of liquid left in the pot. The smell was awful. I went to find her and tried to decide whether we needed hazmat suits of full-on anti-rad suits in order to dispose of that stuff safely. Her husband came home around this time and when he found us, he was holding a cup of coffee. His comment? "Wow, I haven't had coffee this good since I was in the Navy." I had to try some and that stuff was definitely an acquired taste. . .
My first father-in-law served on a ship during WWII, and if he was clear about anything, he was clear about the fact that he would never eat Spam again. We didn't get to coffee, so I appreciate this lesson.
It is always interesting to me in how much the pre war Navy differed from the wartime Navy, and post war navy. The idea that the Sub had THREE stewards to serve the officers seems damn near ludicrous now, but, Officers in the pre war navy REALLY had it made. even during the war, old habit's died hard. I served in the 80's, and MY CO was clear- NOBODY is to order ANYBODY to get them coffee- ever.
USS Georgia 729 SSST 1990s Here - This was my experience and my belief is because on submarines every enlisted and every officer has their field of expertise. As sonar tech, every single one of my weapon's officers understood myself and others in the division were the most qualified to operate and most importantly FIX the sonar gear. Not the officers and not anyone else. This attitude goes toward every rate and every division. As such, and unlike the surface fleet, Our officers understood that operating the boat was a team effort. The officers gave commands. The enlisted executed unless what the officer was asking was not possible and an explanation was neede. In short, There is a level of respect between Officers and Enlisted on submarines which in my opinion does not exist on surface fleet.
It's an interesting perspective because I'd say that enlisted today have it much better than the officers did back then. Having three stewards dedicated to the officers on a sub today would be ridiculous primarily because the majority of the work they performed back then are not things which need to be done by humans in general today. You also have to consider that during the time period many enlisted where drafted versus volunteers who chose to be there so you didn't have to worry as much if they where happy or not.
@@grast5150 I was a SWO on Minesweepers and had a Submariner CO (Tom Shear). Minesweep life seems very much similar. Went on to frigates after and then riverine and Carrier Strike Group. The carriers were my least favorite.
I think ship size has a lot to do with it. On the aircraft carrier, the wardroom had a candlelight brunch service with roast beef and omelette and smoothie station.
@@sango_wango851 I picked up on that too. I wonder how many cooks they had?
I was on a DDG during Vietnam and we had 4 stewards on a much larger ship. We had about 6-7 Commissaryman + a Jack of the Dust. I was an E4. We had a Chief and a first class but neither worked in the galley. Cooks are now called Culinary Specialist.
@@sango_wango851who didn't they have to please. The volunteers or drafted??
I was a captains cook/Cabin Boy back in the 70's, aboard the Old Secretary class cutter Campbell #32. He had a small but nice private kitchen with a pass through window. Very easy duty. I sat and read many books while serving as the captains cook...
As you noted, coffee was/is about as important as the fuel in the engines. I served on an aircraft carrier. We had 4 (5?) big coffee makers on the mess decks. Many offices throughout the ship had their own coffee makers. My office (2nd cruise) was a short distance from the mess decks. It wasn't unusual for us to take a 5 minute break to walk to the mess decks, fill a cup with coffee, and walk back to the office. Obviously, we didn't have a coffee maker in the office. Don't know why. My first cruise, we were sent to the Sea of Japan. It was really, really cold and miserable. I had a 1 quart coffee cup. Snoopy dancing and shouting an expletive. The mess cooks were always passing by to empty garbage over the fantail. I had them refilling that cup for me many times during those 4 hour watches. Someone stole it before we made it back home.
Having been a Steward aboard a submarine, I appreciate the story. Not all cooking was done in the Galley. Breakfasts were normally prepared in the pantry, eggs to order, pancakes, French toast.Steaks were also cooked to order.
I was an old "smoke boat" sailor, TM3 (SS)USS BANG (SS385) 66-72, I went aboard the USS Midway's Officer Quarters on a tour. The closet for the Admiral's Day Cabin was larger than our skipper's stateroom.
History worth remembering.
At 2:20 my dad would have words about that as a former bubblehead (though in a Boomer, not a Diesel). According to him, nothing was quite like good engine room coffee that was percolated multiple times and had the consistency of a thick soup. Taste means nothing when you might average 5 hours of sleep a day for 3 months, all that matters is strength of coffee, and if you pour engine room coffee into a man's mouth and he doesn't pop up, he is dead well and truly past saving.
Would be a big problem for me. I might have been taken as dead. I never ever acquired a taste for coffee and therefore never had it till 41 years old.
Never had a cup of coffee. People I worked with never understood.
I’ll be 60 in 28 days.
Another great video. I am glad the steward mates get a mention.
Love to hear stories from the old diesel boats. Coffee is a great topic as it was dear to just about every sailor. As I recall, the coffee maker on my boat (594 Class) was an integral part of the engine room. It even appeared in the plumbing diagram of the boat. Keep up the great videos.
Respect to all who served. My claustrophobia would be off the charts in a sub.
An Uncle of mine was a Steward on a Corvette during WWII, he said one of his duties was to hold the dishes in place when they fired the gun. If they didn't have enough warning to get there they had a mess to clean up. And THANKYOU for the lesson on how the vacuum coffee maker works. I've the top part of one in my shop I use as a funnel (that long pipe is handy at times) but never knew how it worked.
I spent a night on the USS Silversides when my son was in the Cub Scouts.
When I enlisted on 66 I wanted to serve in subs. Although fully qualified I was not selected. Later in life and serving on a Sub staff ashore (Skimmer) as senior enlisted I learned how lucky I was to not be selected. Not knocking the bubble heads but I was very successful being a Black shoe. Never would have been able to do all I did.
Should be visiting the Cod later this month. Yearly visit, reminds me of my childhood when dad would load my brother and I into the Ford, and drive down to the COD. He was/is a World War II veteran,
onboard the USS Radford (DD-446). Always enjoy learning about the COD, thank you!
I qualified on two diesel boats, early 1960's. Steward's mates had one of the crappiest jobs on board, but most had a pleasant world view.
I really enjoyed this history.
Looked down the hatch on the Cod once.....the claustrophobia returned when i started to watch this video. Thank all you brave men for what you did subs and tanks just not on my list of ways to serve my country.
I'm with you there! Even on the large, modern boats, I could not do it.
I've been enjoying reading memoirs by WW2 submariners, and this series of videos is fantastic. I can really imagine what being on the boat must have been like. Also, I'm highly impressed with the state of USS Cod. I've been on board Pampanito, Bowfin, and Blueback, and this sub is by far the best preserved and curated. Thank you for what you're doing.
Thanks. This is fascinating.
We very much enjoyed our tour of the Cod back in 2009.
Great video Paul You seem to be a natural in front of the camera. Keep up the good work--eventually Mr Eastwood will be making another WW2 movie and need a leading man--i know youll be up for the task
I'm too fat and too old😢😂
But if they need me to play a grandfather...
@@paulfarace9595 u r not! Clint is 90 -- youre still a young pup!
The Captains Servery /Pantry is no bigger than that on Canadian Frigates.
Captains Steward
H.M.C.S. Regina.
(Retired)🙂
Great family friendly stop in Cleveland.
Awesome video ❤❤❤
Thank You :)
Ships in general are dangerous places. More injuries and deaths in peace time in the Navy than other branches. Was a Boatswain's Mate myself and saw some pretty nasty accidents in my time.
My dad served on diesel boats in the 50's. He loved to tell the story about how a steward would bring him coffee at 4 AM to help him wake up to stand watch. "Black and bitter" was how he drank it til the end.
I looked through your mix and the most interesting thing about life on a WW2 sub is missing. The intricate but essential to follow instructions for flushing the toilet.
We've only just begun... that topic is on the horizon.
It's a fascinating glimpse into the time and the men who served. I can't express how much the fate of the steward affected me. Horrible, what a terrible oversight! I think I fear being burned like that as a top fear and the life-changing effects it forces on you. I hope he was properly recognized for his sacrifice. Anyways, thanks for the history.
Ah, they used something similar to a siphon brewer. Definitely makes better coffee than a percolator. Shame he got burned so bad.
I live in Parma, and that pantry is only SLIGHTLY larger than my kitchen.
I spent 21 years in the Army. I have always thought officers of any branch have been overly catered to.
Rank has its privileges.
You should have seen the accommodations they had in their dining room on the USS America CV-66. As a young sailor, I accidentally got a glimpse in there and thought it was the Taj Majal.
The Navy has it worst, I can confirm. It's because the Navy was traditionally the place rich old families sent their kids, as it was the most tradition-bound of the service branches and the one where the officers had the most prestige. You'll see ring knockers in the Navy that are literally 4th generation admirals, completely unthinkable in any other service branch.
Rank has to have its privileges, or no one would want the rank. Being in charge can really suck.
Here's a cory coffee pot demo. The stainless ones work like the glass ones but are more durable.
Great stuff.
Great video. Thank you.
Having seen the banana video first, I immediately suspected the boiling water in such a narrow space would end in disaster.
Very interesting history. I took a tour of the USS Midway and I know its a carrier and larger. But similair. They had Officers mees, and a chiefs mess. But also had "formal" dinning. So those not in "work" uniform could go. Just fascinating on how men were segregated and treated by rank. Not that its good or bad. Just history
You had to know Phil Golden who played a pivotal role in the restoration of the Cod.
Phil was a help back in the day.
As a female member of a Naval family, who wasn't allowed on a sub when my turn came, I've heard a lot, but never seen first hand. Thank you
On my 'boat' wu often had a one day 'dependent's cruise." My wife had the experience of going to sea with all the trimmings a number of times. Unfor;;tunately, because of age limit, my chrildren did not.
I could not imagine being stuck in that little room for long shifts every day. Brutal.
No sub duty for you then. You would go stir crazy on 6 months deployment in a submarine.
Four hours on and then eight hours off... doable.
Very informative! Could you do one on the Crew's Galley? 🙂
Coming ❤!
What is a bench sheet ? and why is there a can of del monte behind the coffee pots?
Bench SEAT!
Stewards would have special treats ready in the pantry. Canned fruits might be in the chill box ready for snacks.
"Naw. The coffee pot doesn't NEED to lock into place on the heater. We'll leave just enough play for it to be off kilter and create a spilling hazard in rough seas." Coffee Pot Designer.
I was in the Navy in the late 1960s' and I never knew they had stewards on subs.
Interesting history concerning an area of the boat that receives little attention during tours. That will now change on future tours. Dinner at 18:00 ?
So much history and so little time ..
While underway dinner was served at 19:45 -- in port 17:00 on my sub.
Interesting that still sub-surface there is a class division between officers and enlisted.
Of course they put the bench below the coffee machine lol
advanced technology, and why submarines have the best food.
Interesting... I'm assuming that the dishes weren't allowed to rattle around too much.
the only thing that could cause them to rattle would be a depth charge exploding... and that would deafen any listener... Sound detection technology was not that advanced.
That is a very interesting look into the inner workings of the submarines. I only know the accounts by Günther Buchheim, which of course got mangled into the famous movie "Das Boot". Of course the Gato class was very much bigger than the VII C class he describes, so it would have things like a pantry and an enclosed wardroom, which the VII-C class did not
I've read his book Das Boot several times, much better than the movie. I went through a Vll C that's on display in Laboe Germany. I also toured the WW2 Sub on display in Pearl Harbor. The American submarine was way more spacious than the German U Boat.
Remember when mom would use her coffee percolator on the stove, many years ago!!😢
Damn bro scared the shit of me, just lurking in the pantry😂
Aircraft Carriers now have Starbucks. When I was in, we got cans of coffee that had twigs and leaves in the cans.
Dude, that's crazy. I was on the USS America back in the 80s and we just had bug juice.
Man... I bet that hurt like hell!!!
Was there anymore details if she made it through?
Stewards were males in WWII. He may have had scar tissue, but sadly we don't have any information about him.
Submariners are die-hards! All heros
During my time in the 90s, Coffee was not preferred caffeine source. This was all before the energy drink craze. however, the coffee on my bommer was not bad if made fresh.
Having an open top vessel with boiling water in it not securely held in place on a rolling ship, especially a sub on the surface, seems like a pretty bad idea. I've never seen one of these before and at first glance it didn't look safe. Perhaps a clamp to hold the two vessels together and a cover to at least minimize spills?
all obvious to us afterwards... Live and learn!
Interesting different traditions. In the Royal Navy, bugger coffee , strong tea and also cocoa . Well in the past anyway .
Given how they want to improve moral on subs to this day I bet something like a french press would be popular back in the day on subs because it would eliminate the need for carrying filters while allowing the stewards to make several gallons of coffee in one batch that tastes better than drip or percolator brewing with little effort.
I'm thinking that the USN had the most luxurious submarines in WW2.
After having served aboard one for 7 years, I can assure you there is absolutely nothing luxurious about a WW# USN submarine.
That setup is sketchy though I wouldn’t feel comfortable working with that setup on a moving sub
Can people try some of that coffee on COD?
Steam or hot liquid burns are horrible
So claustrophobic.
Hey dad , how did you get hurt during the war?
Well son the coffee pot tipped over.
Funny story my great uncle was office in WW2 and he hated officer coffee (he was a coffee snob his whole life) he always tried to get enlisted coffee the day he got his own command he proceeded to get rid of the vacuum coffee pot and use the same as the enlisted guys said it was one of his happier days
American subs were Cadillacs compared to German u boats. I’ve always thought about being a sub commander during ww2, I’m a huge ww2 history fan. If I was a German uboat commander I probably would not have survived the war, as an American sub commander I’d be at the vfw drinking a beer telling war sorties
Ok, sitting UNDER an open pot of scalding hot liquid in a little vessel at sea probably isn't the best idea a person could possibly come up with...
Guess there wasn't anywhere else to sit besides right under boiling water.
Look at the bright side, at least he's not facing the risk of hand grenade, high explosive booby trap, venomous animal & rifle bullet
Damn officers. Had to quit at 1:05.
What a waste of space and man power.
IMHO
the officer/enlisted separation is the dumbest thing ever.
I would wager a goodly sum of money to say that coffee is the second most important liquid in the military, behind fuel, with donor blood being #3.
You don’t go to sea if you don’t have coffee & toilet paper.
Was the steward returned to duty or was he discharged due to his injuries?! Was his name ever discovered? I work on the museum boat USS Albacore AGSS 569. Thanks
Got to find his name. He was rotated ashore and likely to another boat.
@@USSCod that would be great. I know that African Americans were on board as stewards for the officers (Eddie in U-571). I would like to know more about their role onboard the boat and what training they got. Thank you sir.
I always thought it was weird how the navy treats officers. They’re not better than everybody else but sure act like it
Well they have a lot more responsibility, or they did in WWII... The Navy reflected the social system of the era. Officers were college guys and at the time that was a very small percentage of the population, unlike today.
that sounds friggen awful
the incredibly painful and horrible scolding burn jeeebus
The classism and explicit RHIP of the navy is why I never liked it and chose not to join that service.
Calm down sailor. 1940s USN was Jim Crow .... so there's also that. But officers were highly trained and were responsible for the sub.. They got special perks.
@@paulfarace9595 The enlisted are also highly trained -- you did not serve aboard a sub without previous extensive training - and enlisted had HANDS ON responsibility -- not overseer supercisory responsibilities.
Did they actually waste valuable space on a submarine to have three stewards serving the officers? Sounds like a snobbish British thing to me.
Who stole my fuckin can of strawberries!
Captain Queeg, of the USS Caine. From the "Caine Mutiny" by Herman Wouk.