USS REDFIN (SSR/SS-272)
1959
Since 1959 was a two
part year that REDFIN spent as SSR-272 and SS-272, this information is also
on the preceding 1958 and 1959 page as well. The photos of the Med
trip will be found there along with a few of Norfolk.
From January 1 to
the 4, 1959 REDFIN was in Marseilles, France.
On Monday,
January 5, 1959 REDFIN departed Marseilles for Genoa, Italy at 0929. On
January 6, REDFIN made a light line transfer with USS POWER (DD-839) at
1517. On January 9 at 2259, after a fire in the Air Conditioning space,
REDFIN was back in operating condition.
On January 12
while operating with USS N. K. PERRY (DD-883) and USS GOODRICH (DD-831) as
an ASW target, some Practice Depth Charges (PDC's) bounced off the hull and
deck and exploded very close. The superstructure was torn open. It can be
seen on the picture of REDFIN entering Genoa. It is aft of the engine
exhaust on the port side.
As REDFIN entered
the area where the picture was taken, a helicopter hovered overhead and a
man was lowered on a trapeze. He did some acrobatics and then dove into the
water. We found out later that he did not dive, rather he fell and was
killed on impact. We were told later that he was a Catholic Priest just
trying to welcome REDFIN to Genoa.
REDFIN arrived
and Med moored to Ponte Andrea Doria, Genova, Italy at 1014 on January 14,
1959. USS STRONG (DD-758) and USS BARTON (DD-722) moored to starboard.
While in Genoa,
LT Richard O’Sullivan, Eric Lindauer, Joe Bell, Jr., Otis McPherson and Jack
March rode a train to Rome. Permission was granted from the Skipper for the
trip to Rome with hopes that "someone" would seek Divine Intervention
with their qualification. They stayed at the Pavia Hotel and toured most of
Rome and returned to REDFIN in Genoa on Sunday, January 19th.
On January 20,
1959 REDFIN was underway at 1959 from Genoa, Italy to Gibraltar and arriving
there on January 23rd at 0927 and mooring, starboard to berth 47,
South Mole, Gibraltar, BCC. REDFIN commenced fueling at 1005 and completed
at 1915. She received 92,000 gallons of fuel.
She departed Gibraltar on
January 24 at 0112 for Norfolk, Virginia. She arrived Norfolk on Wednesday,
February 4th at 1003 and moored starboard to berth 211, pier 21,
Destroyer Submarine Base.
After arriving a
lot of the guys took leave to take all their "goodies" home. We discovered
that a lot of perfume had evaporated from their bottles because of
Snorkeling on the way back. No wonder it smelled so good in the Stern Room.
On February 12,
1959, at 1230 the crew was mustered at quarters topside. At 1245 ComSubRon
Six staff came aboard and they were followed by ComSubDiv Sixty-two at
1250. At 1500 CDR. T. C. Heat relieved CDR. R. M. Carroll as ComSubDiv
Sixty-two.
On March 9 at
0821 REDFIN got underway for an Op Area off Nova Scotia, Canada and returned
to Norfolk on March 21 at 0803 and moored in a nest alongside USS ORION
(AS-18) at pier 22, berth 222, Destroyer Submarine Piers, Norfolk, VA. On
March 26 she shifted berths and moored starboard to pier 21, berth 211 DS
Piers.
On Monday, March
30, 1959 LCDR Allan N. Glennon relieved LCDR Herbert Evan Duquette as
Commanding Officer.
On April 3rd
at 1700 REDFIN got underway for the Philadelphia Shipyard. She arrived in
Philadelphia at 1848 on April 4th and moored to Pier #5. On
April 8th she entered dry-dock at 1328.
During the time
of the overhaul REDFIN had all of her Radar Picket equipment removed,
including the AN/BPS dome, aft of the sail.
Two Navigation
Systems and a Precision Depth Sounder were installed. This enabled REDFIN
to go to specific points in an area and make oceanographically surveys in
detail.
A Very High
Frequency (VHF) Wave Profiler Sonar System was installed with six or more
transducers mounted topside along the length of the deck. This would show
the profile of the waves and their speed.
A system to
measure the speed and direction of underwater currents was installed on the
deck, aft of the sail. Another system to measure how cloudy the water was
in a specific area was installed on the forward deck.
Her classification was changed from
SSR-272 to SS-272 while in Philadelphia.
On August 31st
REDFIN departed the Philadelphia Shipyard after the sea trials and proceeded
to Newport, Rhode Island for loading of torpedoes. She departed Newport on
September 4th enroute to New London, Connecticut and arrived and
moored at N. Pier #4 in New London at 1810.
She departed New
London on September 10th at 1640 for Norfolk and arrived in
Norfolk at 2104 on September 11, 1959.
REDFIN operated
in local waters until November 9th when she got underway at 0902
to return to the Philadelphia Shipyard. She arrived in Philadelphia and
moored at Pier “C” at 1617 on November 16th.
REDFIN was in the
shipyard until December 10th when she got underway at 0758 for
Yorktown, Virginia. She arrived there on December 11th at 0720
and departed at 1106 for Norfolk. REDFIN arrived in Norfolk at 1400 on
Friday, December 11, 1959.
The rest of the
year was spent on maintenance and upkeep.