“Two Volunteers Safely Inside”

Quite often, history offers a chance to speculate about the differences in attitudes of folks long gone and ponder how drastic the societal shifts between then and now might be. One example occurred 75 years ago today; while such a relatively minor event from the Second World War may seem inconsequential, the casual dedication to the accomplishment of a mission remains noteworthy.

The Pampanito’s (SS-383) third patrol started from Midway in the early morning hours of 17 August 1944, but the first indications of a potentially serious problem manifested on the 31^st and were logged accordingly:

1000 While at deep submergence, sound reported a loud air noise forward. Made a good check for air leaks and found none. Diving Officer then found that the Forward Trim had taken about 2000 lbs. Suspected small spurt of water impinging on metal made the noise. This will severely hamper…