The story of the USS Bowfin has begun just one year to date of the Pearl
Harbor attack. It was launched on the 7th of December 1942, played a
tremendous role during the World War II and also served as a training
platform during the Korean war. Its nickname was the Pearl Harbor
Avenger. The submarine is responsible for a great deal of loss of Japan
naval force and made famous the term "Silent Service".
Although
many of the United State battleships and aircrafts had been destroyed
during the Pearl Harbor attack, The infrastructure for building new
ships was mostly intact. From the Portsmouth Navy yard at Kittery, the Main,
the construction of new vessels began the submarine USS Bowfin.
Launched a year to the date of Pearl Harbor attack, it was officially
commissioned on May the 1st 1943 having at the helm commander Joseph H.
Willingham.
During World War II, submarines had as main mission
to target merchant ships and surface warships. Unlike submarines today,
which can stay submerged for months, then they could only stay
submerged for a couple of hours or a few days and had to surface to
recharge their batteries often leaving them vulnerable to attack since
they lacked the speed to get away. If spotted by enemies vessels, the
only options were either to engage or submerge to escape.
The USS
Bowfin in its many patrols was responsible for sinking thousands of
Japanese tonnage, which is how a submarine success was rated. A great
role in the victory of the United State during the Second World War
played the fleet of submarines and the Navy. Japan is an Island
relied heavily on merchant ships which helped in the acquisition of
supplies and on surface warships for protection.
The USS Bowfin
today is a floating museum stationed at Pearl Harbor a few feet away
from the resting place of the USS Arizona. It sits in tribute to all USN
submariners who lost their lives during the Second World War conflict.
It also serves as a memorial and an educational tool as part of the USS
Bowfin submarine museum.
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park
includes exhibits such as waterfront memorials, the McCann rescue chamber, Kaiten which are modified imperial Japanese warship, and
various Bowfin artifacts.