USS Bashaw SS SSK AGSS 241

Bashaw Swim Call 1956. Thanks to Jim Forsyth for this image.

West Pac ships party in Sasebo, Japan about June 1954. Left to right: Lt.John "Bo" Coppedge (Chief Engineer), Harold "tut" Fry(CO), Oliver Hazard "Hap" Perry Jr.(XO), Porky Lamner(cob). Paul Trejo (First Lieutenant)took the picture.

Torpedo recovery 1955?. Thanks to Jim Forsyth for this image.

Torpedo recovery 1955?. Thanks to Jim Forsyth for this image.

USS Bashaw. Thanks to Milford "Rosie" Rose for identifing this picture which was taken in 1953 in Washington, some where around Tacoma, If Rosie remembers correctly, we left Hunters Point and went there for sound tests, a deep dive etc. The CO was Captain Fry and the COB was Porky. The picture was probably the first picture of the Bashaw after it was reclassified as SSK-241. Rosie is the 2nd one back on the bow, Jim Hudson is the 1st. Also thanks to Paul E. Trejo, Lt. USN and Chief Engineer on Bashaw for providing the "rest of the story": This picture of Bashaw was taken in September of 1953, at Fox Island, on Puget Sound, Washington. The boat is making a landing on the "Sound Barge" moored on the Carr Inlet side of Fox Island, which is across the narrows from Tacoma, Washington. We submerged the boat near the barge, operating various pumps and machinery, so that the barge could record our sonar signature. We also recorded various noise sources originating from the barge on the BQR-4, while submerged at various locations. All of this was to obtain data to measure our quietness (sound signature), and to evaluate the effectiveness of the BQR-4. The barge was operated by civilian scientist from the Naval Electronics Laboratory (NEL), Point Loma, San Diego. It was two weeks of liberty in Tacoma, with their strict "Blue Laws" on drinking. On the bridge is the Skipper, Harold "Tut" Fry in the baseball cap, "Hap" Perry the XO and Navigator immediately above Fry, and me as OOD with black tie. The Chief Petty Officer helping with the bow line is the Chief of the Boat, Norman "Porky" Lamer. The officer who's head appears above above Porky is LTJG Zeke Zabinius. Fox Island was chosen for the site of these tests required quiet water. Because of the brackish salt water, diluted by all the fresh water being dumped into the sea by all the fresh water Washington streams, sea life noises such as that caused by snapping shrimp, whistling dolphins, croaker, whistling whales and the like were none existent. However, Mullet fish were numerous, and when they broke water while rising to the surface for food they could be heard jumping for miles.

Inbound 1956

A 1956 picture of the Bashaw inbound to Diamond Head. Thanks to Jim Forsyth for this image.

A 1956 picture of the USS Bashaw Commanding Officer Theodore M. Shead and Executive Officer Joe Williams in Subic Bay. Thanks to Jim Forsyth for this image.