Tom Wenstadt, our Door County correspondent, reports that the USS SILVERSIDES (SS-236), after completing a major overhaul (a $3.5 million preservation project), departed the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding yard, yesterday afternoon, October 30th. Two tugs towed the submarine through Sturgeon Bay’s three bridges, then through the Sturgeon Bay ship canal into Lake Michigan. The vessel was destined for its home port in Muskegon, Michigan, where it has been on permanent display since 1987 at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum.  

    The USS SILVERSIDES was laid down on November 4, 1940, by the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Calif., as a Gato Class submarine for the United States Navy.  SILVERSIDES received twelve battle stars for World War II service.  She sank 23 enemy ships, weighing over 90,000 long tons, damaged several others, destroyed 16 sea mines and rescued two downed pilots.                                   

Specifications:                                                                     

Length    311 feet, 9 inches

            Beam (width) 27 feet, 3 inches

            Draft   15 feet, 3 inches

            Surfaced Displacement      1,526 long tons

            Submerged Displacement 2,424 long tons

Power four GM 16-248 V16 1,350 horsepower diesel engines, driving two GE electric motors, turning two propellers

            Rated speeds:  Surfaced – 20 knots; Submerged – 9 knots

            Crew:   8 officers, 72 enlisted

————————————-

Tom Wenstadt, who lives in Sturgeon Bay, is a retired marine engineer, having worked in the Great Lakes area for thirty-seven years. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University and is the author of Freighters of Manitowoc. He is a member of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society and the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society. He is a volunteer archival assistant and docent for the JOHN PURVES.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia