ex-USS Sailfish Memorial Project

The Navy has Regrettably Denied Administrative Placement of Sailfish in "Donation Hold" status [yet again] thus preventing any appplication be made to acquire her.

Sailfish is, as of Oct 25th 2003, being preped for 'expendature'. Time is short. She currently sits at the pier in Bremerton, tow chains in place.

UPDATE MAY 2007
The ex-USS Sailfish 572 was sunk by a Mk 48 ADCAP torpedo fired from the USS Topeka SSN 754 at N47 05.783 W127 23.133.
SINKEX Preparation Photo by John Clear EMC(SS) Ret.
Video taken by the USS Bunker Hill CG52.

I just hope whatever was gained from this exercise had more value to our nation than the memorial we had planned. Naval Systems Command promised to convey our request for 30 seconds of silence, to all SINKEX Participants, in honor of all who served aboard her.

Inadvertantly optomized for MS Internet Explorer.

My efforts here are dedicated to the memory of my father, Charles Ward McGowen and my uncles; Lew Carter Curry, Stonewall Pershing Vintson, and Thomas Pennington Tate. Veterans all.

The memorial is dedicated to all men and women of the United States Armed forces and Agencies who, in the name of liberty and freedom, go in harms way.

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Kilo - Oscar
Voice Call Sign: CUPGRASS

The Idea

The basic idea is to take the U.S.S. Sailfish, decomissioned on 09/30/1978 and berth it from Peanut Island in the port of Palm Beach, just across from the Sailfish Marina. Peanut Island, roughly ~200 yards from the Sailfish Marina, houses a "Cold War bomb shelter now a tourist attraction," USA Today The bomb shelter built in the 60s, by the Kennedy Administration can now be explored by tourists.

That the marina and the submarine, happen to have the same namesake will create a synergistic relationship immediately obvious to the public. SS 572's primary mission, the command bunker are historic cold war activities that line up nicely for the idea. She could be a fitting tribute to all those who sailed on her and to the men and women of the U.S. Navy. John F. Kennedy is readily identified with the cold war, the Navy (PT-105) and Palm Beach. We would create a place for the legacy she represents to be told.

The U.S.S. Sailfish, SS 572, could also be an educational platform not only to relate the rich heritage of the Sailfish legacy, but sciences, history, & politics. She could be fitted for an array of exercises using virtual reality systems to aid education at all levels from K-12 to university level courses.

The project would follow the U.S. Department of the Interior's "Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects" and upon proper refurbishing and supervision; she would make a fine addition to the Palm Beach Maritime Museum and facilities on Peanut Island.

SAILFISH was the first submarine built expressly for radar picket service:
She, and her sister ship Salmon, remain the largest conventionally powered submarines built by the United States Navy
Representing more than just herself, the "Sailfish Legacy" also includes SS-192
This boat represents the perseverance needed to deal with rapid technology shifts and adaptability.
SS-192 sank, was raised & pressed into service during WW II.
Inextricablly linked with the Sailfish Legacy also is the career of Vice Admiral Charles Bowers "Swede" Momsen.

Local Water Taxi's already offer transportation between the marina and Peanut Island. Peanut Island is a Park within the Palm Beach County Park System and is centrally located near the Port of Palm Beach. The existing tours of the 'fallout shelter' could also tour the submarine if it was installed with the proper facilities. These tours are operated in conjunction with the Palm Beach Maritime Museum.

The Cold War era theme, the intelligence missions that this boat obviously participated in, allow many natural "interest tie-ins". The UDT Museum just up the road in Fort Pierce, Florida is but one example. The Navy SEALs were used in many covert ops and delivered by submarines like this one. Books like Blind Man's Bluff, The Silent War and The Terrible Hours bring unprecedented clairity to how those few shaped our future.

In 1962, with the heightened Cold War tensions of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Coast Guard Station took on national defense importance, due to its proximity to the Palm Beach vacation home of President John F. Kennedy. Peanut Island was only five minutes by speed boat from the Presidential Retreat. The Lake Worth Inlet Station on Peanut Island was the only secure military site suitable for a fallout shelter and command post. The Navy's Seabees, the mobile construction battalions, built the shelter, along with extensive communications facilities, in secrecy. It was designed and stocked as a command communications center to house the President and 25 to 30 others for up to 30 days. The shelter has a lead lined steel and concrete structure, which is buried in the side of the hill of dredged material on Peanut Island. Although built in 1961 and removed from use in 1964, following the President's assassination, the Federal Government did not acknowledge the existence and purpose of the shelter until 1973. The bunker is currently being restored and preserved for public viewing through the Palm Beach Maritime Museum.

Locating the boat on Peanut Island's North side would make it clearly visible from the main automobile bridge carrying area traffic to and from the Sailfish Marina side of the lagoon. That location would place the boat "bow on" to the marina. The water there is very shallow, so a temporary berthing channel would need to be dredged, the boat located, and as much sand as possible allowed to settle back in underneath the boat. This would stabilize the boat and help it handle adverse weather. The more likely location would next to the original Coast Guard Facilities that are currently being renovated. These facilities are on the South East side of the Island and are close to the bunker as well. The challenge of this location is proximity to the main ship channel of the port and requirements for weathering a 100 year storm placed on donations by the Navy.

The overall project is for the benefit of the general public and would act as a memorial. The memorial would need to raise some $10 million dollars to complete the entire project over the course of some four to five years and include refurbishing the vessel and updating Peanut Island to accommodate her and the necessary facilities to support and secure her. The project would execute in phases over this amount of time and would involve many volunteers, organizations, Corporate Sponsors, businesses, schools, and agencies. This is a wonderful opportunity for many citizens to be a part of a wonderful project that explores such a rich heritage and strives to render it for public display.

It should be noted that she had a proud crew and many that have contacted me are willing to spend their own time and money in contributing to help bring her back for this effort. Now all we have to do is crystallize the idea and drive it home.

ex-U.S.S. Sailfish & Satellite Image of Peanut Island

dp. 2460 tons (surf.), 3160 tons (subm.); l. 350.5'; b. 29.1'; s. 20.5k (surf.), 10k (subm.); td. 400'; a. 6-21" tt. fwd.; cpl. 10 officers - 85 enlisted men; cl. "SAILFISH"

Patch One, Patch Two | General Class Layout | Launching | SSR572 1956-58 a | SSR572 1956-58 b | SSR572 1956 | SS572 ~1960 a | 1969 | SS572 1972 a | SS572 1972 b | SS572 History Summarization | SS 572 Details & History |

Why Sailfish?

Legacies are important. Sometimes legacies can be more important than a single, maybe more famous, boat. This idea is more than simply wanting to display a Navy vessel. It is more than simply wanting to build a memorial. Though those things are important they are not enough. The idea here is to build a special memorial. One with an enduring legacy. One that can powerfully communicate her story for many years to come. One that has a proud heritage that every American can look at, see, indeed feel, and come to understand what it has taken to preserve not just this nation, but freedom and liberty.

This is about a memorial depicting special character. One that can tell a powerful story about a legacy that is deeply intertwined in Americana. The Cold-war and American Submarines have a very special place in history. Repleat with unsung heros. The SS-192 boat is but one example. Her story, a poignat reminder of sacrifice is rendered in the U.S. Navy Diver Training Manual to this day. People like Swede Momsen, an innovative man of strong convictions was central in the effort to save SS-192 sailors and salvage the boat. SS-192 served galantly as noted by Franklin D. Roosevelt in one of his April 28th, 1942 radio addresse to the nation. So you see SS-572 is not part of the memorial idea just for her own sake. She is there for the entire class of boats. She, indeed is there for all boats that bore the name Sailfhish and all they stood for. All they fought and died for. She's there for the men that lost their lives on Squalus (SS-192), later renamed Sailfish. Sailfish (192 & 572) and Salmon together earned more than several awards. Indeed she is there as a representative of what it took to win the cold-war. All that led up to it, and beat it, for all future generations of this small blue planet.

That she happens to be a 'cold-war' boat will allow us to share deeper aspects of this human struggle with the public. That she is a submarine - built for subtle international diplomacy - will reinforce those deeper meanings as people hear, see and learn elements of the legacy she stands for. Dramatic peripheral stories (e.g. Blind Man's Bluff & The Silent War) don't hurt any either. She would be a great place for those stories to be taught, not just told. The overarching theme of Peanut Island is for the preservation of Maritime Heritage. Perfect venue for this type of a memorial.

We can use her as a central element in education curricula in an array of programs to inspire all future sentinels of human liberty and freedom. She can be a centerpiece for that curricula at all levels of study from K-12 through post-graduate levels; including business leadership and international politics. These programs can augment her role as a tourist attraction for thousands of visitors and provide a local inspriation for the entire State of Florida. She would join other submarine memorials in helping preserve national maritime heritage.

Sailfish is a great example of adaptability. Take a look at her original configuration pictures. Those of her as a Radar Picket platform. Technology rapidly caught up with her and she was changed to adapt to the environment and is an example of innovative perseverance. In later configurations she captured electronic intelligence.

Do you remember just how close to the brink we came? I'd bet most reading this think the closest we came was the Cuban Missle Crisis, and you might be wrong. And you should read "The Silent War" by Dr. John P. Craven. We should make sure that our children remember. We should make sure they know the extents our nation had to go to assure future generations the sanctity of freedom.

That this would of necessity be a multi-year project is an asset to this project not a detriment.

Mr. Lincoln said, "The dogmas of the quiet past will not work in the turbulant future. As our cause is new, so we must think and act anew."

The important element is a practical and clearly articulated path to success backed up by the kind of perserverance and sted fast determination that are the reasons anyone can even read the words on this web page. Humanity should save her to tell this story. I think this is a good idea. More importantly kids born 10 years from now that will visit her and be glad we saved her. They will see the legacy she represents. They will learn and see beyond her physicalities. They will know. And they will remember. And human spirit will persist in those future memories.

How Submarines Work |

The General Services Administration, 41 CFR Donation of Surplus Property, offers the general guidelines.

Inspection Requirements | Title 10 | Lake Worth Estuary |

Click to see torpedo room

Today she lies in despair

The Sailfish today is berthed in Bremerton, Washington. She has been there for over 25 years. She never had proper dehumidification equipment installed and she holds much corrosion. Make no mistake, volunteers will undertake a project of mammoth proportions, but they will also be part of something special. She would have to be environmentally cleaned up. She holds PCBs and Asbestos. I've talked to knowledgeable people at the EPA and there are companies that specialize in cleaning up those kinds of environments. Much of her equipment has been stripped and she has been used as a parts locker. She's filthy and needs a bath.

Sailfish would be cleaned up by volunteers and funded entirely through donations, fund raising, projects, events, classes and visits to the memorial. Volunteers are signing up in the guestbook below. Parts sources are being identified. Now all it will take is elbow grease, determination, and money. Current estimate is about $10 million dollars of it in three phases. Increments of $3, $4, and $3 million will probably be required. Sailfish is one of two boats and is the lead boat in this class of ship and therefore the namesake of the class of boats. The Salmon, has sunk from her moorings in the Naval Underwater Warfare Centers Range. I am contacting technical divers to assess what options might be used to economically recover her in support of this project. At the moment Sailfish is the last of her breed.

I believe this boat can be made presentable. Certainly not all in one shot nor even in a single year, but with patience, persistence and perseverance it can be done. She can be made to serve the legacy for which she stands and would serve the heritage that our Navy so proudly defends. This effort may be large. There may be many obstacles in our path. Many challenges to face, but every endeavor worth enjoying is worth fighting for. I believe anyone and everyone who thinks this is a good idea should line up to sign up and help in whatever way you can.

There are some 30 subs, sold to other countries, no longer in use. Those boats are parts sources for Sailfish. Salmon too would be a parts source if her recovery would be allowed by the Navy. Alas she sits at the bottom of Narragansett Bay, melting back into the dust from which she came. Sigh.

Success in stages is the key to this idea.

This is a multi-year project and not something that is going to get done quickly. The plan makes it clear that we should:

A) Keep her floating and not destroy her.
B) Dry-docking her she MIGHT be towed across the bay from #2 to #1
C) Inspect & Repair the hull. Clean up the exterior. Then:

she can either be displayed immediately, but without access, while work continues on the interior
or stored as work continues, parts located and installed, berthing is completed over a longer time period.

D) Clean up the interior and begin executing the curitorial plan to refurbish the interior using identified parts sources and innovation
E) Complete a long-term care and refurbishment plan based on the availability of parts and expanded role as a museum piece.

The question now: for all of us; is "Are we willing to do this? Are we willing to remember a few, of many to be sure, on whose shoulders we all stand? Are we willing to set aside an asset that would otherwise be returned to nature so that future generations will remember?"

Photos

Current Pictures of Sailfish in Bremerton, Washington:

Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2 | Photo Gallery 3 | Photo Gallery 4 |

General Plan Steps

Validate idea with former crew members. DONE
Determine current boat status with the Navy. (NavSea) [ They are reluctant to allow application for this boat. ] DONE
Confirm general idea with local businesses, Commisioners, government agencies, etc. WORKING
Begin recruiting core team (Former crew members, Local Citizenry, Marketing, Finance, Communications, Fund Raising, Internet Service Provider, etc.) WORKING
Begin establishing extended team WORKING
Secure Congressional Sponsorship (contingent upon local government signoff, adequate business planning and Naval approvals) PENDING LOCAL APPROVALS DONE
Secure Local Support (Mayors, County Administration, Commissioners, council members, key influencers, city, county and State) WORKING
SUBMITT NAVSEA APPLICATIONS
Initiate national awareness campaign (Draft, Publish and Tell the story of "The Sailfish Legacy"
Leverage website to coordinate donations, petitions, ideas, issues, business plans, and volunteer activities WORKING
Complete and Submit Necessary Applications to the bid and acquire the boat from the Navy
Upon NavSea Approval, work the plans & make it happen.

DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A LONG-TERM PRESERVATION PLAN | NPS Maritime Heritage

Submarine Memorials

If you have information, pictures, or other materials that would help this project please contact Chuck McGowen.

Former crew members update your contact info via the SS572 Roster page and/or contact Mr. Glenn Jackson. Glen also has a web site dedicated to the SS-572 and her crew.

Click to see Thomas Denton's works of art, including Sailfish.

Awareness Flyers Available for Printing and Distribution

Please download the flyer, print as many as you can and distribute them to anyone you think might be interested in a project of this nature. Public awareness is critical, help spread the word.

JPG Image

The Whitehouse | Senator Bob Graham | Senator Bill Nelson | Congressman E. Clay Shaw |