1950s San Francisco, as seen through a submarine periscope (USS Catfish SS-339)

IO9 ^ | May 25, 2013 | Lauren Davis

[DogByte6RER]

1950s San Francisco, as seen through a submarine periscope

In 1951, the USS Catfish (SS-339), a WWII-era diesel submarine, cruised into San Francisco Bay. The crew snapped a handful of pictures through the periscope, showing what the city and Alcatraz looked like from the submariners' perspective.

It's a bit eerie to see the city through the periscope's reticles, almost as if it were a target. It offers a historical perspective a largely pre-skyscraper San Francisco, but also creates the sense that the city being spied on.

[DogByte6RER]

- Golden Gate Bridge

- Treasure Island and The Bay Bridge

- Telegraph Hill

- Alcatraz

- Alcatraz close-up

[BenLurkin]

Interesting!

[llevrok]

2013 View From LA Class Periscope

[ClearCase_guy]

You may fire when ready, Mr. Gridley.

[ErnBatavia]

http://www.kesq.com/news/huge-crowds-for-liberace-film-screening/-/233092/20305722/-/mdu1lqz/-/index.html

[Nateman]

They have a WWII sub (USS PAMPANITO SS-383) docked in San Francisco. I went there with two other submarine veterans off of my sub. Because we were submarine vets the tour guide took us into parts of the ship which were normally off limits.

[DogByte6RER]

More references ...

San Francisco in 1951 As Seen Through the Periscope of a U.S. Navy Submarine

http://laughingsquid.com/san-francisco-in-1951-as-seen-through-the-periscope-of-a-u-s-navy-submarine/

San Francisco in 1951 as seen from a U.S. Navy submarine

http://blog.sfgate.com/thebigevent/2013/05/23/san-francisco-in-1951-as-seen-from-a-u-s-navy-submarine/#12555-14

[llevrok]

Life aboard those WW2 era subs must have been pretty stark, from all accounts I read.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

It was a beautiful city back then. That was before the invasion of the “Crazy’s” in the 60’s. Gone down hill and nuttier every since then.

[JohnG45]

I went there with two other submarine veterans off of my sub. Because we were submarine vets the tour guide took us into parts of the ship which were normally off limits.

You were a submariner and refer to a submarine as a ship?

[twistedwrench]

Thanks for the pics! My dad was on the USS Chopper (SS-342)

[cunning_fish]

>>>You were a submariner and refer to a submarine as a ship?<<<

They are called “boats” but it is not incorrect to call them ships as well (submarine is a combat vessel and it makes a ship anyway:)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Surface vessels are referred to as “targets.”

[Eric in the Ozarks]

My folks and I sailed into Oakland back in 1961 after a decade stationed in Japan with the Army. California looked damned good to me at the time.

I made six crossings 1951-1961 on MSTS (the Army’s Navy.)
The final trip was on the General W. A. Mann.

[Patriot Babe]

ROFL ROFL What a contrast. San Francisco was beautiful and clean until the liberals hippies and outside transplants started coming here and laid their turd on the city.

[topspinr]

I was a member of the crew on the USNS Gen Morton in 1948.

Loved the City. One of my favorite nite-life spots was Bimbo’s 365 Club with the “girl in the fishbowl” they had a great dance floor for the jitter-bug crowd. For all the Jazz fans the “Blackhawk” the best Jazz Bands in the country played there.

[Gay State Conservative]

A few curtains....lots of lilacs and pansies...and it will be fabulous!

[muleskinner]

As a kid who grew up just south on the peninsula, in the early 60's, I remember going to the City of Paris and Macy's on a Saturday. the women wore gloves and hats, most of the men wore suits. My dad said," Well, there's 6th St., that's were the drunks hang out"

A few years later, the off-scouring of the eastern cities began showing up and turning the city into their personal playground. It has deteriorated ever since.

[MHalblaub]

You were a submariner and refer to a submarine as a ship?

In Germany it depends on what kind of officers are regular crew members of a submarine or ship. Therefore all current German submarines are u-boats and not u-ships. They just have a crew of 28 men or women. An Ohio-class submarine is more a u-ship.

[ken5050]

If you haven't already, I hope that one day you get the chance to visit the USS Bowfin and the Memorial Park to all the subs still on "eternal patrol."

I remember that right after we got back home from that trip, we'd started on plans to remodel our kitchen..I do most of the cooking and my then-wife said, after steeping inside he Bowfin's galley, that I should never, NEVER, again complain about not having enough counter space. It is truly amazing that 2-3 cooks could produce all those meals, for all the crew, in a space that is smaller than my closet.