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Senior Crew
Posts: 186
Location: Chunky, MS | Subject: USS Drum (SS-228) website and information
As many of you know, I started up a website last year for the USS Drum (SS-228) called Drum228.org. Since then, I have entered in as much historical information as I could find. I have also completed the 13 WWII war patrol reports in HTML format. Tom Bowser recently found some information on what would have been the 14th war patrol and I have added that in as well. Restoration progress and how to help out can also be found on the website.
From the looks of things, the Drum possibly received two 5" 25 caliber deck guns at Mare Island before heading out for what would have been patrol 14 in July of 1945. I'm still trying to verify that.
I just wanted you all to know that I am still looking for anything that can be added to this website. Photos, stories, corrections, verifications, information, anything. Please contact me if you have anything to add, or pass the word on to an interested party. I want to get this all down on the internet before it's too late. |
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Plankowner
Posts: 5024
Location: Gulfport, MS | Subject: RE: USS Drum (SS-228) website and information
I love the look of the site... great job. The one addition that (I feel) is a must for any website dedicated to a specific submarine is a roster, sailing list, whatever you want to call it, of every man that ever served aboard the boat, including dates aboard, rate/rank when transferred, qual date (year) if known, previous duty station, and where transferred to. I hope , if you do this, you will make that a searchable database open to the public for research. It does not have to include any personnel information, like address or phone number of those still alive (unless you choose to do so). My main concern is that if we are sincere when we say we will "make sure our shipmates are never forgotten", then we have to make the identy of those shipmates available to the public. I have been told by individual boat webmasters that have their sailing lists password protected "it aint none of your bussines who rode the [Ustafish] unless you were aboard yourself". One guy told me their Association had it written into their Byklasws that names would not be shared. He told me if I wanted to I could attend their next reunion and make a presentation to their board of direstors why I had a need to know that information, and they would take my request under consideration. (Since I already have most of the personnel dieries for the years that boat was in commission on microfilm, I didn't bother.)
On the other hand there are boats out there that have excellent information on their websites. I aaaure you those sailors won't be forgotten! I might get in trouble here with some buddies because of CRS, but if you want some excellent examples check out Caiman, Sea Poacher, Sea Robin, Chopper, Archerfish, Atule, Sennet, Odax... to name a few... there are plenty more... but those are ones I have been visiting the past couple of days.
As the keeper of the database for SubVets WWII, I spend my days researching dates our guys served aboard the boats they list in their records so I can add the information to their on-line record, especially those that are already on Eternal Patrol. If we don't do it for them they will be forgotten.
If anyone reading this rode a boat that has a webiste with password protected sailing lists, you owen it to your shipmates to demand that this be corrected.
Lance, let me know if I can help you (with information... I have no more spare time) |
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Plankowner
Posts: 5024
Location: Gulfport, MS | Subject: RE: USS Drum (SS-228) website and information
Yes Gary... Tusk is another excelent site... CRS; thant's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Please forgive all the spelling mistakes in the above post... I'm in a hurry and it shows. |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 186
Location: Chunky, MS | Subject: RE: USS Drum (SS-228) website and information
I'd be glad to put up a roster....if I had that information. 
Thanks for the comments and the help offer! |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 186
Location: Chunky, MS | Subject: RE: USS Drum (SS-228) website and information
http://www.drum228.org/crew.html
WWII crew roster is now online. Thanks to Tom Bowser. Now for additions/corrections. |
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Plankowner
Posts: 5024
Location: Gulfport, MS | Subject: RE: USS Drum (SS-228) website and information
Wow, that was fast! Thanks to all that made this wonderful list possible. Now... for all the guys that came after the war. I know there are several of us on this BB that have collections of 16mm microfilm reels of Rosters and Personal Diaries from the National Archives. I'm sorry to say that none of mine have any of the Drum years or I would lend them to Lance to copy. I bet he would like to hear from any of you that are holding some Drum Rosters in your files of microfilm. Having this information available on-line is priceless for anyone doing reserach. Thanks Lance! |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 186
Location: Chunky, MS | Subject: RE: USS Drum (SS-228) website and information
Thanks. I have also added photos to war patrols 1 (ship sinking periscope shot), 5 (sailor with life ring from sunken Maru), 9 (leaving Mare Island with mods), and 14.
I still have nothing on the Drum from post-WWII until she was transferred to Mobile. You'd think someone would have taken some photos of her sometime from 1946 till 1968. |
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USS Drum (SS-228) website and information
