Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2019

In mid-February, 1919, a group of U.S. submarine chasers that had been stationed at Corfu arrived at Malta. After a period of quarrantine due to reports of cases of the flu on some of the chasers, they were allowed to come ashore. 

Orders were received to remove the equipment they had been using to track and destroy submarines, including the Y-gun, K-tube, trailing wire, deck gun, machine guns, and even the radio telephone.

The officers and crews anticipated returning home. But soon new rumors started, of plans to send chasers on an expedition to northern Russia. 

In a letter home, Lt. (j.g.) George Dole of SC 93 wrote:

“Everything is going nicely, but all dope about getting back this summer may be badly upset. Am willing to spend what time is necessary to clear things up in good shape, and will not ask for release till it is all over.”

(Hunters of the Steel Sharks: The Submarine Chasers of WWI, page 120.)

--Todd Woofenden, editor

 

Added recently:

shot of several chasers including SC 280 (Canal Zone), submitted by Mike Stephenson, whose grandfather served on SC 282. Also the reverse, with several crewman names.

New to the Showcase section is a work-in-progress by Dave Richey, a model of submarine chaser SC 330.

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