| The Subchaser Archives

Vol. 4, No. 7, July 2008

Interior views of any USN vessel seem to be much more rare than exterior views. Presumably from the sailor-photographer's point of view, the wider view of the vessel or the action on deck is the subject -- not the mundane realities of life as a crewman such as the bunks and galleys. For the history enthusiast, however, the opposite is sometimes true. We want to see what the living spaces looked like. But of the thousands of subchaser photos I've seen over the years, hardly any show the interior spaces. This makes it all the more exciting to come across a set of photos that includes some shots below decks, such as the set from Ens. George Perley Morse of SC 227, just posted. Three of these show interior spaces that I have never seen in photos before: the officers' quarters, the forward crew's quarters, and the kitchen area just aft of the forward crew's quarters.

Once again I would like to thank everyone who has submitted photos to The Subchaser Archives, and to encourage anyone who has chaser images to consider sending them in. Todd Woofenden, editor
Ens. George Perley Morse Photos: Interior Views

July 2008 Just posted is a set of super-rare photographs showing interior spaces, from the collection of commanding officer Ens. George Perley Morse.

Note especially the views of the crew's quarters and the view of the officers' quarters; and the photo of the pilot house that offers a nice, clear view of the engine telegraph.

Thanks to E. M. Atwood for lending the album to The Subchaser Archives to be scanned.
May Collection: West Coast

July 2008 Continuing with the collection of William B. May, CO of SC 292, this month a set of photographs is posted showing scenes on the west coast of the U.S.

This set includes photos at San Diego, San Francisco, and several Washington State ports, a number of these photos probably taken during the return trip, after the war had ended.

Thanks to Penny Thompson, daughter of CO Morse, for submitting the photo scans.
Additions to the Hull Numbers Collection

July 2008 Two recent additions to the collection of hull number photographs:

SC 143 and SC 148, from the collection of the National World War One Museum, Kansas City, MO.

SC 143 gained some fame as the command of Ens. Alexander Moffat, who chronicled his experiences in the book, Maverick Navy. Thanks to Jonathan Casey for submitting the photo scan.
French Subchasers; and SC 121

July 2008 The page on Subchasers Built for France has been updated with some new details, including a clip from a New York Times article published in February 1918 on the remarkable journey across the Atlantic Ocean of submarine chaser SC 28.

This chaser and one other (SC 319, lost) were separated from the convoy during a storm. The crew of SC 28, their engines being out of commission, rigged a makeshift sail using bed covers, and arrived 33 days later in the Azores.

Also updated is the page on SC 121, adding another New York Times clip, which describes the heroic actions of CMM Henry Robinson during an engine fire.

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