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| USN Gato-class submarine 1,490 Tons (surfaced) 2,060 Tons (submerged) 311' 9" x 27' 3" x 17' 1 x 3"/50 deck gun 1 x 40mm AA gun 1 x 20mm AA gun 10 x 21' torpedo tubes (6 bow and 4 stern) with 24 torpedoes  USN June 4, 1943  NavSource 2000 |
Sub History Built by Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine. Laid down September 11, 1940 as Gato-class submarine. Launched May 12, 1941 as USS Drum (SS-228) named for the Drum fish Sciaenidae sp. sponsored by Mrs. Beatrice M. Holcomb, wife of Major General Thomas Holcomb. Commissioned November 1, 1941 in the U.S. Navy (USN) with Commander Robert H. Rice in command. Afterwards, departs via the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor arriving April 1, 1942. First War Patrol On April 14, 1942 departs Pearl Harbor on her first war patrol via Midway then patrols off Japan. On May 2, 1942 sinks seaplane tender Mizuho and afterwards survives 16 hours of depth charge attacks and the explosions of 31 depth charges. Later in the month, sinks three cargo ships: first unidentified, second Shonan Maru and third Kitakata Maru. On June 12, 1942 returns to Pearl Harbor ending the patrol and earns the Submarine Combat Patrol insignia. PARTIAL HISTORY Fifth War Patrol On March 24, 1943 departed on her fifth war patrol and performs a photographic reconnaissance of Nauru then patrols south of Truk. On April 9, 1943 attacks Japanese convoy and sinks Oyama Maru about 180 miles north-northwest of Kavieng at roughly Lat 00°32'N, Long 150°05'E. On April 18, 1943 sinks Nisshun Maru. On May 13, 1943 ends the patrol Brisbane and undergoes a refit. Sixth War Patrol On June 7, 1943 departs Brisbane and patrols north of the Bismarck Archipelago. On June 17, 1943 she spots a convoy of two cargo ships under escort by a destroyer and sinks Myoko Maru. PARTIAL HISTORY Awards Drum earned 12 battle stars for her World War II service. She is credited with sinking 15 ships for a total of 80,580 tons of enemy shipping, eighth highest of all US submarines in total Japanese tonnage sunk. Display On April 14, 1969 Drum was donated to USS Alabama Battleship Commission. Towed to USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park (Battleship Memorial Park) arriving May 18, 1969 and was dedicated and opened to the public on July 4, 1969 with a memorial plaque nearby. USS Drum was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Most of the funding to maintain the submarine is donated by American Submarine Veterans. In 1998 during Hurricane Georges, sustained damage from the storm surge and afterwards moved ashore onto a cradle. On August 2005 damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Afterwards, reopened to the public on January 9, 2006. In the 2010s repairs commenced. By 2015, part of the bow and stern were rebuilt with new I-beams inside the ballast tanks to support the weight of the submarine ashore. References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - USS Drum (SS-228) Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - USS Drum (SS-228) (photos) NavSouce - Drum (SS-228 / AGSS-228) Contribute
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