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History of USS Volador
SS-490

Official History of the
USS Volador SS490

Keel laid down in Portsmouth
Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME,
15 JUN 45; Launched: 21 MAY 48; Sponsored by
Mrs. Dudley W. Morton; Commissioned: 10 JAN 48
with Cdr Howard A. Thompson
in command; Decommissioned
and loaned to Italy 18 AUG 72; Returned to U.S. control, struck
from the Navy List and sold to
Italy 5 DEC 77.

For Complete History, Click Here.

   
        They Dared Me to Dive Her Deep

Once the Volador Got off its
"Fish" it put on the damnedest
under seas rodeo the Pacific
ever say.
(Courtesy of Steve Madigosky)

Read the Article, Click Here

 

   
1000th Dive

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Picture of USS Sea Devil SS-400
Sunk by torpedo from Volador as
a practice target

Click Here for More VD Photos

(Courtesy of Steve Madigosky)

 

   
   Click here for the full story

 (Courtesy of Steve Madigosky)

 

SUBMARINERS WHO RESCUED
COLLIER'S FAR EAST
CORRESPONDENT:
The men who swam to the rescue of
Charlotte Knight, Far East correspondent
of Collier's Magazine, when the helicopter
in which she was trying to reach the
submarine Volador, crashed into the choppy
seas of the Western Pacific, are shown on
the deck of the Volador.
The men who swam to the rescue of the correspondent and the two-man
crew of the helicopter are, left to right,
ENC MA. Garner,
SN R.N. Norton,
CS3 E.S. McMullen and
ENZ F .E. Slaton.
With the men is LCDR J.G. Hudson,
executive officer of the submarine.
 
   
Volador transiting the
Lake Washington Locks

In the summer of "52" the
Volador was part of the show at
the Seattle Sea Fair, along with
the navy's Blue Angels.
We entered Lake Washington
through the locks and dove in
fresh water for the first time.
The VD fired a series of
underwater pyrotechnic signals
for the crowd. It was a different experience controlling her
submerged in fresh water.
The boat later spent several
weeks operating out of British Columbia with the Canadian
Navy in ASW exercises.

(Courtesy of Steve Madigosky)

 

   
The Volador Rich and/or Famous?

Two Volador officers distinguished
themselves in later years.
Both became Admirals.

One of the VD skippers, Eugene Wilkinson,
went on to command USS Nautilus SSN571
and sent historical message,
 "Underway on nuclear power."
He later became Chief of Naval Operations.

Jim Watkins, who served as a LT on the
Volador went on to command USS Snook
SSN 592. He later commanded both the
6th & Pacific fleets. Later he was appointed
Chief of Naval Operations following which
he served as secretary of energy in the
first Bush administration.

(Courtesy of Steve Madigosky)

 
   

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