Pearl Harbor, HI. - Navy divers completed six days of diving operations June 16 on wreckage in the Gulf of Thailand believed to be that of the lost World War II submarine USS Lagarto (SS 371).

Divers will send photographs and video of the submarine to the Naval Historical Center in Washington for further analysis.

The divers' observations appear to confirm the discovery made in May 2005 by British wreck diver Jamie MacLeod.

"Without a doubt, it's a U.S. submarine, a Balao-class," said U.S. 7th Fleet Diving Officer, Cmdr. Tony San Jose.

San Jose and his fellow divers reported identifying twin 5-inch gun mounts both forward and aft, a feature believed to be unique to Lagarto. They also reported finding serial numbers and the word "Manitowoc" engraved on the submarine's propeller. Lagarto was one of 28 submarines built in Manitowoc, Wisc.

The operations were conducted from the rescue and salvage ship USS Salvor (ARS 52) with embarked divers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Japan-based mine countermeasures ship USS Patriot (MCM 7) assisted by first pinpointing the location of the wreckage with its SQQ-32 sonar and remotely-operated Mine Neutralization Vehicle.

The mission to positively identify Lagarto was carried out as part of the Thailand phase of the exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, or CARAT. A Royal Thai Navy liaison officer was embarked aboard Salvor to assist during the mission.

San Jose said that the diving operations were very challenging because of short bottom times, strong currents and limited visibility. Due to the depths involved, the dives had to be conducted with mixed gas.

"We are deeply grateful to the divers of MDSU 1 and USS Salvor for their efforts to confirm this discovery and bring closure to the families of Lagarto's crew," said Pacific Submarine Force commander, Rear Adm. Jeffrey Cassias.

For 60 years, crew members' families did not know the exact circumstances surrounding the 86 submariners who perished. Lagarto was last heard from May 3, 1945, as it was preparing to attack a Japanese convoy under heavy escorts. Japanese war records later revealed that the minelayer Hatsutaka reported sinking a U.S. submarine at roughly the same time and location.

Cassias met May 6 with Lagarto family members at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, where a memorial service was held to honor the lost crew. Last year, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle signed a proclamation making May 3, the day the craft was presumed sunk, as USS Lagarto Remembrance Day in perpetuity.

"We owe a great debt to these men, and to all of the World War II submariners," said Cassias. "In the world's darkest hour, they faced the greatest risks, and demonstrated the most noble courage to preserve the freedom of our nation."

Lagarto was one of 52 submarines lost on patrol during World War II.

Even before "Plunger" had failed, Holland began construction of a new, smaller (54 feet), slower (7 knots), gasoline-powered boat, "Holland VI." Armament: one dynamite gun (air-launched 222-pound projectile with seven loads) and a Whitehead torpedo (three loads). Crew: six men. Habitability: included a toilet, to support operations as long as forty hours. Holland began a series of public demonstrations.

New York Times, May 17, 1897: ". . . the Holland, the little cigar-sharped vessel owned by her inventor, which may or may not play an important part in the navies of the world in the years to come, was launched from Nixon's shipyard this morning,"

The impending Spanish-American War intruded on Holland's efforts to sell his new boat to the Navy, although Theodore Roosevelt – at the time, Assistant Secretary of the Navy – told his boss, "I think that the Holland submarine boat should be purchased." The war begun, Holland offered to go to Cuba and sink the Spanish fleet –if, upon being successful, the Navy would buy his boat. The Navy properly was horrified at the thought of a private citizen using a private warship to sink foreign ships; times had changed since Bushnell and "Turtle" and the days of the privateers.

In September, SIMON LAKE'S 36-foot "Argonaut I" made an open-ocean passage from Norfolk, VA, to Sandy Hook, NJ, prompting Jules Verne to send Lake a cable: "The conspicuous success of submarine navigation in the United States will push on under-water navigation all over the world . . . . The next war may be largely a contest between submarine boats."

By November, with the war ended, the Navy held an "official" trial of "Holland VI." There were some problems; Holland did not have enough money to fix them, so he joined forces with another manufacturer to form the Electric Boat Company. He was designated Chief Engineer.

The French fielded the 148-foot, 266-ton "Gustav Zede" – named for the recently-deceased designer. On maneuvers, the submarine "torpedoed" an anchored battleship, to the consternation of some, and pride among other, French naval officers.

A modified "Holland VI" passed the Navy trials; the company made a formal offer to sell the boat to the Navy, and moved it down from New York to Washington, DC to enhance the PR effort with some demonstrations for members of Congress.

THE GUPPIES

Long before the advent of the hippie and the yuppie

There was a class of warship that was fondly called the Guppy,

Now the Guppy was a submarine, in case you didn’t know,

Long and black and sleek she was, and always on the go.

In World War Two, the submarines were our first line of attack,

Many of them went out to sea and some did not come back,

Now the submariners knew this but still they went to war,

To defend their nation’s freedom was what they were fighting for.

After World War Two had ended, when the Japs and Germans quit,

Someone thought the old subs should be streamlined just a bit,

So they re-designed the old boats and titled them Tang Class

With snorkels, better batt’ries and a hull to make’em fast.

They went to sea both north and south from the East to setting sun,

They never knew when night was o’er and daytime had begun.

Theirs was a life of silence and the darkness of the deep,

Sometimes their only pleasure were a few hours of blessed sleep.

They ploughed the seas from Pole to Pole in defense of freedom’s goals,

From Pearl Harbor, and Yokosuka to the faroff Iceland shoals,

To spy on Soviet submarines and other ships of war

Was the job of these brave lads who roamed the ocean floor.

They ran patrols from Greenland to the shores of Timbuktu

The GIUK GAP and MED RUN were just nothing for a crew

Of Guppy sailors who thought the NORTHERN RUN okay,

Then take shore leave in Norfolk for another night of play.

How many Guppies were there? Far more than I could name.

And each has earned an honored place in the Guppy Hall of Fame.

They fought the War with Soviets in secrecy and guile

Until the foe gave up the fight, which made it all worth while.

Now they’re gone, as all ships go when their tour of duty’s o’er,

Brave Guppies, stalwart warriors, they roam the seas no more,

They’ve gone to graves far out at sea and this should be their lot,

Gone from the sight of those they served but not to be forgot.

Bob Harrison

I once got a family gram that made the gram of the month from my wife Carol, It read: "Sprayed for mosquitoes with roach spray. Bird, fish and turtle all dead. Trip to pet store in order. Bad day. Wish you were here" While I was on another SSBN one of her grams contained the words "I sold your truck" and "I love you." That one was the talk of the patrol when more than a hundred Polaris submariners learned the meaning of the word oxymoron. It’s been more than 30 years since I received my first family-gram. I received all of my allotment from my dutiful wife and I read a lot of the messages received by my shipmates, but ever one I ever read pales when compared to the following family-gram story.

When I tell a story, I usually don’t make up names. When you read this one I’m sure you will understand why I am making an exception in this case and I know you will forgive me. However, if the parties concerned want to stand up and be identified, I will gladly publish their version with their real names. Until then, all I will say about this story is that it does belong totally to the Stonewall Jackson.

Shortly before flyaway, our semi-annual migration to Guam, the Stonewall Jackson received a new crew member. He was incredibly young then. He is young still today. His new bride was even younger. The couple barely had enough time to rent an apartment before the Blue crew was off too meet the boat.

In her small, sparsely furnish apartment Pam was left with an envelope her husband Petty Officer Hurley had left for her. She knew nothing about the navy or submarines. The family-grams must have been a mystery to her, but she figured out about the 28 words and she found out how and where she was to deposit them. She thought than since everything else she had encountered in her contact with the navy was top secret, her 28 word message to her lover-husband would be between them and confidential.

Her first message read "Uncle Harry is lonely" The radioman who delivered the message thought. "What the hell does Hurley care if his wife’s uncle Harry is lonely" Had he know that uncle Harry was code for the newly married young lovers physical activities he would have spread it around the ship. It would have been a long patrol for Hurley.

The next message read: "I think uncle Harry is going to be sick"

Then came "uncle Harry is definitely sick"

Followed by "I think uncle Harry is going to die."

At that point Mrs. Hurley received a phone call and an appointment to visit with the squadron 15 chaplain.

On her way to the sub base her mind raced through options she knew nothing about. Had the boat sunk. Was her husband hurt. Was she a widow at 18.

She was ushered into the chaplain’s office and seated across a large desk from the fully uniformed naval office with crosses on his collar. She was frightened. She was ready to cry. She was preparing to morn.

"Mrs Hurley" the somber chaplain said "Mrs. Hurley. We’re very concerned about your uncle Harry"

She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry to hide her crimson cheeks. I think her response as she all but ran from the office was "He got better"