The engine room contained two diesels of around four or five hundred horse power. They were clutched to a shaft that passed through the bulkhead into the motor room and drove a motor, which also doubled as a generator. The motor was clutched to the propeller shaft.

Under way, the engine would drive the propeller through the motor. The armature of the motor would just free wheel until an excitation was applied. It would then produce a current that could be used to charge the battery. The current could be used for furnishing power for other uses. When the power used this way equaled the output of the battery, we were carrying a "zero float" and conserved our charge.

On diving the engine would be unclutched from the shaft the boat would operate on the battery motor combo. The boat would also use this combo for backing down. In port, the motor was declutched from the shaft. It would, then, do its duty as a generator for charging the battery.


There was no induction. ( A large pipe to carry air into the boat and for air for the engines to use.) When the engines were running all hatches and doors from the bridge to the engine room had to be open. This almost brought us to grief.

It was on a weekend day when we got orders to get underway to ride out a storm. We rounded up all the unfortunates that hadn't gone on liberty and got underway with about twenty or so crew.

We rode out the night and submerged at day light. We ran till about dark and surfaced. About then all hell broke loose. The old gal rolled over, we could swear, almost flat on her side. Things were flying all over. A huge Niagara came pouring into the control room. It seemed like a long long time before she finally righted and they got the bridge hatch closed.

Our battery was almost completely drained and we were adrift for about three days. Our food stores were practically nil and we went through them in a short time. We ate emergency rations, which was then a locker full of pork and beans.

A hatch was carefully opened and quickly closed to provide some ventilation. The sea finally flattened out enough for us to open the hatches and get the old engines going.

Since we had been drifting blind for a long time we were disoriented as to position. The radioman finally got a fix on a Hamilton radio station and were headed for port.

When we finally arrived, there was a large bunch of guys on dock and we were surprised at the greeting. We were told that we were reported missing.

Guy Covert EMC (SS) Ret