Even in peace time submarine's are dangerous to those who sail in them. On Aug. 25, 1949, four years to the day after of her commissioning, the USS Cochino SS-345 was off the coast of northern Norway with the USS Tusk SS-426. They were fighting there way though a storm when there was a battery explosion on board the the Cochino.

Tusk came along side and sent rafts with medical supplies for the injured but, during one of the trips between the two subs one of the rafts capsized dumping two men into the water. They were both recovered and taken on board the Tusk. While on deck attempting to revive the men a wave broke over the Tusk sending ten of her crew and a civil engineer from the Cochino into the sea. Six of Tusk's crew and the civilian employee were never seen again.

After this disaster the Tusk took the Cochino in tow but this was to no avail. The crew's of both subs fought for fourteen hours to save the Cochino but on Aug. 26 a second explosion breached her hull, with no time left the crew were removed to the Tusk and the Cochino made her way to the bottom of the Norwegian Sea.

In an unrelated accident on Aug. 26, 1957 the ex USS Tarpon SS-175 sank while on the way to the breakers yard. Thankfully nobody was lost in this incident.

© 2006 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com