My wife and I were aboard the USS Alabama in June 1974, long before the Drum came to Mobile. Basically, our tour could be summed up as “Well, here you are aboard the Alabama! Hope you had fun! Y’all come back now!” Thanks for the great experience😀
Remarkable accomplishment to have brought USS DRUM back to this state. My heartfelt congratulations to TOM & LESLIE for their painstaking efforts of these years. I served on USS Sea Robin SS-407 63-67, commissioned in Portsmouth 1944. So many similarities to the boat I served & qualified aboard. AGAIN, BRAVO ZULU....... HAND SALUTE
My dad was a radio man on the Drum while stationed in Hawaii - great to see his working area in this video! He was able to visit it 50 years later and was so excited about the trip! Thanks for sharing - very good video.
That's the ship my grandfather served on, his name was Carl Chase. Thank you for making this, amazing to think about what he went through during that time.
I've toured the Drum, but usually after walking around the USS Alabama next door so I didn't properly give it much thought. Thanks for shedding light on the Drum's history that I missed.
My Dad died in 94. He loved history. He would have really enjoyed watching your channel and seeing all this cool stuff he never got to see. The internet has opened a whole new world up to people .
My Dad served in the submarine service for 21 years which included 6 war patrols on the USS Guavina during World War II. He was so proud to have served in the "silent service".
My wife and I visited Galveston over the summer. While we were there, we visited the USS Cavalla, a WW2 submarine. They are very interesting to say the least. Our greatest generation. Keep up the great work.
This former surface warfare officer has always respected my friends who were "bubble heads" and I use that term affectionately. They were AND are true warriors. Thank you for sharing their story and thank you to those who restore these ships, submarines, planes, etc. I have enjoyed seeing some of them in Pearl Harbor, San Diego, Norfolk, Corpus Christi, Charleston, Baltimore, and Fall River. Looks like I definitely need to pay Mobile a visit!
I was able to look through the periscope when I visited the USS Drum. You could see the hanger and the USS Alabama. Not real clear, but you could see her. The Drum once was in the water, moored behind the Alabama, but she was damaged by storm surge from Hurricane Georges in 1998, so she was put on land where she is now. She also was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I want to thank all the submarine veterans who support the Drum financially.
The USS Alabama suffered from flooding that left her with an 8 degree list to port (leftside) as water went down her stacks during a storm surge event. The USS Drum, being a submarine, suffered no apparent damage but it was decided she had to be moved to a dry land berthing. I was at a Promise Keepers event in Mobile as the hurricane approached and the Saturday schedule was cut short as we were told to get back on our buses and out of Mobile as fast as we safely could. By the next morning the tunnel leading from the causeway into Mobile and the Arthur Outlaw Mobile Convention Center where the event took place was completely flooded which would have trapped nearly all of the men at the event had we not left when we did.
@@richardcline1337 Alabama has her stack capped. Water didn't go down it nor did she flood. The storm surge from Katrina was significant enough that it floated her up several feet and she settled back down with the 8 degree list.
@@Cirux321, look, genius, all I know is what we were told by the news media. Of course, they could be wrong given their standard practices of tainting the truth.
I grew up with Uncles on both sides of the family that served during WWII. As a kid I had so many questions but was taught it not appropriate to ask. My one Uncle had severe back issues from a depth charge hitting the submarine he served in. I always had questions. I still have questions. Your videos help open up the world they lived in and served in as just young men. They are all passed now. You are reaching several generations and preserving history for generations to come. Thank you. From another history buff thank you.
Two of my uncles on my Mother's side served in WWII. Both in the Navy. One transferred to the Army in Vietnam. He was never the same.... They both died of alchoholism and drugs.... One was found dead on the streets of Las Vegas...Didn't know it until about a month later... Keep your loved ones as close as you can. I never had the chance to know him, but the other, I loved until the day he passed...Now all of them are gone. I am the only one of my family left, besides by wife and kids. Mom, Dad, and Brother are gone. Cousins do not care.... None came to the funerals... Keep your your loved ones close!
I was there a few weeks ago, the most amazing experience I have ever had. I never seen either ship in person before, it was a real treat. Great respect to those who served on those ships. We cant let history die. Without reminders of history, we will repeat history.
Wow!! This tour on the USS Drum was great! Tom has done a fantastic job restoring her. Really beautiful! My father served on this submarine as Chief! Thanks so very much!!
@@carolbell8008, The Cavalla has a very unique place in history. It sank the Imperial Japanese Navy's Shōkaku, a veteran of the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. The Cavalla was on it's very first war patrol. ruclips.net/video/KXbHsRYZlKE/видео.html
My brother was on a nuke sub during the Vietnam War and literally saved the vessel. He was a petty officer and received a commendation from high admirals. My dad was a gunners mate on a cruiser and Liberty ships and I wish he was still alive to tell you what he did in detail. He loved to talk about it.
That is very cool, Thankyou for your Dad’s service to our Country! My Dad who served on the Drum and Cavalla got to go out to San D. for a ride on a Nuclear Sub and he loved it! He said that it was huge and dove straight down!!
I love the "this is normally closed off, but Tom..." more than once. Another example of how amazing it is to have someone who is an expert in a specific field join you and give their insight. Incredible job that Tom and his crew has done with that sub.
I was AF, dad was AF and grandpa was Army. I'll always have such respect for Navy personnel. How they do what they do, but especially the submariners....MASSIVE RESPECT!
Went on her and the Alabama in 1976 with 3 other 16 year olds. Both were in great shape then and we stayed for hours. We were even able to enter one of the turrets. Best historical thing I've ever done. There were only the vessels then. No planes, no buildings. Alabama should be commended for the first rate job they've done in keeping them up. The same weekend we were able to get a tour of the Lexington in Pensacola while it was still in use as a training carrier and the Naval Air Museum which was just getting going.
@@williammonahan7496the USS Drum was named after the fish know as the Drum. In WW2 all US Submarines were named after fish or sea creatures. USS Albacore, USS Bowfin, USS Dolphin, ISS Herring, USS Norwal, etc. With 201 subs built during the war and about 40 built before the war that served during WW2. That’s a lot of fish. Numbers are tricky as some were technically laid some before the end of the war but were either completed after or cancelled. 336 total names were assigned though not all used.
Thx for the vid, and the visit to the sub. Im a sub service sailor (served aboard a sub tender)- I've been down in a couple modern boats loading supplies and whatnot, and yeah, while they're bigger than WW2 boats, they're definately not for everyone. I've been in a few WW2 subs, and the U505 in Chicago. It's amazing to see what those guys had to deal with, work with, and live like for months at a time. We won't even begin to mention the noise, heat, and smells they had to contend with...
There's nothing like listening to someone who really knows the subject matter. I went to Civil War battlefields with someone who knew the little stories about the men and every single thing about the Battle of the placement. it was just incredible to listen to him talk and with his powers of description you literally felt like you were there at the time
@@MossRods, they did make a movie using the USS Drum, "USS Seaviper", a cheesy attempt to use modern technology to simulate WWII conditions The acting was so bad it was hard to sit through the whole thing hoping it might get better. It never did. I HATED the movie and it's one of the rare movies of that era that I don't have in my collection. The USS Alabama has been used in two recent movies that I am aware of, "USS INDIANAPOLIS: Men of Courage" and "Under Seige".
Another excellent history tour. Thank you again JD! I used to work with a WWII submarine veteran. I will never forget the time he related to me when he was on leave with some of his sub buddies who were assigned to a different sub than he was. They kept asking him to see if he could get orders changed so he could serve with them again but for whatever reason he didn’t pursue it. The sub his buddies went on was sunk in the war. I can still see his face staring off and his mind going back to the 1940’s when telling me this… the greatest generation for sure. Wish I could remember the name of the subs… his name was Harry. Another American hero.
I once toured the USS Clagmore, a WWII sub at Patriot's Point in Charleston SC. I am six four and I was wearing a soft golf hat at the time. The following are my comments as I moved from compartment to compartment ."Ouch, Ouch, Ouch, Ouch" It was truly a heady experience.
Also one of your better videos. Tom is a great docent, and custodian of the USS Drum. He would have made an outstanding Chief of the Boat during the war. Really disappointing that it took so long to get the issues with the MK-14 torpedos resolved. There is a memorial in Seal Beach California to all the submarines that didn't return and are on eternal patrol. Sadly most of our submariners that served during the war are joining thier brothers that never returned. I thank them for their service, commitment and valor.
What a great video! I think most of us forget or just never knew about our submarines during ww2. It's incredible what we were able to accomplish with the instruments that were available then. It's always impressive to see the dials, gauges and knobs in WW2 ships. You can definitely see that we got it done back then with what we had!
I get bored and loose interest very easily but your videos are well done and your narration is superb, I’ve watched all your videos to the end! I’ve been going to the Alabama and the Drum since I was a small child, I still go today, except now it’s with my grandson and although he’s only 11 years old, he’s blown away by these historic relics.
Spent 23 year on the boats, retired in the late 70's. Before my knees gave up on me I volunteered and did guided tours on the USS Drum. Tom did a wonderful job in the restoration of the Drum.
Great tour, thank you! My great uncle, Robert White, spent the entire war on the USS Drum. He enlisted just after Pearl Harbor, spent 32 years in the Navy and went on to retire as a Lieutenant Commander. He had some incredible stories. After getting the new Balao class conning tower, he said the joke on the boat was "If we turn upside-down we can dive 200 feet deeper". Inspired by him, I volunteered for sub duty when I enlisted but ended being assigned to the surface fleet and stationed on the USS Enterprise (Nuke Machinist Mate). Not what I initially wanted, but an experience I'm truly grateful for and one I'll never forget.
As a kid growing up in Australia in the 50s..I always looked forward to a TV show called “The Silent Service”..it was part tv show/doco of real US submarine missions of WW11..anyone remember the show?..another great informative episode I’m a huge fan of this channel..🇦🇺
Hi, yes! My father who served the entire war in subs liked that show a lot and all movies about subs! After reading the book called Run Silent Run Deep, I asked him if they did a or experienced any of the things in that book and he replied, “We did everything!”
@@mickeyh53 Thank you Mickey, that is very kind of you to say; yes, I am very proud of him, he was a good Dad as well. Nothing upset him and he was quite mellow and encouraged learning common sense! He was a CWO and organised in everything!
Amazing prog & loved it. I toured a retired Russian submarine in Hamburg & it was apparently the largest non nuclear sub in the world, hate to have worked in the smallest.
Me my wife and son went there in 2018. They had a reinactment of wwll planes atacking the ship there it was something to see for sure. The drum was the first sub I had ever toured and it was great .
You do such a wonderful job if telling our history like it was not what news people said or thought.I can not imagine being underwater like that,my utmost respect to the boys who fought and died in these Subs,as well as all our service men and women of today.My husband was a Marine in the Viet Nam war.a ND very proud to be .Thank you to Tom as well as you👍👍❤️❤️🇺🇸
I love this channel you remind me of my High School teacher he made history so fun!! I will say he was the one that made me love history and one of the main reasons why I became a US Marine. I wanted to do great things and make my own history I did 1 tour in Iraq and twice in Afghanistan. Keep up the great work I wish I could be in your class for just a week I bet it is a blast!!
Great Video! Thanks for sharing. I visited the USS Drum when she was in the water at the stern of the Battleship Alabama BB 60 and later when they moved her on land. It is a great museum. The bunks used were hot bunks for the crew of 70 crewmen shared with the other half of crew that were on duty. Take care!
My hats off to all the past, present and future Sailors serving our country protecting us. Simply amazing the engineering to build a ship of this caliber.
Several years ago three friends and I visited the Drum, the Alabama and the aircraft museum also at the site of the two ships. It was one of the best days of my history loving life!
I have toured the drum but they have done a lot of work ever since but it's been 15 years since thinking of taking a weekend off just to go tour both the USS Alabama and theUSS DRUM again thanks for the video I got to see a lot more than when I went there the last time
I have to say man the quality of your videos are excellent and I'm not talking about the cinematography, I'm talking about how knowledgeable you are, and how you treat the subject matter of each video. I watched your video on the Flight 93 Memorial and I swear buddy you have a subscriber for life. I thought it was done with such class and sensitivity to those who passed and a certain sensitivity for those who don't really know what happened because they were too young. And too many times channels like this go down a slippery slope into a pinion instead of just telling the facts. And history isn't about opinions it's about what happened. And as far as I'm concerned you are a historian no different than Shelby Foote or David McCullough
Awesome job! Tom is a great guy and one of the most incredible and knowledgeable individuals when it comes to submarines. He can talk all day long filling your mind with a wealth of information. Glad you got to visit!
Thank you for this episode! Our family toured the Drum years ago, but this episode gave fresh insight and detail we missed. Thanks to Tom for the torpedo room demo. How cool!
My wife and I visited this park in 2019. We arrived a little bit before their closing time, so we had to rush our visit. Both of us loved this park! We will return to spend more time in all of the sections of the park. Outstanding video, JD!
I visited Drum several times as a child growing up outside Washington D.C., when she was moored at the Washington Navy Yard. I got to visit her again in Mobile years later. It's always a fond memory.
I'm a local and have been on the USS Alabama four times and the drum twice. Only twice because of how tight it was. Your first time touring it you really appreciate the people who had to live on it and what they endured. Real men. The flight pavilion is very awesome as well. Highly recommended to visit if you're passing through
Lost one uncle in Normandy another was a navy diver that came home to raise a big family and lots of cows and sweet potatoes. We all from Cullman Alabama. Loved visiting the Big A and the Drum many times over the years. Thanks JD
Many memories watching this. I've been on Drum many times back when she was in the water to the aft of Alabama............love seeing her new safe home out of the salt water!
What an amazing video. Love the history on this world war two sub. You did an amazing job on filming and content. Thanks for sharing. Thanks to the volunteers at this site for making this possible Dave blackburn
American subs were know as "Cadillacs" for being so well outfitted and had many crew comforts compared to the subs of many other Navies. During WW II I believe our subs were the only ones air conditioned. That was done to stop shorts and grounds in the electrical systems.
Growing up in Gulf Shores, Al. And my Dad a WWII Army veteran. When they brought the USS Alabama into Mobile Bay, in 1964, we sat on the causeway to watch it be towed in. To me, at 6 years old, that was the biggest thing I ever saw. Once they opened it up to the public, we were one of the first tour it. Took all day long! My Dad read everything. I think it was 1969 when the USS Drum came in. They kept it docked in the bay right behind the battleship for years. So much history! I have since taken my children and my great grandchildren to tour both, and they all had a ball. I wanted them to learn just a little of the importance of our Navel History from WWII and ALL the men and women from all our military branches who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. ❤😊❤
Tom is a wealth of information, he and Leslie have done a great job in the Galley! Ice cream hopefully made up for the cloce quarters. The batteries are huge. The Map Chart was an early computer. The Drum looks perfect. That must have been scary to see a torpedo circle back and try to dodge it! Sad a couple of subs were lost bc of that. Love the Dive Dive horn at the end! Very cool experience! Thanks Tom and Historian!!
I have admired the submarines and submariners of WWII. I served aboard a Sturgeon (SSN-637) class boat in the 1980's. After visiting the Drum (SS-228) in 1995, I had a deep appreciation of the guys who served during WWII and what it took to do her mission.
Last time I went there was in the summer of 2013 and I enjoyed spending time with my sons (one of them is a WWII buff). At that time, the Drum was being restored but still open to the public and we got a chance to go in the sub. I can see how much it improved since you have made this video. Thanks you so much for bringing back memories of my time with my boys as we visited the Alabama and the Drum. One day I hope we get to go revisit. Once again, thanks you for bringing the memories and keeping the history alive.
I'm a tall man and served aboard a nuclear powered cruiser. When I first got aboard, I was always hitting my head on low hanging objects. It didn't take me long to learn how to move around the ship, while avoiding those low hanging objects.
I know we're headed towards winter and you probably prefer to go south, but you should come up to Philadelphia as I'd love to see you do videos on the USS New Jersey, the Olympia, the Becuna as well as Fort Mifflin, Valley Forge, etc!! Love what you're doing, keep up the great work!!
Visited the Alabama and Drum as a kid with my dad and as of a few months ago I went back again, this time me and my wife. She isn't much into history but she enjoyed herself surprisingly! As did I!
I was in Mobile in 1997 when the National Submarine Veterans held their convention there and I visited the Drum and the Alabama. At that time Drum was still in the water right next to the Battleship. Tom and Leslie are legends in the submarine Museum community for their restoration work. I know you were probably overwhelmed by all the names of things and spaces but you did a pretty good job using them. A few mistakes but you did good overall. Thanks!
RE.MARKABLE! What remarkable documentaries you make! Getting to see these many and varied places, and their stories with such style and clarity, is such a gift. And these Restorers have done us all a service through their mind-boggling efforts! Mind-boggling! By all, I include the servicemen who served in such submarines as well as the modern public and generations yet to be.
The guide in this episode reminds me so much of my father! My dad was US Navy veteran of World War II South Pacific and he was involved in restoring ships here in seattle. One of the ships he was involved with with the was the Destroyer USS Turner Joy which was involved in the Gulf of Tonkin incident in Vietnam that got us into that war. I used to go all over that ship where people couldn't go and it was absolutely amazing how those Sailors lived aboard that thing! Much respect to all sailors in fact my uncle was on a submarine during World War II and he had some fascinating stories about being depth charged and sinking ships and things of that nature. Thank you so much for this episode!
The Turner Joy is moored in Bremerton, Washington and is a Museum Ship. Went on an unguided tour, since I was in the Navy myself, well worth the money, just go on a cool day, No AC!
Love the shot at the end looking down that torpedo tube. Very interesting. The lands and grooves are rough outlined but the working surfaces are straight and true. Thanx for another great tour JD.
We just visited the USS Alabama and USS Drum. Pretty awesome place to go check out. It’s a self guided tour which is cool but, now I wish we had Tom as a tour guide
Thanks for posting. I absolutely love the WWII submarines. They did such a great job sinking enemy shipping. I've had the pleasure of going on a couple of them to tour.
So many questions that have been awnsered in this video! JD, i cant tell you enough how much i appreciate your work! Cant wait to make a video together one day! 💪
Awesome video! Really cool that Tom was rocking the USS Seahorse (SSN-669) ballcap. I served on the Seahorse from 85-90. The wife and visited the Cavalla in Galveston; we might have to take a trip to Galveston to see the Drum. Modern subs have come a long way Thanks for spotlighting the Silent Service!
I got to spend a weekend on the Alabama on a boy scout trip years ago. The Drum was still in the water at that time. Glad to see they have restored it and preserved it.
It has been a true pleasure watching your channel and yourself grow. You have become my most anticipated series and look forward to every new episode. Congrats on your success. You are ine of historys greatest assets.
Very cool. I've been in a couple WWII subs and it always amazed me when I heard the number of crew they carried. I can't imagine what daily life was like. I could never do what these men did. If you ever get up near Kiel Germany, on the beach across from the Marine Memorial is U-995 which you can take a tour through. It was used after the war by the Norwegian navy and later NATO up until 1965, before being returned to Germany to set up as a museum in 1972. Definitely worth a visit.
Thank you for sharing this video! My grandfather, Harry Jones, served on the USS Drum as a radioman. Being able to see inside of the small, complex room that he worked in was amazing. You can actually see his name when you're panning over the list of servicemen. I have his personal items box that he used on the USS Drum - it's only a bit larger than my hand and now I know why. Sharing such tight quarters with 72 men didn't allow for much. I hope to visit in person one day, but this virtual tour was awesome. Thank you again!
My wife and I were aboard the USS Alabama in June 1974, long before the Drum came to Mobile.
Basically, our tour could be summed up as “Well, here you are aboard the Alabama! Hope you had fun! Y’all come back now!”
Thanks for the great experience😀
Thanks!
Remarkable accomplishment to have brought USS DRUM back to this state. My heartfelt congratulations to TOM & LESLIE for their painstaking efforts of these years. I served on USS Sea Robin SS-407 63-67, commissioned in Portsmouth 1944. So many similarities to the boat I served & qualified aboard. AGAIN, BRAVO ZULU....... HAND SALUTE
My dad was a radio man on the Drum while stationed in Hawaii - great to see his working area in this video! He was able to visit it 50 years later and was so excited about the trip! Thanks for sharing - very good video.
That's the ship my grandfather served on, his name was Carl Chase. Thank you for making this, amazing to think about what he went through during that time.
I've toured the Drum, but usually after walking around the USS Alabama next door so I didn't properly give it much thought. Thanks for shedding light on the Drum's history that I missed.
My Dad died in 94. He loved history. He would have really enjoyed watching your channel and seeing all this cool stuff he never got to see. The internet has opened a whole new world up to people .
My dad was the same. He would have LOVED to see all of this. I can only watch, and hope the he is looking over my shoulder, smiling....
My Dad served in the submarine service for 21 years which included 6 war patrols on the USS Guavina during World War II. He was so proud to have served in the "silent service".
My wife and I visited Galveston over the summer. While we were there, we visited the USS Cavalla, a WW2 submarine. They are very interesting to say the least. Our greatest generation. Keep up the great work.
This former surface warfare officer has always respected my friends who were "bubble heads" and I use that term affectionately. They were AND are true warriors. Thank you for sharing their story and thank you to those who restore these ships, submarines, planes, etc. I have enjoyed seeing some of them in Pearl Harbor, San Diego, Norfolk, Corpus Christi, Charleston, Baltimore, and Fall River. Looks like I definitely need to pay Mobile a visit!
I was able to look through the periscope when I visited the USS Drum. You could see the hanger and the USS Alabama. Not real clear, but you could see her. The Drum once was in the water, moored behind the Alabama, but she was damaged by storm surge from Hurricane Georges in 1998, so she was put on land where she is now. She also was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I want to thank all the submarine veterans who support the Drum financially.
The USS Alabama suffered from flooding that left her with an 8 degree list to port (leftside) as water went down her stacks during a storm surge event. The USS Drum, being a submarine, suffered no apparent damage but it was decided she had to be moved to a dry land berthing. I was at a Promise Keepers event in Mobile as the hurricane approached and the Saturday schedule was cut short as we were told to get back on our buses and out of Mobile as fast as we safely could. By the next morning the tunnel leading from the causeway into Mobile and the Arthur Outlaw Mobile Convention Center where the event took place was completely flooded which would have trapped nearly all of the men at the event had we not left when we did.
@@richardcline1337 Alabama has her stack capped. Water didn't go down it nor did she flood. The storm surge from Katrina was significant enough that it floated her up several feet and she settled back down with the 8 degree list.
@@Cirux321, look, genius, all I know is what we were told by the news media. Of course, they could be wrong given their standard practices of tainting the truth.
I grew up with Uncles on both sides of the family that served during WWII. As a kid I had so many questions but was taught it not appropriate to ask. My one Uncle had severe back issues from a depth charge hitting the submarine he served in. I always had questions. I still have questions. Your videos help open up the world they lived in and served in as just young men. They are all passed now. You are reaching several generations and preserving history for generations to come. Thank you. From another history buff thank you.
All the respect towards your uncle! 🙏
Lets keep history alive 💪
Two of my uncles on my Mother's side served in WWII. Both in the Navy. One transferred to the Army in Vietnam. He was never the same.... They both died of alchoholism and drugs....
One was found dead on the streets of Las Vegas...Didn't know it until about a month later... Keep your loved ones as close as you can. I never had the chance to know him, but the other, I loved until the day he passed...Now all of them are gone. I am the only one of my family left, besides by wife and kids. Mom, Dad, and Brother are gone. Cousins do not care.... None came to the funerals... Keep your your loved ones close!
My grandfather landed on Normandy went thru the camps that's about all we know,it was never talked about
When men were men. And fought to be! Let freedom ring so loud, all enemies will be deafened by the sound! Thank you Tom.
I was there a few weeks ago, the most amazing experience I have ever had. I never seen either ship in person before, it was a real treat. Great respect to those who served on those ships. We cant let history die. Without reminders of history, we will repeat history.
Wow!! This tour on the USS Drum was great! Tom has done a fantastic job restoring her. Really beautiful! My father served on this submarine as Chief! Thanks so very much!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@TheHistoryUnderground Thanks, he also served on Cavalla! Its in Galveston, Texas! They had food stored all over at start of Patrols!
@@carolbell8008, The Cavalla has a very unique place in history. It sank the Imperial Japanese Navy's Shōkaku, a veteran of the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. The Cavalla was on it's very first war patrol. ruclips.net/video/KXbHsRYZlKE/видео.html
Awesome video. The best part is the ending for me. To see that guy smile while hitting the siren is what saving history is all about.
Ha! Absolutely.
It is actually called a Klaxon. Two blasts for Dive and Three for Surface. The movies and TV ALWAYS get this wrong.
We visited this park back in April! It was the highlight of the trip!
Pretty amazing place.
My brother was on a nuke sub during the Vietnam War and literally saved the vessel. He was a petty officer and received a commendation from high admirals. My dad was a gunners mate on a cruiser and Liberty ships and I wish he was still alive to tell you what he did in detail. He loved to talk about it.
That is very cool, Thankyou for your Dad’s service to our Country! My Dad who served on the Drum and Cavalla got to go out to San D. for a ride on a Nuclear Sub and he loved it! He said that it was huge and dove straight down!!
I love the "this is normally closed off, but Tom..." more than once. Another example of how amazing it is to have someone who is an expert in a specific field join you and give their insight. Incredible job that Tom and his crew has done with that sub.
Absolutely. I had been through the sub before but I learned WAY more this time around.
Tom's demo of loading and firing a torpedo is priceless.
I was AF, dad was AF and grandpa was Army. I'll always have such respect for Navy personnel. How they do what they do, but especially the submariners....MASSIVE RESPECT!
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@@TheHistoryUnderground 5h56
Went on her and the Alabama in 1976 with 3 other 16 year olds. Both were in great shape then and we stayed for hours. We were even able to enter one of the turrets. Best historical thing I've ever done.
There were only the vessels then. No planes, no buildings.
Alabama should be commended for the first rate job they've done in keeping them up.
The same weekend we were able to get a tour of the Lexington in Pensacola while it was still in use as a training carrier and the Naval Air Museum which was just getting going.
1978 for me...
The Drum was named after whom?
@@williammonahan7496the USS Drum was named after the fish know as the Drum. In WW2 all US Submarines were named after fish or sea creatures. USS Albacore, USS Bowfin, USS Dolphin, ISS Herring, USS Norwal, etc. With 201 subs built during the war and about 40 built before the war that served during WW2. That’s a lot of fish. Numbers are tricky as some were technically laid some before the end of the war but were either completed after or cancelled. 336 total names were assigned though not all used.
My fathers uncle was in the Drum. We got to visit the museum a few years back. Amazing.
Thx for the vid, and the visit to the sub. Im a sub service sailor (served aboard a sub tender)- I've been down in a couple modern boats loading supplies and whatnot, and yeah, while they're bigger than WW2 boats, they're definately not for everyone. I've been in a few WW2 subs, and the U505 in Chicago. It's amazing to see what those guys had to deal with, work with, and live like for months at a time. We won't even begin to mention the noise, heat, and smells they had to contend with...
Great Comment, Thanks!!
There's nothing like listening to someone who really knows the subject matter. I went to Civil War battlefields with someone who knew the little stories about the men and every single thing about the Battle of the placement. it was just incredible to listen to him talk and with his powers of description you literally felt like you were there at the time
being a former navy man, I always make a habit to visit these landmarks. Been there many times
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THANK YOU TOM, and Leslie for your dedication.!
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The Drum looks so good and shiny that it probably go out and give service to the Navy today. Tom is doing a great job!!!
I'd be down for a remake of Down Periscope featuring the Drum
@@MossRods, they did make a movie using the USS Drum, "USS Seaviper", a cheesy attempt to use modern technology to simulate WWII conditions The acting was so bad it was hard to sit through the whole thing hoping it might get better. It never did. I HATED the movie and it's one of the rare movies of that era that I don't have in my collection. The USS Alabama has been used in two recent movies that I am aware of, "USS INDIANAPOLIS: Men of Courage" and "Under Seige".
Another excellent history tour. Thank you again JD! I used to work with a WWII submarine veteran. I will never forget the time he related to me when he was on leave with some of his sub buddies who were assigned to a different sub than he was. They kept asking him to see if he could get orders changed so he could serve with them again but for whatever reason he didn’t pursue it. The sub his buddies went on was sunk in the war. I can still see his face staring off and his mind going back to the 1940’s when telling me this… the greatest generation for sure. Wish I could remember the name of the subs… his name was Harry. Another American hero.
I once toured the USS Clagmore, a WWII sub at Patriot's Point in Charleston SC. I am six four and I was wearing a soft golf hat at the time. The following are my comments as I moved from compartment to compartment ."Ouch, Ouch, Ouch, Ouch" It was truly a heady experience.
Lol!😖😶🌫️😟
USASA....Vint Hill Farms Station in 1970! Thank you for your service, my brother!
@@richardcline1337 Back at ya.
Me: Basic, Monterey Language School, 67:
Fort Devens, 509th RRG Vietnam 68-69:
FS Bad Aibling West Germany 69-71.
Also one of your better videos. Tom is a great docent, and custodian of the USS Drum. He would have made an outstanding Chief of the Boat during the war. Really disappointing that it took so long to get the issues with the MK-14 torpedos resolved. There is a memorial in Seal Beach California to all the submarines that didn't return and are on eternal patrol. Sadly most of our submariners that served during the war are joining thier brothers that never returned. I thank them for their service, commitment and valor.
Excellent video and hats off to the brave men who served in the "Silent Service" to protect our Nation.
Amen to that. Thanks.
Cool! When I toured the USS Drum in the year 2000, she was still sitting in the water beside the Alabama.
Congratulations on getting out of that submarine with no head damage! Another wonderful video.
Visited both the battleship Alabama and drum with my grandkids. Most excellent time was had. Well worth the time!
What a great video! I think most of us forget or just never knew about our submarines during ww2. It's incredible what we were able to accomplish with the instruments that were available then. It's always impressive to see the dials, gauges and knobs in WW2 ships. You can definitely see that we got it done back then with what we had!
I get bored and loose interest very easily but your videos are well done and your narration is superb, I’ve watched all your videos to the end! I’ve been going to the Alabama and the Drum since I was a small child, I still go today, except now it’s with my grandson and although he’s only 11 years old, he’s blown away by these historic relics.
Thanks to all especially the ones who served ! USA !
Spent 23 year on the boats, retired in the late 70's. Before my knees gave up on me I volunteered and did guided tours on the USS Drum. Tom did a wonderful job in the restoration of the Drum.
Great tour, thank you! My great uncle, Robert White, spent the entire war on the USS Drum. He enlisted just after Pearl Harbor, spent 32 years in the Navy and went on to retire as a Lieutenant Commander. He had some incredible stories. After getting the new Balao class conning tower, he said the joke on the boat was "If we turn upside-down we can dive 200 feet deeper". Inspired by him, I volunteered for sub duty when I enlisted but ended being assigned to the surface fleet and stationed on the USS Enterprise (Nuke Machinist Mate). Not what I initially wanted, but an experience I'm truly grateful for and one I'll never forget.
I toured the Drum & USS Alabama back in 87, still looks in tip-top shape 👍!
As a kid growing up in Australia in the 50s..I always looked forward to a TV show called “The Silent Service”..it was part tv show/doco of real US submarine missions of WW11..anyone remember the show?..another great informative episode I’m a huge fan of this channel..🇦🇺
Hi, yes! My father who served the entire war in subs liked that show a lot and all movies about subs! After reading the book called Run Silent Run Deep, I asked him if they did a or experienced any of the things in that book and he replied, “We did everything!”
@@carolbell8008 ..Sounds like an extraordinary man Carol & a brave one at that..you must be very proud of his service & rightly so.
@@mickeyh53 Thank you Mickey, that is very kind of you to say; yes, I am very proud of him, he was a good Dad as well. Nothing upset him and he was quite mellow and encouraged learning common sense! He was a CWO and organised in everything!
Amazing prog & loved it. I toured a retired Russian submarine in Hamburg & it was apparently the largest non nuclear sub in the world, hate to have worked in the smallest.
After walking inside it a few years ago it's amazing how they were able to live in the tight quarters for so long.
Me my wife and son went there in 2018. They had a reinactment of wwll planes atacking the ship there it was something to see for sure. The drum was the first sub I had ever toured and it was great .
Pretty amazing.
I’m enjoying your episodes based in Alabama. War Eagle!
You do such a wonderful job if telling our history like it was not what news people said or thought.I can not imagine being underwater like that,my utmost respect to the boys who fought and died in these Subs,as well as all our service men and women of today.My husband was a Marine in the Viet Nam war.a ND very proud to be .Thank you to Tom as well as you👍👍❤️❤️🇺🇸
I love this channel you remind me of my High School teacher he made history so fun!! I will say he was the one that made me love history and one of the main reasons why I became a US Marine. I wanted to do great things and make my own history I did 1 tour in Iraq and twice in Afghanistan. Keep up the great work I wish I could be in your class for just a week I bet it is a blast!!
Great Video! Thanks for sharing. I visited the USS Drum when she was in the water at the stern of the Battleship Alabama BB 60 and later when they moved her on land. It is a great museum.
The bunks used were hot bunks for the crew of 70 crewmen shared with the other half of crew that were on duty. Take care!
I salute Tom and his wife, and their helpers, for a job well done, on saving the USS Drum! Thank you.
Another great video, JD, thank you!
When you drive past it every day to work, it's so easy to forget how incredible it is to have the USS Alabama and USS Drum here.
Thank you! I love the USS Drum! I went there February 2020. I find submarines fascinating, much more than surface ships.
The engineering behind them is something else.
My hats off to all the past, present and future Sailors serving our country protecting us. Simply amazing the engineering to build a ship of this caliber.
Several years ago three friends and I visited the Drum, the Alabama and the aircraft museum also at the site of the two ships. It was one of the best days of my history loving life!
I have toured the drum but they have done a lot of work ever since but it's been 15 years since thinking of taking a weekend off just to go tour both the USS Alabama and theUSS DRUM again thanks for the video I got to see a lot more than when I went there the last time
Oh yeah, it's definitely seen some changes in that time. Wonder work that they are doing there.
This tour was really really awesome and captivating, very awesome that Tom was there to provide his knowledge of the submarine.
JD I was a ground pounder when I was in the Cdn Military, never would I have been a submariner. Hats off to those that did it, or still do it.
100%
Awesome video on the USS Drum. I learned quite a bit from this episode. Thanks JD.
When he opened the outer door that was sweeeet!
What an awsome job of restoration. And clean , clean, clean. Very excellent.
I have to say man the quality of your videos are excellent and I'm not talking about the cinematography, I'm talking about how knowledgeable you are, and how you treat the subject matter of each video. I watched your video on the Flight 93 Memorial and I swear buddy you have a subscriber for life. I thought it was done with such class and sensitivity to those who passed and a certain sensitivity for those who don't really know what happened because they were too young. And too many times channels like this go down a slippery slope into a pinion instead of just telling the facts. And history isn't about opinions it's about what happened. And as far as I'm concerned you are a historian no different than Shelby Foote or David McCullough
Outstanding, this is the best sub tour video I have seen, thank you.
Restoration is well done. Thank you Tom and friends of the USS DRUM.
Awesome job! Tom is a great guy and one of the most incredible and knowledgeable individuals when it comes to submarines. He can talk all day long filling your mind with a wealth of information. Glad you got to visit!
He is definitely a walking encyclopedia.
Thank you for this episode! Our family toured the Drum years ago, but this episode gave fresh insight and detail we missed. Thanks to Tom for the torpedo room demo. How cool!
My wife and I visited this park in 2019. We arrived a little bit before their closing time, so we had to rush our visit. Both of us loved this park! We will return to spend more time in all of the sections of the park. Outstanding video, JD!
I visited Drum several times as a child growing up outside Washington D.C., when she was moored at the Washington Navy Yard. I got to visit her again in Mobile years later. It's always a fond memory.
I went to the USS Drum last week!!! It was pretty awesome!!!
Awesome!
I'm a local and have been on the USS Alabama four times and the drum twice. Only twice because of how tight it was. Your first time touring it you really appreciate the people who had to live on it and what they endured. Real men. The flight pavilion is very awesome as well. Highly recommended to visit if you're passing through
Lost one uncle in Normandy another was a navy diver that came home to raise a big family and lots of cows and sweet potatoes. We all from Cullman Alabama. Loved visiting the Big A and the Drum many times over the years. Thanks JD
Many memories watching this. I've been on Drum many times back when she was in the water to the aft of Alabama............love seeing her new safe home out of the salt water!
What an amazing video. Love the history on this world war two sub. You did an amazing job on filming and content. Thanks for sharing. Thanks to the volunteers at this site for making this possible Dave blackburn
JD you’re the best!!!!! Keep doing what you’re doing I’m a retired pararescueman (PJ) I have lots of stories to tell. Let’s talk.
Appreciate that! Thank you.
This US sub looks much more advanced than the German WWII sub I've seen. This is a very good restoration. Thank you JD and thanks Tom!
American subs were know as "Cadillacs" for being so well outfitted and had many crew comforts compared to the subs of many other Navies. During WW II I believe our subs were the only ones air conditioned. That was done to stop shorts and grounds in the electrical systems.
Growing up in Gulf Shores, Al. And my Dad a WWII Army veteran. When they brought the USS Alabama into Mobile Bay, in 1964, we sat on the causeway to watch it be towed in. To me, at 6 years old, that was the biggest thing I ever saw. Once they opened it up to the public, we were one of the first tour it. Took all day long! My Dad read everything. I think it was 1969 when the USS Drum came in.
They kept it docked in the bay right behind the battleship for years.
So much history! I have since taken my children and my great grandchildren to tour both, and they all had a ball.
I wanted them to learn just a little of the importance of our Navel History from WWII and ALL the men and women from all our military branches who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. ❤😊❤
Tom is a wealth of information, he and Leslie have done a great job in the Galley! Ice cream hopefully made up for the cloce quarters. The batteries are huge. The Map Chart was an early computer. The Drum looks perfect. That must have been scary to see a torpedo circle back and try to dodge it! Sad a couple of subs were lost bc of that. Love the Dive Dive horn at the end! Very cool experience! Thanks Tom and Historian!!
I have admired the submarines and submariners of WWII. I served aboard a Sturgeon (SSN-637) class boat in the 1980's. After visiting the Drum (SS-228) in 1995, I had a deep appreciation of the guys who served during WWII and what it took to do her mission.
Last time I went there was in the summer of 2013 and I enjoyed spending time with my sons (one of them is a WWII buff). At that time, the Drum was being restored but still open to the public and we got a chance to go in the sub. I can see how much it improved since you have made this video. Thanks you so much for bringing back memories of my time with my boys as we visited the Alabama and the Drum. One day I hope we get to go revisit. Once again, thanks you for bringing the memories and keeping the history alive.
I'm a tall man and served aboard a nuclear powered cruiser. When I first got aboard, I was always hitting my head on low hanging objects. It didn't take me long to learn how to move around the ship, while avoiding those low hanging objects.
I always got asked if I hit my head on the subs. I said the smart ones only did it once!
I knew you would do the drum after the uss alabama video. Going through the drum was a welcome relief after going through the alabama.
Pretty amazing structure.
I visited the Battleship Alabama & the Submarine Drum in 1970. The Drum was in the water. I was late for the evening shift at the Local shipyard.
I know we're headed towards winter and you probably prefer to go south, but you should come up to Philadelphia as I'd love to see you do videos on the USS New Jersey, the Olympia, the Becuna as well as Fort Mifflin, Valley Forge, etc!! Love what you're doing, keep up the great work!!
Visited the Alabama and Drum as a kid with my dad and as of a few months ago I went back again, this time me and my wife. She isn't much into history but she enjoyed herself surprisingly! As did I!
I was in Mobile in 1997 when the National Submarine Veterans held their convention there and I visited the Drum and the Alabama. At that time Drum was still in the water right next to the Battleship. Tom and Leslie are legends in the submarine Museum community for their restoration work. I know you were probably overwhelmed by all the names of things and spaces but you did a pretty good job using them. A few mistakes but you did good overall. Thanks!
RE.MARKABLE! What remarkable documentaries you make! Getting to see these many and varied places, and their stories with such style and clarity, is such a gift.
And these Restorers have done us all a service through their mind-boggling efforts! Mind-boggling! By all, I include the servicemen who served in such submarines as well as the modern public and generations yet to be.
Thanks! I've had a lot of fun putting these together.
The guide in this episode reminds me so much of my father! My dad was US Navy veteran of World War II South Pacific and he was involved in restoring ships here in seattle. One of the ships he was involved with with the was the Destroyer USS Turner Joy which was involved in the Gulf of Tonkin incident in Vietnam that got us into that war. I used to go all over that ship where people couldn't go and it was absolutely amazing how those Sailors lived aboard that thing! Much respect to all sailors in fact my uncle was on a submarine during World War II and he had some fascinating stories about being depth charged and sinking ships and things of that nature. Thank you so much for this episode!
The Turner Joy is moored in Bremerton, Washington and is a Museum Ship. Went on an unguided tour, since I was in the Navy myself, well worth the money, just go on a cool day, No AC!
Love the shot at the end looking down that torpedo tube. Very interesting. The lands and grooves are rough outlined but the working surfaces are straight and true. Thanx for another great tour JD.
We just visited the USS Alabama and USS Drum. Pretty awesome place to go check out. It’s a self guided tour which is cool but, now I wish we had Tom as a tour guide
I'm glad they honored this man in the way they did thank you
Thanks for posting. I absolutely love the WWII submarines. They did such a great job sinking enemy shipping. I've had the pleasure of going on a couple of them to tour.
WOW, I would not be able to be in those tight quarters under water or anywhere for that matter. They have my utmost respect.
So many questions that have been awnsered in this video! JD, i cant tell you enough how much i appreciate your work! Cant wait to make a video together one day! 💪
Thanks. I definitely learned a lot putting this one together.
Awesome video! Really cool that Tom was rocking the USS Seahorse (SSN-669) ballcap. I served on the Seahorse from 85-90. The wife and visited the Cavalla in Galveston; we might have to take a trip to Galveston to see the Drum. Modern subs have come a long way Thanks for spotlighting the Silent Service!
Very fascinating. Thank you & Tom for the tour and my deepest respect to all submariners past & present.
I was just there last weekend, and it is an amazing exhibit. Thank you for this video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic, and very well done video. The volunteers who are taking care of her are doing a wonderful job keeping history alive.
I got to spend a weekend on the Alabama on a boy scout trip years ago. The Drum was still in the water at that time. Glad to see they have restored it and preserved it.
It has been a true pleasure watching your channel and yourself grow. You have become my most anticipated series and look forward to every new episode. Congrats on your success. You are ine of historys greatest assets.
Very cool. I've been in a couple WWII subs and it always amazed me when I heard the number of crew they carried. I can't imagine what daily life was like. I could never do what these men did.
If you ever get up near Kiel Germany, on the beach across from the Marine Memorial is U-995 which you can take a tour through. It was used after the war by the Norwegian navy and later NATO up until 1965, before being returned to Germany to set up as a museum in 1972. Definitely worth a visit.
I live in New Hampshire. I love hearing my state from other states.
Thank you for sharing this video! My grandfather, Harry Jones, served on the USS Drum as a radioman. Being able to see inside of the small, complex room that he worked in was amazing. You can actually see his name when you're panning over the list of servicemen. I have his personal items box that he used on the USS Drum - it's only a bit larger than my hand and now I know why. Sharing such tight quarters with 72 men didn't allow for much. I hope to visit in person one day, but this virtual tour was awesome. Thank you again!
Just left Alabama & Drum & all the other cool stuff at battleship park Great several hours
Awesome!