Seawolf Park and the Trip from Springfield, Illinois

We left from Springfield Illinois and headed South by Southwest. The drive in Northern Arkansas was filled with heavy smoke and even some falling ash. Stopping at the first rest area the person there told us that the farmers were burning their rice fields. We spent an uneventful night in Arkansas and then Marshall, Texas before reaching Galveston, Texas. In Galveston we spent two nights as we wanted to do some sightseeing, including visiting Seawolf Park. You can see the small park from the ferry, its north of the west ferry landing. The park is named for a submarine but not the Cavalla. The two ships on permanent display were the Gato Class Submarine Cavalla and the USS Stewert, a Destroyer Escort. This is one of the only two destroyer escorts built in the shipyard in Houston. Both survived WW II but the sister ship to the USS Stewert was cut up for scrap. The USS Stewert is one of only two destroyer escorts on display in the US. Its 306 feet long and has a beam of 36 feet.

Climbing up the stairway/ships ladder we reached the stern. Besides several antiaircraft guns, and a three-inch gun it contained two racks of depth charges. Eight depth charge projectors were along the port and starboard sides.

It also had a hedgehog which shot smaller depth charges away from the ship. Entering the stern hatch, we passed the galley, which prepared food for the 200 seamen. The officers had separate eating quarters. Climbing down into the hold we saw the crowded bunks. A little further were the bunks for the petty officers. Climbing another set of stairs, we reached the officers’ quarters and the Captain’s Cabin, which only had one bunk. Reaching the front of the ship we saw the radar displays and sonar areas behind the wheelhouse.

You had to watch your head as you climbed through the ship’s doors and hatches. We enjoyed the display of a ship that hunted submarines in the Horth Atlantic. Carefully going down the stairs we walked over to the USS Cavalla. During the Batlle of The Philippines the submarine sunk the Japanese Carrier Shokaku, (Which had taken part in the attack on Pearl Harbor).

Entering the Bow Hatch we climbed down the steep stairs. It was the forward torpedo room and contained two torpedoes and some bunks The submarine is three hundred and one feet long and the spaces inside were cramped, The watertight doors were much smaller than the ones in the Stewart. We both had to be very careful as we passed each bulkhead and door were extremely small.

As you would expect the galley and bunks were all crammed. The dining area for the enlisted men was one of the larger spaces in the sub. Past the conning tower ship the ship was driven by two men who controlled the diesels and electric motors. Further back we reached the stern torpedo tubes, four, and also the escape hatch, (the men would use a Munson Lung to try to reach the surface if the ship had been sunk, (seven men actually used one to escape when their sub was sunk at a depth of one hundred and eighty feet.

The sub had a crew of sixty-five enlisted and four officers. At times the sub would pick up airman and it would have been even worse crowded conditions. The exit stairs were in the stern and we carefully climbed out up the steep and narrow space. The sub is not for anyone who suffers from claustrophobia. We enjoyed the self-guided tour and would recommend it for anyone who is interested in naval history! Clear skies A special thenks to all who served and to those serving today.