In 1966 during the month of the Rose Festival in the Pacific Northwest United
States, the USS Tiru SS-416 left Pearl Harbor bound for Seattle Washington. The
sub moored to a civilian pier near the downtown Seattle area and thousands of
people toured the sub during its stay in Seattle.
After its duty as a “showboat” it proceeded to a back bay area where
it underwent torpedo trials.
I believe the area was called dabob bay [pronounced day-bob] but I am not
sure of the spelling. I include the above information because it should be easy
to research. During the cruise from Pearl to Seattle five of the crew had a very
unusual experience.
During one late afternoon the sub was cruising on the surface at approx. 10
knots when the port lookout reported a strange contact at a range of 2 miles
bearing 315 degrees relative.
The lookout refused to tell the OOD what it was that he had seen and instead
insisted that the starboard lookout and the OOD both look at that area. The
three men looked through their binoculars toward the area reported and were
astounded to see a metal craft larger than a football field tumble from the
clouds into the ocean. It actually tumbled end over end and when it hit the
water and sank beneath the ocean huge geysers of water rose into the air. When
the port lookout was sure that the others had seen it he then told the OOD that
he had seen it tumble from the ocean up into the clouds.
The OOD and the starboard lookout were speechless. Within a few minutes,
however, they all became excited when it again rose from the water and tumbled
up into the cloud layer. At about the same time a crew member below queried the
bridge about a radar contact at the same range and bearing. Sonar also reported
strange echos. The OOD called for the Captain to come to the bridge at that time.
He also called for the camera to be sent to the bridge.
The Captain arrived on the bridge within 2 minutes and the Chief Quartermaster
was right behind him with the camera. At about the same time the object emerged
from the clouds and fell down into the ocean. All five men witnessed this.
The QMC took pictures as it rose up into the clouds and then back down into
the ocean once again. The five men watched for quite a while longer but nothing
else happened. Soon the sub had moved out of visual range and the Captain told
all witnesses that they were never to discuss what they had seen with anyone
under any circumstances. He stated that the incident was classified information.
The Captain then went below and sent a radio msg.
There was no doubt as to what we had seen. It was a metal craft with
machinery on and around the outside of it. It appeared to have windows or lenses
placed around its perimeter. It made no noise that we could hear. It did not
disturb the subs electrical systems nor did it affect the gyro compass. It
looked very much like a round flying “ship” as in sea going ship. It
had the shape and form of a saucer with a bowl inverted in the saucer and it was
huge.
I will never forget it as long as I live.
When I first saw this craft I believe that my heart literally stopped beating
and I was terrified. The name of the OOD was Ensign Ball. The starboard lookout
was an American Indian seaman that the crew called Geronimo. The port lookout
was a new man who left the sub soon after the return to Pearl Harbor and his
name was Cooper. I do not remember the Captain’s name nor the Chief
Quartermaster’s name.
This is the first time I have ever mentioned it since the moment that the
Captain told me that it was classified. As far as I know it has never been
reported to the public before this instant. It should be easy to verify the
facts if you can get a copy of the log and/or contact the other witnesses. The
names should not be too hard to find in the ships records/logs. I was the port
lookout. I must say that I feel a great uneasiness in posting this, much like
the way I felt in Vietnam when my life was in great danger.