Launching of USS ROBALO 9 May 1943, at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wis."

I came across this pic in the national archives website. She is a Gato class. I have heard the submariners liked the Manitowoc built boats best. All sections were welded in rotating cradles, requiring no vertical or overhead welding. I got to meet some of the crews of these boats when they tour our facility. Unfortunately, we no longer built boats so the old sailors get to see cranes instead. They usually go down the street to the maritime museum, where the USS Cobia (another Manitowoc built Gato-class)is moored.

Interesting...I'd like to watch one of those 'dump it in the water' launches. Looks exciting and dangerous.

We have a sub here in Oklahoma....

http://www.ussbatfish.com/wm-park.html 

actually spent the night on this thing years & years ago when I was a kid in boy scouts.... we were asked not to come back tho... we weren't exactly eagle scout material....

Several years ago I read an autobiography by this English guy who was a sub captain during WW2. At the beginning of the war, he was one of about 40 English sub captains. He was the only one of those 40 to survive to see the end of the war.

ducati, thanks for the pic.

My dad was an ensign on a destroyer 1945. That was a time when most Americans knew freedom was worth fighting for.

Do you happen to know the name of the guy that did this picture?

Sorry, I don't know who took the pic. I assume it was a Manitowoc Company photographer. It is on the national archives website.

no verticals or overheads? bunch of girls welding it?

Cool pic! That guy had better let go of that rope!

My uncle Steve was a submariner in WWII. He served aboard the Redfin, SS-272. He retired to Manitowoc and is a member of the The United States Submarine Veterans of WWII. Here's a linky to some of his work.

http://www.subvetpaul.com/SteveIndex.html 

... submarines are definately a unique environment ... makes for a very interesting time ...

cool