26 August 1949 – USS Cochino (SS 345) a Balao class submarine was assigned, along with the USS Tusk (SS 426), to sail along the Kola Peninsula to determine if the Soviet Union had detonated an Atomic Bomb. As Cochino transited to its designated area it ran into a severe storm off Norway. During the storm Cochino suffered a battery explosion. Tusk rendezvoused to render assistance and members of both crews battled to save the boat until a second battery explosion resulted in an order to abandon ship. Tusk lost six of her crew while engaged in the rescue of all but one of Cochino’s, who was a civilian technician. The photo of Cochino shows the configuration as it would appear in 1949 after receiving a Guppy conversion (Greater Underwater Propulsive Power Program).
© Gregg Smith
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