MISSING U-S SUBMARINE SOMEWHERE
IN THE GULF OF THAILAND."
"I KNEW INSTANTLY WHAT WE'D
FOUND."
"WE NOW HAVE A REALLY GOOD
CHANCE OF DISCOVERING WHAT
HAPPENED TO THE SUB."
"ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS
SEAS IN THE WORLD BECAUSE IT'S
SO SHALLOW."
"ALL OF THIS WATER JUST NOT
DEEP ENOUGH. YOU COULDN'T DIVE."
"YOU WERE THERE TO SINK A SHIP.
YOU DIDN'T THINK ABOUT HOME OR
IF YOU WERE GOING TO GET
KILLED. THAT DID NOT ENTER YOUR
MIND."
"THE JAPANESE COMMANDER CAME
STRAIGHT ON AND GOT LUCKY.
'LAGARTO' WENT DOWN SWINGING."
"TELEGRAM. WAH, ALL HELL BROKE
LOOSE."
"HE'S MY GRANDFATHER. HOW DO
YOU NOT CARE ABOUT THAT?"
"WHAT RENDERED THE CREW UNABLE
TO ESCAPE THE SUB?"
"IT'S A GREAT MYSTERY."
THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE END OF
WORLD WAR TWO, AS FIERCE
BATTLES RAGED CLOSE TO JAPAN'S
HOME ISLANDS, AN IMPERIAL
JAPANESE NAVY CONVOY LOADED WITH
SUPPLIES CREPT NORTHWARD,
CAUTIOUSLY HUGGING THE GULF OF
SIAM COASTLINE. ENEMY CREWMEN
ABOARD THE OIL TANKER, CARGO
SHIP AND TWO HEAVILY-ARMED
ESCORT VESSELS LIKELY DIDN'T
KNOW THEY WERE BEING WATCHED.
BUT SOON, ONE OF THE JAPANESE
VESSELS DETECTED THE AMERICAN
SUB DANGEROUSLY CLOSE. SUDDENLY,
BEN JARVIS, COMMANDER OF THE U-S
SUBMARINE, 'BAYA' KNEW HE'D BEEN
SPOTTED. ONE OF THE WARSHIPS
TURNED TOWARD HIM, CLOSING FAST.
JARVIS ORDERED 'BAYA' TO CHARGE
THE SHIP, HEAD ON. THE SHARK'S
MOUTH 'WAR PAINT' CUT THROUGH
THE WAVES ON A COLLISION COURSE
THAT RESEMBLED A HIGH-SEAS
VERSION OF 'CHICKEN.'
JARVIS: "I FIRED TWO DOWN-THE-
THROAT SHOTS AND NEITHER ONE
HIT. I SAW ONE OF THESE
TORPEDOES SPINNING RIGHT
UNDERNEATH THE GUY'S BOW BUT
APPARENTLY IT WENT ON TO THE
BOTTOM. AND JUST WHEN I THOUGHT
THAT THE GUY WAS GOING TO RAM
ME WE WERE HEAD-TO-HEAD, I
SAID, 'RIGHT FULL RUDDER.' AND
THIS GUY, HAD THE SAME TRAINING
I HAD BECAUSE HE GAVE RIGHT
FULL RUDDER HIMSELF. SO HERE WE
WENT SIDE-BY-SIDE AND THE SHIP
WENT BY, JUST LIKE THAT."
THE JAPANESE WARSHIP CIRCLED
BACK AND CHASED JARVIS AND HIS
CREW FOR 20- MINUTES WITH
UNRELENTING MACHINE GUN FIRE.
JARVIS: "SOME OF THIS STUFF WAS
COMING AROUND INSIDE OF THE
BRIDGE AND RICOCHETING OUT THE
OTHER SIDE. I FIRED THREE DOWN-
THE-THROAT SHOTS FROM MY STERN
AND STILL, I DIDN'T HIT THE
GODDAMN GUY."
WHAT'S MORE, JARVIS COULDN'T
DIVE BECAUSE HIS 311-FOOT
SUBMARINE WAS IN WATERS ONLY
250-FEET DEEP. THE GULF OF
SIAM, NOW CALLED THE GULF OF
THAILAND IS ONE OF THE
SHALLOWEST BODIES OF OPEN OCEAN
IN THE WORLD.
JARVIS: "ALL OF THIS WATER,
JUST NOT DEEP ENOUGH. YOU
COULDN'T DIVE IF A SURFACE GUY
WAS ON TOP OF YOU BECAUSE YOU
JUST COULDN'T MANEUVER. YOU
DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING UNDERNEATH
YOU."
FINALLY, THE WARSHIP GAVE UP.
JARVIS HAD ESCAPED, BARELY.
HE PUT OUT A CALL FOR HELP.
COMMANDER FRANK D. LATTA, A
VETERAN OF NINE WAR PATROLS,
RECIPIENT OF THE NAVY CROSS,
AND SKIPPER OF THE SUBMARINE,
'LAGARTO' SET UP A RENDEZVOUS
ON THE SURFACE.
JARVIS: "HE CAME ALONGSIDE AND
WE BOTH STOPPED DEAD IN THE
WATER."
LATTA: "THE SEAS WERE CALM AND
THEY PULLED SIDE-BY-SIDE,
BRIDGE-TO-BRIDGE AND THEY SPOKE
LITERALLY 20-FEET AWAY, BEN AND
MY DAD."
JARVIS: "HE JUST SAID, 'WELL,
YOU'VE BEEN SHOT UP AND SHOOK
UP, AND I THINK I'D BETTER TAKE
THE NEXT TRY.'"
LATTA: "AND MY FATHER SET OUT
AN ATTACK PLAN AND THEY DID IT.
MY DAD WAS TO ATTACK AND SORT
OF CHASE THEM INTO THE 'BAYA'
AND THEY PROCEEDED TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S THE LAST ANYONE SAW
OF THE 'LAGARTO.'"
JARVIS: "OH GEE, I SENT A
MESSAGE PRACTICALLY EVERY HALF-
HOUR AND HE NEVER ROGERED TO
ANY OF THEM. AND DURING THAT
TIME, MY FEELING FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING WAS THAT HE MUST BE
IN TROUBLE."
LATTA: "BUT THEY TRIED TO
CONTACT THE 'LAGARTO' THE
FOLLOWING MORNING AND JUST--NO
RESPONSE."
ONE YEAR EARLIER, 'LAGARTO'
STOOD DRAPED IN PATRIOTIC
BUNTING IN MANITOWOC,
WISCONSIN. THE TOWN, 80-MILES
NORTH OF MILWAUKEE HAD CLIMBED
OUT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION BY
BUILDING SHIPYARD CRANES TO
RECONSTRUCT PEARL HARBOR,
LANDING CRAFT TO HIT THE BEACHES
AT NORMANDY, AND 28-SUBMARINES
FOR THE NAVY.
KINN: "IT WAS A BIG CELEBRATION
IN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. THE
BANKS OF THE RIVER WERE LINED
WITH PEOPLE INCLUDING ALL OF
THE WIVES AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF
LAGARTO. IT WAS LIKE A FOURTH
OF JULY CELEBRATION. IT WAS
WONDERFUL."
THE MANITOWOC SHIPBUILDING
COMPANY LAUNCHED ITS VESSELS
SIDEWAYS BECAUSE THE RIVER THAT
CIRCLED THE SHIPYARD, NEAR LAKE
MICHIGAN WASN'T WIDE ENOUGH FOR
A MORE TYPICAL STERN LAUNCH.
LATTA: "THIS WAVE WENT ROARING
ACROSS THE RIVER AND IT WAS
JUST WAY OVER THEIR HEADS, IT
KNOCKED THEM BACK, THERE WERE
PEOPLE SCRAMBLING AROUND, ALL
SOAKING WET,. THERE WERE PEOPLE
LAUGHING."
KINN: "AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THE SUBMARINE BOBBED UP JUST
LIKE A CHILD'S BATHTUB TOY. IT
REALLY WAS A SPECTACULAR SIGHT."
PILGER: "THIS IS PART OF THE
OLD MACHINE SHOP"
WHEN THE NAVY CONTRACT HIT THE
FRONT PAGE, MORE THAN 500-MEN
APPLIED FOR JOBS. QUICKLY, THE
WORKFORCE GREW TO SEVEN
THOUSAND, INCLUDING JERRY
PILGER, FRESH OUT OF HIGH
SCHOOL.
PILGER: "WELL, I GRADUATED ON A
WEDNESDAY, WENT TO MANITOWOC
SHIP ON FRIDAY, APPLIED FOR A
JOB AND THEN THE FOLLOWING
MONDAY, I STARTED TO WORK AT THE
MANITOWOC SHIPBUILDING COMPANY
AS A 'SHIP FITTER HELPER'
BECAUSE I KNEW THAT SOMEDAY I
WAS GOING TO BE IN THE SERVICE
AND I FIGURED THAT'S THE PLACE
I WANT TO BE. I WANTED TO SEE
WHAT WAS GOING ON DOWN THERE.
NOT ONLY THAT, IT OFFERED THE
HIGHEST PAY: 39-CENTS-AN-HOUR."
CHARLES WEST, WHO FOUNDED THE
MANITOWOC SHIPBUILDING COMPANY
WANTED TO BUILD DESTROYERS. THE
SHIPYARD HAD LAUNCHED HUNDREDS
OF STEEL HULL SHIPS AND HAD
EARNED A REPUTATION FOR
QUALITY. BUT THE NAVY NEEDED
SUBMARINES. DEMAND FOR THEM,
EXCEEDED THE CAPACITY OF
SHIPYARDS ON BOTH COASTS.
PILGER: "THE NAVY WAS DOUBTFUL
ABOUT LAUNCHING A SUBMARINE
SIDEWAYS. CHARLIE WEST HAD TO
CONVINCE THE NAVY THAT IT WOULD
BE NO PROBLEM. BUT HE HAD A
HECK OF A TIME CONVINCING THEM.
THEY BUILT A MODEL SUBMARINE TO
DUPLICATE EXACTLY HOW A 312
FOOT SUBMARINE COULD BE LAUNCHED
INTO THE MANITOWOC RIVER. THEY
SAID THAT BOAT WOULD GO IN AT A
CERTAIN ANGLE, ROLL OVER AT A
CERTAIN ANGLE AND THEN RIGHT
ITSELF; 48-DEGREES. NOT 47-OR-
49. FORTY-EIGHT DEGREES."
MILEY: "AT FIRST IT WAS ONLY
MEN BUT THEN THEY STARTED
TRAINING WOMEN TO BE WELDERS
BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH MEN
TO FILL THE JOB VACANCIES."
IN MANITOWOC, MORE THAN 600-
WOMEN TRAINED FOR INDUSTRIAL
JOBS--PART OF THE THREE-MILLION
WOMEN HIRED TO WORK IN WAR
PLANTS ACROSS THE U-S.
SIEBERT: "WE FIGURED WE COULD
GET A JOB SWEEPING AND HE SAID,
'NO, ONLY WELDERS. THAT'S ALL
THEY WANTED WAS WELDERS---
NOBODY ELSE BUT WELDERS.'"
QUICKLY, ROSELLA SIEBERT
ACQUIRED A NICKNAME.
SIEBERT: "'ROSIE, THE WELDER'
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS
DOING. I ENJOYED IT AFTER I KNEW
WHAT I WAS DOING. I DID GET
BURNT A COUPLE OF TIMES--RIGHT
STRAIGHT THROUGH THE LEATHER
JACKET, BUT THAT DIDN'T BOTHER."
THE SUBS WERE BUILT IN SECTIONS
THAT WEIGHED BETWEEN 35-TO-60
TONS, THEN LOADED ONTO TRAILERS
THAT HAULED THEM OUTSIDE WHERE
THEY WERE ASSEMBLED, EVEN IN
THE HARSH WISCONSIN WINTERS.
MILEY: "THEY WOULD WORK ON AT
LEAST FIVE SUBMARINES AT ONE
TIME. THEY WERE IN VARIOUS
STAGES OF PRODUCTION."
THE SHIPYARD ADOPTED A SLOGAN
TO EXPRESS THE URGENCY TO HELP
'UNCLE SAM.'
PILGER: "AFTER THEY REALLY GOT
PRODUCTION GOING, THE FARMERS
AND CHERRY PICKERS WERE PUTTING
OUT ALMOST A BOAT A MONTH."
ACTIVITY IN THE SHIPYARD HUMMED
ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT.
(MUSIC)
THE SHIPYARD SPONSORED BANDS OF
ALL KINDS--SEVERAL OF THEM THAT
PLAYED AT COMMISSIONING PARTIES
HELD AT THE SILVER LAKE
HOTEL,WHERE CAKES WERE CUT WITH
A SABER. THE COMPANY ALSO
SPONSORED GROUP ACTIVITES TO
ENCOURAGE TEAMWORK. THERE WERE
WOMEN'S TEAMS FOR BOWLING AND
SOFTBALL AND A DOZEN MEN'S
SOFTBALL TEAMS THAT COMPETED TO
BE CHAMPIONS OF THE SHIPYARD.
SINGING GROUPS PERFORMED ON THE
LOCAL RADIO STATION. MOVIE
STARS LIKE SPENCER TRACY, BORN
IN MILWAUKEE AND FRIENDS WITH
THE COMMANDER OF THE MANITOWOC
SUB 'ICEFISH' PAID A VISIT. SO
DID THE COMEDY TEAM, 'ABBOTT
AND COSTELLO.' BUT WHAT KEPT
MORALE HIGHEST WAS WHAT WORKERS
HEARD BACK FROM SAILORS.
SIEBERT: "HE SAID, 'I OWE YOU
MY LIFE.' I SAID, 'WHAT?' HE
SAID, 'I OWE YOU MY LIFE.' I
SAID, 'WHAT DID I DO?' HE SAID,
'I WON'T TELL YOU.' WE FOUND OUT
IT WAS THE WELDING. WHENEVER
THEY GOT IN THE SUB, THE FIRST
THING THEY DID IS LOOK AT THE
WELDING. AND THERE'S A LOT OF
SAILORS THAT SAID THAT WE SAVED
THEM BECAUSE THAT WAS GOOD
WELDING IN THEM BOATS."
BUT BEFORE A SUB AND HER CREW
WERE CONSIDERED SEAWORTHY, THEY
PRACTICED DIVING AND OTHER
MANUVERS IN LAKE MICHIGAN--
OFTEN IN SUBZERO TEMPERATURES
THAT FROZE HATCHES AND ANYTHING
OR ANYONE NOT MOVING. MIKE
LATTA WAS AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD TAG-
ALONG WHEN HIS FATHER TOOK
LAGARTO ON HER FIRST TRIALS.
LATTA: "YOU KNOW, I NEVER
REALIZED IT AT THE TIME. YEARS
LATER, I REALIZED THAT I WAS THE
'SKIPPER'S KID'AND I TURNED INTO
THIS MASCOT. INVARIABLY, NO
MATTER WHERE I WENT, I HAD FREE
RUN OF THE BOAT, THERE WOULD BE
SOME BIG GUY WOULD GRAB ME BY
THE SEAT OF THE PANTS, 'WHOA,
THERE YOU GO, MIKE.' HE PATTED
ME ON THE HEAD AND OFF I'D GO.
IT WAS NEVER AROUND MY DAD.
THEY JUST DID THAT. THEY JUST
TOOK CARE OF ME, YOU KNOW. IT
WAS ALWAYS CALM, THERE WAS NO
SHOUTING. ALL THE ORDERS WERE
VERY CALM AND THE RESPONSE WAS
CALM. YOU KNOW, 'AYE, AYE.' I
THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, 'DAMN, IT
ALL COMES FROM HIM.' I THINK
IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'D SEEN HIM
AT WORK."
SOON, WORK ON THE NEXT
SUBMARINE IN THE SHIPYARD WAS
NEARLY COMPLETE. MORE SAILORS
CAME AND MANITOWOC WAS NEVER THE
SAME.
MILEY: "IT WAS WILD. IT WASN'T
THE POKEY LITTLE TOWN THAT IT
HAD BEEN. A SAILOR COULDN'T BUY
HIMSELF A DRINK IN TOWN. HE
WOULD GO INTO A BAR, THERE
MIGHT BE A SHIPYARD WORKER THERE
WHO'D SAY, 'BUY THE SAILOR A
DRINK.'"
PILGER: "AND GIRLS, MY GOODNESS,
THE GIRLS. YOU GET OUT OF THAT
GATE AND THERE WERE TWO WAITING
FOR YOU."
MILEY: "SIX OR SEVEN GIRLS FROM
MY CLASS MARRIED SUBMARINE
SAILORS."
AND SAILORS ON A BUDGET TOOK
THEIR DATES TO THE MOVIES.
MILEY: "I WORKED AT THE
'STRAND' THEATER. I SOLD
TICKETS. I WAS A CASHIER AND
POPPED POPCORN. IF A SAILOR ONLY
HAD A DOLLAR, HE COULD GET TWO
TICKETS FOR 44-CENTS EACH. THAT
WAS 88-CENTS. POPCORN WAS A
DIME. SO FOR 98-CENTS, HE COULD
HAVE TWO TICKETS AND A BOX OF
POPCORN."
AFTER MONTHS OF DRILLS,
'LAGARTO' AND HER 86-MAN CREW
HEADED FOR WAR. THE MORNING
THEY LEFT, COMMANDER LATTA
REASSURED LOVED ONES PERSONALLY.
KINN: "HE SPOKE TO EACH OF US
INDIVIDUALLY. HE WAS JUST A
WONDERFUL MAN AND I ADMIRED HIM
GREATLY. AND I WAS VERY
CONFIDENT. HE SAID, 'I WILL
BRING THEM BACK.' AND WE WERE
ALL CONFIDENT THAT HE WOULD."
WISCONSIN SUBMARINES, A
THOUSAND MILES FROM THE ATLANTIC
AND NEARLY TWO THOUSAND FROM
THE PACIFIC GOT TO THE WAR BY
GOING DOWN THE MIDDLE--SAILING
SOUTH ON LAKE MICHGAN TO CHICAGO
AND THROUGH A SERIES OF
WATERWAYS THAT LED TO THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
MILEY: "THAT WAS QUITE A TRIP.
SOME OF IT, THEY TRAVELED UNDER
THEIR OWN POWER, SOME OF IT,
THEY WERE PUSHED AND SOME OF
THEM WERE ON DRY DOCKS.
SOMETIMES THE SUPERSTRUCTURE
WASN'T ON THEM BECAUSE THEY HAD
TO GO UNDER SO MANY BRIDGES."
A FLAT-BOTTOMED FLOATING DRY
DOCK CARRIED EACH SUBMARINE
OVER SHOALS---CLEARING SOME
BRIDGES BY INCHES. ONCE, WHEN
WEATHER DELAYED THE JOURNEY, A
FARMER BOASTED HE WAS THE ONLY
ONE IN THE WORLD WITH A
SUBMARINE TIED TO HIS CORNFIELD
AND CHARGED ADMISSION TO SEE IT.
WHEN 'LAGARTO' REACHED NEW
ORLEANS, SHE ENTERED A WAR ZONE
IMMEDIATELY.
GERMAN U-BOATS SUNK 60-SHIPS IN
THE GULF OF MEXICO DURING THE
WAR, INCLUDING THE TANKER,
'VIRGINIA' AT THE MOUTH OF THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER. TO RELIEVE
WORRY FROM RELATIVES,
'LAGARTO'S' CREWMEN WERE
ENCOURAGED TO WRITE LETTERS
HOME, OFTEN. THE LETTERS FROM
HAROLD TODD, WRITTEN ON
ONIONSKIN PAPER, PRINTED WITH
'LAGARTO'S' EMBLEM BECAME
HEIRLOOMS TO RAE TODD, WHO TOLD
HER HUSBAND, JUST BEFORE HE
LEFT, THAT SHE WAS PREGNANT.
ACTOR'S VOICE: 'DEAREST RAE,
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I WILL
NOT BE DISAPPOINTED IF IT TURNS
OUT TO BE A GIRL; ON THE
CONTRARY, I WILL BE QUITE HAPPY
BECAUSE I KNOW SHE WILL BE THE
LOVELIEST LITTLE LADY IN THE
WORLD, EXCEPT FOR HER MOTHER.'
KINN: "HE WORRIED FOR MY
SAFETY. SO HE BOUGHT A .45 AND
GAVE IT TO ME TO KEEP IN THE
CAR. HE SAID, 'NOBODY'S GOING TO
ARGUE WITH A NERVOUS WOMAN WITH
A .45. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS
JUST HAVE IT.'"
AT SEA, THE NAVY SENT FILM
CAMERAMEN ABOARD SUBMARINES TO
PROVIDE THEATER AUDIENCES BACK
HOME WITH IMAGES OF EFFICIENT
MEN WORKING TOGETHER SMOOTHLY.
ACTOR'S VOICE: 'THE CAPTAIN
CAME BELOW AND SAID, 'TAKE HER
DOWN.' THE DIVING ALARM WAS
SOUNDED. AND WHAT HAD BEEN A
JOKING BUNCH OF FELLAS TURNED
SUDDENLY INTO AN ALERT TEAM OF
EXPERTS. NOBODY SPOKE, BUT ALL
THROUGH THE BOAT, YOU COULD HEAR
BIG VALVES BEING SPUN CLOSED AND
THE SEA SLAPPIN' AGAINST THE
HULL LIKE A CHAMBERMAID SPANKIN'
PILLOWS. THEN--NO NOISE. NO
PITCHING. NO SENSE OF MOVEMENT,
WHATSOEVER.' LT. HAROLD TODD,
JR.USS 'LAGARTO.'
ABOARD THE CLOSE QUARTERS OF A
SUBMARINE, DISCIPLINE WAS
RELAXED. BEARDS AND MOUSTACHES
WERE ALLOWED. EACH SUBMARINER
HAD VOLUNTEERED FOR THE DUTY--
SELECTED, AFTER THREE
SCREENINGS FOR INTELLIGENCE,
PHYSICAL ABILITYAND MENTAL
TOUGHNESS TO WORK IN A
CLAUSTROPHOBIC ENVIONMENT.
SUBMARINERS WERE PAID MORE, BUT
THE TRADE-OFFS INCLUDED PATROLS
THAT KEPT THEM AT SEA FOR UP TO
TEN WEEKS AT A TIME. CREWMEN
ROUTINELY INHALED FUMES OF
DIESEL OIL, TOBACCO SMOKE AND
THE SMELL OF SWEAT THAT LED SOME
TO CALL SUBMARINES 'PIG BOATS.'
ACTOR'S VOICE: 'RAE, DARLING,
THEY SHOWED US A MOTION PICTURE
OF 'BATTLE FIRST-AID' WIH REAL
CASUALTIES. MY GOD, THE MORAL
SEEMED TO BE, 'WHEN IN DOUBT,
GIVE A MORPHINE INJECTION.' LT.
HAROLD TODD, JR. USS 'LAGARTO.'
IN LAGRANGE, ILLINOIS, MARGARET
MABIN OPENED LETTERS FROM HER
HUSBAND WILLIAM, A SIGNALMAN
ABOARD 'LAGARTO.' THE COUPLE
HAD MARRIED TWO YEARS BEFORE AND
HAD A DAUGHTER, NANCY, WHO
THEY'D NICKNAMED, 'FLAGS.'
ACTOR'S VOICE: 'MY DARLING,
MARGARET, I CAN'T QUITE BELIEVE
I'M TO BE AWAY FROM YOU AND
NANCY FOR SO LONG. HOW I'D LOVE
TO HEAR HER LITTLE VOICE OR
FEEL ONE OF THOSE LITTLE KISSES
OF HERS, TO SAY NOTHING OF
YOURS. TRY TO MENTION ME TO
'FLAGS' NOW AND THEN SO SHE
DOESN'T FORGET SHE HAS A POP.
ALL MY LOVE, BILL.'
MABIN HAD SURVIVED FOUR PREVIOUS
WAR PATROLS ABOARD ANOTHER
SUBMARINE AND WAS DUE TO BE
DISCHARGED. BUT THERE WAS A
SHORTAGE OF MEN TRAINED IN
SIGNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND HIS
ENLISTMENT WAS EXTENDED. IT
WOULD BE HIS FIFTH CHRISTMAS
SPENT AT SEA.
ACTOR'S VOICE: 'THIS WAS THE
CHRISTMAS I REALLY WANTED TO BE
HOME. WHAT I WOULD GIVE TO SEE
HER EXPRESSIONS AND ACTIONS ON
THAT DAY. I SO WISH SHE'D WAIT
'TIL I GOT HOME AGAIN TO START
GROWING UP.'
FOLLOWING BATTLESHIPS THAT
BARELY SQUEEZED THROUGH THE
PANAMA CANAL, 'LAGARTO' SLIPPED
INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN ON AN
EIGHT-THOUSAND-MILE JOURNEY
FROM MANITOWOC TO THE SUB BASE
AT PEARL HARBOR. IN HAWAII, A
SECOND DECK GUN THAT FIRED A
FIVE-INCH DIAMETER SHELL WAS
ADDED TO 'LAGARTO'--AN OPTION
ALSO GIVEN TO BEN JARVIS ABOARD
THE SUBMARINE, 'BAYA.'
JARVIS: "SINCE THE TARGETS THAT
WE WERE GETTING WERE NOT WORTH
TORPEDOES. THEY WANTED US TO
HAVE THESE FIVE-INCH GUNS, SO I
SAID, 'OKAY.' OF COURSE IT MADE
MY CREW HAPPY BECAUSE THEY
LOVED TO SHOOT THOSE DAMN GUNS."
THE SUB BASE WAS ALSO WHERE
CREWMEN LOADED TORPEDOES
CAPABLE OF HITTING A TARGET MORE
THAN TWO-AND-A-HALF MILES AWAY.
SUBS WERE ALSO STOCKED WITH WHAT
MANY CONSIDERED THE BEST FOOD IN
THE NAVY: HAM, EGGS, MILK,
TUNA, POTATOES AND CHICKEN. BUT
FRANK LATTA WASN'T FINISHED
EQUIPING THE SUBMARINE. JUST
BEFORE LEAVING PORT, LATTA HAD
SOMETHING ELSE BROUGHT ABOARD
AND HIDDEN IN THE SUB'S CARGO.
LATTA: "I'VE OFTEN WONDERED HOW
HE MANAGED TO KEEP SECRET, HIS
HARLEY. AT EVERY PORT, HE AND
THE MACHINIST'S MATE WOULD TAKE
IT APART, BREAK IT ALL DOWN SO
IT'D FIT THROUGH THE HATCH AND
HIDE IT SOME PLACE THE NAVY
NEVER KNEW ABOUT. AND THEY'D
GET SOMEPLACE LIKE AND R-AND-R
PORT, TAKE IT ON THE DOCK AND
OFF THEY'D GO. SOMETIME YOU
GOTTA STEP OUTSIDE SOME OF THE
RULES AND DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO,
AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID."
BY THE TIME 'LAGARTO' LEFT PEARL
HARBOR, SHE WAS READY FOR
ACTION. ON THE WAY OUT OF PORT,
THE SUB'S RADIO PICKED UP A
BROADCAST OF JAPANESE
PROPAGANDA FROM A WOMAN DUBBED
'TOKYO ROSE.'
RADIO BROADCAST: "WE KNOW VERY
WELL THAT AMERICAN SUBMARINES
HAVE HEADED WEST FROM PEARL
HARBOR. IF AMERICAN SUBMARINERS
ARE WISE, YOU WILL TURN BACK.
CERTAIN DEATH AWAITS YOU OVER
HERE. AND NOW, I'LL PLAY FOR
YOU UNFORTUNATE AMERICANS, A
POPULAR RECORDING."
(MUSIC)
ACTOR'S VOICE: 'BLAST ME, IF I
AIN'T GETTING' TO FEEL LIKE AN
OL' SEA DOG. I'M BEGINNING TO
REALLY LIKE THIS BUSINESS.
IT'S THE SAME SWASHBUCKLING
ADVENTUROUS FEELING THAT ERIC-
THE-RED, MAGELLAN AND COOK
MUST'VE HAD WHEN THEY SAILED.'
LT. HAROLD TODD, JR.USS
'LAGARTO.'
WHILE AT SEA, TODD BECAME A
FATHER.
KINN: "MY DARLING. WELL,
SWEETHEART, I'VE GONE AND DONE
IT. I'VE HAD A BABY. NOW, I'M A
FULL-FLEDGED WOMAN, I BETCHA.
HE'S JUST A DOLL. HE HAS THE
MOST GORGEOUS PEACH-COLORED
COMPLEXION, REDDISH HAIR AND
LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE YOU. I SURE
HOPE YOU'RE AS HAPPY AS I AM.
IT'S A WONDERFUL FEELING,
SWEETHEART. ALL MY LOVE, RAE.
P.S. HIS NAME IS MICHAEL
BURGESS."
AT THIS LATE STAGE OF THE WAR,
AMERICAN SUBMARINES WERE
TARGETING JAPANESE MERCHANT
VESSELS TO CUT OFF THE SUPPLY
OF RAW MATERIALS AND FOOD THAT
FUELED JAPAN'S 'WAR MACHINE.'
NEAR THE END OF 'LAGARTO'S'
SECOND WAR PATROL, THE SUB
HEADED TO AN ALLIED NAVAL BASE
AT FREMANTLE, AUSTRALIA FOR
MUCH NEEDED R-AND-R AND A
RESTOCK OF TORPEDOES. BUT A
DISTRESS CALL FROM THE
SUBMARINE, 'BAYA' PROLONGED
'LAGARTO'S' PATROL, WHICH HAD
ALREADY ENDURED SEVERAL DEPTH
CHARGE ATTACKS FROM JAPANESE
WARSHIPS.
ACTOR'S VOICE: 'DEAREST RAE,
WE'VE COME OUT OF SITUATIONS
THAT TOOK THE PRAYERS OF THE
WIVES AND MOTHERS AND FATHERS--
BOTH MINE AND MY SHIPMATES TO
PULL US THROUGH. BUT DON'T
WORRY ANYMORE 'CAUSE THE ROUGH
STUFF IS OVER AND IT'S SMOOTH
SAILING FROM HERE ON IN.' LT.
HAROLD TODD, JR. USS 'LAGARTO.'
IT WAS THE LAST LETTER FROM HER
HUSBAND THAT RAE TODD WOULD
OPEN. 'LAGARTO' RENDEZVOUSED
WITH THE HEAVILY-DAMAGED
'BAYA.' SEEING THE SUB SHOT UP
AND HER CREW SHAKEN, COMMANDER
LATTA VOLUNTEERED TO TAKE OVER
THE ATTACK OF THE JAPANESE
CONVOY. FOR YEARS, BEN JARVIS
WOULD NEVER FORGET FRANK LATTA'S
FINAL DECISION.
JARVIS: "I DID FEEL THE LOSS OF
LATTA, I REALLY DID. IT DID
GNAW ME, THAT GOD, HERE WAS A
GUY THAT I REALLY ADMIRED AND
THAT HE WAS LOST IN THE SAME
CONDITIONS THAT I WAS IN. LATTA
STILL HAS A VERY WARM SPOT IN
MY HEART."
AT HOME, RAE TODD SUSPECTED
TROUBLE WHEN THE POSTMAN
DELIVERED A STACK OF HER
LETTERS TO HAROLD MARKED
'RETURN-TO-SENDER.'
KINN: "WHEN THE LETTERS CAME
BACK, IT WAS VERY HARD TO
CONTINUE BEING HOPEFUL BECAUSE
THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD SIGN
THAT THEY WEREN'T AROUND ANY
LONGER."
THEN, A TELEGRAM.CAME.
KINN: "THE DOORBELL RANG ONE
DAY AND WHEN I ANSWERED THE
DOOR, THERE WAS A MAN ON A
BICYCLE, JUST LIKE YOU SEE IN
ALL THE MOVIES, AND HANDED ME
THE TELEGRAM. I SAT ON THE
STAIRWAY AND LOOKED AT IT AND
THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME
BEFORE I GOT UP THE COURAGE TO
OPEN IT. 'LT. HAROLD TODD WAS
'MISSING-IN-ACTION.' AND I
REMEMBER LETTING OUT A SCREAM
AND EVERYBODY CAME SCRAMBLING.
THERE WERE OTHER TENANTS IN THE
BUILDING AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF
PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND THEN."
LATTA: "THE POSTMAN ARRIVED AND
CAME UP AND RANG THE DOORBELL.
MY MOTHER ANSWERED AND SHE
YELLED, 'TELEGRAM.' AND THEN,
WHAALL HELL BROKE LOOSE. THAT
WAS IT."
KENNEY: "WHEN IT'S 'MISSING-IN-
ACTION,' YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW
WHERE THEY ARE. THEY COULD BE
ON AN ISLAND SOMEWHERE, THEY
COULD BE IN A PRISONER-OF-WAR
CAMP. SO THERE'S ALWAYS THIS
HOPE THAT SOME DAY, YOU MIGHT
SEE THEM AGAIN."
TRUMAN: "I DEEM THIS REPLY A
FULL ACCEPTANCE OF THE POTSDAM
DECLARATION WHICH SPECIFIES THE
UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER OF
JAPAN."
(MUSIC AND CHEERS)
BUT THE WAR'S END WOULD BE
BITTERSWEET.
KENNEY: "THE SAME DAY THAT THE
HEADLINE THAT SAID 'JAPAN
SURRENDERED,' THERE WAS A SMALL
ARTICLE ON THE SAME PAGE OF ONE
OF THE NEWSPAPERS ON THE WEST
COAST, THAT SAID THE USS
'LAGARTO' IS MISSING. IT MUST
HAVE BEEN VERY HARD FOR THE
FAMILIES, WHEN ALL OF THEIR
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ARE
CELEBRATING, THEY KNEW THAT THE
PERSON THEY HELD MOST IMPORTANT
WASN'T COMING BACK."
ACTOR'S VOICE: 'DEAR MRS. LATTA,
MY CHILD AND I HAVE RECENTLY
MOVED INTO A NEW APARTMENT. I
FIND MYSELF THINKING HOW
THRILLED BILL WOULD BE WITH IT.
WITH WORKING AND TAKING CARE OF
A THREE-YEAR-OLD CHILD, I AM
VERY BUSY AND GRATEFUL TO BE
SO. IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT
HELPS ME PLOW THROUGH THESE
DREARY DAYS. I FIND MY SELF
RESENTING PEOPLE WHO JUST FEEL
THAT BILL'S 'NUMBER WAS UP.' I
KNOW TIME WILL HELP. BUT I GUESS
IT WILL BE A LONG, LONG TIME.'
MARGARET MABIN.
LATTA: "MY DAD WAS 'MEDALS IN A
BOX.' FRIENDS AND FAMILY WOULD
COME UP, YOU KNOW, 'UNCLE-
TYPES' WOULD MEAN WELL AND SAY,
'WELL NOW, MIKE, YOU'RE 'MAN-OF-
THE-HOUSE,' NOW.' AND I SAID,
'OH, OK MISTER.' IN THOSE DAYS,
YOU SORT OF SAID, 'OH, OK.' I
TOOK CARE OF MY BROTHER AND I
WAS 'MAN-OF-THE-HOUSE' AT
EIGHT-YEARS-OLD."
WITH THE WAR OVER, THE
MANITOWOC SHIPBUILDING COMPANY
LAID OFF HALF ITS WORKFORCE,
INCLUDING ROSELLA SIEBERT.
'ROSIE-THE-WELDER' AND HER
FEMALE COLLEAGUES WERE NO
LONGER NEEDED.
SIEBERT: "I DIDN'T LIKE IT VERY
WELL. WE KNEW IT WAS COMING. IT
WAS WORSE THAN GETTING KICKED
OUT FROM HOME, BECAUSE IT WAS
SUCH A GOOD PLACE TO WORK. I
ENJOYED IT. I HAD TO GO TO
STURGEON BAY AND WELD ON CARGO
BOATS."
IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED,
HOLLY LATTA REMARRIED. SO DID
RAE TODD AND MARGARET MABIN.
AND NANCY MABIN KEPT A PICTURE
OF HER FATHER ON HER BUREAU FOR
MORE THAN 60-YEARS.
KENNEY: "IT'S A PHOTOGRAPH OF
HIM HOLDING ME AND IT JUST
SHOWS THAT FATHER-CHILD
CONNECTION AND YOU CAN TELL BY
THE WAY HE'S LOOKING AT ME THAT
HE'S VERY HAPPY TO BE WITH HIS
LITTLE GIRL. THAT'S VERY
SPECIAL."
ACTOR'S VOICE: 'I KNOW THERE'S
NO NEED FOR ME TO SAY 'TAKE
CARE OF OUR NANCY,' "JUST GIVE
HER A LITTLE EXTRA LOVE FOR HER
OLD MAN. SOME DAY, I'LL BE ABLE
TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS FOR
OUR DAUGHTER THAT MOST LITTLE
GIRLS EXPECT FROM THEIR
FATHERS.'WILLIAM MABIN. USS
'LAGARTO.'
SUBMARINE VETERANS IN WISCONSIN
WOULD NOT FORGET 'LAGARTO'S'
CREW. THEY BEGAN A PUBLIC
CAMPAIGN TO HONOR THE MEN
ABOARD 'LAGARTO' WHO NEVER
RETURNED. SUB VET ROY LEONHARDT
WANTED MORE. HE WANTED TO FIND
'LAGARTO.'
TOGETHER WITH THE WISCONSIN
CHAPTER OF THE U-S SUBMARINE
VETS OF WORLD WAR TWO, THEY
SCOURED JAPANESE WAR RECORDS
AND DISCOVERED ROUGH
COORDINATES WHERE A JAPANESE
CONVOY REPORTED SINKING AN
AMERICAN SUBMARINE IN THE GULF
OF SIAM THE NIGHT 'LAGARTO'
DISAPPEARED.
MACLEOD: "IT'S BEEN THERE FOR
YEARS, JUST LEAVE IT LIKE IT
IS."
THE VETERANS FOUND AND CONTACTED
JAMIE MACLEOD, AN EXPERIENCED
SHIPWRECK DIVER IN THE REGION
WHO AGREED TO LOOK FOR
'LAGARTO.'
MACLEOD: "WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN
ABOUT A MISSING U-S SUBMARINE
SOMEWHERE IN THE GULF OF
THAILAND, BUT NO ONE'S EVER
CONDUCTED A PROPER SEARCH
BEFORE. THE MYSTERY WAS WHERE
TO START."
MACLEOD BEGAN BY SURVEYING LOCAL
THAI FISHERMEN TO SEE IF THEY
COULD RECALL SNAGGING THEIR NETS
ON 'SOMETHING BIG' NEAR
'LAGARTO'S' LAST REPORTED
POSITION.
MACLEOD: "WE'D INVITE THE
CAPTAIN ON BOARD FOR A COUPLE
OF BEERS. WE'D GET HIM TALKING
ABOUT HIS AREA OF EXPERTISE IN
THE GULF OF THAILAND AND THEN,
VERY POLITELY ASK HIM IF HE'S
GOT ANY 'WRECK MARKS.' AND THEN
THE LITTLE BIT OF PAPER COMES
OUT AND THEY'D WRITE THEM DOWN
FOR US. THE FISHERMEN ARE VERY
INTERESTED IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I THINK THEY THINK WE'RE CRAZY.
THEY KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING
DOWN THERE BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA
OF WHAT THE WRECKS ARE. ALL
THEY KNOW IS THAT THERE'S A
WRECK THERE, SOMEWHERE. IT
COULD BE A MODERN WRECK. IT
COULD BE A WORLD WAR TWO WRECK.
IT COULD BE AN ANCIENT WRECK."
AFTER COLLECTING NUMEROUS SLIPS
OF PAPER, MACLEOD'S SONAR
SHOWED SOMETHING METAL ON THE
BOTTOM OF THE GULF 150-MILES
FROM SHORE.
OEHL: "IT'S A BIG OCEAN, THERE
ARE A LOT OF WRECKS, THE
COORDINATES CAN BE ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING, OR THEY CAN BE
ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING."
NEARLY 60-YEARS TO THE DAY
LAGARTO DISAPPEARED, MACLEOD
FOLLOWED HIS WEIGHTED LINE TO
THE BOTTOM HOPING THAT HE'D BE
IN THE VICINITY OF THE 300-FOOT
SUBMARINE. ON HIS VERY FIRST
ATTEMPT, MACLEOD LANDED ON TOP
OF IT
MACLEOD: "THE FIRST THING I SAW
WAS THE VERY, VERY FRONT OF THE
BOW. AND THEN I DIDN'T QUITE
REACH THE CONNING TOWER BECAUSE
I WAS SO EXCITED. I WANTED TO
GET THE SIGNAL UP TO THE GUYS TO
COME AND HAVE A LOOK."
OEHL: "I WAS GOING DOWN THAT
LINE AND I PASSED HIM AT ABOUT
50 METERS AND JAMIE WAS JUST
GOING 'WAAHHHHH.'"
MACLEOD: "I WAS VERY EXCITED
THEN."
OEHL: "MY HEART STARTED
POUNDING, I WAS FILLED WITH
ADRENALIN. WOW! I KNEW
INSTANTLY WHAT WE HAD FOUND.
BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY WHAT WE
WERE SEARCHING FOR."
HALF A WORLD AWAY IN LAGRANGE,
ILLINOIS, JOHN KENNEY, THE
GRANDSON WILLIAM MABIN WOULD
NEVER MEET, SAW SOMETHING ON
HIS COMPUTER.
KENNEY: "AROUND MEMORIAL DAY,
THAT'S WHEN I STUMBLED, TO MY
SHOCK, THAT SOMEONE HAD FOUND
THE 'LAGARTO.'"
NANCY: "THE PHONE RANG AND IT
WAS MY SON, AND HE SAID TO ME,
'MOM, ARE YOU SITTING DOWN?'"
JOHN: "MY MOTHER DOESN'T TAKE
BAD NEWS VERY WELL SO SHE SAID,
'IS THIS GOOD NEWS OR BAD
NEWS?'"
NANCY: "AND I DIDN'T WANT TO
TELL HIM I WAS LYING DOWN."
JOHN: "AND I TOLD HER, 'I THINK
IT'S GOOD NEWS.' I SAID, 'YOU
STILL BETTER SIT DOWN.'"
NANCY: "AND THEN HE TOLD ME
ABOUT SEARCHING THE 'NET."
JOHN: "AND THEN I SAID, 'THEY
FOUND YOUR FATHER.'"
NANCY: "AND IT WAS LIKE
SOMEBODY HAD PUNCHED ME. IT
TOOK MY BREATH AWAY, LITERALLY."
JOHN: "I THINK SHE WAS SO
OVERWHELMED THAT IT TOOK HER
AWHILE TO DIGEST THE ENORMITY
OF WHAT WE'D JUST FOUND OUT."
AUGUSTINE: "WE NEVER THOUGHT IT
WAS GOING TO BE FOUND. THAT'S
NEVER ANYTHING THAT WAS
DISCUSSED. IT WAS 'LOST'AND THE
NAVY DOESN'T LOOK FOR MISSING
SHIPS."
KENNEY: "WHEN YOU KNOW SO
LITTLE ABOUT YOUR FATHER OR
WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, AND YOU'VE
GROWN UP WITHOUT HIM, IT FEELS
LIKE HAVING A HOLE IN YOUR
HEART. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING
MISSING."
THE WISCONSIN MARITIME MUSEUM
SPONSORED AN EXPEDITION TO THE
GULF OF THAILAND. WRECK DIVERS
JOHN CHATTERTON AND RICHIE
KOHLER, PORTRAYED IN THE BEST-
SELLER 'SHADOW DIVERS' LED A
TEAM HOPING TO ANSWER WHAT
HAPPENED TO 'LAGARTO' AND HER
CREW. NEAR THE SHELF WHERE THE
SHALLOW GULF OF THAILAND
MEETS THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, THE
DIVERS FOLLOWED A WEIGHTED LINE
DOWN. SLOWLY, GHOSTLY SPIRES
OF 'LAGARTO'S' PERISCOPES
APPEARED. FURTHER DOWN--
'LAGARTO'S' BRIDGE WHERE
COMMANDER LATTA DISCUSSED HIS
BATTLE PLANS WITH 'BAYA'S'
SKIPPER, BEN JARVIS. TWO CORAL-
ENCRUSTED DECK GUNS ARE AIMED
TOWARD SCHOOLS OF FISH THAT
SLIP FROM ONE SIDE OF THE
CONNING TOWER TO THE OTHER.
'LAGARTO' CAME TO REST PERFECTLY
LEVEL ON A FLAT, SANDY PLANE
MORE THAN 230-FEET BELOW THE
SURFACE. SHE HAS BECOME HOME TO
COUNTLESS SEA FANS AND OYSTERS.
DECADES OF SNAGGED FISHERMEN'S
NETS WRAPPED 'LAGARTO' LIKE A
MUMMY.
KOVACS: "IT'S A DANGEROUS WRECK.
MY FIRST TIME IN AND AROUND
NETS I GOT HUNG UP AND YOU'VE
GOT TO CUT YOUR WAY OUT AND IT
REALLY PUTS THE FEAR OF GOD IN
YOU FOR A LITTLE BIT."
UNDERNEATH THE TANGLE,
'LAGARTO'S' GIANT RUDDER IS
PUSHED 'HARD TO PORT' AND ALL
OF THE DIVE PLANES ARE TURNED
DOWNWARD, INDICATING A STEEP
DIVE. 'LAGARTO'S' FINAL MANUVER
APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN AN ESCAPE.
CHATTERTON: "NOT JUST DIVING
AND TURNING BUT A RADICAL DIVE,
A RADICAL TURN. THIS WAS CLEARLY
A VERY EXTREME, EVASIVE
MANEUVER."
CHATTERTON AND KOHLER SAW A
LARGE AREA OF DAMAGE 18-FEET
HIGH IN 'LAGARTO'S' PORT SIDE,
JUST AHEAD OF THE CONNING
TOWER. THE MASSIVE METAL HULL
HAD BEEN CRUMPLED INWARD THREE
FEET.
KOHLER: "WE'VE SEEN OTHER
SUBMARINE WRECKS THAT HAVE
SUFFERED A POUNDING AND WE'VE
SEEN DENTS IN THE STEEL, BUT
THIS IS WAY BEYOND THAT. IF
THIS IS THE CYLINDER OF THE
HULL, THE SIDE IS BENT AS MY
FINGERS ARE SHOWING YOU. THINK
OF THAT, PROBABLY THREE-TO-FOUR-
FEET OUT OF ROUND. THAT'S A LOT
OF FORCE."
CHATTERTO "IT'S OBVIOUS THAT
THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS
DETONATION THERE. THE PRESSURE
HULL ITSELF TOOK A TREMENDOUS
POUNDING--JUST SHOVED UP THERE."
THOUGH 'LAGARTO'S' BALLAST
TANKS, DESIGNED TO FILL WITH
AIR AND WATER TO CONTROL
BOUYANCY ARE CRUSHED, THE DAMAGE
APPEARS TO STOP JUST SHORT OF
PENETRATING 'LAGARTO'S'
'PRESSURE HULL,' THE INNER
COMPARTMENT THAT HELD THE CREW.
KOHLER: "WE LIT IT UP REALLY
CAREFULLY AND TO THE BEST OF OUR
KNOWLEDGE WE COULDN'T SEE A
DIRECT BREACH. WE COULDN'T SEE A
HOLE INTO THE COMPARTMENT."
CHATTERTON: "THE MEN IN THAT
COMPARTMENT WOULD'VE TAKEN A
TREMENDOUS BEATING BUT THERE
WAS NOTHING OBVIOUS THAT TOLD
ME, 'THIS IS WHERE THE WATER
CAME IN. THIS IS HOW LAGARTO
SANK.'"
IF WATER DIDN'T ENTER AT THE
POINT OF DAMAGE, THEN HOW DID
SHE SINK?
THE STARBOARD BOW REVEALED A
CLUE TO 'LAGARTO'S' FINAL
MOMENTS. MYSTERIOUSLY, A
TORPEDO TUBE REMAINED OPEN.
KOHLER PUT HIS STILL CAMERA
INSIDE
KOHLER: "THERE'S NO TORPEDO. WE
WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT THERE
IS NO TORPEDO BUT THE STROBE
JUST CAN'T REACH THE 20-FEET TO
TELL US IF THE INNER DOOR IS
CLOSED. WITH THAT OUTER DOOR
OPEN, IF THAT WEAPON HAD
DETONATED CLOSE ENOUGH, IT IS
QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THE WATER
PRESSURE COULD HAVE TRAVELED
THROUGH THE INSIDE OF THAT TUBE
AND BLOWN THE INSIDE DOOR OF
'LAGARTO'S' TORPEDO TUBE OPEN,
CREATING A 21-INCH WALL OF
WATER THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
SOMETHING TOTALLY UNRECOVERABLE,
TOTALLY DEVASTATING AND IT WAS
SOMETHING THAT WE TRIED TO LOOK
INTO."
KOVACS: "ONE OF THE
POSSIBILITIES FOR SINKING IS
THAT THEY HAD TO DO A 'CRASH
DIVE' AND THE DOORS WEREN'T
ENTIRELY CLOSED. THEY GOT DEEP
AND IT BLEW THE DOOR OPEN AND
WATER STARTED POURING INTO THE
FORWARD TORPEDO ROOM. SO WE
TOOK A SMALL CAMERA, ATTACHED IT
TO A POLE AND ATTEMPTED TO
MANEUVER IT DOWN THE TORPEDO
TUBE TO SEE IF THAT INNER DOOR
IS OPEN. IF THE INNER DOOR IS
OPEN, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE
DEATH KNELL FOR 'LAGARTO.'"
MACLEOD: "IT'S A CAMERA-ON-A-
STICK.' I'M PRETTY MUCH
CONVINCED IT'S GOING TO ALL
COME APART HALF-WAY DOWN THE
TUBE. HE'S GOING TO HAVE
STRUGGLE GOING DOWN WITH ALL
THIS STUFF."
WHILE CHATTERTON WAS DOWN BELOW
TRYING TO MANUVER THE 'CAMERA-
ON-A-STICK' INTO THE OPEN
TORPEDO TUBE, THE CREW TOPSIDE
COULD ONLY WAIT. AFTER AN HOUR
ON THE WRECK AND ANOTHER THREE
HOURS IN DECOMPRESSION, THE
DIVERS CLIMBED BACK ABOARD
'TRIDENT,' BUT THEIR NEWS WAS
NOT GOOD. THE HOUSING DESIGNED
TO PROTECT THE SMALL UNDERWATER
CAMERA FROM SALT WATER,
FLOODED.
CHATTERTON: "IT DEPRESSURIZED
ITSELF. SO IT 'AIN'T A LITTLE
LEAK, IT'S A BIG LEAK. GARBAGE"
DESPITE THE CAMERA'S FAILURE TO
PEER ALL THE WAY DOWN THE TUBE,
EVERYTHING ELSE THE DIVERS
FOUND--THE RUDDER AND DIVE
PLANE POSITIONS, THE LARGE
DAMAGE AREA AND THE OPEN TORPEDO
TUBE--ALL OF THESE DETAILS BEGAN
FORMING A PICTURE OF 'LAGARTO'S'
LAST MOMENTS.
KOHLER: "LAGARTO WAS AT
PERISCOPE DEPTH AND EITHER SAW
A 'TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY' OR A
PERCEIVED THREAT. SHE FIRED A
TORPEDO AND IMMEDIATELY WENT
INTO A DRAMATIC TURN AND DIVE.
AND BEFORE SHE COULD GET THE
CHANCE TO GET DOWN TO SAFE
DEPTH, SOMETHING HAPPENED. IT
STOPPED THE TORPEDO MAN FROM
CLOSING THE DOOR. IT STOPPED
THE CONTROL ROOM CREW FROM
STOPPING THE DIVE OR
STRAIGHTENING THE RUDDER. THE
CAPTAIN SAW THE THREAT--DECIDED
TO SNAP A SHOT OFF. BUT THE
JAPANESE COMMANDER CAME STRAIGHT
ON AND GOT LUCKY, GOT LUCKY."
CHATTERTON: "A PERFECTLY-PLACED
DEPTH CHARGE. IN 230-FEET OF
WATER, YOU WANT TO DIVE DOWN AS
FAST AS POSSIBLE, BUT THEN YOU
WANT TO LEVEL OUT. 'LAGARTO'
NEVER GOT TO THAT POINT."
JARVIS: "THESE WERE TWO
ESCORTS. SO HE WAS DEALING WITH
TWO PRETTY ACTIVE PEOPLE AND YOU
CAN ONLY SHOOT AT ONE OF THEM AT
A TIME. HE WAS TRYING TO SHOOT
ONE WHEN THE OTHER ONE DEPTH
CHARGED HIM FROM THE OTHER SIDE,
THAT'S MY FEELING."
CHATTERTON: "IF YOU COULD DROP
IT RIGHT ALONG THE SIDE, THAT'S
WHERE YOU'D WANT TO BE."
DEPTH CHARGES WERE THE MOST
FEARED ANTI-SUBMARINE WEAPON.
NEAR THE END OF THE WAR,
JAPANESE DEPTH CHARGES PACKED
ENOUGH EXPLOSIVES TO KNOCK A
15-HUNDRED TON SUB SIDEWAYS.
HERB STARMER, A PHARMACIST'S
MATE ABOARD THE USS 'COBIA'
NEVER FORGOT THE DEPTH CHARGE
ATTACK HE ENDURED IN THESE SAME
WATERS.
STARMER: "IT IS THE MOST
FRIGHTENING THING THAT A PERSON
CAN GO THROUGH.
IT WAS AS DARK, BLACK AS YOU
COULD IMAGINE. THE TEMPERATURE
WAS UP TO 129-OR- 130 DEGREES.
THE CARBON DIOXIDE COUNT WAS SO
HIGH, THE CREW WAS GETTING SO
DROWSY AND OUT OF STRENGTH THAT
THEY WOULD JUST LAY ON THEIR
BUNKS. THERE WERE A FEW AROUND
PRAYING. THAT ATTACK LEFT ALL
OF US WITH A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE
TOWARD LIFE. IT WAS AS CLOSE AS
ANY OF US EVER GOT TO BEING
KILLED."
KENNEY: "I JUST FELT THAT THEIR
SACRIFICE SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED.
I WAS DETERMINED, ABSOLUTELY
COMMITTED TO FINDING A WAY TO
HONOR THESE 86-MEN ON
'LAGARTO.' I CALLED AT LEAST ONE
MEMBER OF ALMOST EVERY FAMILY.
AND VERY EARLY ON, WE REACHED A
CONSENSUS THAT WE WANTED THE
DISCOVERY OF 'LAGARTO' TO BE
RECOGNIZED BY THE NAVY OR THE US
GOVERNMENT."
BUT MONTHS PASSED AND NANCY
KENNEY WAITED.
KENNEY: "SO I BEGAN TO GET
ANGRY, ACTUALLY. I WOULD SEND
EMAILS AND MAKE PHONE CALLS TO
EVERYONE I COULD THINK OF AND
VERY POLITELY BUT VERY FIRMLY
ASK 'THESE ARE YOUR MEN. THIS
IS YOUR SHIP. IT MAY BE OUR
FAMILY MEMBER BUT IT'S YOUR
FELLOW SAILOR.WHAT ARE YOU GONNA
DO ABOUT IT?'"
THE NAVY REPONDED THAT IT
'NEEDED PROOF.'
AUGUSTINE: "ONLY ONE AMERICAN
SUB WAS LOST IN THAT HUNDREDS-
OF-MILES AREA. SO THAT WAS, WE
THOUGHT, ENOUGH EVIDENCE, BUT
IT'S NOT."
ONE LETTER IN PARTICULAR, SENT
NANCY KENNEY OVER THE EDGE.
KENNEY: "WORDS TO THE EFFECT
THAT, 'WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT
THIS IS AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT'S A
BALAO CLASS' AND ALL THESE KIND
OF 'EXCUSES' FOR NOT DOING
MORE. AT THAT POINT, I WENT
'BALLISTIC.'"
FINALLY, WITH PRESSURE FROM
CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS, THE
NAVY AGREED TO USE A PLANNED
TRAINING MISSION IN THE REGION
TO IDENTIFY THE SUBMARINE. IN
2006, A YEAR AFTER JAMIE
MACLEOD FIRST FOUND 'LAGARTO,'
THE USS 'SALVOR' SENT DIVERS
DOWN. THEY CLEARED AWAY NETTING
AND FOUND LETTERS STAMPED ON A
PROPELLOR HUB--LETTERS THAT
BEGAN TO SPELL 'MANITOWOC,' THE
WISCONSIN TOWN WHERE 'LAGARTO'
WAS BUILT. PROOF ENOUGH FOR THE
NAVY TO PLACE A PLAQUE NEAR THE
STERN OFFICIALLY DECLARING THE
SUBMARINE, 'LAGARTO.'
KENNEY: "I FELT A THRILL THAT I
HAVE NEVER BEFORE OR SINCE
FELT, AND I REMEMBER LOOKING UP
AT THE CEILING AND SAYING, 'WE
DID IT, DADDY. WE DID IT.'"
(SCHOOL BELL)
NANCY'S FATHER, WILLIAM MABIN,
WAS A TRACK STAR AT LYONS
TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL IN THE
CHICAGO SUBURB OF LAGRANGE. HE
NEARLY WON THE 1936 STATE
CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIGH-HURDLES.
YEARS LATER ANOTHER PLAQUE WAS
PLACED IN MABIN'S HONOR AND IN
HONOR OF 74-OTHER CLASSMATES
FROM THIS ONE HIGH SCHOOL WHO
DIED IN WORLD WAR TWO. THE
PLAQUE STILL HANGS IN THE
SCHOOL'S MAIN HALLWAY.
(SUBMARINE BELL)
KENNEY: "WHAT I ALWAYS CAME
BACK TO WAS THE FACT THAT THERE
WERE 86-MEN ON THAT SUBMARINE AT
THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA WHO DIED
IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY
AND THEY COULD NOT SPEAK FOR
THEMSELVES. AND IF THE FAMILY
MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF THESE
MEN DIDN'T PURSUE IT FOR THEM,
NO ONE WOULD."
MORE THAN 60-YEARS AFTER THEIR
SACRIFICE, 'LAGARTO'S' CREWMEN
AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE
HONORED. AT THE VERY SPOT WHERE
THE SUB HAD SAILED OUT OF
MANITOWOC, 200-RELATIVES
GATHERED ALL THESE YEARS LATER,
TO HEAR THE NAVY'S CONCLUSSION
OF WHAT HAPPENED.
CASSIAS: "THE MIDDLE TORPEDO
TUBE WAS OPEN AND THE TORPEDO
INSIDE WAS MISSING. SO USS
'LAGARTO' APPARENTLY, WENT DOWN
FIGHTING."
TO MANY, THOSE LAST THREE WORDS
MEANT EVERYTHING.
KENNEY: "WHEN I HEARD ADMIRAL
CASSIAS SAY THEY 'WENT DOWN
FIGHTING,' I DON'T THINK ANYONE
IN THE NAVY ESPECIALLY THE
SUBMARINE SERVICE THROWS THOSE
WORDS AROUND LIGHTLY."
(PRAYER) "FOR THE FAMILY AND
FRIENDS OF THOSE WHO PERISHED,
AMEN."
KINN: "IN MIND, IT DOESN'T JUST
COMMEMORATE THE 'LAGARTO,' IT'S
FOR ALL THE BOYS AND I THINK
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE
DON'T FORGET WHAT HAPPENED."
(21-GUN SALUTE)
KENNEY: "THE MOMENT WHEN WE DID
RECEIVE THE FLAGS WAS ONE OF
THE MOST DEEPLY EMOTIONAL
MOMENTS OF MY LIFE. TO SEE ALL
THE BEAUTY AND THE POMP AND
CIRCUMSTANCE OF THIS NAVY RITUAL
THAT TO US WAS NOT JUST A
RITUAL, IT WAS PERSONAL--A
PERSONAL GESTURE ON THE PART OF
THE NAVY. AND WE APPRECIATED IT
VERY, VERY MUCH."
AUGUSTINE: "BOY, SHE TALKED
ABOUT WANTING THAT FLAG. MY MOM
TALKED ABOUT 'WANTING THE FLAG'
ALMOST FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
IT'S A SCENARIO SHE'D SEEN
OTHER NAVY VETERANS GET. IT
MEANT A PROPER FUNERAL, A PROPER
BURIAL, PROPER RECOGNITION FROM
THAT THE NAVY--THAT'S WHAT
GETTING THE FLAG MEANT."
('TAPS')
FAR FROM THE SOUND OF 'TAPS,'
'LAGARTO' KEEPS SOME MYSTERIES
TO THIS DAY.
UNSATISFIED WITH THE FAILURE OF
THE IMPROVISED 'CAMERA-ON-A-
STICK,' JOHN CHATTERTON MADE A
SECOND TRIP TO THE GULF OF
THAILAND. THIS TIME, HE BROUGHT
A SMALL REMOTELY-OPERATED-
VEHICLE WITH A TINY CAMERA
INSIDE THAT RELAYED PICTURES TO
A COMPUTER SCREEN ON THE
SURFACE. THE R-O-V CREPT INTO
LAGARTO'S OPEN TORPEDO TUBE TO
SEE IF THE INNER DOOR, THE ONE
THAT OPENS INTO THE FORWARD
TORPEDO ROOM WHERE THE CREW
LOADED THE WEAPONS, HAD BEEN
PUSHED OPEN BY A FORCE OF WATER,
CAUSING THE BOAT TO SINK.
KOHLER: "THE INNER DOOR ON A
TORPEDO TUBE IS NEVER MEANT TO
HOLD THE WATER PRESSURE DEEPER
THAN PERISCOPE DEPTH. THEY
WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN DIVING,
THEY COULDN'T DIVE WITH THAT
DOOR OPEN. SO AGAIN, THEY WERE
CLOSING THAT DOOR AND DIVING,
WERE DOING A VERY QUICK
MANEUVER TO GET OUT OF HARM'S
WAY, BECAUSE IF THEY HAD GONE TO
THE BOTTOM THE WATER PRESSURE
AT 230-FEET COULD HAVE BLOWN
THAT INNER HATCH OPEN AND FLOOD
THE SUBMARINE AND THEY KNEW
THIS."
FROM INSIDE THE TUBE, THE R-O-
V'S CAMERA SHOWED THAT THE
INNER DOOR WAS, IN FACT, CLOSED.
THEN THE CAMERA'S VIEW FILLED
WITH SILT. BUT IF WATER DIDN'T
ENTER THE SUB FROM THE TORPEDO
TUBE, WHERE DID IT GET IN?
STARMER: "I THINK THERE'S MORE
DAMAGE DONE SOMEWHERE. THERE
MUST HAVE BEEN ANOTHER BLAST,
ANOTHER CAUSE FOR THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE BOAT.
KOHLER: "THE DAMAGE TO THE PORT
SIDE OF 'LAGARTO' CONTINUES
DOWN BELOW WHERE WE CAN SEE IT.
IT ACTUALLY DISAPPEARS DOWN
INTO THE SILT. SO IT'S QUITE
POSSIBLE THAT THERE IS A BREACH,
BUT IT'S BURIED IN THE MUD AND
WE CAN'T SEE IT."
CHATTERTON: "EXPLOSIVES EXPERTS
WILL TELL YOU THAT THE ENERGY
COMING FROM AN ORDNANCE
DETONATION IS 'UP AND OUT.'
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AREA OF
DAMAGE, THIS WAS A VERY WELL-
PLACED PIECE OF ORDNANCE,
ADJACENT TO THE SUBMARINE OR
JUST A LITTLE BIT BELOW IT,
RIGHT ALONGSIDE THE PORT HULL."
STARMER: "YOU FEEL THE BOAT
SHAKE, JAR, JUMP, MOVE. YOU CAN
FEEL IT FLY SIDEWAYS."
KOHLER: "THE WHOLE SUBMARINE IS
GOING TO LURCH TO ONE SIDE AND
THE PRESSURE INSIDE THE
SUBMARINES IS ALSO GOING TO
INCREASE. THAT'S ENOUGH TO
DRIVE YOU RIGHT TO YOUR KNEES
AND TO RENDER YOU INCAPABLE OF
MAKING IMMEDIATE DECISIONS AS
SIMPLE AS CLOSING A DOOR OR
TURNING A VALVE BECAUSE YOU'RE
INCAPACITATED."
ALSO, THE DIVERS BELIEVE THE
FORCE OF A BONE-JARRING DEPTH
CHARGE EXPLODING EXTREMELY
CLOSE TO 'LAGARTO'S' HULL
LIKELY CAUSED COUNTLESS LEAKS IN
THE METAL FITTINGS.
STEWART: "COULD BE ENOUGH TO
LOOSEN THE PIPES?"
CHATTERTON: "ABSOLUTELY. THE
MOST VULNERABLE POINT IS
ANYWHERE YOU PUT A THROUGH-HULL
PERFORATION. ANY KIND OF
THROUGH-HULL CONNECTION IS A
WEAK POINT, A FAILURE POINT.
OBVIOUSLY THIS DEFORMED THE
HULL AND LIKE RICHIE WAS
SAYING, 'WHAT'S ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THAT? IT'S UTILITY
LINES.' THINGS ARE VALVED SO
THAT YOU CAN SHUT THEM OFF. BUT
WHAT IF IT'S THE VALVE THAT
BREAKS?"
PRECISELY, HOW LONG THE MEN
SURVIVED UNDER THE DEPTH CHARGE
BARRAGE AND FLOODING OF THEIR
BOAT IS NOT KNOWN.
KENNEY: "IT'S ALMOST
UNTHINKABLE TO SPECULATE ON
THEIR BEING TRAPPED IN A
SUBMARINE DYING ONE-BY-ONE. THAT
IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO
THINK ABOUT."
JARVIS: "I WOULD SAY THAT THE
BOAT FLOODED VERY RAPIDLY."
KENNEY: "YOU HOPE THAT MEANS
THE CONCUSSION FROM THE DEPTH
CHARGE WAS SO GREAT THAT THEY
WERE KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AND
DIED QUICKLY AND MERCIFULLY."
LATTA: "SO IT MUST HAVE BEEN
INCREDIBLY FAST. I CHOOSE TO
BELIEVE IT WAS QUICK. IF NOT,
THEY HAD TIME TO THINK GOOD
THOUGHTS."
JARVIS: "THE PEOPLE COULD STILL
LIVE DOWN THERE FOR UP TO 24-
HOURS. OF COURSE, IT GETS
PRETTY DEVOID OF OXYGEN, BUT YOU
CAN STILL LIVE. BUT I FEEL MOST
OF THE CREW WERE GONE WITHIN A
HALF-HOUR. THAT'S MY FEELING.
AND I THINK UNFORTUNATELY, THAT
MOST OF THEM DROWNED."
IF SOME OF THE CREW HAD LIVED
FOR A HALF-HOUR, WHY DID NO ONE
ESCAPE?
CHATTERTON: "WHEN THE
SUBMARINE'S DOWN, YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO GET OUT. QUITE
SIMPLY YOU DON'T HAVE ANOTHER
OPTION. ANY POSSIBILITY AT
SURVIVAL IN A SUBMARINE'S THAT
DISABLED, IS GOING TO HAVE TO
BE BEYOND THAT HATCH. HAD THEY
TRIED TO ESCAPE, HAD THEY BEEN
ABLE TO ESCAPE, WE WOULD HAVE
FOUND OPEN HATCHES THERE WOULD
HAVE BEEN PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
THERE ON THE SITE AND WE DIDN'T
FIND ANY OF THAT."
STARMER: "THE LAST GUY OUT
WOULDN'T BOTHER TO SHUT THE
HATCH. I'M SURE THAT HATCH
WOULD BE OPEN IF ANYONE CAME
ALONG YEARS LATER TO LOOK AT
IT."
JARVIS: "THEY COULD HAVE MADE
AN ESCAPE FROM THAT DEPTH
WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE."
DURING WORLD WAR TWO, THE NAVY
USED A DEVICE CALLED THE
'MOMSEN LUNG,' AN EARLY
'REBREATHER' THAT RECYCLED
EXHALED AIR AND ALLOWED A
SUBMARINER TO ESCAPE UNDERWATER
FROM A SUNKEN VESSEL. IT WAS
DEMONSTRATED ON THIS TELEVISION
PROGRAM IN THE 1950'S.
HERALD: "WE HAVE A CUTAWAY
SECTION OF A 'MOMSEN LUNG.'
FIRST OF ALL, HERE'S THE
MOUTHPIECE. HERE IS THE INSIDE
CONTAINER. I SEE ONE OF THE
BOYS HAS ONE ON NOW."
LOCKWOOD: "THESE LUNGS ARE USED
IN TRAINING SO THAT THEY MAY BE
READY TO ESCAPE FROM A SUNKEN
SUBMARINE IF NECESSARY."
SUBMARINERS PRACTICED USING THE
'MOMSEN LUNG' BY ESCAPING FROM
INSIDE WATER-FILLED TOWERS FROM
A DEPTH OF 100-FEET.
IN OCTOBER, 1944, NINE CREWMEN
FROM ANOTHER SUBMARINE, THE USS
'TANG,' SURVIVED AN ESCAPE
ASCENT FROM 180-FEET BELOW THE
SURFACE. BUT THEY WERE PICKED
UP BY THE JAPANESE NAVY AND
TORTURED.
STARMER: "WE KNEW THAT THE
JAPANESE WOULD TORTURE AND
SUBMARINE SAILORS WOULD BE
TREATED WORSE THAN THE NORMAL
PRISONERS-OF-WAR WOULD BE. THE
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER WOULD
PROBABLY NOT SURVIVE. THEY
WOULD TORTURE HIM UNTIL HE DIED.
THE RADIOMEN WERE PEOPLE THAT
THEY WOULD JUST TERRORIZE UNTIL
THEY GOT EVERY BIT OF
INFORMATION FROM THEM THEY
COULD. THE JAPANESE HAD SUCH A
FEAR OF WHAT THE SUBMARINERS
WERE DOING. IT WAS JUST HATE."
DESPITE THE POTENTIAL FOR
TORTURE IF CAPTURED, JARVIS,
CHATTERTON AND STARMER ALL
AGREE, 'LAGARTO'S' CREW WOULD
HAVE ESCAPED IF IT WAS POSSIBLE.
JARVIS: "ONE THING ABOUT A
HUMAN BEING IS PRESERVATION--YOU
WANT TO SURVIVE."
CHATTERTON: "I CAN'T IMAGINE A
CREW MAKING A DECISION, A
CONSCIOUS DECISION, 'WE'RE NOT
GOING TO TRY TO ESCAPE.'"
STARMER: "I THINK THE NORMAL
SUBMARINE SAILOR WOULD HAVE
TRIED TO GET OUT IF HE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY OR IF IT WAS A
CHOICE. SOMETHING INCAPACITATED
THEIR PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY OR
SOME REASON."
STARMER BELIEVES 'LAGARTO' MAY
HAVE BECOME PINNED UNDER A
PROLONGED DEPTH CHARGE ATTACK
THAT KEPT THE CREW INSIDE UNTIL
CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS WERE SO
HIGH THAT THE CREW COULD NOT
FUNCTION.
KENNEY: "THE MOST UNSETTLING
PART IS NOT KNOWING WHAT
HAPPENED TO THEM IN THEIR FINAL
MOMENTS. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT
EXACTLY BROUGHT ABOUT THE
DEMISE OF THAT SUBMARINE."
BUT SMALLER MYSTERIES CONNECTED
TO 'LAGARTO' HAVE BEEN SOLVED.
FOR YEARS, A GARAGE IN LA
GRANGE ILLINOIS HAD A NAME
ETCHED IN THE CEMENT FLOORA NAME
ITS OWNERS DIDN'T RECOGNIZE
UNTIL THEY READ IN THE LOCAL
NEWS PAPER ABOUT 'LAGARTO'S'
DISCOVERY AND CONTACTED NANCY
KENNEY, WHOSE NAME APPEARED IN
THE ARTICLE.
KENNEY: "APPARENTLY MY FATHER
MUST'VE HAD A PLAYMATE WHO
LIVED IN THAT HOUSE AND WHEN
THEY POURED THE CEMENT FLOOR, HE
DREW HIS NAME IN THE CEMENT. AND
IT WAS TOUCHING TO ME BECAUSE
IT WAS SOMETHING HE DID AND IT
WAS SO HUMAN AND IT MADE HIM
SEEM VERY REAL TO ME."
AUGUSTINE: "I PICTURE THIS
PLAYFUL, INNOCENT KID WANTING
TO MAKE HIS MARK. AND YOU KNOW
WHAT'S AMAZING IS THAT HE DID
THIS AND IT'S STILL THERE, YOU
KNOW, 80-SOMETHING YEARS LATER.
HOUSES GET RENOVATED, GARAGES
GROW, PEOPLE PUT NEW CEMENT IN.
THAT CEMENT IS STILL THERE.
THAT'S NEAT. THAT'S A PHYSICAL
IMPRESSION THAT HE MADE. YOU
CAN TOUCH THAT.
BEFORE DIVERS LEFT 'LAGARTO,'
NANCY KENNEY ASKED RICHIE
KOHLER TO SAY A PRAYER.
KENNEY: "RICHIE HAD ASKED ME
BEFORE HE WENT OVER TO THAILAND
IF THERE'S ANYTHING HE COULD
DO."
KOHLER: "SHE HAD MADE A REQUEST
THAT, I DO SOMETHING SHE CAN'T
DO--THAT I TOUCH THE SIDE OF HER
FATHER'S TOMB LET HIM KNOW
THAT, HER, HER MOTHER AND THE
REST OF THE FAMILY LOVE HIM AND
MISS HIM VERY MUCH AND THAT
EVERYBODY'S OKAY."
KENNEY: "AND HE DID, THAT'S
WHAT HE DID."
CHATTERTON: "HISTORY IS MUCH
MORE THAN JUST A BUNCH OF DATES
AND EVENTS. IT'S ABOUT HUMAN
CONNECTIONS. SO FOR US AS WRECK
DIVERS TO BE ABLE TO
COMMUNICATE WITH SURVIVORS OR
FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE SOMEHOW
LINKED TO THESE WRECK SITES, IS
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT."
THERE ARE NO PLANS TO RAISE
'LAGARTO' OR RETRIEVE THE
BODIES OF HER CREW. SHE IS A WAR
GRAVE AND ACCORDING TO THE
NAVY, CANNOT BE DISTURBED.
LATTA: "SHE'S THERE, SHE LOOKS
BEAUTIFUL. AND IT'S FITTING
THAT WE LEAVE HER THERE."
WRECK DIVERS ATTACHED AN
AMERICAN FLAG.
AUGUSTINE: "THEY TIED IT ONTO
THE TIP OF THE CONNING TOWER
AND IT STARTED TO BILLOW IN THE
WATERS LIKE IT WAS BLOWING IN
THE WIND ON A FLAGPOLE."
WHEN DIVERS LAST CHECKED,
'LAGARTO'S' FLAG STILL WAVED IN
THE UNDERWATER CURRENT.
LATTA: "SO GOOD. THAT'S WHERE
THEY ARE. THAT'S WHERE THEY
BELONG. GOD BLESS 'EM."