Webmaster:

I was aboard the USS Trigger SS-564 when we fired the first "live" MK-48
Torpedo at the Whitehurst. We could hear the breaking up sounds, on Sonar,
 just like the movies. I'm fairly sure there were pictures of the ship broken in
half and sinking. But I have no idea of where they might be. I do have a
Participation Award Certificate that is signed by the CO of the Trigger, the
Program Manager Westinghouse, and the acting CO of the Whitehurst. 

Take care.

Jim Wade HMC(SS)USN/Ret

Max:

Ref your request of photos of the Whitehurst sinking...here are three of the event. 

I was a TM3 on board the Trigger during the Mark 48 Torpedo Test and Evaluation
firing in 1971.  I was part of the torpedo gang that loaded it up, fired it, and waited
for the demise of the Whitehurst after a nine minute run.   

It was a Westinghouse Mark 48 Mod 0 that sunk the Whitehurst.  We were testing
three different 48's.  The Mod 0 and Mod 2 by Westinghouse and the Mod 1 by
Cleveite.  It was a shoot out of sorts between the two companies and Cleveite won
the contract.  But, the one that sunk the Whitehurst was the first Mark 48 war shot
ever fired. 

The torpedo detonates under the ship and the upward force breaks the vessel in
two.  The stern sunk first and then the bow.  We were able to get close enough to
get a photo of the bow just before it went under.  Each crew member was given a
copy of the photo taken through the periscope.  Many official photos were taken
through the scope. 

Also the whole event was photographed from a helicopter taking 16mm movies. 
They took movies of us on the surface and of the detonation and sinking of the
stern and bow.   I know because a couple of months later, I had the job of editing
down a copy of all that film footage from two big reels down to a small 5 minute
presentation that the CO used at various presentations related to the testing phase
we went through.

note: I submitted a request for the photos but the  National Archive personnel could find no photos of Whitehurst's sinking.  They gave no reason.  It would seem the pictures should have been declassified since almost 40 years had passed.
max crow, webmaster

The other two photos attached are of me sitting in front of the tube that we fired the
first and third shots from (see the American flags on the tube door - a take off of
how the subs keep score during WWII) and of the "Kills" painted on the Trigger's sail. 

Unfortunately, that is all I have reference the Whitehurst, except that I do have the
silver plated gravy bowl from the ward room (and you are not getting that).  The White-
hurst was tied up in front of us just prior to leaving port of the shoot.  Since it was a
target ship, we were given permission to go onboard and collect any "souvenirs". 
As I was rummaging through the ward room, I pulled open a drawer and there was
a badly worn and tarnished gravy bowl
(I had it replated and it looks good). 

We also disassembled the barber chair that was in the after steering room and huffed
and puffed the thing up, out and over to the Trigger as we thought it would look good
in front of the after torpedo tubes.  But, after all that work, it would not fit down the
hatch.  The base was an inch wider in diameter that our hatch was....bummer.

LCDR R.J. Hansen USNR (Ret)
Former TM2(SS)
USS Trigger SS564
 

Hi Wayne & Max, 

I was a TM on the Trigger when we tested a war shot Mk. 48 torpedo that sunk the
Whitehurst...    Also, I believe R.J. Hansen was on board then.  R.J. is now an officer
in the reserve, I think, and I believe regularly attends the Trigger reunions.  R.J. was
a TM3 at the time.  I'm certain he would have a copy of the photo.  That was the only
photo I saw of the sinking.  There was a tin can that accompanied us on the shot,
though I do not recall the name.  They tried to finish up the Whitehurst with a deck
gun, though it sank too quickly for them to get in range . 
I Hope this helps. Terry Sullivan

I was on the Trigger (SS-564) from early 1970 until June 1972.  During my tour, we
tested the Mark 48 torpedo system.  I even still have a "Participation Award" signed by
CDR Flather who was the skipper of the Trigger, a fellow named G.R. Thomas who was
the program manager for Westinghouse, and D.A. Kohl, C.O. USS Whitehurst (Acting). 

Anyhow, during those tests, as I recall, we sank the Whitehurst and 2 Liberty ships,
all specially prepared for the tests in Bremerton, WA and towed out to sea for the event. 
The attached photo is the bow of one of those three ships in its last moments.  It looks
 like a destroyer bow to me, but I'm really not sure if it's the Whitehurst or one of the
Liberty ships.  Maybe you can tell for sure*.  The photo was taken through our peris-
cope, as you can see by the cross hairs.  There wasn't much time between weapon
detonation and sinking, so from the Trigger's point of view, this was all the photos we
could get, I think.  Good luck! 

Henry Petrino

Former QM3 (SS), USS Trigger (SS-564)

*Hi Max,

 I am sure this is Whitehurst. Why?  The hawse pipe is in the correct location.  The
chocks for the mooring lines are also correct. The markings for the water line just aft
of the stem also appear to be correct.  Lastly, Whitehurst had a strait bow (no rake)
and the keel was flat and joined the bow at right angles.  I recall this from the time she
was in dry dock. I look forward to your write-up.
Good luck , Roger
From Roger Ekman Capt. USN Ret. who served as Gunnery and Operations Officer on Whitehurst. mc

Hi Max, 

Sure, you are welcome to use what I sent.  I wish I had more for you.  It's been a long
time ago and memory fades! 

I do remember that the "target" ships were all fitted with various sensing gear to mea-
sure the effectiveness of the weapon.  I also remember that the Mark 48 did not pene-
trate the hull of the target.  It detonated under the keel.  The effect was devastating. 
Each target broke into two pieces which sank independently.  We shot from 5,000 yards
at 500 feet, so by the time we could surface and close the range for a good look, it was
too late.  Henry