SEA MAIL

NO MORE MAGELLANS!

I want to object to the Sea Classics March issue article about ocean spanning motor trawlers. Who cares about motor trawlers anyway? I subscribe to Sea Classics to read about military ships-Navy, Coast Guard, etc. If I want to read about pleasure boats and ships I'd buy that type of magazine. Keep your magazine about military ships only!

Richard C. Hlubny

Doylestown, PA

Ed: While Naval activity admittedly takes up most of our space there are many readers who want to be updated on the overall maritime as well as the contemporary Naval scene. We received a lot of complimentary comments on Jim Bloom's trawler article and considered it to be quite illuminating insofar as what modern technology now allows in the way of safe and comfortable ocean crossings by dedicated non-professional sailors.

MORE ABOUT LOST GRUNION

I'am writing concerning the USS Grunion (SS-216) incident between that submarine and the armed Japanese merchantman Kano Maru. Specifically, because I have original photographs of Kano Maru taken at Kiska in 1943 after she had been torpedoed by SS-216 off Kiska in July 1942 and run aground to keep her from sinking. These photos are in my private collection. I am enclosing several photos, along with probably the only one existing in color of Kano Maru, and a black and white photo showing my father, L/Cmdr. William H. Wilson, US Army, Port Commander of the Aleutains during WWII, leaning over the name board of Kano Maru. The other photos show damage to Kano Maru done by US aircraft using the ship as target practice after she was aground. One well-placed bomb went down her stack which can be seen lying down amidships. Note the skull and crossbones on the port side aft. This was painted by US troops to make Kano Maru readily identifiable as a dead ship.

After reading the story of the loss of USS Grunion in Sea Classics and the writer's search for her, I contacted Bruce Abele and we have been in touch frequently. I recently sent him 60 plus slides of Kiska after the US Forces took it back in 1943 for his website or whatever use he feels best.

William H. Wilson, Jr.

Commander, USCG (Ret.)

East Boothbay, ME

Copyright Challenge Publications Inc. May 2008
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