The USS Swordfish slipped into
the middle of a Soviet anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise in the North
Pacific.
The Soviets depth-charged Swordfish for two days. But
Swordfish
was nuclear-powered and did not have to surface for air.
Swordfish survived and the mission provided the U.S.
with an intelligence bonanza as the Navy recorded the Soviet's radio
chatter and plotted their radar search patterns.
For special operations conducted between 1963-65, Swordfish
crewmen were awarded Navy unit commendations and the
captain received the Legion of Merit.
1968
Radioactive coolant water may have been released by the USS Swordfish,
which was moored at the time in Sasebo Harbor in Japan.
According to one source, the incident was alleged by activists but
a nearby Japanese government vessel failed to detect any such
radiation leak. The purported incident was protested bitterly by the
Japanese, with Premier Eisaku Sate warning that U.S. nuclear
ships would no longer be allowed to call at Japanese ports unless their
safety could be guaranteed.
I met a girl in Sasebo that told me she was paid
5000 yen, about $13.88 at the time, and a hotel room for 1 night
to demonstrate against the Swordfish.
Obviously the situation was contrived by some political group.
1968
I recently saw a program on the "Discovery Channel" about Submarine
Disasters. There was Russian inuendo that Swordfish had
sunk
the K-129 due to Swordfish's arrival in Tokyo Bay with
a bent periscope 9 days after the K-129 was reported missing. I can't
state
my source, but these observations by the Russians are totally false.
Anyone who believes this garbage is a merely a rumor monger.
The Russians are obviously making these statements to get even for
the reported attempt, by the USA, to raise the K-129. If the
remainder of the two part series on "Submarine Disasters" is
as accurate as the Swordfish's involvement with K-129, then
the
whole series is a sham.
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