The submarine counted three explosions and then went deep to wait out the inevitable depth charge attack by the escorts. [This is when Balao was painted pink for Operation 1 diesel, still troublesome after all these years. These pictures were taken during the filming of "Operation Petticoat" When the submarine surfaced again, all trace of the convoy was gone, and she set course for Langemak Bay, New Guinea, with all her torpedoes expended. Nevertheless, she did win a consolation prize when one of her torpedoes struck and sank a nearby 30-ton junk. | To: Supply Officer, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California After he became a star, Curtis suggested making a film in which Grant would stare into a periscope as he did in Destination Tokyo. I thought I would lose my contract. Somehow or another, the sub gets painted pink in the process. Well most of the crew has probably forgotten all about After leaving the country, the submarine was attacked by a Russian submarine, which claimed the lives of all but five of her crew. Rather than risk a repetition of her disappointment during her last patrol, Balao returned to the scene to verify that the ship had sunk. She got underway again on the following morning, bound for Pearl Harbor where she arrived for refit on 19 March. After Balao's return to Key West on 30 November, she and Archerfish spent 12days of December in hunter-killer training. These represent the lowering of Jim Brown to the deck from a helicopter No surface contacts came during the first two weeks, but her luck changed on 27 December when two Mogami-class cruisers and two Asashio-class destroyers crossed her track. Stars Melinda Naud Jim Varney Richard Brestoff See production, box office & company info This film, the first of a spate A Japanese air raid forces a hasty departure before the crew can apply a top coat of navy gray. berths 5 and 6, North Quay Wall, US Naval Station, Key West, Florida. Operation Petticoat is a 1959 American World War II submarine comedy film in Eastmancolor from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur, directed by Blake Edwards, that stars Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. USS Spearfish (SS-190) evacuation took place on the night of May 3, 1942. 0745- in 1967. Perhaps youve heard of the movie Operation Petticoat, which starred Cary Grant and Tony Curtis in 1959. . They actually did paint a submarine pink. Enclosure: (1) Copy of cancelled Invoice Balao made radar contact with a four-ship convoy and tracked it to an excellent position for attack. Bingman (a sonarman on Ronquil at the time) via Tim Spoon (click on them to view 3 and 4 diesels to keep Nos. Stopped, lying to. This is a comedy directed by Blake Edwards from the 1959 World War II submarine film set in Key West on my Instagrampinch blog US Naval Base. "And that is the obvious complication upon which are pointedly based at least 60 per cent of the witticisms and sight gags in the film. There is a photoof Archerfish and Balao floating around the BB's. The three submarines that operate on these waters provide a variety of services. On 4 November, the submarine made a submerged approach to a two-ship convoy, but the six torpedoes that she fired missed their marks. She was able to sink one picket boat and damage another with gunfire on 14 August. On that day, however, Balao sighted the masts of a sailing vessel. Model Semi Submarine. And two weeks later the audition for Halloween came up . STORYLINE: The Philippines, December 1941. (and thanks to Ric Hedman for James Garner, Polly Bergen A submarine newly commissioned is damaged in the opening days of WW II. . . NHHC Photograph Collection. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. With the extraordinary assistance of Filipino guerrillas, four daring raids were launched behind Japanese lines to liberate those camps. It's hijinks on the high seas when a U.S. submarine has to take on a collection of female nurses. Balao's keel was laid down on 26 June 1942 at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. The USS Balao SS-285 was painted pink and used for exterior shots in and around Key West, FL. sending a copy to me -DG.) During the Battle of Buna, two soldiers of the 32nd Infantry Division went above and beyond the call of duty. It would be on the air till 1979, producing 33 episodes. Balao rendezvoused with Peto the next day to transfer the rescued aviators, then proceeded on to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived on 25 August. Postwar study of Japanese shipping records identified her victims as the 2,723-ton freighter Shoho Maru and the 6,803-ton passenger cargoship Akiuro Maru. The name Sonar School comes from the fact that it is a place for scientists to work. Balao lost contact with the convoy and failed in her attempts to reach Silversides to exchange information. Coes letter caused quite a stir and was circulated throughout the fleet. Word of Japan's capitulation came on 15 August along with orders to cease fire. Cliff Robertson was the skipper in the movie. tell you he was the actor who played Spock's father on the old Star Trek series A small Japanese patrol vessel made an attempt to counterattack, but Balao slipped below the surface and headed for Guam to replenish her fuel, provisions, and torpedoes. Image courtesy of George Brauch via Corabelle. While the campaign marked the first offensive victory for the Americans, it provided more than just a morale boost and a checking of Japanese aggression. Her first opportunity to attack came just after midnight on 23 February when she closed a convoy of two freighters and one small escort. Petticoat, the battleship balao, has been added to the wall of Key West Naval Base. Toilet paper streamers decorated the dock and a band greeted the boat wearing toilet paper neckties and toilet paper flying out of trumpets and horns. The Supply Officer, Navy Yard, Mare Island, on November 26, 1941, cancelled Mare Island Invoice No. 1959. The thought of the balao can be seen at the US Naval Base in Key West. folks defeat the bad guys. After transferring him to Dortch, Balao returned to lifeguard duties off Peleliu Island where she picked up two more downed aviators on 27 July. The Navy finds it and In a recent interview in The New Yorker, Jamie Lee Curtis Has Never Worked Hard a Day in Her Life by Rachel Syme (December 1, 2019), Jamie discussed her time on Operation Petticoat. 0950- Set speed 10 knots, commenced Balao was decommissioned on 20 August 1946, and she was berthed in New London, Conn., as part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Crazy Credits This inspected passenger vessel is designed for underwater viewing with 42 underwater windows and seating for 49 guests in the submarine viewing area. After that, Balao patrolled independently until 19 January when she pulled into Apra Harbor, Guam, for refit alongside Apollo. Most notable were scenes set at the opening of WW II, based on the actual sinking of the submarine USS Sealion (SS-195), sunk at the pier at Cavite Navy Yard, the Philippines; Cmdr. life behind him after being assigned to be smuggled into a Japanese-held island 1 especially is a problem, constantly backfiring and belching black smoke. Kali Martin earned a bachelor's degree in International Studies and German at the University of Miami and a master's degree in Mili Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy, Technician Lewis Hall and Sergeant William Fournier, Kenneth Gruennert and Elmer Burrs Medals of Honor, The Top 5 Veteran Research Questions: Where to Go and What to Know, National Day of the Deployed: Honoring Americas Deployed Servicemembers, Commemorating Filipino American History Month, Alexander A. Vandegrift Before Guadalcanal, Call for Action and Liberation in the Philippines. She was launched on 27 October 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Jane Aylward, wife of Lieutenant Commander Theodore C. Aylward, commissioned on 4 February 1943 and reported to the United States Pacific Fleet. This location was for practical reasons, as the wind was always blowing from the aft; therefore, any "offensive odors" were blown away from ship. The material was ordered by HOLLAND from the Supply Officer, Navy Yard, Mare Island, for delivery to USS Skipjack. The Captain's journal covers the events of the Sea Tiger from December 10th, 1941 to January 3rd, 1942. Operation Pettycoat follows the beleivably insane misadventures of a submarine that is damaged at the start of her voyage during WWII. I have done research on a few series lately that had 1, 2, sometimes 4 different versions of the sitcom and yet it kept the same title. the old Razorback again. Beforehand, Balao's fairwater was removed and sent to the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., where it can still be seen on display. The torpedo misses the tanker and instead "sinks" a truck ashore. She then resumed patrol duty and continued the task until 12 August, when she rendezvoused with Conyngham and headed for Tanapag Harbor, Saipan. Her first two torpedoes missed the target, but the third hit squarely amidships and sank the vessel. The film also included Marion Ross, Dick Sargent, and Gavin MacLeod, who would go on to become part of McHales Navy and captain The Love Boat later in his career. fights the Japanese and rescues nuns and children. [10] After firing her six bow tubes at the lead ship, the submarine swung her stern toward the wing ships in the formation and fired her stern tubes. The Commanding Officer, USS Skipjackcannot help but wonder what is being used in Mare Island in place of this unidentifiable material, once well known to this command. Category Commercial Boats. After refueling there on 11 October, the submarine got underway for her assigned area north of the Bismarck Archipelago and again covered the Palau-Rabaul routes. 1, and sank her with gunfire. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Refloated and restored to barely seaworthy condition, Sea Tiger puts to sea after a native witch doctor casts a protection spell on her. Sea Tiger reaches Marinduque, where Sherman reluctantly agrees to evacuate five stranded Army nurses. A World War II submarine commander finds himself stuck with a decrepit sub, a con-man executive officer, and a group of army nurses.Resolution: 360p(C) This . Balao began her eighth war patrol on 27 February as part of another attack group along with Tench (like Balao, also the lead ship of a submarine class), Guardfish, and Sea Devil on patrol in the East China and Yellow Seas. The submarine returned to Key West on 22 March. She was prevented from carrying out a dawn attack by Japanese air cover and was forced to allow the convoy to escape without further damage. A much more restrained commentary came from Bosley Crowther of The New York Times, who noted in his December 8, 1959 review that the plot device of women aboard a wartime submarine was strained. in the dry dock scenes, making sparks - used all of the freezer grate there was Learn how your comment data is processed. The original In 1959, Operation Petticoat hit the big screen. Set speed 16 knots. 2. Balao was recommissioned on 4 March 1952 at the U.S. 0951- Submerged. 1408- Completed scheduled operations with Does anyone know the name of the actual submarine used in the 1959 movie "Operation Petticoat"? Holden demonstrates great skill as a scrounger after Sherman makes him the supply officer. I cant remember the actor who was the "hero" -all I can Mary. 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After a six-week training period in New London, Conn., the submarine sailed for the Pacific Theater of Operations and joined the 7th Fleet at Brisbane, Australia, on 10 July 1943. As the boat patrolled the Pacific, the requested item never arrived with other supplies. A convoy located on 26 February did not offer a chance of attack, because Gato had first fired on it causing its escorts to chase Balao from the scene. for the camera carts to move on and shoot up through the grating - what a time. 504-528-1944. The escorts drove Balao off, and on 7 January, she was ordered back to Brisbane, still without a confirmed kill under her belt. (SS-285) moored alongside to port. While rigging for depth charges, she heard three explosions, but upon surfacing, could see no sign of damage. Operation Petticoat (TV Series 1977-1979) photos, including production stills, premiere photos and other event photos, publicity photos, behind-the-scenes, and more. Chief Torpedoman Molumphry, the Chief of the Boat, has been asking for paint. She contacted a small convoy on 14 May but was unable to close for attack because of the diligence of the Japanese escorts. Starring James Gardner and Edmond O'Brien Lieutenant Braden The submarine made a few contacts, but none worthy of pursuit. On 1 June, the situation brightened. Sherman's reminiscence ends with the arrival of Commander Nick Holden, his wife (the former Lieutenant Duran), and their two sons. Early the next morning, she attacked a convoy of four transports guarded by four escorts. Balao (17:10) offers a nice tour of the WWII submarine used as Operation Petticoat 's "U.S.S. Naval Institute: 19K views, 730 likes, 88 loves, 52 comments, 189 shares . Somehow or another, the sub gets painted pink in the process. USS ARCHERFISH (SS-311), used for interior and exterior shots around Key West, was allowed to retain her black paint. The show had a cast of 18 members, including five nurses. 0803- Underway. Lieutenant Commander Matt Sherman (Cary Grant) is in charge of the submarine "Sea Tiger," which was badly damaged at a Philippine shipyard by a Japane Create New. Other members of the cast include several actors who went on to become television stars in the 1960s and 1970s: Gavin MacLeod of The Love Boat and McHale's Navy, Marion Ross of Happy Days, and Dick Sargent of Bewitched. Operation Petticoat (1959) During World War II, a commander finds himself stuck with a decrepit (and pink) submarine, a con man executive officer, and a group of army nurses. I think Gary Walker has a copy on his Atule site. The written scripts were revised to cover two shows each. Decommissioned in August 1946, she became part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. and Chuck Conners also starred. See production, box office & company info, Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA. lingering shame of the failed mission that killed his flight crew. Holden manages to get some red and white lead primer paint, but does not have enough of either to prime the entire hull. Be sure to visit Ric's website: This WWII comedy centered around a US submarine, the USS Sea Tiger, that reluctantly must bring a group of female nurses aboard. When Balao surfaced the next morning, the convoy had disappeared. Balao (SS-285), which was still in commission at the time. While Balao was maneuvering into position for a second attack, the convoy's escorts fired on her, forcing the submarine to dive. Operation Petticoat (1977) - Season 1 Opening. Recommissioned in March 1952, Balao became as a training ship for antisubmarine and Special Deployment Forces at both Key West, Florida, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. In 2009, the US Congress designated October as Filipino American History Month, a monthlong commemoration and appreciation for the Filipino experience throughout American history stretching as far back as 1547. [citation needed] Only 32 episodes of the series (22 in season 1, 10 in season 2) were produced in total. However, a bevy of nurses comes aboard, causing hijinks in the hot pink sub. After shakedown training, the submarine was reassigned to SubRon12 at the U.S. - Marion (Ernie) Crowl, Crimson Tide (1995) with Gene Hackman, Denzel Washington, The Russian Alpha was actually shot in the torpedo Sherman's wife (the former Lieutenant Crandall) arrives late with their four daughters and rear-ends her husband's staff car, causing it to lock bumpers with a Navy bus. The submarine began her ninth patrol on 3 May when she headed for the Yellow Sea to patrol in a wolfpack with Dragonet, Shad, and Spikefish. After her fame and stardom Operation Petticoat had subsided in 1960, Balao returned to local training operations. Operation Petticoat was adapted as an ABC-TV series which ran from September 17, 1977 to August 10, 1979. The film was the basis for a TV series in 1977 starring John Astin in Grant's role..mw-parser-output .toclimit-2 .toclevel-1 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-3 .toclevel-2 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-4 .toclevel-3 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-5 .toclevel-4 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-6 .toclevel-5 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-7 .toclevel-6 ul{display:none}. The film Kursk is powerful and emotional, and its easy to feel the crews desperation and fear during their battle. I think its important to look at some of those shows in television history that havent become classics; in this case, however, I think Id skip the television show and buy the DVD from the original movie if you want to learn a bit more about life aboard the Sea Tiger. 1. The main deck provides shelter and seating . As noted above, the fictional Sea Tiger is played by three different Balao-class submarines. [9], The review in Variety was typical: "Operation Petticoat has no more weight than a sackful of feathers, but it has a lot of laughs. 1551- Moored starboard side to port The men of the Skipjack would not have to do without toilet paper again, as they were greeted upon every return with cartons of the precious paper. Firing 10torpedoes at three of the targets, Balao heard four hits and the explosion on one of the transports nearly blinded her lookouts. uniform (center front) as is CRM Harold Lintner, kneeling, 1st man, bottom row at Connections [14] Initially starring John Astin in Grant's role of Lieutenant Commander Sherman, the TV series cast Tony Curtis' daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, as Lieutenant Duran. Paul King, Joseph Stone, Stanley Shapiro, and Maurice Richlin were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing for their work on Operation Petticoat. The same day, she witnessed a fighter plane from the carrier Bunker Hill splash into the water dead ahead and quickly managed to rescue the pilot. Movie Info. Trivia: Operation Petticoat was filmed at the US Naval Base in Key West Fla. Officers' toilets were near the stern, or back, of the ship within the "quarter gallery", the part of the stern that hung over the water on either side. It also honors the sacrifices their families have made during deployments. She topped off her fuel tanks from submarine rescue vessel Coucal on 29 July, and on 7 August took station in the scouting line in the sealanes between Truk and the Bismarck Archipelago. Please check our Hours of Operation page before planning your visit. Petticoat. The trio of submarines reached port on 15 December and moored in a nest alongside Fulton. Born in Norwich, Connecticut, in 1913, William Fournier was raised in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The USS Archerfish SS-311 (originally USS Archer-Fish, renamed at its 1952 recommission) wore the standard colors of gray and black, and was used for interior and exterior shots in and around Key West. Upon receipt of a cancelled requisition for toilet paper, he dictates a letter echoing the sentiments of Commander Coe. At the time, there were exterior shots of Key West, Florida and interior shots of Key West, Florida. Now the submarine was a lifeguard vessel helping pilots and sailors, and the nurses were part of the Navy and assigned to the ship. 48 hours @ 2kn (2.3mph; 3.7km/h) submerged; conning tower is a memorial at the Navy Memorial Museum, This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 12:38. The USS Wren, DD-568, which was shown as the destroyer attacking Sea Tiger, was also present. (2) Sample of material requested. After topping off fuel, water, and provisions on 17 December, they got underway to patrol the Yellow Sea in a coordinated attack group. Lt. Alexander A. Vandegrifts accomplishments during World War II came near the end of almost four decades of service in the United States Marine Corps. on the USS Aspro SS- 309. It was supposed to be a one-hour series. Image: NH 98043: USS Balao (SS-285), off Mare Island Navy Yard, California, October 25, 1944. [CDATA[/* >