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2017-08-28 Science & Technology

Mystery deaths of HL Hunley submarine crew solved - they accidentally killed themselves

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Posted by Anomalous Sources 2017-08-28 00:00|| || Front Page|| [5 views ] Top

#1 ...There's a drawback to Dr. Lance's theory. Now, without question, the crew of the Hunley was badly shaken by the explosion (not so much of the spar torpedo, but of the explosion of the Housatonic's magazine), to certainly include soft tissue injuries and yes, likely broken bones and possible internal bleeding.

But that happened at approximately 8:47 PM. According to Dr. Lance, the crew should have been dead then and there - however, at approximately 9:30 PM, one of Housatonic's survivors saw a blue signal light to the southeast. This would have been Hunley's response to a signal light from her base on the Isle of Palms - where CSA personnel said they gave THEIR blue signal light and stated for the official record that it was answered.

Had the explosion done the damage Dr Lance believes it did the wreck of the Hunley should have been found very close to the wreck of the Housatonic. Hunley, however, was found some distance to the east (IIRC .5 nautical miles, or about three thousand feet)

The crew was unable to crank the boat back against the ebb tide, so after they cleared the attack site her skipper realized that and let her drift. But it's likely that he did so submerged - which means the crew was using up the air in the hull, exhaling more CO2, and getting progressively colder - and unknowingly, allowing the sub to gradually flood through sprung seams in the ballast tanks. It would have been a death of a thousand cuts that they never even realized was happening. When they finally did surface again, it was just enough for the skipper to open the hatch and show his lantern - maybe 12"-18" at most. He shows the light (and there are in fact some questions as to whether the light was shown from shore, but I lean towards the conclusion that it was), submerges again, and now the boat is too heavy to do anything other than proceed pretty much straight into the seabed. It hits the bottom, rolls onto one side, and begins to flood through the open-topped ballast tanks. The crew - concussed, anoxic, hypothermic, and likely suffering from CO2 poisoning, doesn't stand a chance. They're found where they are because they have no way to go anywhere else, and opening the hatches at thirty feet down isn't an option.

I do not mean or intend ANY disrespect or insult to Dr Lance and her team at Clemson - she is clearly a superb engineer who has performed solid experiments and come up with a technically possible conclusion. However, I respectfully disagree with her.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2017-08-28 05:13|| 2017-08-28 05:13|| Front Page Top

#2 Thanks Mike, an amazing story. Like many others, I recall reading about Lt. George Dixon's coin , which was found when the sub was recovered.

Hopefully these stories and historical artifacts will survive our present-day anarchists misguided fury.

Posted by Besoeker 2017-08-28 06:41|| 2017-08-28 06:41|| Front Page Top

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