USS Bowfin Submarine Museum - Honolulu

USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park - Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

The USS Bowfin is one of only 15 US WWII submarines that are still in existence.  It is a memorial to the US Submarine Force at Pearl Harbor.  A group of dedicated people, some military and some civilians, worked to get the submarine released from the military to be used for this memorial.  The purchase of the submarine was made on August 3, 1979. The submarine was towed to Pier 39 near downtown Honolulu.  It was then cleaned and restored the Bowfin after years of neglect.

It wasn't until December of 1980 that the Bowfin was moved to her present day location at Pearl Harbor, right next to the Arizona Memorial Visitor Center.  The submarine has been launched a year after the attack on Pearl Harbor and was nicknamed "The Pearl Harbor Avenger."  The submarine was named a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

The trip to Bowfin Park will give you a variety of things to see.  There is a museum with mini-theater, outdoor exhibits and a gift shop.  The Museum houses the collection formerly on display at Pearl Harbor Submarine Base Museum.  It chronicles the history of the US Submarine Force from it's beginning in 1900 to the modern nuclear fleet.  In 1992 there was a dedication ceremony held for Bowfin Park's new Waterfront Memorial to pay silent tribute to the 42 US submarines and the more than 3,500 men of the "Silent Service" who perished in WWII.

In the outdoor exhibits there is the Waterfront Memorial listing the 52 lost submarines and the list of the names of the officers and enlisted men who are "on eternal patrol" with their vessels.  An additional monument lists the names of submariners who were lost in the line of duty, although their vessels were not sunk.

Also in the outdoor exhibits area is the Regulus 1 Missile.  This missile was used to carry 3,000 letters that the US Postmaster had written to key political figures such as President Eisenhower.  It was launched from the submarine USS Barbero (SS-317) on June 8, 1959 and flew for 22 minutes ending with a successful distribution of the mail.  Each envelope that was delivered had a picture of the Regulus I and said "First Official Missile Mail."

There is a conning tower for you to see from the USS Parche (SS-384) which has a safe and easy access for you to see where the captain would usually be during battle stations, submerged.  It contains the steering station, two periscopes, sonar receivers, and controls that fire the torpedoes.  This will give you a better understanding of the confines of the vessel and how it was controlled during battles.

You will also be able to see the Japanese human torpedo which was used during the war.  These deadly weapons were never used by the US, just the Japanese.  The design of the Japanese Kaiten was originally based on the highly successful surfaced-launched Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedo. Nearly 400 Type 1's were built, and were the only type used operationally. The Type 4 oxygen-kerosene engine produced 1,500 horsepower on one shaft. Top speed was 40 knots. Range for Type 4 is listed as 38.52 miles at 20 knots, 23.61 miles at 30 knots, and 16.78 miles at 40 knots. The warhead contained 3,960 pounds of TNT. Approximately 45-50 Type 4's were built in 1945, but were never used operationally. An escape hatch was not provided for Kaiten built late in the war, and in any case, no pilot is known to have attempted to escape from his speeding torpedo as it approached its target. Many Type 4 weapons were found at the Kure Naval Base after the War.

Kaiten were carried piggyback aboard mother submarines, and possibly aboard a few surface ships adapted for that purpose. At least three could be carried at a time on one mother sub; some I-boats carried as many as six Kaiten. Maximum depth was 264 feet, which placed that limit on the mother boat. The most successful attack was the sinking of the fleet tanker Mississinewa in Ulithi anchorage on 20 November 1944; the destroyer escort Underhill was also sunk on 24 July 1945. A few other ships were damaged. In the Japanese human torpedo program, eight mother submarines and almost 900 lives were lost. 

You will see the 40 mm Quad Gun that was on some of the submarines.  Although used only on surface craft, some submarines did carry single 40 mm Bofors guns on the main deck and smaller caliber weapons too.  It seems strange that there would be guns on the surface of a submarine but there was a use and a need.

The Indoor Exhibits are shown in a 10,000 square foot facility.  The Museum is filled with collections of submarine-related artifacts such as submarine weapons systems, photographs, paintings, battle flags, original recruiting posters, and detailed submarine models.  You can see a Poseidon C-3 missile and the inner workings of it.  It is the only one of its kind on public display.

Location and Directions:

• The Museum is adjacent to the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center on the shores of Pearl Harbor.
• Convenient, direct transportation is provided every half hour from all major Waikiki hotels by VIP Trans.
• Public bus service is available from Waikiki (Kuhio Ave.) - take bus No. 42.

Hours & Admissions:

• Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., last tour of the submarine at 4:30 p.m.
• Closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day
• Children under the age of four are not permitted on the submarine for safety reasons, however, they are allowed to visit the museum and mini-theater at no charge.
• Submarine & Museum Adult tour is $10; child rate (ages 4 to 12) is $4
• Special $7 rate is available for military, senior citizens, and Hawaii residents (with proper identification)
• For those who would like to visit the museum only, the admission fees are $5 for adults and $3 for children (ages 4 to 12).