During WW2, the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company built 28 submarines. The only submarines to be built in the Great Lakes.

The Wisconsin Maritime Museum has a similar WW2 GATO class submarine, the Cobia, but it was built by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. At 311.9 feet long, with a beam of 27.3 feet, the Cobia may sound large for a crew of 80, but it would have been extremely crowded. And there were only 2 heads (rest rooms)!

The Cobia has been docked at Manitowoc since 1970. It is in amazing condition, as it is maintained not just by the volunteers at the museum, but by Naval Reserve units that regularly drill on board the submarine. Three of the four diesel engines are currently functional and they think the fourth one will be operating within the next year.

A tour takes about 45 minutes, and the docent leading our group did a good job, but there were too many people for real photo opportunities. One person on the tour became anxious when we went on the deck, and returned to the museum without going below deck. The interior of the Cobia is cramped and it takes dexterity to pass through the hatches. There are many opportunities to bump your head.

Copyright 2006 by Keith Stokes     My other trips.