Destination: Cape Horn Operation Sandblast

crossing equator (24 february 1960)

on 1 march 1960, triton passed along east coast of south america, trio of crises threatened end operation sandblast prematurely. first when chief radarman (rdc) john r. poole began suffering series of kidney stones. second when ship s fathometer went out of commission, loss meaning triton no longer echo-sound sea floor, increasing danger of grounding or collision ship traveled through poorly charted waters. captain beach observed:

fortunately @ present time in area water deeper normal atlantic , number of hours there [no] worry unexpectedly scraping top of unsuspected submerged peak. want fathometer badly approach cape horn.

perhaps critically, third problem involved readings on 1 of reactors indicating serious malfunction required shutdown. captain beach noted, far triton , first of march concerned, seemed troubles not confined pairs. on day have them in threes.

later day, lt. milton r. rubb , electronics technician team returned fathometer operational status, , chief engineer donald d. fears, reactor officer lt. cmdr. robert p. mcdonald, , triton s engineering crew repaired malfunctioning reactor. since poole s symptoms intermittent, triton continued south, although there detour golfo nuevo region when ship investigated unknown sonar contact. contemporary news accounts reported argentine navy had been encountering numerous unknown submarine contacts in golfo nuevo during 1960, triton s contact turned out school of fish.

on 3 march, triton located falkland islands on radar , prepared conduct photoreconnaissance of stanley harbor. before visually sight islands, poole s condition worsened that–taking calculated risk–captain beach reversed course, ordered flank speed, , sent radio message headquarters describing situation. ship s log on date, beach noted:

cape horn (7 march 1960)

in control , living spaces, ship had quieted down, too. orders given in low voices; men speak each other, carrying out normal duties, in repressed atmosphere. regular pall has descended upon us. know hands aware of decision , recognize need it. perhaps relieved did not have make it. apparent unexpected illness, neither have been foreseen nor prevented, may ruin our submergence record.

fortunately, heavy cruiser macon, captain reuben t. whitaker in command, had been on good-will cruise south american ports since january flagship rear admiral edward c. stephan, commander naval forces south atlantic (task force 138). macon had been in argentine waters in conjunction president eisenhower s visit argentina 26–29 february 1960. in hours of 5 march, triton rendezvoused macon off montevideo, uruguay, after diversion of on 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi). triton broached, exposing sail while preserving submarine s submerged status. boat-handling party led lieutenant george a. sawyer, ship s gunnery officer, transferred poole waiting whaleboat, returned macon. poole crew member did not complete voyage. chief radarman poole subsequently examined both doctors aboard macon , @ hospital in montevideo, third attack of kidney stones, prompted transfer off triton, proved last–and did not require kidney surgery.

after rendezvous, triton dove , turned southwards. subsequently passed west of falklands, , rounded cape horn (pictured) through estrecho de le maire (drake passage) on 7 march. captain beach described first impressions of legendary lands-end of western hemisphere bold , forbidding, sway-backed profile of prehistoric sea monster. captain beach allowed crew opportunity view cape horn through ship s periscope, requiring 5 reverses of triton s course keep cape in sight.