A single bulb casts eerie images that are reflected in the ebbing sigh of the water. In the shadows she stands silent and still, as if waiting for commands to breathe life into her once again. Her battles are not legend, yet those whom she sustained handled her with respect.
She was sleek and swift, but not immortal. All too soon obsolescence threatened. She did what she could to support, but soon even this service was not needed. In the end, hundreds gathered for her final journey to Portland, Oregon.
Now, though silent and still, she continues to serve her nation and other masters as well. Anchored securely to a floating dock, her gangplank is lowered every day as hundreds of eager tourists enter to explore her secrets. In retirement she has become a teacher. She is a hostess to a multitude of seeking minds.
As she rests quietly beside the floating dock of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), the Blueback (SS-581) continues her service to flag and country. Her message is twofold: the preservation of our heritage and the protection of our future. She speaks of precise technology, strategic maneuvering, service, and protection. She speaks also of environmental conservation. The road to the scrap yard too often is traveled by the steel veterans of our history. The Blueback continues to fly her flag and her presence is a remembrance from our past and a herald to our future.
The Blueback was the last nonnuclear-powered submarine built by the U.S. Navy, commissioned in 1959. A trim 219 feet long, she displaced less than 2,700 tons fully submerged. Her ability to cruise 19,000 miles without refueling contributed to the record she set in September 1961, when she traveled 5,340 miles from Yokosuka, Japan, to San Diego entirely submerged. Even after she was decommissioned following 31 years of service, she caught the eye of millions of moviegoers when she appeared in the movie based on Tom Clancy’s novel The Hunt for Red October. Her service did not end there, however. In their literature focusing on the Blueback, OMSI paid tribute to the many people who worked for more than three years to ensure she would continue to serve as a memorial to submariners and for the enjoyment of future generations. She was acquired by the museum in 1994, and underwent a major overhaul in 1998.
OMSI is located on the east bank of the Willamette River in the heart of downtown Portland. An “adventure on the edge of imagination,” it invites interactive exploration and experimentation from visitors of all ages. Feature presentations run continually in the Omnimax theater and Murdock planetarium, and the six “halls of wonder” bring science and technology literally within the grasp of every mind. The largest permanent exhibition is the Blueback. Resting on a fixed anchor, this memorial to a bygone era opens her hatches daily to encourage thousands of visitors to venture beyond the massive walls of glass that enclose the museum to explore the depths below.
To accommodate those who are unable to pass through narrow doorways, access vertical laddered emergency escape routes, or who are accompanied by children under the age of four, OMSI offers audio/video presentations. Located throughout the main halls, small theaters offer continuous information on the submarine’s story and final journey.
OMSI is open daily from 0930 to 1900 from 15 June to Labor Day, and from 0930 to 1730 Tuesday to Sunday the rest of the year. For more information, contact the museum at (800) 955- 6674, or at http://www.omsi.edu.