USS Drum, World War II submarine at Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile, US
The USS Drum is a Gato-class submarine with a black lower hull and grey upper deck, its bow marked with the white number 228. A railed walkway runs along the top, and a row of circular holes lines the grey side. At the stern, the conning tower carries a gun and periscopes; the hull rests on concrete blocks above grass and dirt.
The submarine entered service in 1941 and saw combat operations against Japanese naval ships and transports in the Pacific Theater. Its service ended in 1945, after which it became a training vessel and later a museum ship on the coast.
The boat's name comes from the drum, a fish that makes a drumming sound. The submarine's badge, designed by Walt Disney Studios, shows this fish; such insignia were common on US warships. The boat is displayed at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile alongside the battleship Alabama.
Visitors can explore several decks to view original equipment, crew quarters, and control stations through guided tours. It helps to wear comfortable shoes and expect tight spaces within the submarine's interior passages.
The submarine survived two major hurricanes—Georges in 1998 and Katrina in 2005—and was subsequently moved ashore for better protection. This resilience shows how tough these vessels were despite being built for entirely different conditions.
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