Catfish Navy

There was a WW II submarine named "Catfish" perhaps the veterans of this ship has somthing to do with the term Catfish Navy.

Wasn't C.W.Stoll a member of the Catfish Navy with his job of piloting LSTs and other military vessels from inland shipyards to New Orleans? Years ago he recounted his WWII adventures in an ongoing series in the S&D Reflector.

He sure was a member of the Catfish Navy. Putting in the time on the LSTs from Ironton, Ohio to Memphis, Tennessee, and up the Wolf River to the Patton-Tully Landing is how C.W. got his First Class Pilots License for stretches of the Ohio, Mississippi, and Wolf Rivers.

RE: 'Catfish Navy' visited Cincinnati.
Jim and Frank are correct on the 'Catfish Navy' during World War II. I 'think' this was touched on in the past with postings on Steamboats.org. May be in the archives but not sure now. Capt. C.W. Stoll was indeed a part of those war adventures as stated. He talked about it often with appearances in the S&D REFLECTOR. One story was that if the rivers were high with bridges being lower they would deliberately fill the bilges with water to lower them in the river for transit under. In our old neighborhood my grandfather's house served as the Air Raid Center for the district with him as the appointed 'warden.' The air base nearby was the point for bombers heading over to Europe. When raid drills were held all house and street lights were turned off and blinds pulled down. Grandfather wore a steel helmet with military belt and whistle to patrol with a big wooden 'clacker' in his hand to sound the warning. Window blinds were drawn and even a local stumbling out of the saloon up the street was cautioned not to light a cigarette with the offending flash and glow of the flame. You got in big trouble for any violations of the drills along with misuse of your 'ration cards' for foods, gasoline, some clothes etc.

I can't recall the entire history RE: building these LST/landing vessels but a number of yards on the inland rivers were involved. I do recall as a very small kid my dad half carrying and half dragging me aboard one of the LST vessels docked at the Cincinnati Public Landing here on a 'good will' open house tour for the citizens. Dad was home on leave and in his navy uniform at the time. Dimly, vaguely, I recall going on with all of that gray painted steel structure over the top of your heads. Lots of sailors standing around with the officers sporting their gold braid caps. I can't recall much more other than another 'big white boat' at the landing with two black stacks sticking up. Doubt it was the 2nd ISLAND QUEEN...possibly one of the GREENE LINE BOATS.
Well, what do I know?

Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River.

Those who attended the dedication program of the CAPT. C.W. STOLL MEMORIAL BOOKCASE and exhibit at the Howard Steamboat Museum in October, 2005, might recall that, in my dedicatory address, I recounted C.W.'s involvement in the Catfish Navy. One of the items in the Stoll Collection is a large scrapbook of clippings, photos and other items concerning the LST's and LCT's which C.W. delivered down the Ohio and Mississippi during the war years.

origin of term Catfish Navy

Since the Navy operated in the open waters, and this was taking place on the inland rivers, I would guess they differentiated the two naval sections with a term inherent to the river, ie: catfish , hence the Catfish Navy and you knew you were talking about the personnel working on the river system.

Everyone Served

Practically every pilot I knew from the WWII era was a member of that esteemed inland navy, and each had their own tales to tell of their adventures ferrying LSTs and other vessels down the rivers to join in the war efforts at sea.

My Uncle Ray was in the Navy and surprised me when he said he'd traveled the length of the Illinois and Middle and Lower Mississippi Rivers on an LST built in the Chicago area and sent down to the sea via those rivers.

When asked how he liked the Mississippi he answered, "Hated it. Most boring time I had in the entire war... went to my bunk and slept whenever I was off watch."

One pilot, possibly Captain Harry Louden, remarked that the LST's were just over 600 feet long, and to squeeze them into the six-hundred lock chambers of the day, they tucked the bow and stern of a LST into opposing corners of the lock and got them through that way.

Most folks on here do not realize that I, though just a little shaver, served in the US NAVY as a powder monkey aboard the USS New Jersey. Even little kids had their duties during those terrible war years and I am including a 1943 photograph of myself in uniform to prove it.

The Manitowoc (WI) shipyards launched the 1st Gato Class Sub USS Peto on Apr 30th 1942, also the 1st sub ever to be launched sideways. They completed a sub every 2 or 3 months and the 1st order of 10 subs were delivered ahead of schedule in less than 2 years. The Peto was shipped to NOLA via the Chicago River to Lockport where it was loaded on a floating dry dock ( also built by Manitowoc ) and then pushed to NOLA by the tug Kansas City. Manitowoc also had the original Navy contract for building the 112 foot LCT's, used for landing equipment on beaches. They were in charge of design and porcurement of materials for the 12 shipyards that built them. The LCT's were a higher priority than the subs.