Submarine

Water Distillation

Distilling Systems

USS Bowfin (SS-287)

Clean Water

Fresh water is vital on board a submarine not only for drinking, cooking, and washing, but also for storage batteries, boilers, and as a cooling agent for the diesel engines. An American World War II submarine on a war patrol required a minimum of 600 gallons of fresh water a day. The majority of the water usage was for the batteries and cooking/cleaning. Beyond this, remaining water supplies should leave enough for each man in the crew to have a bath at least twice a week. Cooks were normally required to bathe every day, for obvious reasons. But the distiller units were very cantankerous and hard to keep operating when electrical power was reduced when submerged or if the unit became contaminated-a frequent problem. So water was limited.

The distilling systems used aboard American submarines during World War II consisted of either the Model S or the Model X-1 units. Two units of either type were normally installed on all fleet boats.

Diagram of distiller
Shown here is a Model X-1 Distilling Unit, the type which is installed on Bowfin.

Information from: Submarine Distilling Systems, NAVPERS 16163A, June 1946

Bowfin's Model X-1 Distillers, located in the forward section on the port side of the Forward Engine Room.

Secrets of the Sub

Vargas Girls

Artist Alberto Vargas became famous for his WWII watercolors depicting beautiful pin-up girls. "Varga girls" were so popular that many different artists immitated Vargas’ technique and approach to the female figure: an idealized female form eliciting sensuality and seduction. During the 1940’s his work was a hit amongst enlisted men who drew inspiration from them which inadvertently created high morale. The military was so influenced by this art that they adorned their vessels with it. Many military aircraft had Varga style girls decorating the nose of their planes, Varga girls were even printed on greeting cards and sent to enlisted men by their sweethearts. Inside the engine room aboard USS Bowfin, the crew posted a 1943 Vargas calendar, on which they doodled, wrote notes, and recorded their conquests of the sea.