Experience a Kalispell native's underwater ordeal at a new museum exhibit
A new Northwest Montana History Museum exhibit "The Silent Service: A WWII Diving Denizen of the Deep," focuses on the U.S. Navy Submarine Force with items on display including a Vietnam-era U.S. Navy Submariner torpedoman’s dress uniform, a child’s sailor uniform from the 1940s, vintage sailor hats and other memorabilia donated by Kalispell native Harry Anderson, who served on the USS Perch SS-313 during World War II. (Courtesy photo)
Kalispell native and U.S. Navy submariner Harry Anderson, pictured in the first row on the right aboard USS Perch SS-313, donated military memorabilia on display at the Northwest Montana History Museum in Kalispell.(Courtesy photo)
Military memorabilia and a harrowing story at sea during World War II from Kalispell resident Harry Anderson are the focus of a new exhibit at the Northwest Montana History Museum.
Anderson, who recently donated the memorabilia, graduated from Flathead High School in 1940 and served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force during World War II. Assigned to the USS Perch SS-313, Ensign Anderson and crew survived a grueling, two-hour depth charge attack in the Java Sea while on patrol in April 1945. Anderson recorded the 31 depth charges dropped on the submarine in real-time with tick marks on a piece of paper.
The exhibit includes that fragile piece of paper, his gold dolphins pin (usually awarded to officers) and his combat pin for a successful patrol, along with other medals. Numerous photos are on display including ones of the Perch crew, of officers holding the submarine’s dog Duchess and Duchess standing on a deck gun.
Were dogs allowed on board during tours of duty? Find out more about the dogs that went on patrol with their crew at the exhibit.
In addition to Anderson’s memorabilia, other submariner items on display include Vietnam-era U.S. Navy submariner torpedoman’s dress uniform, a child’s sailor uniform from the 1940s, vintage sailor hats and other related submarine items.
The museum is located at 124 Second Ave. E., Kalispell, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays in June through August. For more information call 756-8381 or visit nwmthistory.org.
Kalispell native and U.S. Navy submariner Harry Anderson, pictured in the first row on the right aboard USS Perch SS-313, donated military memorabilia on display at the Northwest Montana History Museum in Kalispell.(Courtesy photo)