Active duty of Northern Fleet diesel submarines in the Mediterranean during the Cold War years.

The first long-range diesel submarine patrols in the Mediterranean tended to be mainly of the training and exploratory character. Everyone felt like a trainee: the designers, shipbuilders and the submariners themselves. Those, who acquired practical skills and techniques during the cruises on the first diesel submarines, later qualified as Al specialists and the commanders of the next generation of diesel-driven and nuclear-powered submarines. In after years, some of those specialists became outstanding military commanders and the leaders of our Navy.

In 1964-1985, one of the brightest pages was written in the history of the construction, development and deployment of the U.S.S.R. Naval Forces, including domestic submarine forces. Precisely during this period were most of the nuclear-powered submarines made operational in the Navy, although the construction of the more advanced diesel submarines never stopped, too. Those years witnessed the completion of the series of the large (ocean-going) diesel attack submarines. Those subs played the main role for the fulfillment of the combat missions in the Mediterranean in the Cold War years.

But the Navy's potency is augmented not only by the military might of its surface ships, submarines and aviation, but also by the Navy personnel. Most of the submariners are physically robust, courageous and resolute seamen possessing high psychological endurance and composure. They adhere to the main sacred principle "All for one and one for all." Nowhere else does this tradition acquire such a profound meaning as on the submarine, where the success and the life of the entire crew are the function of the actions of every seaman, warrant officer and commissioned officer. The submarine is a powerful harmonious entity, in which the malfunction of the smallest link can lead to the bane of the entire crew. Therefore, the feeling of fellowship is so vividly intrinsic to the submariners. There is no such thing on the submarine as hazing or red code. The submarine crews profess the historically developed traditions of considerate and respectful relations between the officers, petty officers and privates.

The distinctiveness of the seamen's life and living conditions, whereby they are detached from their own homes for great while, motivated the emergence of the special customs, traditions and rituals, which impart the inimitably peculiar character to the Naval Service. It is known that some talented composers, painters, writers, actors and scientists have had Naval experience in their biographies. In the past, the young people used to be ardently keen on the Navy, being carried away by the sea romance. Craving for harsh adventures, endeavoring to be the winner in the struggle with the waves, the young boys willingly and enthusiastically went to serve in the Navy, and also on submarines.

My first autonomous three-month naval mission in the Mediterranean took place in the fall of 1964. I was in command of B-130 submarine. On the route towards Gibraltar, our main task was to timely elude possible detection by NATO Naval Anti-Submarine Defense.

During the patrol and search missions in the designated area, our task was to reveal the nature of the activity of potential enemy vessels and after detecting the foreign submarine, to follow it and to reconnoiter its actions, concurrently with the recording of maritime traffic intensity in the given region. Regional patrolling was implemented at the continuous two-knots cruising speed and at the best audibility depth for underwater and surface targets. Surfacing for battery charging was attempted only by night, retaining the alert posture for instant diving in the event of any hazardous signal, the detection of aircraft or surface ship navigation lights.

In the fall of 1968, in the capacity of the Submarine Brigade Commander, I was ordered by the Northern Fleet CINC to get the entire Brigade ready to depart for the eight-month combat mission in the Mediterranean. This was the first cruise of the diesel-powered submarines at full Brigade strength (it was the starting stage of the Naval Battle Force deployment for combat duty).

Also attending were the Navy CINC Deputies. Overcoming the discomposure at the presence of the high-ranking Admirals, I reported about the operating decision. There were few questions, the decision was approved and S.G. Gorshkov wished me and the submarine crews success in fulfilling the nonsimple combat tasks.

Departing from Polyarny on 15 March 1969, the subs formed two columns. The Submarine Brigade passage was assisted by Northern Fleet 7th Squadron, whose ships were also bound for combat duty in the Mediterranean. The perimeter guarding order of 10 miles (18 km) in diameter was taken up by the Squadron surface ships. Rear-Admiral G.Ye. Golota, Squadron Commander, was sailing aboard the Murmansk Flagship Cruiser. The Brigade Staff and I were sailing aboard the PB-82 Tender, from which I commanded my submarines. The Northern Fleet was demonstrating its strength and potency to the numerous "observers"--the U.S. and NATO Naval ships accompanied us along the entire passage itinerary. The foreign media carried high-strung accounts of the departure of the Northern Fleet ocean-bound armada of ships "with nobody-knows-what-aims".

Accosted by the U.S. and NATO ships and reconnaissance aircraft, we approached the Bay of Biscay, where the severe gale made the subs dive for the autonomous 24-hour cruise in the submerged position following the route. After surfacing, the subs continued the passage in the route order.

After passing the Cape of Saint Vincent meridian, the Submarine Brigade was allotted to 5th Naval Forces Squadron. The submarines passed the Straight of Gibraltar ostensibly in the surface trim. Entering the Mediterranean, the subs dived, and each of them unobtrusively proceeded to its designated patrol area to search for the enemy fleet BM subs, nuclear propulsion and to follow them.

The main fighting body of Naval Forces 5th Squadron was made up of the surface ships of the Baltic Fleet, Black Sea Fleet and Northern Fleet, of the nuclear-powered and diesel-driven submarines of the Northern Fleet, their relief being arranged by the special schedule. At that time, Naval Forces 5th Squadron, informally code-named "Mediterranean", was under the command of Admiral B.F. Petrov, who was respected in the Naval Forces. There was much to learn in working jointly with B.F. Petrov, especially his business-like composure, his ability to analyze the situation, wise decision-making, his efficient management of the Squadron Staff and Forces. It should be emphasized that the Staff of Naval Forces 5th Squadron was the remarkably harmonious and teamed-up body. Occasionally being present on the Squadron Flagship Cruiser, we, the submariners, were learning the Squadron Forces management techniques from the Staff officers.

The 5th Squadron Commander exercised the control of the diesel submarines, periodically engaging the Brigade Staff and me. In addition to the assigned combat tasks, the Squadron surface ship groups were systematically formed for our submariners to carry on training torpedo attacks. In their turn, the ships worked out anti-submarine warfare training tasks involving the search for and the destruction of the enemy subs. Regular anti-submarine operations were war-gamed involving the search for the fleet BM subs, nuclear propulsion and for foreign submarines, and also bipartite war exercises. The largest military training exercises were conducted under the leadership of the Naval Forces CINC and his Deputies.

The land-based patrol aviation of the U.S., Italy and Great Britain badly disturbed our submarines in the Mediterranean. In the event the sub was in the surface position at night (for battery charging), our air search radar stations detected the operation of airborne radars well in advance, and our submarines, as a rule, managed to elude detection by the crash dive.

But later, it was impossible oftentimes to detect the land-based patrol aircraft well in advance, and the subs did not have enough time to dive. This was due to the armament of the aircraft of the land-based patrol aviation with the devices enabling the detection of the submarine by the thermal stern wake, when the submarine was charging the batteries, or when it had to move perforce in the surface trim to the new designated area at night on the order of the Squadron Commander. As soon as this fact became ascertained, the necessary measures were taken to ensure the operational security of the submarines.

Combat duty in the southerly latitudes revealed or rather confirmed a number of negative consequences of the trying habitable environment affecting the crew's health, which had been also registered during the solo submarines cruises. The submarines, in those times, had no air conditioners; the temperature in the compartments was constantly high. The use of the portable ventilators was of little help. Excessive humidity and outside seawater salinity affected adversely. The sailors developed skin disorders.

It looked like peacetime, there was no war, but the diesel submarines performed combat duty for 6-8 months (the surface ships, too) far from their homes. This was the dramatic combat duty strength test of all the branches of our Navy and, especially, of the diesel-driven submarines.

The combat duty of diesel submarines in the Mediterranean became the standing deployment routine for the forces of the Northern Fleet 4th Submarine Squadron in peacetime and continued for nearly 15 years. Later on, submarine sea duty periods increased to 12-13 months. One should not overlook that we stood against the U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet remanned with the contract professionals. Whereas, the sailors and sergeants drafted at the age of 18-20 years were serving on our submarines. But, they were none the worse compared to the American "profi", and at times they surpassed them in courage, endurance and loyalty to their country.

The next Arab-Israeli war of Syria and the Arab Republic of Egypt (ARE) against Israel was in progress from October 6 to October 20, 1973. In this period, the U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean marshaled more than 140 fighting ships and vessels, including four aircraft-carriers, two assault helicopter-carriers with amphibious vessels and marine landing troops on board, and also nuclear-powered attack submarines and fleet BM submarines, nuclear propulsion. Opposing the powerful U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet was the Naval Forces 5th Squadron, which marshaled nearly 120 fighting ships, nuclear-powered and diesel-driven submarines and auxiliary vessels. At that time, the situation in the Mediterranean was not commented upon by our media, but the probability of the large-scale conflict or even of the global war between two opposing world military blocs was quite real. All the ships of the Naval Forces 5th Squadron were transferred to the heightened combat alert posture, i.e., to the immediate combat readiness to use any kind of naval weapons and means of combat on order.

Two of the Squadron's eight submarines were deployed in the zone near the Israeli coast. Lo and behold, in the period of the maximum exacerbation of the crisis (10-12 October), the Commanders of those submarines received the Combat Order signed by A.A. Grechko, the U.S.S.R Minister of Defense: "The Submarine Commander must fulfill the task for protecting and defending the ships and vessels bound to the Syrian and Egyptian seaports. The use of conventional weapons is authorized for anti-submarine warfare purposes". The Submarine Commanders confirmed the reception of the Order, although it did not expressly spell out how to protect the ship or the vessel bound to the seaport. And just why for "anti-submarine warfare purposes"? In essence, it meant the destruction of all the enemy ships sailing across the area of operations of our subs in the direction of the passage areas (passage routes) of the vessels protected by our fighting ships. The Submarine Commanders interpreted this Order unambiguously and were ready to fulfill the Order inviolately. The Order was brought to the notice of the personnel, everyone being aware of the imminence of the most dramatic period of combat duty. But the sides' combat actions soon began to subside; the above Combat Order was countermanded. There were no military encounters, but there were enough grounds to be in the flurry. For military valor and readiness to fulfill their duty, both Submarine Commanders (V.I. Fomichev Capt. 2nd Rank and V.V. Stepanov Capt. 2nd rank) were awarded the Order of the Red Banner immediately after the end of this war.

Such Military Orders concerned not only the submariners. During the Arab-Israeli war in question, the surface ships of the Naval Forces 5th Squadron fulfilled the tasks of piloting and escorting, in the Mediterranean, of the transport vessels with the equipment and cargo and the tankers, across the areas of combat operations, to the seaports of Syria and Egypt, and provided the defense of the escorted vessels against the assaults of Israeli Navy guided missile boats, and also ensured the anti-air defense of the naval detachments and of the base area of the Navies of Syria and of the ARE (in the Syrian Port of Latakia, our ships used anti-aircraft weapons to repulse the attacks of Israeli aviation).

The last cruise for combat duty of the Submarine Brigade of the Northern Fleet 4th Squadron took place in 1982, whereupon the solo submarines performed combat duty under the plan of the Naval Forces General Staff. It was the time of the predominant deployment for combat duty of the Nuclear-Powdered Submarine Fleet. In 1992, the cruises in the Mediterranean of the diesel-driven submarines ceased, and the Naval Forces 5th Squadron was inactivated.

All in all from 1963 to 1991, the submariners of the Northern Fleet 4th Squadron successfully completed 409 combat duty missions by the solo submarines and as part of the Submarine Brigades. The geography of combat duty was extensive: the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea. The Soviet seamen-submariners made the worthy contribution to the country's Naval might and to the potency of her Naval Forces, which ensure reliable security and stability in the world.

Rear Admiral L.D. CHERNAVIN (Ret.)

Lev Davidovich CHERNAVIN, was born on 4 November 1928 in the village of Yelokhovo, Rybinski Rayon, Yaroslavskaya Oblast. He graduated from Preparatory Naval School (1947), Kaspiiskoye Higher Naval School (1951), Higher Officer Classes (1961), Academic Courses attached to the Naval Academy (1972). He served in the Navy on Baltic Fleet minesweepers and on North Fleet diesel-driven submarines. He served in various positions ranging from the Navigator to the Commander of several classes of submarines. In the ensuing years, Chief of Staff, and Northern Fleet Submarine Brigade Commander, Chief of Staff, and Northern Fleet Submarine Squadron Commander, Head of Faculty 6 of the Higher Senior Officer Courses (VSOK). He headed diesel submarine combat cruises in the Mediterranean and in other ocean areas.