When in port, some of those men will be able to manage it up the ladders with some help. Others will be strapped in baskets and hauled like mummies up the ladder tubes, or out the torpedo loading tubes (not the torpedo firing tubes). "Only 23 injured" certainly is "under-reporting" the disaster. Medical personnel being transferred to damaged USS San Francisco (Jan. 9, 2005)

I was assigned to the USS Ethan Allen SSBN608 as she was being built and took her through her sea trials. If we had not been operating in the "deeps" we would have been a "mysteriously lost" submarine. We leveled out at 2 miles deep; deeper than anything at the time. EVERY log book on the sub was ordered re-written and signed by everyone in the order the original was created! If you have the interest and the time go to (search) SSBN608, on home page on the left click MISC; on next page click on sea tales. About half-way down the list is "Ledoux", click on that. I was surprised that my story of the events was published! It will give you a different perspective of naval operations. I personally had reported a primary system leak (atomic reactor) within 8 hours of the disaster. All officers ignored it until it couldn't be denied any further and 5 days later we made an emergency return to port.