List of Tench-class submarines

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List of Tench-class submarines and their dispositions. 29 of these boats were built during and after World War II, commissioned from October 1944 through February 1951, with 11 commissioned postwar. [1] [2] None of this class were lost in World War II. Ghazi (ex-Diablo (SS-479)) was lost in Pakistani service on 4 December 1971 during the Indo-Pakistani Naval War of 1971, possibly due to an accident [3] Some of the class served actively in the US Navy through the middle 1970s, others served into the 1990s with foreign navies, and one (Hai Shih ex-Cutlass) is still active in Taiwan's Republic of China Navy.

Contents

The primary improvement of the Tench and Balao classes over the preceding Gato class was an increase in test depth from 300 feet (91 m) to 400 feet (120 m). This, combined with less wartime service than previous classes, led to these classes being preferred for modernization programs and active postwar service. 16 Tenches were modernized under various GUPPY conversion programs, plus 8 received the more austere "Fleet Snorkel" modernization. [4]

Cancellations

A total of 125 U.S. submarines were cancelled during World War II, all but three between 29 July 1944 and 12 August 1945. The exceptions were USS Wahoo (SS-516), USS Unicorn (SS-436), and USS Walrus (SS-437), cancelled 7 January 1946. References vary considerably as to how many of these were Balaos and how many were Tenches. Some references simply assume all submarines numbered after SS-416 were Tench class; however, USS Trumpetfish (SS-425) and USS Tusk (SS-426) were completed as Balaos. [5] [6] This yields 10 cancelled Balao-class, SS-353-360 and 379-380. The Register of Ships of the U. S. Navy differs, considering every submarine not specifically ordered as a Tench to be a Balao, and further projecting SS-551-562 as a future class. [1] This yields 62 cancelled Balao class, 51 cancelled Tench class, and 12 cancelled SS-551 class. This article follows the information in the "Register". Two of the cancelled Balao-class submarines, Turbot and Ulua, were launched incomplete and served for years as experimental hulks at Annapolis and Norfolk, Virginia. Two of the cancelled Tench-class boats, Unicorn and Walrus, were also launched incomplete, never commissioned, but listed with the Reserve fleet until struck in 1958 and scrapped in 1959. The cancelled hull numbers, including those launched incomplete, were SS-353-360 (Balao), 379–380 (Balao), 427–434 (Balao), 436–437 (Tench), 438–474 (Balao), 491–521 (Tench), 526-529 (Tench), 530–536 (Balao), 537-550 (Tench), and 551-562 (SS-551 class). [1]

Abbreviations

Abbreviations and hull classification symbols for postwar redesignations/conversions:

Ships in class

Construction data
Ship NameHull no.BuilderLaid downLaunchedComm./​Recomm.Decomm.Fate
Tench SS-417 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine 1 Apr 19447 Jul 19446 Oct 1944January 1947G IA 1951, AGSS 1 Oct 1969, SS 30 Jun 1971; struck 15 Aug 1973, sold to Peru for spares 16 Sep 1976 [10]
October 19508 May 1970
Thornback SS-4185 Apr 194413 Oct 19446 Apr 1946G IIA 1953; transferred to Turkey as Uluçalireis 1 Jul 1971; struck and sold to Turkey 1 Aug 1973, decommissioned 7 Aug 2000, memorial at the Rahmi M. Koç Museum in Istanbul, Turkey [10] [11] [12]
2 Oct 19531 Jul 1971
Tigrone SS-4198 May 194420 Jul 194425 Oct 194430 Mar 1946SSR 5 Apr 1948, SS 1 Mar 1961, AGSS (sonar test boat) 1 Dec 1963; struck 27 Jun 1975, sunk as target 25 Oct 1976 [10] [13]
1 Nov 19481 Nov 1957
10 Mar 196227 Jun 1975
Tirante SS-42028 Apr 19449 Aug 19446 Nov 194420 Jul 1946G IIA 1953; struck 1 Oct 1973, sold for scrap 21 Mar 1974 [1] [10]
26 Nov 19521 Oct 1973
Trutta SS-42122 May 194418 Aug 194416 Nov 1944March 1946G IIA 1953; struck and sold to Turkey as Cerbe 1 Jul 1972; decommissioned 23 Jul 1999, sold for scrap on unknown date [10] [14]
1 Mar 195114 May 1952
2 Jan 19531 Jul 1972
Toro SS-42227 May 194423 Aug 19448 Dec 19442 Feb 1946AGSS 1 Jul 1962; struck 1 Apr 1963, sold for scrap April 1965 [1] [10]
13 May 194711 Mar 1963
Torsk SS-4237 Jun 19446 Sep 194416 Dec 19444 Mar 1968FS 1952, AGSS 1 May 1968, PT 1968-1971, IXSS 30 Jun 1971; struck 15 Dec 1971, memorial in Baltimore, Maryland [10] [15] [16]
4 Mar 196815 Dec 1971
Quillback SS-42427 Jun 19441 Oct 194429 Dec 1944April 1952G IIA 1953; struck 23 Mar 1973, sold for scrap 21 Mar 1974 [10]
27 Feb 195323 Mar 1973
Corsair SS-435 Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut 1 Mar 19453 May 19468 Nov 19461 Feb 1963AGSS 1 Apr 1960; struck 1 Feb 1963, sold for scrap 21 Oct 1963 [17] [18]
Unicorn SS-43621 Jun 19451 Aug 1946——Cancelled 7 Jan 1946, suspended 30 Jan 1946, reinstated 26 Feb 1946, accepted but never commissioned 3 Sep 1946, placed in reserve fleet; struck 9 Jun 1958, sold for scrap 10 Jul 1959 [1] [17] [19]
Walrus SS-43720 Sep 1946Cancelled 7 Jan 1946, suspended 30 Jan 1946, reinstated 26 Feb 1946, accepted but never commissioned 2 Oct 1946, placed in reserve fleet; struck 9 Jun 1958, sold for scrap 7 Oct 1959 [1] [17] [20]
Argonaut SS-475 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine 28 Jun 19441 Oct 194415 Jan 19452 Dec 1968FS 1952; struck and sold to Canada as Rainbow 2 Dec 1968; decommissioned by Canada 31 Dec 1974, sold for scrap 24 Mar 1977 [17] [21]
Runner SS-47610 Jul 194517 Oct 19446 Feb 194529 Jun 1970FS 1952, AGSS 1 Feb 1969, PT 1970-1971, IXSS 30 Jun 1971; struck 15 Dec 1971, sold for scrap 19 Jun 1973 [17]
29 Jun 197015 Dec 1971
Conger SS-47711 Jul 194414 Feb 194529 Jul 1963AGSS 9 Mar 1962; struck 1 Aug 1963, sold for scrap 9 Jul 1964 [17]
Cutlass SS-47822 Jul 19445 Nov 194417 Mar 194512 Apr 1973G II 1948; struck and sold to Taiwan as Hai Shih 12 Apr 1973, reportedly still in service [17] [22]
Diablo SS-47911 Aug 19441 Dec 194431 Mar 19451 Jun 1964AGSS 19 Jul 1962, FS 1964; struck and transferred to Pakistan as Ghazi 1 Jun 1964, lost due to accident on 4 Dec 1971 [23]
Medregal SS-48021 Aug 194415 Dec 194414 Apr 19451 Aug 1970FS 1952, AGSS 1 May 1967, SS 1 Oct 1969; struck 1 Aug 1970, sold for scrap 13 Jun 1972 [17]
Requin SS-48124 Aug 19441 Jan 194528 Apr 19452 Dec 1968 Radar picket 1946, redesignated as SSR 20 Jan 1948, SS 15 Aug 1959, AGSS 29 Jun 1968, PT 1969-1971, IXSS 30 Jun 1971; struck 20 Dec 1971, memorial in Pittsburgh, PA [17] [24]
2 Dec 196820 Dec 1971
Irex SS-4822 Oct 194426 Jan 194514 May 194517 Nov 1969Prototype FS 1947, AGSS 30 Jun 1969; struck 17 Nov 1969, sold for scrap 13 Sep 1971 [17]
Sea Leopard SS-4837 Nov 19442 Mar 194511 Jun 194527 Mar 1973G II 1949; struck and sold to Brazil as Bahia 27 Mar 1973; decommissioned and scrapped 1998 [17] [25]
Odax SS-4844 Dec 194410 Apr 194511 Jul 19458 Jul 1972G I 1947, G II 1951; struck and sold to Brazil as Rio de Janeiro 8 Jul 1972; decommissioned 16 Nov 1978, sold for scrap 18 Jun 1981 [17] [26]
Sirago SS-4853 Jan 194511 May 194513 Aug 19451 Jun 1972G II 1949; struck 1 Jun 1972, sold for scrap 2 May 1973 [17] [27]
Pomodon SS-48629 Jan 194512 Jun 194511 Sep 19451 Apr 1955G I 1947, G II 1951; struck 1 Aug 1970, sold for scrap 26 Jan 1972 [17]
2 Jul 19551 Aug 1970
Remora SS-4875 Mar 194512 Jul 19453 Jan 194629 Oct 1973G II 1947, G III 1962; struck and sold to Greece as Katsonis 29 Oct 1973; decommissioned 30 Mar 1993, sold for scrap on unknown date [17] [28]
Sarda SS-48812 Apr 194524 Aug 194519 Apr 19461 Jun 1964AGSS 19 Jul 1962; struck 1 Jun 1964, sold for scrap 14 May 1965 [17]
Spinax SS-48914 May 194520 Nov 194520 Sep 194611 Oct 1969Completed as radar picket, redesignated as SSR 20 Jan 1948, SS 15 Aug 1959, AGSS 30 Jun 1969; struck 11 Oct 1969, sold for scrap 13 Jun 1972 [17]
Volador SS-49015 Jun 194521 May 19481 Oct 194818 Aug 1972Suspended 30 Jan 1946, completed as G II 1948, G III 1963; transferred to Italy as Gianfranco Gazzana Priaroggia 18 Aug 1972, struck and sold to Italy 5 Dec 1977; struck by Italy 31 May 1981, fate unknown [17] [29]
Pompano SS-49116 Jul 1945———Cancelled 12 Aug 1945, broken up on slip [1] [17]
Grayling SS-492—Cancelled 12 Aug 1945 [1]
Needlefish SS-493
Sculpin SS-494
—SS-495 –SS-515Cancelled 29 Jul 1944 [1]
Wahoo SS-516 Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California 15 May 1944Cancelled 7 Jan 1946, broken up on slip [1] [17]
—SS-51729 Jun 1944Cancelled 29 Jul 1944, broken up on slip [1] [30]
Wahoo SS-518—Cancelled 29 Jul 1944 [1]
—SS-519 –SS-521
Amberjack SS-522 Boston Naval Shipyard, Charlestown, Massachusetts 8 Feb 194415 Dec 19444 Mar 194617 Oct 1973G II 1947; struck and sold to Brazil as Ceará 17 Oct 1973, fate unknown [30] [31]
Grampus SS-52326 Oct 194913 May 1972Suspended 17 Jan 1946, completed as G II; struck and sold to Brazil as Rio Grande do Sul 13 May 1972, sold for scrap 18 Jun 1981 [30] [32]
Pickerel SS-5244 Apr 194918 Aug 1972Suspended 17 Jan 1946, completed as G II, G III 1962; struck and transferred to Italy as Primo Longobordo 18 Aug 1972, sold to Italy 5 Dec 1977; decommissioned by Italy 31 Jan 1980, sold for scrap 31 May 1981 [30] [33]
Grenadier SS-52510 Feb 195115 May 1973Suspended 17 Jan 1946, completed as G II; struck and sold to Venezuela as Picua 15 May 1973; decommissioned by Venezuela 16 Nov 1978, struck 1 Jan 1980, sold for scrap 18 Jun 1981 [30] [34]
Dorado SS-526————Cancelled 29 Jul 1944 [1]
Comber SS-527
Sea Panther SS-528
Tiburon SS-529
—SS-537 –SS-544
—SS-545 –SS-547 Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut Cancelled 28 Mar 1945 [1]
—SS-548 –SS-550Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, MaineCancelled 27 Mar 1945 [1]

See also

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USS <i>Torsk</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Torsk, hull number SS-423, is a Tench-class submarine built for the United States Navy during World War II. Armed with ten torpedo tubes, the Tench-class submarines were incremental developments of the highly-successful Gato-class submarines that formed the backbone of the US Navy's submarine force during the war. Torsk was laid down at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in June 1944, was launched in September that year, and commissioned in December.

USS <i>Grenadier</i> (SS-525) Submarine of the United States

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USS <i>Remora</i> Submarine of the United States

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USS <i>Trumpetfish</i> Submarine of the United States

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USS <i>Cobbler</i> Submarine of the United States

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Bauer and Roberts, pp. 280-282
  2. ↑ This includes USS Sirago (SS-485), commissioned on 13 August 1945, the day hostilities ceased, as postwar.
  3. ↑ Cardozo, Ian (2019). 1971 - Stories of Grit and Glory from the Indo-Pak War.
  4. ↑ GUPPY and other diesel boat conversions page
  5. ↑ Silverstone, pp. 203-204
  6. ↑ Gardiner and Chesneau, pp. 145-147
  7. ↑ These were in commission but classed as "in commission, in reserve", thus some were decommissioned and recommissioned on the same day to reflect the change in status
  8. ↑ Friedman 1995, p. 285
  9. ↑ "Guavina (SS-362)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Friedman 1995, p. 302
  11. ↑ Thornback (SS-418) at Navsource.org
  12. ↑ "Marine exhibits at Rahmi M. Koç Museum website". Archived from the original on 2009-09-29. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  13. ↑ Tigrone (SS-419) at Navsource.org
  14. ↑ Trutta (SS-421) at Navsource.org
  15. ↑ Torsk (SS-423) at Navsource.org
  16. ↑ "USS Torsk at Historic Ships in Baltimore website". Archived from the original on 2019-09-08. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Friedman 1995, p. 303
  18. ↑ Corsair (SS-435) at Navsource.org
  19. ↑ Unicorn (SS-436) at Navsource.org
  20. ↑ Walrus (SS-437) at Navsource.org
  21. ↑ Argonaut (SS-475) at Navsource.org
  22. ↑ Cutlass (SS-478) at Navsource.org
  23. ↑ Diablo (SS-479) at Navsource.org
  24. ↑ USS Requin website at Carnegie Science Center
  25. ↑ Sea Leopard (SS-483) at Navsource.org
  26. ↑ Odax (SS-484) at Navsource.org
  27. ↑ Sirago (SS-485) at Navsource.org
  28. ↑ Remora (SS-487) at Navsource.org
  29. ↑ Volador (SS-490) at Navsource.org
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 Friedman 1995, p. 304
  31. ↑ Amberjack (SS-522) at Navsource.org
  32. ↑ Grampus (SS-523) at Navsource.org
  33. ↑ Pickerel (SS-524) at Navsource.org
  34. ↑ Grenadier (SS-525) at Navsource.org

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