Submarines: Gato Class

[Brian James]

Gato Class Submarines USS Scamp,USS Scorpion and USS Steelhead pictured under various stages of construction at Portsmouth Navy Yard,July 7th 1942.
Both Scamp and Scorpion were lost with all hands in 1944. Steelhead however,survived the war and was scrapped in 1960.

[DonBoyer]

Portsmouth, Mare Island and Manitowoc produced the majority of the subs during the war. Cramp Shipbuilding did a few, but by the time the war came around, Cramp was failing, with poor management and a lot of other problems and the Cramp products were riddled with problems and only a few were produced. From having once been a premier ship builder for the US navy during the Steel Navy era and through WW I, Cramp went under shortly after the end of WW II.

[Brian James]

Launch day for the ill fated Gato Class Submarine USS Wahoo,to her left is sister ship USS Whale,Mare Island Navy Yard,February 14th 1942....Wahoo was sunk by Japanese ships and aircraft in the La Pérouse Strait on October 1943 while returning home from a patrol in the Sea of Japan.

[Brian James]

Gato Class Submarine USS Wahoo pictured off Mare Island Navy Yard on August 10th 1942.Sadly she was sunk by Japanese ships and aircraft with all hands off La Pérouse Strait,(Sakhalin Island),October 11th 1943.

[Brian James]

Gato Class Submarine USS Silversides pictured fitting out at Mare Island Navy Yard on October 1st 1941....She was one of the most successful Submarines in the Pacific Theater of World War II, with 23 confirmed sinkings, totalling more than 90,000 long tons (91,444 t) of shipping. She received a Presidential Unit Citation for cumulative action over four patrols, and twelve battle stars. She presently serves as a Museum Ship at Muskegon, Michigan, and is a National Historic Landmark.

[Brian James]

WWII veteran, Gato Class Submarine USS Tunny pictured loading a Regulus I guided missile at San Diego in April 1955.

[Brian James]

Gato Class Submarines, USS Scamp, Scorpion and Steelhead pictured on the ways in various stages of construction at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine on July 7th 1942.

[Brian James]

Gato Class Submarine USS Guavina pictured as she comes alongside a Sub Tender in Seeadler Harbor, Los Negros, carrying the rescued flyers of the 394th Bomb Squadron, 5th Bomb Group, who were shot down while on a mission over Yap Island, July 1944.

[Brian James]

Gato Class Submarine USS Bashaw pictured at Wellington, NZ in 1957...Bashaw arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea on March 3rd 1944. From March 10th 1944 – April 29th 1945, she completed six war patrols in the Celebes, Philippine, and South China Seas. Bashaw sank three Japanese merchant vessels - totaling 19,269 tons - as well as several small craft.

[Brian James]

The legendary Gato Class Submarine USS Harder pictured under refit at Mare Island Navy Yard on February 7th 1944...She was sunk, with the loss of all hands, by enemy vessels off Dasol Bay, Luzon on August 24th 1944...RIP..Lest We Forget.