Submarines: Balao Class

[Brian James]

Balao Class Submarine USS Archerfish, best known for sinking Aircraft Carrier IJNS Shinano in November 1944, the largest warship ever sunk by a Submarine.

[DonBoyer]

That's the best view of Archerfish I've ever seen, obviously just post war and at Pearl Harbor. During the war she was credited with two ships -- a little 900 ton gunboat and Shinano, whose weight the US Navy kept waffling back and forth about. The post war US assessment settled on 59,000 tons standard, but more modern sources (Jentschura and Stille) state 64,800 tons standard, probably much closer to the actual displacement at the time. She would have been in the 72,000 tons range at full load. Archerfish's wartime Captain Joseph Enright's book on the stalking and sinking of the Shinano is an excellent submarine yarn too.

[designeraccd]

It is a fine view, popped up yesterday...or should I say.....SURFACED??!

She earned her keep with downing the SHINANO (upper corner of recon pic). DFO

[ivorthediver]

Yes that is a great photo Brian thanks , this class was the next after the Gato if my memory serves me correctly and was a step in the right direction and much acclaimed was she not .

[Brian James]

Balao Class Submarine USS Capelin pictured off the Atlantic coast in August 1943.
She was launched at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine on January 20th 1943.
Capelin sailed from New London, Connecticut,September 3rd 1943, bound for Brisbane, Australia, and duty with Submarine Force, Southwest Pacific. Her first war patrol, conducted in the Molucca Sea, Flores Sea, and Banda Sea between October 30th and November 15th, found her sinking a 3127-ton Japanese cargo ship on November 11th off Ambon Island.
Capelin returned to Darwin, Australia, with a defective conning tower hatch mechanism, excessively noisy bow planes, and a defective radar tube. These flaws were corrected, and Capelin put out on her second war patrol November 17th 1943, in the Molucca Sea and Celebes Sea, and she was to pay particular attention to Kaoe Bay, Morotai Strait, Davao Gulf, and trade routes in the vicinity of Siaoe Island, Sangi Island, Talaud Islands and Sarangani Island. She was to leave her area at dark December 6th.
USS Bonefish (SS-223) reported having seen an American Submarine on December 2nd 1943 in the area assigned to Capelin at that time. The unknown sub quickly dove, probably after sighting Bonefish. Bonefish sent a message via sonar giving Commander Marshall's nickname, 'Steam'. The sub returned an acknowledgement.Following this, Capelin was never heard from again. The Navy broke radio silence on December 9th, but without success.
Japanese records studied after the war listed an attack by Minelayer IJNS Wakataka on a supposed United States Submarine on November 23rd, off Kaoe Bay, Halmahera, with the Japanese ship noting the attack produced oily black water columns that contained wood and cork splinters and later a raft was found. This is the only reported attack in the appropriate area at that time. Also, Japanese minefields are now known to have been placed in various positions along the north coast of Sulawesi (Celebes) in Capelin's area, and she may have been lost because of a mine explosion. Gone without a trace, with all her crew, Capelin remains in the list of ships lost without a known cause....R.I.P..Eternally on Patrol.

[Brian James]

Balao Class Submarine USS Becuna pictured at Pearl Harbor, July 12th 1948.

[DonBoyer]

Behind her is one of the masts of the USS California, which was used as a communications tower during the war. Had no idea it lasted that long post-war. In the background is the USS Nevada, towed to Pearl Harbor in late 1946 after Operations Crossroads. She was sunk as a target in 1948 south of Oahu.

[Brian James]

Balao Class Submarine USS Seacat pictured as she passes Morro Castle at the entrance to Havana Harbor, Cuba, c1951 She was laid down on October 30th 1943 at Portsmouth Navy Yard,Kittery, Maine; launched on February 21st 1944.

[Brian James]

A Shipyard employee works on top of Balao Class Submarine USS Cochino, with her soon to be launched sister USS Blenny in the background,Electric Boat Company Shipyards,Groton,Connecticut,1944.

[Brian James]

Balao Class Submarine USS Archerfish pictured at Hammerfest,Norway in 1960.