List of Tench-class submarines

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 a minelaying accident or enemy action by India.[1] 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.

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.[3]

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.[4][5] 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:

  • AGSS — auxiliary submarine (various roles including sonar testing and some pierside trainers)
  • FS — "fleet snorkel" conversion, including a snorkel and streamlined sail
  • G IA, G II, etc. — various GUPPY conversions, usually including a snorkel, streamlined sail, improved batteries, and upgraded sonar and electronics
  • IXSS — unclassified submarine
  • PT — pierside trainer for naval reservists, reportedly immobilized by removing the propellers[6][7][8]
  • SSR — radar picket submarine
  • Struck — Struck (deleted) from the Naval Vessel Register, usually followed by scrapping or other final disposal, or sale to a foreign navy

Ships in class
Ship Name Hull No. Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned/
Recommissioned		 Decommissioned Fate
Tench SS-417 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine 1 April 1944 7 July 1944 6 October 1944 January 1947 G IA 1951, AGSS 1 October 1969, SS 30 June 1971; struck 15 August 1973, sold to Peru for spares 16 September 1976[9]
October 1950 8 May 1970
Thornback SS-418 5 April 1944 13 October 1944 6 April 1946 G IIA 1953; transferred to Turkey as Uluçalireis 1 July 1971; struck and sold to Turkey 1 August 1973, decommissioned 7 August 2000, memorial at the Rahmi M. Koç Museum in Istanbul, Turkey[9][10][11]
2 October 1953 1 July 1971
Tigrone SS-419 8 May 1944 20 July 1944 25 October 1944 30 March 1946 SSR 5 April 1948, SS 1 March 1961, AGSS (sonar test boat) 1 December 1963; struck 27 June 1975, sunk as target 25 October 1976[9][12]
1 November 1948 1 November 1957
10 March 1962 27 June 1975
Tirante SS-420 28 April 1944 9 August 1944 6 November 1944 20 July 1946 G IIA 1953; struck 1 October 1973, sold for scrap 21 March 1974[1][9]
26 November 1952 1 October 1973
Trutta SS-421 22 May 1944 18 August 1944 16 November 1944 March 1946 G IIA 1953; struck and sold to Turkey as Cerbe 1 July 1972; decommissioned 23 July 1999, sold for scrap on unknown date[9][13]
1 March 1951 14 May 1952
2 January 1953 1 July 1972
Toro SS-422 27 May 1944 23 August 1944 8 December 1944 2 February 1946 AGSS 1 July 1962; struck 1 April 1963, sold for scrap April 1965[1][9]
13 May 1947 11 March 1963
Torsk SS-423 7 June 1944 6 September 1944 16 December 1944 4 March 1968 FS 1952, AGSS 1 May 1968, PT 1968-1971, IXSS 30 June 1971; struck 15 December 1971, memorial in Baltimore, Maryland[9][14][15]
4 March 1968 15 December 1971
Quillback SS-424 27 June 1944 1 October 1944 29 December 1944 April 1952 G IIA 1953; struck 23 March 1973, sold for scrap 21 March 1974[9]
27 February 1953 23 March 1973
Corsair SS-435 Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut 1 March 1945 3 May 1946 8 November 1946 1 February 1963 AGSS 1 April 1960; struck 1 February 1963, sold for scrap 21 October 1963[16][17]
Unicorn SS-436 21 June 1945 1 August 1946 N/A N/A Cancelled 7 January 1946, suspended 30 January 1946, reinstated 26 February 1946, accepted but never commissioned 3 September 1946, placed in reserve fleet; struck 9 June 1958, sold for scrap 10 July 1959[1][16][18]
Walrus SS-437 20 September 1946 Cancelled 7 January 1946, suspended 30 January 1946, reinstated 26 February 1946, accepted but never commissioned 2 October 1946, placed in reserve fleet; struck 9 June 1958, sold for scrap 7 October 1959[1][16][19]
Argonaut SS-475 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine 28 June 1944 1 October 1944 15 January 1945 2 December 1968 FS 1952; struck and sold to Canada as Rainbow 2 December 1968; decommissioned by Canada 31 December 1974, sold for scrap 24 March 1977[16][20]
Runner SS-476 10 July 1945 17 October 1944 6 February 1945 29 June 1970 FS 1952, AGSS 1 February 1969, PT 1970-1971, IXSS 30 June 1971; struck 15 December 1971, sold for scrap 19 June 1973[16]
29 June 1970 15 December 1971
Conger SS-477 11 July 1944 14 February 1945 29 July 1963 AGSS 9 March 1962; struck 1 August 1963, sold for scrap 9 July 1964[16]
Cutlass SS-478 22 July 1944 5 November 1944 17 March 1945 12 April 1973 G II 1948; struck and sold to Taiwan as Hai Shih 12 April 1973, reportedly still in service[16][21]
Diablo SS-479 11 August 1944 1 December 1944 31 March 1945 1 June 1964 AGSS 19 July 1962, FS 1964; struck and transferred to Pakistan as Ghazi 1 June 1964, lost due to possible minelaying accident or enemy action by India, 4 December 1971[16][22]
Medregal SS-480 21 August 1944 15 December 1944 14 April 1945 1 August 1970 FS 1952, AGSS 1 May 1967, SS 1 October 1969; struck 1 August 1970, sold for scrap 13 June 1972[16]
Requin SS-481 24 August 1944 1 January 1945 28 April 1945 2 December 1968 Radar picket 1946, redesignated as SSR 20 January 1948, SS 15 August 1959, AGSS 29 June 1968, PT 1969-1971, IXSS 30 June 1971; struck 20 December 1971, memorial in Pittsburgh, PA[16][23]
2 December 1968 20 December 1971
Irex SS-482 2 October 1944 26 January 1945 14 May 1945 17 November 1969 Prototype FS 1947, AGSS 30 June 1969; struck 17 November 1969, sold for scrap 13 September 1971[16]
Sea Leopard SS-483 7 November 1944 2 March 1945 11 June 1945 27 March 1973 G II 1949; struck and sold to Brazil as Bahia 27 March 1973; decommissioned and scrapped 1998[16][24]
Odax SS-484 4 December 1944 10 April 1945 11 July 1945 8 July 1972 G I 1947, G II 1951; struck and sold to Brazil as Rio de Janeiro 8 July 1972; decommissioned 16 November 1978, sold for scrap 18 June 1981[16][25]
Sirago SS-485 3 January 1945 11 May 1945 13 August 1945 1 June 1972 G II 1949; struck 1 June 1972, sold for scrap 2 May 1973[16][26]
Pomodon SS-486 29 January 1945 12 June 1945 11 September 1945 1 April 1955 G I 1947, G II 1951; struck 1 August 1970, sold for scrap 26 January 1972[16]
2 July 1955 1 August 1970
Remora SS-487 5 March 1945 12 July 1945 3 January 1946 29 October 1973 G II 1947, G III 1962; struck and sold to Greece as Katsonis 29 October 1973; decommissioned 30 March 1993, sold for scrap on unknown date[16][27]
Sarda SS-488 12 April 1945 24 August 1945 19 April 1946 1 June 1964 AGSS 19 July 1962; struck 1 June 1964, sold for scrap 14 May 1965[16]
Spinax SS-489 14 May 1945 20 November 1945 20 September 1946 11 October 1969 Completed as radar picket, redesignated as SSR 20 January 1948, SS 15 August 1959, AGSS 30 June 1969; struck 11 October 1969, sold for scrap 13 June 1972[16]
Volador SS-490 15 June 1945 21 May 1948 1 October 1948 18 August 1972 Suspended 30 January 1946, completed as G II 1948, G III 1963; transferred to Italy as Gianfranco Gazzana Priaroggia 18 August 1972, struck and sold to Italy 5 December 1977; struck by Italy 31 May 1981, fate unknown[16][28]
Pompano SS-491 16 July 1945 N/A N/A N/A Cancelled 12 August 1945, broken up on slip[1][16]
Grayling SS-492 N/A Cancelled 12 August 1945[1]
Needlefish SS-493
Sculpin SS-494
Unnamed SS-495 through SS-515 Cancelled 29 July 1944[1]
Wahoo SS-516 Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California 15 May 1944 Cancelled 7 January 1946, broken up on slip[1][16]
Unnamed SS-517 29 June 1944 Cancelled 29 July 1944, broken up on slip[1][29]
Wahoo SS-518 N/A Cancelled 29 July 1944[1]
Unnamed SS-519 through SS-521
Amberjack SS-522 Boston Naval Shipyard, Charlestown, Massachusetts 8 February 1944 15 December 1944 4 March 1946 17 October 1973 G II 1947; struck and sold to Brazil as Ceará 17 October 1973, fate unknown[29][30]
Grampus SS-523 26 October 1949 13 May 1972 Suspended 17 January 1946, completed as G II; struck and sold to Brazil as Rio Grande do Sul 13 May 1972, sold for scrap 18 June 1981[29][31]
Pickerel SS-524 4 April 1949 18 August 1972 Suspended 17 January 1946, completed as G II, G III 1962; struck and transferred to Italy as Primo Longobordo 18 August 1972, sold to Italy 5 December 1977; decommissioned by Italy 31 January 1980, sold for scrap 31 May 1981[29][32]
Grenadier SS-525 10 February 1951 15 May 1973 Suspended 17 January 1946, completed as G II; struck and sold to Venezuela as Picua 15 May 1973; decommissioned by Venezuela 16 November 1978, struck 1 January 1980, sold for scrap 18 June 1981[29][33]
Dorado SS-526 N/A N/A N/A N/A Cancelled 29 July 1944[1]
Comber SS-527
Sea Panther SS-528
Tiburon SS-529
Unnamed SS-537 through SS-544
Unnamed SS-545 through SS-547 Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut Cancelled 28 March 1945[1]
Unnamed SS-548 through SS-550 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine Cancelled 27 March 1945[1]

References
  1. 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. GUPPY and other diesel boat conversions page
  4. Silverstone, pp. 203-204
  5. Gardiner and Chesneau, pp. 145-147
  6. 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
  7. Friedman 1995, p. 285
  8. "Guavina (SS-362)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command.
  9. Friedman 1995, p. 302
  10. Thornback (SS-418) at Navsource.org
  11. "Marine exhibits at Rahmi M. Koç Museum website". Archived from the original on 2009-09-29. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  12. Tigrone (SS-419) at Navsource.org
  13. Trutta (SS-421) at Navsource.org
  14. Torsk (SS-423) at Navsource.org
  15. USS Torsk at Historic Ships in Baltimore website
  16. Friedman 1995, p. 303
  17. Corsair (SS-435) at Navsource.org
  18. Unicorn (SS-436) at Navsource.org
  19. Walrus (SS-437) at Navsource.org
  20. Argonaut (SS-475) at Navsource.org
  21. Cutlass (SS-478) at Navsource.org
  22. Diablo (SS-479) at Navsource.org
  23. USS Requin website at Carnegie Science Center
  24. Sea Leopard (SS-483) at Navsource.org
  25. Odax (SS-484) at Navsource.org
  26. Sirago (SS-485) at Navsource.org
  27. Remora (SS-487) at Navsource.org
  28. Volador (SS-490) at Navsource.org
  29. Friedman 1995, p. 304
  30. Amberjack (SS-522) at Navsource.org
  31. Grampus (SS-523) at Navsource.org
  32. Pickerel (SS-524) at Navsource.org
  33. Grenadier (SS-525) at Navsource.org
  • Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
  • Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-83170-303-2.
  • Silverstone, Paul H. (1989) [1965]. U.S. Warships of World War II. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-773-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Further reading
  • Blair, Clay, Jr. (2001). Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-217-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Friedman, Norman (1994). U.S. Submarines since 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-260-9.
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