USS Bluefish (SS-222)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see USS Bluefish.

Bluefish slides down the ways at Groton, 21 February 1943.
History
United States
BuilderElectric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut[2]
Laid down5 June 1942[2]
Launched21 February 1943[1]
Sponsored byMrs. Robert Y. Menzie
Commissioned24 May 1943[2]
Decommissioned12 February 1947[2]
Recommissioned7 January 1952[2]
Decommissioned20 November 1953[2]
Stricken1 September 1958[2]
FateSold for scrap, 8 June 1960[1]
General characteristics
Class and type
diesel-electric submarine[1]
Displacement
  • 1,525 long tons (1,549 t) surfaced[1]
  • 2,424 long tons (2,463 t) submerged[1]
Length311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)[1]
Beam27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)[1]
Draft17 ft (5.2 m) maximum[1]
Propulsion
Speed
  • 21 kn (24 mph; 39 km/h) surfaced[3]
  • 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged[3]
Range11,000 nautical miles (13,000 mi; 20,000 km) surfaced at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)[3]
Endurance
  • 48 hours at 2 kn (4 km/h) submerged[3]
  • 75 days on patrol
Test depth300 ft (90 m)[3]
Complement6 officers, 54 enlisted[3] (peacetime)
Armament

USS Bluefish (SS-222), a

JANAC accounting,[7][page needed] Bluefish sank 12 Japanese
ships totaling 50,839 tons.

Construction and training

Bluefish was laid down 5 June 1942 by

Task Force 72 (TF 72) at Brisbane
, Australia on 21 August 1943.

First war patrol

Bluefish departed Brisbane on 9 September 1943 to patrol the South China Sea for 25 days.[9] On 25 September Bluefish torpedoed the Japanese merchantman Akashi Maru (3228 GRT) south-east of Celebes, Netherlands East Indies, in the Flores Sea. While following the damaged Akashi Maru, Bluefish torpedoed and sank the Japanese torpedo boat Kasasagi (595 tons) on 27 September about 25 nmi (46 km; 29 mi) south of Celebes. On 29 September Bluefish found and sank the damaged Akashi Maru north of Wetar.[10]

Second war patrol

Bluefish departed

Basilan Island.[10]

Third war patrol

Bluefish departed Fremantle in December 1943 for a 27-day patrol of the South China Sea.[9] On 30 December, she sank the Japanese oiler Ichiyu Maru (5061 GRT) in the Java Sea. After laying mines off the eastern Malayan coast on 3 January 1944, Bluefish attacked a Japanese convoy off Indo-China together with Rasher. Bluefish torpedoed and sank the Japanese tanker Hakko Maru (6046 GRT) on 4 January.[10]

Fourth war patrol

Bluefish departed Fremantle in February 1944 under the command of Charles M. Henderson for a 58-day patrol of the South China Sea.[11] on 4 March Bluefish torpedoed and sank the Japanese oiler Ominesan Maru (10536 GRT) in the South China Sea about 300 nmi (560 km; 350 mi) west of Miri, Sarawak.[10]

Fifth war patrol

Bluefish departed Fremantle in May 1944 for a 53-day patrol of the Celebes Sea.[12] On 16 June, she sank the Japanese merchant Nanshin Maru (1422 GRT) in the Celebes Sea south-west of Tarakan, Borneo. On 21 June, she sank the Japanese transport Kanan Maru (3280 GRT) off the southern approaches to Makassar Strait.[10]

Sixth war patrol

Bluefish departed Fremantle in July 1944 for a 54-day patrol to Pearl Harbor.

Awa Maru (11,249 GRT) at 17°36′N 119°38′E / 17.600°N 119.633°E / 17.600; 119.633.[10]

Seventh war patrol

Bluefish departed Pearl Harbor in February 1945 for an unproductive 42-day patrol of Japanese coastal waters.[14]

Eighth war patrol

Bluefish departed Pearl Harbor in April 1945 under the command of George W. Forbes for an unproductive 38-day patrol to Fremantle.[15]

Ninth war patrol

Bluefish departed Fremantle in June 1945 for a 33-day patrol of the South China Sea.

Netherlands East Indies, at 00°04′N 105°08′E / 0.067°N 105.133°E / 0.067; 105.133.[10]

Post-war operations

With the cessation of hostilities, Bluefish returned to the United States, arriving at

16th Fleet
and on 31 October moved to the Submarine Base, New London. She was later towed to Electric Boat Co., Groton, where she underwent repairs. On 12 June 1946 she returned to New London where she went out of commission in reserve 12 February 1947.

Bluefish was recommissioned 7 January 1952 at the Submarine Base, New London, and reported to

Atlantic Fleet. On 7 April she proceeded to Key West, Florida, and reported to Submarine Division 41 on 11 April. She operated along the Florida coast and in the Caribbean
, engaging in local operations and training exercises until May 1953.

On 7 June 1953 Bluefish arrived at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Following pre-inactivation overhaul at the shipyard, she was placed out of commission in reserve at New London 20 November 1953.

Honors and awards

References

Citations

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-313-26202-0
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 1-55750-263-3
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e f U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305-311
  4. ^
    OCLC 24010356
    .
  5. ^ U.S. Submarines Through 1945 p. 261
  6. ^ a b c U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311
  7. ^ Blair
  8. ^ Hinman & Campbell, p. 26.
  9. ^ a b c Blair, pp.910 & 911
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Bluefish (SS-222)". uboat.net. Guðmundur Helgason. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  11. ^ Blair, p.920
  12. ^ Blair, p.922
  13. ^ Blair, p.930
  14. ^ Blair, p.942
  15. ^ Blair, p.950
  16. ^ Blair, p.948

Bibliography

External links
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