USS Hawkbill (SS-366)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see USS Hawkbill (SSN-666).
Hawkbill (SS-366), launches sideways into the Manitowoc River on 9 January 1944.
Hawkbill (SS-366), launches sideways into the Manitowoc River, 9 January 1944.
History
United States
NameUSS Hawkbill (SS-366)
BuilderManitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wisconsin[1]
Laid down7 August 1943[1]
Launched9 January 1944[1]
Commissioned17 May 1944[1]
Decommissioned20 September 1946[1]
Recommissioned1953[1]
Decommissioned21 April 1953[1]
FateTransferred to the Netherlands, 21 April 1953,[2] sold to the Netherlands, 20 February 1970[1]
Stricken20 February 1970[2]
Royal Netherlands Navy EnsignNetherlands
NameHNLMS Zeeleeuw (S803)
Acquired21 April 1953
FateSold for scrap, 24 November 1970
General characteristics
Class and type
diesel-electric submarine[2]
Displacement
  • 1,526 tons (1,550 t) surfaced[2]
  • 2,424 tons (2,463 t) submerged[2]
Length311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)[2]
Beam27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)[2]
Draft16 ft 10 in (5.13 m) maximum[2]
Propulsion
Speed
  • 20.25 knots (38 km/h) surfaced[3]
  • 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged[3]
Range11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)[3]
Endurance
  • 48 hours at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) submerged[3]
  • 75 days on patrol
Test depth400 ft (120 m)[3]
Complement10 officers, 70–71 enlisted[3]
Armament

USS Hawkbill (SS-366), a

hawksbill, a large sea turtle
(the "-s-" was inadvertently dropped at commissioning.).

Construction and commissioning

Hawkbill (SS-366) was launched by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin,on 9 January 1944, sponsored by Mrs. F. W. Scanland, Jr., and commissioned on 17 May 1944.

Operational history

Following a period of training on the

gross register ton Panamamanian merchant ship SS White Clover mistook her for a German U-boat and opened gunfire on her in the Caribbean Sea about 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) south of Cape San Antonio, Cuba, at 21°31′N 085°04′W / 21.517°N 85.067°W / 21.517; -85.067, firing six rounds.[7] Hawkbill signaled White Clover to cease firing and suffered no casualties or damage.[7]

After completing her training from Balboa, Hawkbill arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 28 July 1944 for final preparations before her first war patrol.

First and Second War Patrols

Departing 23 August, the submarine steamed via

Fremantle, Australia
on 17 October.

In company with Becuna and

Malay Barrier. She encountered a convoy 15 December and sank destroyer Momo
with six well-placed torpedoes during a night attack. Finding few contacts—a testament to the effectiveness of the American submarines—Hawkbill headed once more for Lombok Strait. This time she was sighted by a patrol craft, but cleverly maneuvered into a rain squall. The submarine was then fired-upon by shore batteries before passing out of range. Hawkbill returned to Fremantle 5 January 1945.

Third and Fourth War Patrols

On her third war patrol beginning 5 February, the submarine returned to Lombok Strait to turn the tables on her former pursuers. Her torpedoes sank two submarine chasers 14 February, and she added some small craft before turning for the South China Sea. Hawkbill detected a convoy 20 February; after engaging one escort with gunfire, she sank 5,400-ton cargo ship Daizen Maru with a spread of torpedoes. The rest of her patrol brought no targets; she arrived Fremantle 6 April 1945.

IJN Hatsutaka 1939

Departing on her fourth patrol 5 May, Hawkbill served on lifeguard station for a

Gulf of Siam, she arrived Subic Bay
18 June 1945.

Fifth War Patrol and Japanese Surrender

Hawkbill departed for her fifth and last war patrol 12 July. Returning to the coast of Malaya, she attacked a convoy 18 July. Her first torpedoes missed, and an hour later a

Anambas Islands
, also in the South China Sea, the versatile submarine returned to Borneo 13 August.

Following the surrender of Japan, Hawkbill sailed to Pearl Harbor, departing 22 September 1945 for

GUPPY IB conversion and loaned to the Netherlands
under the Military Assistance Program 21 April 1953.

HNLMS Zeeleeuw (S803)

Hr.Ms. Zeeleeuw (S803) underway in 1959.

The submarine was commissioned in the Royal Netherlands Navy as HNLMS Zeeleeuw (S803), the first Dutch naval ship to be named for the sealion. Zeeleeuw reached Rotterdam 11 June, in time to participate successfully in NATO summer exercises, 'beating' the Royal Navy as well as the U.S. Navy. On 24 November 1970, Zeeleeuw was sold for scrap.

Honors and awards

Hawkbill received six

battle stars for World War II service. All five of her war patrols were designated "successful," and she received a Navy Unit Commendation
for her outstanding performance on patrols 1, 3, and 4.

References

Citations

  1. ^
    ISBN 1-55750-263-3
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 0-313-26202-0
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e f U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305-311
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-313-26202-9
    .
  5. ^ U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 261–263
  6. ^ a b c U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311
  7. ^ a b Hinman & Campbell, p. 104.

Bibliography

External links
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