USS Mingo (SS-261)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see USS Mingo.
Mingo off San Francisco, July 1945
History
United States
NameUSS Mingo
BuilderElectric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut[1]
Laid down21 March 1942[1]
Launched30 November 1942[1]
Sponsored byMrs. Henry L. Pence
Commissioned12 February 1943[1]
DecommissionedJanuary 1947[1]
Recommissioned20 May 1955[1]
Decommissioned15 August 1955[1]
Stricken20 February 1971[1]
FateTransferred to Japan unmodified, 15 August 1955[1]
Japan
NameKuroshio
Acquired15 August 1955
Decommissioned31 March 1966
Fate
  • Returned to U.S. control, 31 March 1966
  • Sold to Japan 20 February 1971,[1]
  • Sunk as a target 1973
Class overview
Preceded byN/A
Succeeded byOyashio class
General characteristics
Class and type
diesel-electric submarine[3]
Displacement
  • 1,525 long tons (1,549 t) (surfaced)[3]
  • 2,424 long tons (2,463 t) (submerged)[3]
Length311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)[3]
Beam27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)[3]
Draft17 ft (5.2 m) maximum[3]
Propulsion
Speed
  • 21 kn (24 mph; 39 km/h) [2]
  • 9 kn (10 mph; 17 km/h) submerged[2]
Range11,000 nmi (13,000 mi; 20,000 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h) (surfaced)[2]
Endurance
  • 48 hours at 2 kn (2.3 mph; 3.7 km/h) submerged[2]
  • 75 days on patrol
Test depth300 ft (91 m)[2]
Complement6 officers, 54 enlisted[2]
Armament

USS Mingo (SS-261) — a

mingo snapper
.

Construction and commissioning

Mingo′s

Electric Boat Company at Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 30 November 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Henry L. Pence, and commissioned
on 12 February 1943.

Operational history

After

Naval Torpedo Station. She cleared Naval Submarine Base New London at New London, Connecticut on 16 May 1943 for the Pacific via the Panama Canal Zone
.

First and second war patrols

After further training at

Sorol Island off the Palaus
before returning to Pearl Harbor for refit.

Her second war patrol — from 29 September-20 November — took her to the

opposed piston engines during this overhaul.[6]
The submarine left the West Coast on 3 February 1944 for continued operations in the Pacific.

Third and fourth war patrols

For her third war patrol, Mingo joined the

Brisbane, Australia, via the Bismarck Sea and Milne Bay, New Guinea, arriving on 9 May. She continued on to Manus, Admiralty Islands
on 10 June for further training.

Mingo left Manus for the

Fremantle, Australia
on 30 July.

Fifth and sixth war patrols

Mingo began her fifth war patrol on 27 August 1944. Although her primary operation was lifeguard duty in support of the US

patrol bomber mistakenly attacked her, dropping a 100-pound (45 kg) bomb which landed 100 yards (91 m) from Mingo, inflicting no damage or casualties.[7]
She moored in Fremantle on 13 October.

Her sixth war patrol, mostly reconnaissance duty, took place west of Borneo. On 25 December, Mingo made a night torpedo attack on a Japanese convoy on a run between Singapore and Brunei, Borneo. Beside damaging an escort gunboat, she sank loaded 9,486-ton tanker Manila Maru. The sinking of a maru of that name was prophetic, for the Japanese were only three months away from losing their hold completely on the ship's namesake, the Philippine capital. After assisting two other submarines in successful attacks, she returned to Fremantle on 29 December for repairs.

Seventh war patrol

Mingo took station at the

Gulf of Siam
before arriving in the Marianas on 10 April.

En route to Hawaii on 14 August, Mingo received word of the end of hostilities. After a short stay at Pearl Harbor, she sailed for the West Coast.

Japanese service, 1955–1966

For other ships with the same name, see Japanese ship Kuroshio.

On 1 January 1947 Mingo decommissioned at Mare Island and entered the

Pacific Reserve Fleet. Recommissioned on 20 May 1955. Mingo was transferred on loan to Japan under the Military Assistance Program and renamed Kuroshio (SS-501) on 15 August. Her initial role was as an underwater training target for surface vessels. She continued to serve the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
as Kuroshio until decommissioned on 31 March 1966. She was sunk as a target in 1973.

Awards

Mingo received five battle stars for World War II service. Five of her seven war patrols were designated "successful".

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 1-55750-263-3
    .
  2. ^ a b c d e f U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305-311
  3. ^
    ISBN 0-313-26202-0
    .
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-313-26202-9
    .
  5. ^ a b c U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311
  6. ISBN 1-55750-263-3
    .
  7. ^ Hinman & Campbell, p. 123.

Bibliography

External links

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