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103-642: USS Piranha (SS-389/AGSS-389) , a Balao -class submarine , was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the piranha . Piranha conducted six war patrols during World War II , receiving five battle stars . She was scrapped in 1970. Piranha was laid down 21 June 1943 by Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine ; launched 27 October 1943; sponsored by Mrs. William S. Farber; and commissioned 5 February 1944. After East Coast training, Piranha departed Key West 3 April 1944 for

206-520: A "wet" mount with corrosion resistant materials, and with power-operated loading and aiming features removed. This conversion started in late 1943, and some boats had two of these weapons beginning in late 1944. Spadefish , commissioned in March 1944, was the first newly built submarine with the purpose-built 5-inch/25 submarine mount. Additional anti-aircraft guns included single 40 mm Bofors and twin 20 mm Oerlikon mounts, usually one of each. Like

309-579: A Japanese businessman named Nishizawa Yoshizi (西澤吉次) established a guano collecting station. He destroyed the Dawang Joss House (大王庙), dug up graves and poured the bone ashes of Chinese fishermen into the sea, and renamed the atoll "Nishizawa Island". After a diplomatic confrontation, Chinese sovereignty was re-established, and Nishizawa withdrew, after being compensated by the Guangdong provincial government, and after paying compensation for

412-548: A PRC air force Y-8 plane entered the Taiwan ADIZ between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island, the fifth day in December that PRC military aircraft entered Taiwan's ADIZ. Pratas Island is located 444 km (276 mi) from the rest of Kaoshiung , 850 kilometres (530 miles) southwest of Taipei , 320 kilometres (200 miles) southeast of Hong Kong and 260 km (160 mi) south of Shantou , Guangdong in

515-405: A cargo carrier. Experimentation ended in early 1950, and she was decommissioned into the reserve on 30 June 1950. In 1955, she was converted to a Regulus missile submarine and redesignated as an SSG. As of 2007 Tusk , a Balao -class submarine, was one of the last two operational submarines in the world built during World War II. The boat was transferred to Taiwan 's Republic of China Navy in

618-564: A classic exhibition of submarine versatility. With her attack group she sought targets on the convoy lanes from Luzon to Formosa and Hong Kong . She spent 17 days on lifeguard during airstrikes on Formosa, on 27 February sinking a junk presumably serving as aircraft spotter. Piranha was foiled by a large fleet of fishing junks from making a rapid approach on a convoy reported leaving Hong Kong 5 March. Daringly resorting to an ancient ruse of naval warfare, she improvised an Imperial Japanese Navy naval ensign and ran it up. The deception

721-601: A depth of 4.1 metres (13 ft) lies 30 metres (98 ft) off North Vereker Bank. Two to three miles of deep water separate North Vereker Bank and South Vereker Bank. South Vereker Bank ( 南衛灘 ) rises to 58 metres (190 ft) below sea level. A well head, in a depth of over 100 metres (330 ft), lies 28 mi (45 km) north of the Vereker Banks at 21°38′N 116°03′E  /  21.633°N 116.050°E  / 21.633; 116.050 . The associated production platform and SPM make up Lu Feng Terminal;

824-630: A depth of 612 ft (187 m) during a test dive, and exceeded that test depth when taking on water in the forward torpedo room while evading a destroyer. The Balao s were similar to the Gato s, except they were modified to increase test depth from 300 ft (90 m) to 400 ft (120 m). In late 1941, two of the Navy's leading submarine designers, Captain Andrew McKee and Commander Armand Morgan, met to explore increasing diving depth in

927-597: A freighter 14 June, sank a coastal tanker and destroyed a trawler laden with oil drums by gunfire 17 June. On 22 June 1945, she fired two torpedoes at the escort ship CD-196 at 39°31′N 142°39′E  /  39.517°N 142.650°E  / 39.517; 142.650 blowing off her rudder and killing two crewman. Two more trawlers fell to her gun 23 June. Though slightly damaged when their escort retaliated with depth charges, Piranha returned safely to Pearl Harbor 10 July. Her sixth and last war patrol lasted 14 hours; she had sailed from Pearl Harbor 14 August and

1030-581: A group of volunteers to sleep overnight in the crew's quarters. The following is a complete list of Balao -class museum boats: USS  Clamagore  (SS-343) served as a museum boat at Patriots Point in Charleston, South Carolina until being closed in 2021 and scrapped two years later. Additionally the USS ; Ling  (SS-297) is aground in the Hackensack River at the site of

1133-606: A heavy depth charge attack, but outsmarted the patrol vessel, returning to Pearl Harbor 23 October. During her third war patrol, again with an attack group, besides seeking worthwhile targets in the East China Sea 19 November to 13 January 1945, Piranha served as lifeguard during B-29 strikes on Kyūshū . She scored two hits on a merchantman 8 January {No.2 Shinto Maru}, only to be driven off by an escort without being able to regain attack position. Refitted at Guam , Piranha sailed 11 February for her fourth war patrol,

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1236-504: A large number of reefs in the northern South China Sea. The protection of the island and surrounding reefs by the Taiwanese government as Dongsha Atoll National Park may therefore benefit the entire region. Pratas Island is 2.8 km (1.7 mi) long and 0.865 km (0.537 mi) wide; it is the only feature of the group above sea level . The island is made up of coral atolls and reef flats. Brush, vines and bushes cover some of

1339-471: A lighthouse on the main island on the atoll. Despite an offer by a British businessman in Xiamen (Amoy) to build it, it was decided that the cost was too great and the matter lapsed. It is clear from the correspondence that no one supposed the atoll to be a part of any known jurisdiction, so negotiations might have been required to ensure that any construction would be legal. One consequence of that initiative

1442-615: A network of underground bunkers. According to regulations updated on December 2, 2020, in the event that communication is cut off between mainland Taiwan and Pratas Island or Taiping Island (Itu Aba), the highest-ranking local officer can make the decision to fire back at assailants. The People's Republic of China claims the Pratas Islands ( 东沙群岛 ) as part of Chengqu , Shanwei (Swabue), Guangdong Province . According to an anonymous PLA source, plans created around 2010 by China for an air defence identification zone in

1545-453: A redesigned Gato . A switch to a new High-Tensile Steel (HTS) alloy, combined with an increase in hull thickness from 9 ⁄ 16 inch (14.3 mm) to 7 ⁄ 8 inch (22.2 mm), would result in a test depth of 450 ft (140 m) and a collapse depth of 900 ft (270 m). However, the limited capacity of the trim pump at deep depths, and lack of time to design a new pump, caused Rear Admiral E. L. Cochrane, Chief of

1648-562: A regular civilian charter flight by Uni Air had to abandon its trip from the main island of Taiwan to Pratas Island when Hong Kong air traffic controllers told the captain of the aircraft that there were "dangerous activities" happening below 26,000 ft (7,900 m) and that the Uni Air aircraft could not enter the Hong Kong Flight Information Region (FIR). The transcript of the conversation between

1751-499: Is Office No. 67. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications issued the 'South China Sea Islands Map Stamps' in 1996, as a set of two stamps. The inscription 'South China Sea Defense' from the national stone tablet on Pratas Island was printed on the five-dollar stamp, and the 'Defend the South China Sea' inscription from the national stone tablet on Taiping Island was printed on the seventeen-dollar stamp. The background

1854-556: Is often stated as the maximum in various publications. In practice during the war, submarines went out with at least 8 torpedoes, and the largest minefields laid were 32 mines. Post-war, the Mk ;49 mine replaced the Mk 12, while the larger Mk 27 mine was also carried which only allowed one mine replacing one torpedo. This was the most numerous US submarine class; 120 of these boats were commissioned from February 1943 through September 1948, with 12 commissioned postwar. Nine of

1957-400: Is said that the statue of Guan Gong came to Pratas Island on a canoe in 1948. The soldiers on Pratas Island built a temple to worship her in 1975. Today, the canoe is still kept in the temple. The joss sticks and candles are donated by soldiers, as was the golden sign hung in front of the statue. There is an 'Ever Green' pavilion in front of the temple which was also built by the soldiers. It

2060-888: Is the Wade–Giles -derived romanization of the Mandarin Chinese name for the island, and Dongsha Island ( Dongsha Dao ) is the pinyin -derived name. A smaller island with the same Chinese character name is located in the Taiwan-administered Dongyin Township in the Matsu Islands in the East China Sea . The area including the island, atoll and banks is also called the Pratas Islands ( Chinese : 東沙群島 ; pinyin : Dōngshā Qúndǎo ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Tang-soa Kûn-tó ; lit. 'East Sand Islands' ),

2163-852: Is the most verdant place on the island. The Minister for Internal Affairs of the ROC erected the South China Sea Defense stone tablet to declare Republic of China sovereignty in 1989. In July 1991 the Kaohsiung City Government erected the Pratas Island measuring memorial stone tablet as a symbol that Pratas Island falls within the jurisdiction of Kaohsiung City. Within Kaohsiung, the island belongs to Cijin District (Qijin). The ROC Government established

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2266-621: Is visited largely by fishermen, military personnel and researchers. Amateur radio operators participating in the DXCC and Islands on the Air awards programs also visit occasionally. An obelisk was erected after 1946. In 1954 the ROC Government personnel stationed on Pratas erected a stone tablet on the southern side of the island, facing the ocean. The Da Wang temple is dedicated to 'Kuang Kang' and 'The South China Sea Goddess' - Mazu . It

2369-671: The Balao class. Elliott Company motors were fitted primarily to boats with Fairbanks-Morse engines. General Electric motors were fitted primarily to boats with General Motors engines, but some Fairbanks-Morse boats received General Electric motors. Allis-Chalmers motors were to be used in SS-530 through SS-536, but those seven boats were cancelled before even receiving names. Earlier submarines carried four high-speed electric motors (two per shaft), which had to be fitted with reduction gears to slow their outputs down to an appropriate speed for

2472-633: The Boston Navy Yard on 15 March 1945, after a yard worker mistakenly opened the inner door of an aft torpedo tube that already had the outer door open. No personnel were lost in the accident and she was raised, decommissioned, and never completed or repaired. Her 42 days in commission is the record for the shortest commissioned service of any USN submarine. Postwar, she was laid up in the Reserve Fleet until stricken in 1958 and scrapped in 1959. Postwar, 55 Balao s were modernized under

2575-460: The Bureau of Ships , to limit test depth to 400 ft (120 m). Fortunately, in 1944 a redesigned Gould centrifugal pump replaced the noisy early-war pump, and effective diving depth was increased. The Balao s incorporated the fairwater , conning tower and periscope shears reduction efforts that were being retrofitted to the Gato s and the preceding classes in the original design, refining

2678-630: The Dongsha Atoll National Park , the first marine national park in Taiwan. On 8 January 2013, an office of Chunghwa Post was established on Pratas Island. In September 2020, the PRC conducted air drills over the waters between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island that intruded into the ROC air defense identification zone (ADIZ). The planes were issued radio warnings by the ROC military until they left. On 15 October 2020,

2781-478: The Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization II (FRAM II) program. All except Tiru , the pilot conversion, were lengthened by 15 feet in the forward part of the control room to provide a new sonar space, berthing, electronics space, and storerooms. Tiru was lengthened only 12.5 feet, and both forward diesel engines were removed. The other GUPPY IIIs retained all four engines. A taller "Northern" sail

2884-655: The Panama Canal and her base, Pearl Harbor , arriving 18 May for final training. With Guardfish  (SS-217) , Thresher  (SS-200) , and Apogon  (SS-308) , she made her first war patrol between 14 June and 8 August. The coordinated attack group prowled waters west and north of Luzon , striking fiercely and with notable success at Japanese convoys . Piranha ’s victims were Nichiran Maru , sunk 12 July, and Seattle Maru , sunk four days later. Several times attacked by enemy aircraft and dodging surface patrol craft, Piranha returned safely to Majuro . For

2987-632: The Taiwan Affairs Office of the PRC was asked whether, in light of PLA military exercises in Fujian and Guangdong , there was or was not a plan to take Pratas Island from the ROC. Feng responded that she did not have to answer hypothetical questions. On 2 November, eight Chinese PLAAF aircraft breached the ROC ADIZ above an area of sea near Pratas Island. On 3 November, Y-8 plane entered

3090-628: The Tungsha Islands and the Dongsha Islands . Despite these names, Pratas Island is the only island; there is no group of islands. Yoshiyuki Ogasawara in The Diplomat described the other entities as "essentially rocks". The East Indiaman Earl Talbot was wrecked on Pratas Island on or about 22 October 1800 with the loss of all aboard. At the time the island was known to British sailors as "Perates". In 1851,

3193-507: The lead-acid type . This increased the total number of battery cells from 252 to 504; the downside was the compact batteries had to be replaced every 18 months instead of every 5 years. The Sargo II battery was developed as a lower-cost alternative to the expensive Guppy battery. All GUPPYs received a snorkel, with a streamlined sail and bow. Also, the electric motors were upgraded to the direct drive double- armature type, along with modernized electrical and air conditioning systems. All except

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3296-646: The 1990s, and Tusk remains active in Taiwan 's Republic of China Navy as Hai Pao . Interested in maintaining a ready pool of trained reservists , the Navy assigned at least 58 submarines from 1946 to 1971 to various coastal and inland ports (even in Great Lakes ports like Cleveland , Chicago , and Detroit ), where they served as training platforms during the Reservists' weekend drills. At least 20 Balao -class boats served in this capacity. In this role,

3399-808: The 52 US submarines lost in World War II were of this class, along with five lost postwar, including one in Turkish service in 1953, one in Argentine service in the Falklands War of 1982, and one in Peruvian service in 1988. Also, Lancetfish flooded and sank while fitting out at the Boston Naval Shipyard on 15 March 1945. She was raised but not repaired, and was listed with the reserve fleet postwar until struck in 1958. Some of

3502-543: The ADIZ of the ROC in the area between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island. On 4 November, the ROC Minister of National Defense, Yen Teh-fa , stated in a legislative hearing that since January 2020, 276 PRC military planes had entered the airspace between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island, activity that Yen associated with plans by the PRC for a creating its own ADIZ in the South China Sea. On 6 December,

3605-610: The British screw sloop HMS  Reynard wrecked on the south-east bend of Pratas Atoll while going to the aid of another wrecked vessel; the crew were all saved. Decades later, the boilers and parts of the machinery of the wreckage of HMS Reynard remained visible on the atoll. In 1859–1861, there was a correspondence between the British Colonial Office and the Hong Kong colonial authorities about building

3708-699: The Fleet Snorkel and Greater Underwater Propulsion Power ( GUPPY ) programs, with some continuing in US service into the early 1970s. The last Balao -class submarine in United States service was USS  Clamagore  (SS-343) , which was decommissioned in June 1975. Seven were converted to roles as diverse as guided-missile submarines (SSG) and amphibious transport submarines (SSP). 46 were transferred to foreign navies for years of additional service, some into

3811-460: The GUPPY conversions, the original pair of Sargo batteries were not upgraded. Each boat received a streamlined sail with a snorkel, along with upgraded sonar, air conditioning, and ESM. The original bow was left in place, except on three boats ( Piper , Sea Owl , and Sterlet ) that received additional upper bow sonar equipment. A few boats initially retained the 5"/25 deck gun, but this was removed in

3914-456: The GUPPY program in 1947. Their configuration lacked a snorkel and was not repeated, so no Balaos received this conversion. This was the first production GUPPY conversion, with most conversions occurring in 1947–49. Thirteen Balao -class boats ( Catfish , Clamagore , Cobbler , Cochino , Corporal , Cubera , Diodon , Dogfish , Greenfish , Halfbeak , Tiru , Trumpetfish , and Tusk ) received GUPPY II upgrades. This

4017-494: The South China Sea include Pratas Island airspace. The PLA's actions near the southwest corner of the Taiwan ADIZ and Pratas Island in late 2020 led to speculation that the area might be declared part of an ADIZ by China. In the later half of 2020, repeated reports of Chinese military exercises and fly overs near the island were interpreted as an apparent attempt to cut off the supply line between Pratas Island and mainland Taiwan. As an island with no permanent inhabitants, it

4120-471: The South China Sea, insuring the fishermen's safety and upholding ROC sovereignty. The services provided include lodging, medical rescue, entertainment and supply. The station also provides lodging for the scientists who come to conduct research on the island. In 2012 National Sun Yat-sen University 's Dongsha Atoll Research Station (DARS) was established for biology , biogeochemistry , and oceanography research. Diesel-fueled generators are used to power

4223-492: The Triangulation Benchmark as the triangulation point for Pratas Island in December 1991. There are words on each side of the base of the triangulation point stone tablet. They read 'The Pratas Triangulation Point' on the front, and 'Longitude: 116 43" 42.5601'E, Latitude: 20 42' 6.2415'N, Height: 2.4875 meters.' The words 'Defend the South China Sea', written by the commander, Lo Ben Li, were also engraved on

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4326-789: 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. This yields 62 cancelled Balao class, 51 cancelled Tench class, and 12 cancelled future class. Two of the cancelled Balao -class submarines, Turbot  (SS-427) and Ulua  (SS-428) , were launched incomplete and served for years as experimental hulks at Annapolis and Norfolk, Virginia . 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 (future). The Balao s began to enter service in mid-1943, as

4429-742: The US Navy. These included 17 to Turkey, 2 to Greece, 3 to Italy, 2 to the Netherlands, 5 to Spain, 2 to Venezuela, 4 to Argentina, 5 to Brazil, 2 to Chile, 2 to Peru, 1 to Canada and 1 to Taiwan. One of the Venezuelan boats, ARV Carite (S-11) formerly USS Tilefish (SS-307), featured in the 1971 film Murphy's War with some cosmetic modification. At the end of World War II , the US submarine force found itself in an awkward position. The 111 remaining Balao -class submarines, designed to fight an enemy that no longer existed, were obsolete despite

4532-539: The US flag, declared the island a United States territory, and named it Bluegill Island. The landing party destroyed a radio tower, weather station, fuel and ammunition dumps, and several buildings. They encountered no resistance because the Japanese had left the island prior to the arrival of Bluegill . Pratas Island was later restored to Guangdong Province of the Republic of China (ROC). On September 12, 1946,

4635-447: The austere "Fleet Snorkel" conversion was developed to add snorkels and partial streamlining to some boats. A total of 36 Balao -class submarines were converted to one of the GUPPY configurations, with 19 additional boats receiving Fleet Snorkel modifications. Two of the GUPPY boats and six of the Fleet Snorkel boats were converted immediately prior to transfer to a foreign navy. Most of the 47 remaining converted submarines were active into

4738-486: The austere GUPPY IB conversions for foreign transfer received sonar, fire control , and Electronic Support Measures (ESM) upgrades. The Fleet Snorkel program was much more austere than the GUPPY modernizations, but is included here as it occurred during the GUPPY era. The GUPPY and Fleet Snorkel programs are listed in chronological order: GUPPY I, GUPPY II, GUPPY IA, Fleet Snorkel, GUPPY IIA, GUPPY IB, and GUPPY III. Two Tench -class boats were converted as prototypes for

4841-576: The boats were rendered incapable of diving and had their propellers removed. They were used strictly as pierside trainers. These were in commission but classed as "in service in reserve", thus some were decommissioned and recommissioned on the same day to reflect the change in status. The large numbers of relatively modern, but surplus U.S. fleet submarines proved to be popular in sales, loans, or leases to allied foreign navies. 46 Balao -class submarines were transferred to foreign navies, some shortly after World War II, others after serving nearly 30 years in

4944-628: The class served actively in the US Navy through the middle 1970s, and one ( Hai Pao ex- Tusk ) is still active in Taiwan's Republic of China Navy . SS-361 through SS-364 were initially ordered as Balao -class, and were assigned hull numbers that fall in the middle of the range of numbers for the Balao class (SS-285 to SS-416 & 425–426). Thus, in some references they are listed with that class. However, they were completed by Manitowoc as Gato s, due to an unavoidable delay in Electric Boat 's development of Balao -class drawings. Manitowoc

5047-600: The destruction of a Chinese fishermen's shrine. In December 1930, the schooner Hedwig (Sweden) ran aground on a coral reef off Pratas Island and was wrecked. On 22 May 1944, the Japanese gunboat Hashidate was torpedoed and sunk by the US submarine USS  Picuda , in the South China Sea off Pratas Island at 21°08′N 117°20′E  /  21.133°N 117.333°E  / 21.133; 117.333  ( Hashidate ) , while towing

5150-540: The diesel engines were not directly connected to the shafts, the electric motors drove the shafts all the time. Many targets in the Pacific War were sampans or otherwise not worth a torpedo, so the deck gun was an important weapon. Early Balao s began their service with a 4-inch (102 mm)/50 caliber Mk. 9 gun . Due to war experience, most were re-armed with a 5-inch (127 mm)/25 caliber Mk. 17 gun , similar to mounts on battleships and cruisers but built as

5253-412: The disabled passenger-cargo ship Tsukuba Maru . Casualties are unknown but her commanding officer was killed. Japanese naval personnel occupied Pratas Island during World War II . The Japanese Navy used the island as a weather station and listening post. On May 29, 1945, at 10:22 AM, a landing party consisting of Australian commandos and US naval personnel from the submarine USS  Bluegill raised

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5356-466: The early 1950s. This was generally similar to GUPPY IA, except one of the forward diesel engines was removed to relieve machinery overcrowding. Thirteen Balao -class boats ( Bang , Diodon , Entemedor , Hardhead , Jallao , Menhaden , Picuda , Pomfret , Razorback , Ronquil , Sea Fox , Stickleback , and Threadfin ) received GUPPY IIA upgrades in 1952–54. One of these, Diodon , had previously been upgraded to GUPPY II. This

5459-465: The early 1970s, when many were transferred to foreign navies for further service and others were decommissioned and disposed of. Although there was some variation in the GUPPY conversion programs, generally the original two Sargo batteries were replaced by four more compact Guppy (GUPPY I and II only) or Sargo II batteries via significant re-utilization of below-deck space, usually including removal of auxiliary diesels. All of these battery designs were of

5562-452: The early 1970s. The Tench -class ex- Cutlass is the other one. They are named Hai Pao and Hai Shih , respectively, in Taiwanese service. Six Balao -class submarines are open to public viewing. They primarily depend on revenue generated by visitors to keep them operational and up to U.S. Navy standards; each boat gets a yearly inspection and a "report card". Some boats, like Batfish and Pampanito , encourage youth functions and allow

5665-648: The extra personnel, to avoid excessive snorkeling they were equipped with a CO 2 scrubber and extra oxygen storage. Initially, a squadron of 12 SSPs was considered, capable of landing a reinforced Marine battalion, but only two Balao -class SSPs (out of four overall) were actually converted. Perch landed British commandos on one raid in the Korean War , and operated in the Vietnam War from 1965 until assignment to Naval Reserve training in 1967 and decommissioning in 1971, followed by scrapping in 1973. Perch

5768-529: The fact they were only one to three years old. The German Type XXI U-boat , with a large battery capacity, streamlining to maximize underwater speed, and a snorkel, was the submarine of the immediate future. The Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program (GUPPY) conversion program was developed to give some Balao - and Tench -class submarines similar capabilities to the Type XXI. When the cost of upgrading numerous submarines to GUPPY standard became apparent,

5871-553: The first part of her second patrol, Piranha joined 9 other submarines in offensive reconnaissance covering the Third Fleet during the assault on Peleliu , patrolling 30 August to 25 September. When Peleliu , deemed essential for the liberation of the Philippines , had been seized, Piranha ’s group dissolved and she searched for targets westward along the 20th parallel, engaging an enemy patrol craft 9 October. She endured

5974-501: The fleet. Radar picket destroyers and destroyer escorts were put into service, but they proved vulnerable in this role as they could be attacked as well, leaving the fleet blind. A submarine, though, could dive and escape aerial attack. Four submarines including the Balao -class boat Threadfin prototyped the concept at the end of World War II but were not used in this role. Ten fleet submarines were converted for this role 1946-53 and redesignated SSR as radar picket submarines. Burrfish

6077-400: The former New Jersey Naval Museum . As of 2022, efforts to find a new home for this vessel have been unsuccessful. Pratas Island There are three undersea features in the waters associated with Pratas Island: Pratas Atoll, North Vereker Bank and South Vereker Bank. The atoll is circular, and the crescent-shaped Pratas Island occupies its western part. Below the ocean's surface to

6180-554: The island - the rest is white sand. Flora and fauna on and around Pratas Island include: In the Journal of Science (April 1867) there is a nine-page article entitled "The Natural History of Pratas Island in the China Sea" by Dr. Cuthbert Collingwood , the naturalist on board HMS  Serpent . It describes what was observed, especially bird life, during a visit of two days while the survey ship lay at anchor. Collingwood explored

6283-620: The island and hung an address plate on the island’s fishing service station. On 21 December 2000, ROC President Chen Shui-bian visited the island with Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh. On 28 July 2005, President Chen Shui-bian again visited the island and inaugurated the Fifth Maritime Patrol Squad of the Coast Guard Administration . In January 2007, the ROC government designated the Pratas atoll as

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6386-421: The island on 30 April 1866. The Vereker Banks ( 21°N 116°E  /  21°N 116°E  / 21; 116 ) are 74 km (46 mi) northwest of Pratas Atoll. North and South Vereker Banks are under water. North Vereker Bank ( 北衛灘 ) rises to 11 metres (36 ft) below sea level with an average depth of 60 metres (200 ft) to 90 metres (300 ft) below sea level. A well head with

6489-529: The island, atoll and banks as part of Guangdong Province . The English name of the island derives from the Portuguese Ilhas das Pratas ("Silver Plate Islands"), which was given to the atoll in the 16th century owing to its round shape. Pratas Atoll is also called Pratas Reef. Tungsha Island ( Tung-sha Tao ) ( Chinese : 東沙島 ; pinyin : Dōngshā Dǎo ; Wade–Giles : Tung -sha Tao ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Tang-soa-tó )

6592-482: The island. In March 2016, a solar energy system built by the Coast Guard Administration went into operation. The system covers an area of 310.6 m and produces 53,200 kWh of electricity each year. The Dongsha Island Airport features a runway located on the north end of Pratas Island with a small airport terminal at the eastern end. The airport is used by the ROC military . A main shack and subordinate shack are located on

6695-646: The liferafts and were rescued by the USS Yorktown (CV-10) . While underway in the South China Sea on 18 July 1965, the USS Frank Knox ran aground on Pratas Reef, and was only freed on 24 August after a very difficult salvage effort. On 13 April 1996, the jurisdiction of the Taiwan Kaohsiung District Court was extended to include Tungsha Island (Pratas Island). In May 1999, Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh visited

6798-851: The many problems with the Mark 14 torpedo were being solved. They were instrumental in the Submarine Force's near-destruction of the Japanese merchant fleet and significant attrition of the Imperial Japanese Navy . One of the class, Archerfish , brought down what remains the largest warship sunk by a submarine, the Shinano (59,000 tons). Tang , the highest-scoring of the class, sank 33 ships totaling 116,454 tons, as officially revised upward in 1980. Nine Balao s were lost in World War II, while two US boats were lost in postwar accidents. In foreign service, one in Turkish service

6901-402: The military personnel and gave them instructions. On 26 October, the same Uni Air aircraft made the round trip flight between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island. On 27 October 2020, a Y8 PRC military aircraft entered ROC air defense identification zone (ADIZ) between the main island of Taiwan and Pratas Island for the twenty-first time that month. On 28 October, Zhu Fenglian of

7004-456: The navy of the Republic of China took over and garrisoned Pratas Island. On 6 June 1949, the ROC established the Hainan Special Administrative District ( 海南特別行政區 ), which included Pratas Island. In autumn 1954, the senior ROC politician Chiang Ching-kuo visited the island and made an inspection. On 9 June 1960, during Typhoon Mary , the Hong Kong cargo ship Shun Lee was driven against Pratas Reef and wrecked. Her 55 crew took to

7107-487: The newer engines had greater displacement than the old, but were rated at the same power; they operated at lower mean effective pressure for greater reliability. Both the Fairbanks-Morse and General Motors engines were two-stroke cycle types. Two submarines, Unicorn and Vendace , were to receive Hooven-Owens-Rentschler (H.O.R.) diesels, which proved unreliable on previous classes, but both boats were cancelled. Two manufacturers supplied electric motors for

7210-435: The north-east corner of the lagoon the chart notes "Anchorage for junks", indicating regular use by fishing and other small vessels taking shelter. The chart's rubric noted that the available safe draft for vessels entering was only 15 feet (4.6 m), so it was restricted to relatively small vessels only. In 1866, naturalist Cuthbert Collingwood visited Pratas Island and later published a description of it. In 1908–1909,

7313-461: The northern part of the South China Sea ( 20°43′N 116°42′E  /  20.717°N 116.700°E  / 20.717; 116.700 ). An international team of researchers conducted a comprehensive population genetic analysis of 11 marine species sampled from the island. They concluded that Dongsha Atoll is an important regional stepping-stone that promotes genetic connectivity among South China Sea reefs, as marine larvae can potentially reach

7416-421: The northwest ( 21°N 116°E  /  21°N 116°E  / 21; 116 ) of Pratas Island, North Vereker Bank rises to 11 metres (36 ft) below sea level and South Vereker Bank to 58 metres (190 ft) below sea level. There are numerous oil wells to the west of the banks. In 2007, the Dongsha Atoll National Park was established on the island. The People's Republic of China claims

7519-452: The periscopes, then altered it again a few boats later by enlarging the SD radar mast. Late in the war, many Balao s built with the original design had the SD air search radar moved slightly aft onto a thickened and taller mast. These mast arrangements, along with the tremendous variation in the gun layout as the war progressed account for the numerous exterior detail differences among the boats, to

7622-564: The pilot and air traffic control was released by the ROC Civil Aeronautics Administration . The next day, the ROC Minister of National Defense Yen Teh-fa called on PRC not to "disrupt the order of international aviation". On 20 October, Deputy Chief of the ROC General Staff, Lieutenant-General Li Ting-sheng ( 李廷盛 ), visited Pratas Island. He made an inspection of the living facilities of

7725-412: The point that at any given time no two Balao s looked exactly alike. The propulsion of the Balao -class submarines was generally similar to that of the preceding Gato -class. Like their predecessors, they were true diesel-electric submarines: their four diesel engines powered electrical generators , and electric motors drove the shafts. There was no direct connection between the main engines and

7828-429: The previous Tambor / Gar and Gato classes, the Balao class could substitute mines in place of torpedoes. For the Mk 10 and Mk 12 type mines used in World War II, each torpedo could be replaced by as many as two mines, giving the submarine a true maximum capacity of 48 mines. However, doctrine was to retain at least four torpedoes on mine laying missions, which further limits the capacity to 40 mines, and this

7931-708: The program was discontinued in favor of Polaris . A number of fleet boats were equipped with Regulus guidance equipment 1953–64, including Cusk and Carbonero following the Loon tests. Sealion and Perch were converted to amphibious transport submarines in 1948 and redesignated as SSPs. Initially, they were equipped with a watertight hangar capable of housing a Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT), and retained one 5-inch (127 mm)/25 caliber deck gun for shore bombardment. Both torpedo rooms and one engine room were gutted to provide space for embarked Special Operations Forces (SOF) and their equipment. Snorkels were fitted. Due to

8034-477: The reductions and reducing the sail to the smallest practical size. By the time the boats began to be launched, lessons learned from patrol reports had been worked into the design and the bridge and sail proved to be efficiently laid out, well equipped, and well liked by the crews. For the masts and periscope shears, the original arrangement for both the Government and Electric Boat designs had (forward to aft)

8137-508: The shafts. Balao -class submarines received main engines from one of two manufacturers. General Motors Cleveland Model 16-278A V-type diesels or Fairbanks-Morse 38D 8-1/8 nine-cylinder opposed-piston engine . The General Motors Cleveland Model 16-248 V-type as original installations, while boats from Sand Lance onward received 10-cylinder engines. Earlier General Motors boats received Model 16-248 engines, but beginning with Perch Model 16-278A engines were used. In each case,

8240-600: The shafts. This reduction gearing was very noisy, and made the submarine easier to detect with hydrophones . Eighteen late Balao -class submarines received low-speed double armature motors which drove the shafts directly and were much quieter, but this improvement was not universally fitted until the succeeding Tench class . The new direct drive electric motors were designed by the Bureau of Ships ' electrical division under Captain Hyman G. Rickover , and were first equipped on Sea Owl . On all US World War II-built boats, as

8343-506: The stone tablet. The National Tsing Hua University webpage about the island states: "In addition to making it more convenient to survey and draw navigational maps, and to construct and develop facilities on the island, the establishment of the triangulation point is also the basis of our sovereign rights." The library is located on one side of the main plaza, and is the center for soldiers to use educational services. The library contains more than two thousand books. The military post office

8446-431: The submarine was unable to submerge until after launch. Cusk was eventually fitted with a watertight hangar for one missile and redesignated as an SSG. Following a brief stint as a cargo submarine, Barbero was converted in 1955 to carry two surface-launched Regulus missiles and was redesignated as an SSG, joining the Gato -class Tunny in this role. She made strategic deterrent patrols with Regulus until 1964, when

8549-739: The terminal is enclosed by a restricted area. Exploration for oil is taking place in this area. There are also some seamount formations nearby which are not part of the three atolls: The island is part of the Republic of China (Taiwan) with the postal code 817. Although there are no long-term inhabitants on the island, Pratas is administered by the Kaohsiung City Government under Cijin District (Qijin). The island has been uninhabited, yet nations (including China and Japan ) have claimed them to be their overseas territory. As of November 2020 , about five hundred Taiwanese marines were stationed on Pratas Island. The island has

8652-449: The two tapered cone shaped periscope support shears, followed by a thin mast for the SJ surface search radar, and then by a thin mast for the SD air search radar. There were minor differences in how the periscopes were braced against vibration, but both designs were nearly identical. About halfway through their production run, Electric Boat altered their design, moving the SJ radar mast forward of

8755-541: Was a design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II , and with 120 boats completed, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class , the boats had slight internal differences. The most significant improvement was the use of thicker, higher yield strength steel in the pressure hull skins and frames, which increased their test depth to 400 feet (120 m). Tang actually achieved

8858-898: Was a follow yard to Electric Boat, and was dependent on them for designs and drawings. Also, USS  Trumpetfish  (SS-425) and USS  Tusk  (SS-426) are listed with the Tench class in some references, as their hull numbers fall in the range of that class. 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 three Tench -class boats, cancelled 7 January 1946. References vary considerably as to how many of these were Balao s and how many were Tench es. Some references simply assume all submarines numbered after SS-416 were Tench class; however, Trumpetfish  (SS-425) and Tusk  (SS-426) were completed as Balao s. This yields 10 cancelled Balao -class, SS-353-360 and 379–380. The Register of Ships of

8961-532: Was attacked several times by shore batteries. After refueling at Saipan , Piranha sailed to complete this patrol off Honshū . With the decimated Japanese merchant marine hugging its own coast, Piranha was frequently frustrated by shallow water and omnipresent escorts in her attacks. Hair-raising encounters with submarine chasers and aircraft were rendered infinitely more dangerous by being fought so close offshore, where she had little water depth for maneuver. Her persistence and courage paid off; she heavily damaged

9064-419: Was developed as an austere upgrade for two Gato -class and two Balao -class boats ( Hawkbill and Icefish ) prior to transfer to foreign navies in 1953–55. They lacked the sonar and electronics upgrades of other GUPPY conversions. Nine submarines, six of them Balao s ( Clamagore , Cobbler , Corporal , Greenfish , Tiru , and Trumpetfish ), were upgraded from GUPPY II to GUPPY III in 1959-63 as part of

9167-592: Was developed as an austere, cost-effective alternative to full GUPPY conversions, with significantly less improvement in submerged performance. Twenty-three Balao -class boats ( Bergall , Besugo , Brill , Bugara , Carbonero , Carp , Charr , Chub , Cusk , Guitarro , Kraken , Lizardfish , Mapiro , Mero , Piper , Sabalo , Sablefish , Scabbardfish , Sea Cat , Sea Owl , Segundo , Sennet , and Sterlet ) received this upgrade, six immediately prior to foreign transfer. Most Fleet Snorkel conversions occurred 1951–52. Unlike

9270-425: Was included, to allow improved surfaced operations in rough seas; this was also backfitted to some other GUPPYs. The BQG-4 Passive Underwater Fire Control Feasibility Study (PUFFS) sonar system, with its three tall domes topside, was fitted. Additionally, fire control upgrades allowed the Mark 45 nuclear torpedo to be used. The advent of the kamikaze demonstrated the need for a long range radar umbrella around

9373-409: Was insufficient to protect a fast-moving carrier group. The radars were removed and the boats reverted to general purpose submarines after 1959. Burrfish was decommissioned in 1956 and, with her radar equipment removed, transferred to Canada as HMCS Grilse (SS-71) in 1961. The Regulus nuclear cruise missile program of the 1950s provided the US Navy with its first strategic strike capability. It

9476-641: Was lost in a collision in 1953, one in Peruvian service was lost in a collision in 1988, and Catfish was sold to the Argentinian Navy. She was renamed the ARA Santa Fe (S-21) and was lost in the 1982 Falklands War after being damaged, when she sank while moored pierside. Santa Fe was refloated and disposed of a few years after the war by being taken out to deep water and scuttled. Additionally, Lancetfish , commissioned but incomplete and still under construction, flooded and sank pierside at

9579-587: Was most likely a United States Army Air Forces B-24 Liberator bomber bombed Piranha as she maneuvered evasively and submerged. Piranha sustained no damage in any of the attacks. Piranha bombarded Pratas Island on 26 March 1945 with 100 5-inch (127 mm) shells. Three times during this patrol, which concluded with 10 days off Wake Island , the submarine successfully maneuvered to avoid hits from attacking aircraft. She returned to Midway to refit 21 April – 17 May, then sailed for patrol, lifeguard, and bombardment at Marcus Island 22 May – 31 May. Here she

9682-491: Was ordered back when hostilities ended the next day. Returning to San Francisco 11 September, Piranha decommissioned at Mare Island Naval Shipyard 31 May 1946. There she lay in reserve, redesignated AGSS-389 on 6 November 1962, until stricken from the Naval Register 1 March 1967 and sold for scrap. Piranha received 5 battle stars for World War II service. Balao-class submarine The Balao class

9785-516: Was preceded by experiments with the JB-2 Loon missile , a close derivative of the German V-1 flying bomb , beginning in the last year of World War II . Submarine testing of Loon was performed 1947–53, with Cusk and Carbonero converted in to guided-missile submarines as test platforms in 1947 and 1948 respectively. Initially the missile was carried on the launch rail unprotected, thus

9888-660: Was redesignated as an auxiliary submarine (AGSS) in 1949 and converted to a sonar test submarine in 1958–59 to test a system known as LORAD. This included a 12-foot (3.7 m) extension aft of the forward torpedo room, with 40-foot (12 m) swing-out arrays near the bow. Later, three large domes were installed topside for a wide aperture array. Barbero was converted to a cargo submarine and redesignated as an SSA in 1948. The forward engine room, after torpedo room, and all reload torpedo racks were gutted to provide cargo space. From October 1948 until March 1950, she took part in an experimental program to evaluate her capabilities as

9991-675: Was replaced in the Pacific Fleet transport submarine role by Tunny in 1967 and Grayback in 1968. Sealion operated in the Atlantic, deploying for the Cuban Missile Crisis and numerous SOF-related exercises. She was decommissioned in 1970 and expended as a target in 1978. The LVT hangar and 5-inch gun were removed from both boats by the late 1950s. They went through several changes of designation in their careers: ASSP in 1950, APSS in 1956, and LPSS in 1968. Baya

10094-411: Was stripped and converted into berthing, and the boat lost two of her forward torpedo tubes to make room for additional berthing and electronics. The radars were raised up off the deck and put on masts, giving them a greater range and hopefully greater reliability. The SSRs proved only moderately successful, as the radars themselves proved troublesome and somewhat unreliable, and the boats' surface speed

10197-435: Was successful, and she threaded her way through the fishermen at flank speed, but was unable to locate the convoy. On 9 March 1945, an unidentified plane attacked Piranha , dropping a flare and two bombs . On 11 March, a U.S. Navy PBM Mariner flying boat attacked her, dropping four bombs as she took evasive action and headed for deeper water on the surface. On 20 March, an Allied aircraft which Piranha ′s crew thought

10300-668: Was that, in 1858, the Royal Navy survey ship HMS  Saracen completed the first detailed survey of the atoll, resulting in the Plan of the Pratas Reef and Island , J. Richards and others, April 1858, being published by the British Admiralty. On the resulting chart three positions are proposed for a lighthouse: on Pratas Island, on the north-east corner, or on the southern edge near where HMS Reynard had stranded. In

10403-497: Was the only Balao -class SSR. Experiments on the first two SSR submarines under the appropriately named Project Migraine I showed that placement of the radars on the deck was inadequate and that more room was needed for electronics. Thus Burrfish was given the Migraine II (project SCB 12 ) conversion, which placed a Combat Information Center (CIC) in the space formerly occupied as the aft battery room. The after torpedo room

10506-420: Was the only production conversion with Guppy batteries. This was developed as a more cost-effective alternative to GUPPY II. Nine Balao -class boats ( Atule , Becuna , Blackfin , Blenny , Caiman , Chivo , Chopper , Sea Poacher , and Sea Robin ) were converted in 1951–52. The less expensive Sargo II battery was introduced, along with other cost-saving measures. The Fleet Snorkel program

10609-399: Was the south China coastline, Taiwan and Hainan Island with the blue sky and sea. This was the first time that the ROC had issued stamps with the theme of the South China Sea. In 1987 the military and civilian occupants built the 'Pratas Fishermen's Service Station'. The station was built in traditional Chinese courtyard house style, and provides convenient services for fishermen and boats in

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