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54-712: USS Spearfish (SS-190) , a Sargo -class submarine , was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the spearfish , any of several large, powerful, pelagic fishes of the genus Tetrapturus allied to the marlins and sailfishes . Spearfish ′s keel was laid down on 9 September 1937 by the Electric Boat Company in Groton , Connecticut . She was launched on 29 October 1938, sponsored by Mrs. Lillian Spear, wife of Lawrence Y. Spear , president of Electric Boat Company. Spearfish

108-474: A Japanese submarine and made a submerged attack. She fired four torpedoes, but all missed the target. She put into Surabaja , Java , on 29 January 1942 for refitting. On 7 February, she began her second war patrol. Spearfish patrolled in the Java Sea and Flores Sea and made unsuccessful torpedo attacks on two cruiser task forces. On 2 March, she put into Tjilatjap , Java, and took on board 12 members of

162-496: A convoy of four ships and their escorts damaged a freighter and sank a transport. The next day, she damaged another freighter in an 11-ship convoy. On 12 February, she crippled another freighter. Spearfish sailed on her 11th war patrol from Pearl Harbor, 31 March, for the East China Sea and the area north of Nansei Shoto . On 5 May, she sank a freighter, and the following day, she sank the cargo ship, Toyoura Maru . When

216-596: A large navy and extensive naval fortifications. It opted to build up its naval forces, neglecting fixed defenses. Nevertheless, Truk was the main base for Japanese operations against Allied forces in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands , serving as the forward anchorage for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), and Truk Lagoon was considered the most formidable of all Japanese strongholds in

270-530: A top speed of 21 knots, a range of 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) (allowing patrols in Japanese home waters), and a reliable propulsion plant, along with the Salmon s they were an important step in the development of a true fleet submarine . In some references, the Salmon s and Sargo s are called the "New S Class", 1st and 2nd Groups. The Sargo -class submarine USS  Swordfish  (SS-193) had

324-744: A week before the US raid, the Japanese had withdrawn their larger warships (heavy cruisers and aircraft carriers) to Palau . Once the American forces captured the Marshall Islands , they used them as a base from which to launch an early morning attack on 17 February 1944 against Truk Lagoon. Operation Hailstone lasted for three days, as American carrier-based planes sank 12 smaller Japanese warships (light cruisers, destroyers, and auxiliaries) and 32 merchant ships, while destroying 275 aircraft, mainly on

378-477: Is part of the larger Caroline Islands group. The area consists of eleven major islands (corresponding to the eleven municipalities of Truk lagoon, which are Tol , Udot , Fala-Beguets, Romanum, and Eot of Faichuk group, and Weno , Fefen , Dublon , Uman , Param, and Tsis of Nomoneas group) and 46 smaller ones within the lagoon, plus 41 on the fringing coral reef, and is known today as the Chuuk islands, part of

432-409: Is served by United Airlines . The government operates a radio station. Interisland communication is often accomplished using citizens' band radio . Telephone services are limited on Chuuk, though a cellular network is established within some islands of the lagoon and in the near future on the outer islands. High speed Internet access via ADSL has been made available on a monthly subscription basis on

486-473: Is the wreck of the submarine I-169 Shinohara which was lost when diving to avoid the bombing. The submarine had participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The coral encrusted wrecks attract a diverse array of marine life, including manta rays, turtles, sharks and corals. In 2007, 266 species of reef fish were recorded by an Earthwatch team, and in 2006 the rare coral Acropora pichoni

540-755: The Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines as part of a belated effort to reinforce U.S. and Allied forces in Southeast Asia. The Japanese occupation of southern Indo-China and the August 1941 American-British-Dutch retaliatory oil embargo had raised international tensions. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the submarines of the Asiatic Fleet were the primary striking force available to Admiral Thomas C. Hart ,

594-544: The Federated States of Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean. This is a list of islands, villages and population following the 2010 census: It is not known when the islands of Chuuk were first settled, but archaeological evidence indicates that islands of Feefen and Wééné had human settlements in the first and second century BC. Later evidence indicates that widespread human settlements appeared in Chuuk during

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648-552: The General Board desired a full diesel-electric plant, but there were some dissenting opinions, notably Admiral Thomas C. Hart , the only experienced submariner on the General Board, who pointed out that a full diesel-electric system could be disabled by flooding. Technical problems went against the use of two large direct-drive diesels in place of the four-engine composite plant. No engine of suitable power to reach

702-621: The Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program after World War II . Each battery's capacity was slightly increased by installing 126 cells instead of 120; this also raised the nominal voltage from 250 volts to 270 volts, which has been standard in US usage ever since, including the backup batteries of nuclear submarines . The original Mark 21 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber deck gun proved to be too light in service. It lacked sufficient punch to finish off crippled or small targets quickly enough to suit

756-432: The Japanese aircraft carrier Chūyō , which was carrying 21 survivors from the submarine Sculpin ; only one of these prisoners survived the sinking. Sculpin had been one of the ships assisting in the rescue of 33 men when Squalus sank during a test dive in 1939; Squalus was refloated and recommissioned as USS  Sailfish . In early 1945 the surviving boats of this class were transferred to training roles for

810-554: The Sargo battery because it was first installed on Sargo and was based on a suggestion by her commissioning commanding officer , Lieutenant E. E. Yeomans. Instead of a single hard rubber case, it had two concentric hard rubber cases with a layer of soft rubber between them. This was to prevent sulfuric acid leakage in the event one case cracked during depth-charging . This remained the standard battery design until replaced with Sargo II and GUPPY batteries in submarines upgraded under

864-629: The South Pacific theatre during World War II . It was the site of a major U.S. attack during Operation Hailstone in February 1944, and Operation Inmate , a small assault conducted by British and Canadian forces during June 1945. Chuuk means mountain in the Chuukese language . The lagoon was known mainly as Truk (a mispronunciation of Ruk ), until 1990. Other names included Hogoleu , Torres , Ugulat, and Lugulus . Chuuk Lagoon

918-583: The South Pacific theatre of World War II. There was a myth that Truk was heavily fortified, and it was given nicknames like "the Gibraltar of the Pacific," or Japan's equivalent of the Americans' Pearl Harbor . In fact: [T]he reality was somewhat different. (...) The lack of fortifications was less due to Japan's regard for international law than to Japan's economic limitations. It could not afford both

972-621: The Spearfish , noted in the ship's log at Tanapag Harbor , Saipan , on 13 January that he returned the seven airmen to their quarters under jubilant escort from their squadron. When she returned to Pearl Harbor on 24 January, Spearfish was used as a training ship until 18 August. On 19 August, she got underway for the West Coast and arrived at Mare Island on 27 August. On 7 September, a Board of Inspection and Survey recommended that she be decommissioned immediately and possibly scrapped. She

1026-563: The Truk Island area, made a photographic reconnaissance of Eniwetok Atoll , and then patrolled in the vicinity of Marcus Island . After refitting at Midway Island from 1 August to 25 August, Spearfish searched Japanese home waters south of Bungo Suido for shipping. On the night of 10 and 11 September, she made a submerged torpedo attack on a convoy of seven freighters escorted by one destroyer and two torpedo boats. The submarine fired torpedoes at four ships, and damaged two. Spearfish

1080-483: The United States during the 1957-1958 season . Sargo class submarine The Sargo -class submarines were among the first United States submarines to be sent into action after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , starting war patrols the day after the attack, having been deployed to the Philippines in late 1941. Similar to the previous Salmon class , they were built between 1937 and 1939. With

1134-535: The 14th century AD. The first recorded sighting by Europeans was made by Spanish navigator Álvaro de Saavedra on board the ship Florida during August or September 1528. They were later visited by Spaniard Alonso de Arellano on 15 January 1565 on board of galleon patache San Lucas . As part of the Caroline Islands , Truk was claimed by the Spanish Empire , which made an effort to control

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1188-533: The Island of Weno from May 2010. Tourism, especially scuba diving among the many wrecks of Truk Lagoon, is the island's main industry. Copra (dried coconut meat) is the only cash crop , and output is relatively insignificant. Most of the inhabitants of outlying islands engage in subsistence activity only. In 1969, William A. Brown and French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and his team explored Truk Lagoon. Following Cousteau's 1971 television documentary about

1242-468: The Japanese fleet was based at Truk, with its administrative center on Tonoas (south of Weno). At anchor in the lagoon were battleships , aircraft carriers , cruisers , destroyers , tankers , cargo ships , tugboats , gunboats , minesweepers , landing craft , and submarines . In particular, Yamato and Musashi were stationed at Truk for months around 1943, unable to participate in battle. The Japanese garrison consisted of 27,856 IJN men, under

1296-754: The Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the course of this operation, the Japanese Navy seized the German possessions in the Marianas , Carolines, Marshall Islands and Palau groups by October 1914. Chuuk then became a possession of the Empire of Japan under the South Seas Mandate following Germany 's defeat. Naval Base Truk in the Truk Lagoon was the Empire of Japan 's main base in

1350-526: The Pacific. On the various islands, the Japanese Civil Engineering Department and Naval Construction Department had built roads, trenches, bunkers and caves. Five airstrips, seaplane bases, a torpedo boat station, submarine repair shops, a communications center and a radar station were constructed during the war. Protecting these various facilities were coastal defense guns and mortar emplacements. A significant portion of

1404-419: The coming invasion of those islands. On 5 and 6 December, she acted as lifeguard submarine for air strikes on Kwajalein and Wotje. Spearfish ’s 10th war patrol was made south of Formosa from 17 January to 29 February 1944. On 30 January, she made two torpedo attacks on a convoy of three merchantmen and two escorts. She sank an escort and the passenger-cargo ship, Tomashima Maru . On 10 February, her attack on

1458-543: The command of Vice Admiral Masami Kobayashi, then Vice Admiral Chuichi Hara , and 16,737 Imperial Japanese Army men, under the command of Major General Kanenobu Ishuin. At one point, dropping a nuclear weapon on Truk was discussed by the United States government. In 1944, Truk's capacity as a naval base was destroyed through naval air attack in Operation Hailstone . Forewarned by intelligence

1512-506: The crews. It was replaced by the Mark 9 4-inch (102 mm)/50 caliber gun in 1943-44, in most cases removed from an S-boat being transferred to training duty. From commissioning until late 1941 the first six Sargo s were based first at San Diego , later at Pearl Harbor . The last four were sent to the Philippines shortly after commissioning. In October 1941, the remaining Sargo s and most other newer available submarines were transferred to

1566-419: The deck observed a large explosion plume 700 yards (640 m) from Spearfish just before she submerged. On 19 December 1944, Spearfish rescued seven survivors (CPT Linden O. Bricker, 2LT Kenneth R. Chidester, 2LT Jay L. Meikle, 2LT Clifford B. Smith, SGT Edmund G. Smith, CPL Stephen J. Darienzo, and SSG Richard J. Grinstead) from a ditched B-29 Superfortress , Z-1 Pee Wee . Four airmen were killed during

1620-447: The desired 21-knot speed existed in the US, and the current vibration-isolating hydraulic clutches were not capable of transmitting enough power. It was also not practical to gear two engines to each shaft. So a full diesel-electric plant was adopted for the last four Sargo s, and remained standard for all subsequent conventionally-powered US submarines. Four of the class ( Sargo , Saury , Spearfish , and Seadragon ) were equipped with

1674-477: The distinction of being the first US Navy submarine to sink a Japanese ship in World War II . In most features the Sargo s were a repeat of the Salmon s, except for the return to full diesel-electric drive for the last four boats and the adoption of the improved Sargo battery design. The first six Sargo s were driven by a composite direct-drive and diesel-electric plant (two engines in each mode) in

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1728-457: The ditching (2LT Jack O. Mueller, CPL Emory A. Forrest, CPL William F. Frank, and CPL John C. Estes). This marked the first submarine rescue of downed B-29 airmen in the Pacific theater of operations during World War II . On 11 January 1945, Spearfish's guns sank a sampan . She took three Japanese on board as prisoners, but one died several days later. LCDR C.C. Cole, commanding officer of

1782-538: The fleet's commander. He was assigned sixteen Salmon s or Sargo s; the entirety of both classes. Seven Porpoise -class and six S-boats rounded out the force. The Japanese did not bomb the Philippines until 10 December 1941, so almost all of the submarines were able to get underway before an attack. Sealion and Seadragon were the unlucky exceptions. In overhaul at the Cavite Navy Yard , Sealion

1836-425: The ground. The consequences of the attack made "Truk lagoon the biggest graveyard of ships in the world". The attacks for the most part ended Truk as a major threat to Allied operations in the central Pacific. The Japanese garrison on Eniwetok was denied any realistic hope of reinforcement and support during the invasion that began on 18 February, greatly assisting U.S. forces in their conquest of that island. Truk

1890-436: The islands in the late 19th century. Chuuk Lagoon was inhabited by several tribes that engaged in intermittent warfare, as well as a small population of foreign traders and missionaries. Spanish control over the islands was nominal. The Spaniards stopped to raise a flag over Chuuk in 1886 and returned in 1895 as part of an attempt to assert control and negotiate peace between warring Chuukese tribes. No permanent Spanish settlement

1944-572: The lagoon and its ghostly remains, the atoll became a scuba diving lure, drawing wreck diving enthusiasts from around the world to see its numerous, virtually intact sunken ships. The shipwrecks and remains are sometimes referred to as the "Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon". Scattered mainly around the Dublon (Tonowas), Eten , Fefan and Uman islands within the Truk group, several shipwrecks lie in crystal clear waters less than fifteen metres (50 ft) below

1998-467: The remainder of the war, eventually being scrapped in 1947-48. Searaven was used in the Bikini Atoll atomic weapon tests in 1946. There was negligible damage so she was later expended as a target in 1948. Sailfish was also due to become a target in the same atomic weapon tests but she was scrapped instead in 1948. Truk Island Chuuk Lagoon was the Empire of Japan 's main naval base in

2052-408: The roads and transportation systems are poor or in disrepair; an extensive infrastructural redevelopment plan began, consisting of a five-phase project to completely reconstruct the existing sewer, water and storm drainage systems as well as pour concrete roadways in the majority of the villages of Weno. Chuuk International Airport ( IATA airport code TKK) is on the administrative island of Moen. It

2106-456: The same manner as the Salmon s. In this arrangement, two main engines in the forward engine room drove generators . In the after engine room, two side-by-side engines were clutched to reduction gears which sat forward of the engines, with vibration-isolating hydraulic clutches. Two high-speed electric motors , driven by the generating engines or batteries, were also connected to each reduction gear. The Bureau of Steam Engineering (BuEng) and

2160-509: The second part in the Nanpō Islands area on lifeguard duties and offensive patrolling. She was on the surface 23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi) east-southeast of Iwo Jima at 24°40′N 141°39′E  /  24.667°N 141.650°E  / 24.667; 141.650 at 17:15 on 28 November 1944 when a United States Army Air Forces B-24 Liberator bomber attacked her with rockets and strafed her. Her officer of

2214-463: The staff of the commander of the submarines of the Asiatic Fleet , for transportation to Australia . The patrol ended at Fremantle, Western Australia . Her third war patrol, from 27 March to 20 May, took her to the Sulu Sea and Lingayen Gulf . On 17 April, she sank an enemy cargo ship of about 4,000 tons, and on 25 April, she sank Toba Maru , a 6,995-ton freighter. On the night of 3 May,

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2268-554: The submarine returned to Pearl Harbor on 27 May, she was routed to the West Coast for a major overhaul. After spending from 6 June to 3 October at the Mare Island Navy Yard , the ship returned to Pearl Harbor on 10 October and held training exercises for a month. Spearfish ’s last war patrol took place from 12 November 1944 to 24 January 1945. On the first part of the patrol, she made photographic reconnaissance surveys of Iwo Jima and of Minami Jima. The submarine spent

2322-691: The submarine sailed to Pearl Harbor . Spearfish operated between Hawaii and the West Coast until 23 October 1941, when she departed Pearl Harbor and headed for Manila . She conducted training operations there from 8 November until the outbreak of war on 8 December (7 December east of the International Date Line ), when she began her first war patrol. This mission took her into the South China Sea , near Saigon and Cam Ranh Bay , French Indochina , and off Tarakan and Balikpapan , Borneo . On 20 December, Spearfish encountered

2376-435: The submarine slipped into Manila Bay and picked up 14 nurses, and several staff officers from Corregidor . She was the last American submarine to visit that beleaguered fortress before it surrendered. Navy nurse and Legion of Merit recipient Ann A. Bernatitus was among the 27 rescued by Spearfish . From 26 June to 17 August, she scouted the South China Sea for enemy shipping, and from 8 September to 11 November, searched

2430-445: The surface. In waters devoid of normal ocean currents, divers can easily swim across decks littered with gas masks and depth charges , and below decks can be found evidence of human remains. In the massive ships' holds are the remnants of fighter aircraft, tanks, bulldozers, railroad cars, motorcycles, torpedoes, mines, bombs, boxes of munitions, radios, plus thousands of other weapons, spare parts, and other artifacts. Of special interest

2484-444: The troublesome Hooven-Owens-Rentschler (HOR) double-acting diesels. An attempt to produce more power from a smaller engine than other contemporary designs, the double-acting system proved unreliable in service. During World War II , all had their engines replaced with GM Cleveland Diesel 16-278A engines, probably during their overhauls in early 1943. BuEng had designed a new lead-acid battery to resist battle damage, known as

2538-521: The west coast of Luzon , where she damaged two freighters. Spearfish sailed from Brisbane on 2 December 1942 and patrolled in the New Britain - New Ireland area for over a month before entering Pearl Harbor on 25 January 1943. From Oahu , she was directed to Mare Island for a major overhaul, which lasted from 3 February to 19 May. Spearfish returned to Pearl Harbor on 26 May, and began her seventh war patrol from there on 5 June. She cruised

2592-695: Was commissioned on 17 July 1939. Spearfish conducted sea trials off New London, Connecticut , and then held her shakedown cruise in the Guantanamo Bay area from 21 August to 3 October. She was overhauled at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine , from 1 November 1939 to 2 February 1940. On 10 February, she set sail for the West Coast. After training operations in the San Diego, California , training area from 6 March to 1 April,

2646-441: Was attacked with depth charges throughout the day, but finally eluded the escorts. On the night of 17 and 18 September, she attacked another convoy of seven ships with their escorts, sinking two and damaging one. Upon concluding this patrol, the ship sailed to Pearl Harbor for refitting. From 7 November to 19 December, Spearfish performed photographic reconnaissance of Jaluit , Wotje , and Kwajalein , Marshall Islands , to aid

2700-403: Was damaged beyond repair and was scuttled on 25 December. Seadragon , assisted by USS  Canopus and USS  Pigeon , was able to leave port with emergency repairs and went on to fight for most of the war. The Sargo class was very active during the war, sinking 73 ships, including a Japanese submarine. Four were lost, including one to "friendly fire". Sailfish of this class sank

2754-743: Was established, and tribal violence continued until the German colonial era. The Caroline Islands were sold to the German Empire in 1899, after Spain withdrew from the Pacific in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War . During the First World War , the Japanese Navy was tasked with pursuing and destroying the German East Asia Squadron and protection of the shipping lanes for Allied commerce in

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2808-617: Was identified. On 12 April 2011, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation program Foreign Correspondent screened a report on Chuuk Lagoon likening the effect of the impending massive release of tens of thousands of tonnes of oil from the rusting Japanese warships into the coral reef to that of the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. However, given the poor state of the Japanese war effort in 1944, many of

2862-510: Was isolated by Allied forces, as they continued their advance towards Japan by invading other Pacific islands, such as Guam , Saipan , Palau , and Iwo Jima . Truk was attacked again from 12 to 16 June 1945 by part of the British Pacific Fleet during Operation Inmate . Cut off, the Japanese forces on Truk and other central Pacific islands ran low on food and faced starvation before Japan surrendered in August 1945. Most of

2916-655: Was retained in an inactive status for experimental explosive tests. The tests were cancelled, and Spearfish was decommissioned at Mare Island on 22 June 1946. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 19 July 1946, sold to the Lerner Company of Oakland, California , and scrapped in October 1947. Spearfish is the subject of an episode of the syndicated television anthology series , The Silent Service , which aired in syndication in

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