Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
United States Navy — Submarine

USS Blackfish

Gato-class diesel-electric submarine

USS Blackfish
Unknown author — Unknown source — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate USS Blackfish; https://www.navsource.net/archives/08/08221.htm Against a wind caused by her launching, the crew of the Blackfish (SS-221) salute the colors as she is sliding down the launching ways at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT. US Navy photo # 80-G-5162A, from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), courtesy of Daniel Dunham.

Service

  1. United States Navy22 July 1942 — 11 May 19461,138 days of the war
Gato-class diesel-electric submarine Particulars
Name
USS Blackfish
Builder
General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down
1 July 1941
Launched
18 April 1942
Commissioned
22 July 1942
Decommissioned
11 May 1946
Struck
1 September 1958
Fate
Sold for scrap 4 May 1959 (1959)
Status
Scrapped

Specifications

Displacement, submerged
1,525 long tons (1,549 t)
Length
94.79 m (311 ft)
Beam
8.23 m (27 ft)
Draught
5.18 m (17 ft)
Range
11,000 nmi (20,372 km)
Complement
60
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

USS Blackfish was a Gato-class diesel-electric submarine in service with the United States Navy. General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut laid her keel on 1 July 1941. She entered service on 22 July 1942, having been launched on 18 April 1942.

76 ships of the class were built. The class followed the Mackerel-class submarine and was succeeded by the Balao-class submarine.

The boat displaced 1,525 long tons submerged. She measured 94.8 m (311 ft) long with a beam of 8.2 m (27 ft). She carried a complement of 60. Her main battery was of 76 mm (3.0 in) calibre.

She was in commission for 1,138 days of the Second World War. She was decommissioned on 11 May 1946. She was struck from the register on 1 September 1958.

She was broken up for scrap on 4 May 1959.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 4 × General Motors Model 16-248 V16 Diesel engines driving electric generators
  • 2 × 126-cell Sargo batteries
  • 4 × high-speed General Electric electric motors with reduction gears
  • two propellers
  • 5,400 shp (4.0 MW) surfaced
  • 2,740 shp (2.0 MW) submerged
Armament
  • 10 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
  • 6 forward, 4 aft
  • 24 torpedoes
  • 1 × 3-inch (76 mm) / 50 caliber deck gun
  • Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

Sister ships

51 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from USS Blackfish on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: Unknown author — Unknown source — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons