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

USS Bream

Gato-class diesel-electric submarine

USS Bream
Unknown author — Unknown source — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate USS_Bream; https://www.navsource.net/archives/08/08243.htm Bream (SS-243) is seen here on 1 January 1962 off the coast of Hawaii. The fairwater has been streamlined and all guns removed. Also, she has been fitted with an enlarged sonar dome on her bow. USN Archives photo # USN-1039531. Courtesy of The Floating Drydock, Fleet Subs of WW II", by Thomas F. Walkowiak.

Service

  1. United States Navy24 January 1944 — 28 June 1969587 days of the war
Gato-class diesel-electric submarine Particulars
Name
USS Bream
Builder
Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down
5 February 1943
Launched
17 October 1943
Commissioned
24 January 1944
Decommissioned
31 January 1946
Recommissioned
5 June 1951
Struck
28 June 1969
Fate
Sunk as a target off California, 7 November 1969 (1969)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
1,525 long tons (1,549 t)
Displacement, submerged
2,424 long tons (2,463 t)
Length
94.79 m (311 ft)
Beam
8.23 m (27 ft)
Draught
5.18 m (17 ft)
Speed
21 knots (38.9 km/h, 24.2 mph)
Range
11,000 nmi (20,372 km)
Complement
60
Main gun
76 mm (3 in)

USS Bream was a Gato-class diesel-electric submarine of the United States Navy. Her keel was laid at Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut on 5 February 1943. Launched on 17 October 1943, she entered service on 24 January 1944.

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 surfaced and 2,424 long tons submerged. She measured 94.8 m (311 ft) long with a beam of 8.2 m (27 ft). Her designed speed was 21 knots, and she carried a complement of 60. Her main battery was of 76 mm (3.0 in) calibre.

She was in commission for 587 days of the Second World War. She was decommissioned on 31 January 1946. She recommissioned on 5 June 1951. She was struck from the register on 28 June 1969.

She was expended as a target on 7 November 1969. The wreck survives.

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