USS Chivo

A large-scaled, heavy-set fish upeneus grandisquamis belonging to the family Mullidae (or Surmullets) fishes of tropical seas, with a pair of long barbels or "whiskers" under the chin, giving rise to the common name "goatfish". The Chivo (the Spanish term for goatfish) ranges along the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Central America from Guaymas to Panama.

Chivo (SS-341) was laid down on 21 February 1944 at Groton, Conn., by the Electric Boat Co.; launched on 14 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. R. E. Baldwin, wife of the governor of Connecticut; and commissioned on 28 April 1945, Lt. Cmdr. William R. Crutcher, USNR, in command.

After shakedown and torpedo trials, Chivo departed New London on 7 June 1945 for Key West, Fla., where she trained and exercised briefly at the sound school and experimental torpedo range, before sailing on to Pearl Harbor, Terrtory of Hawaii, in company with Requin (SS-481) and Redfish (SS-395). While preparing for her first war patrol, hostilities ended and Chivo remained at Pearl Harbor, operating locally with other ships of the Pacific Fleet. Assigned to Submarine Squadron Seven, the submarine returned to the west coast in October, basing out of San Diego for local operations which continued until January 1946, when Chivo sailed for a short tour of duty operating out of Subic Bay in the Philippines. Returning to San Diego in May, the submarine exercised along the west coast for the next 15 months, a period culminating in an overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

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From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (Chivo (SS-341)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.