Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
United States Navy — Submarine SS-377

USS Menhaden (SS-377)

Balao-class submarine diesel-electric submarine

USS Menhaden (SS-377)
Unknown author — Unknown source — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate — SS-377 USS_Menhaden; https://www.navsource.net/archives/08/08377.htm Starboard side view of the Menhaden (SS-377) underway, circa 1961. USN photo courtesy of http://ussubvetsofwwii.org .

Service

  1. United States Navy as USS Menhaden22 June 1945 — 13 August 197172 days of the war
Full service history About 764 words
Balao-class submarine diesel-electric submarine Particulars
Name
USS Menhaden
Pennant / hull number
SS-377
Namesake
Menhaden
Builder
Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Laid down
21 June 1944
Launched
20 December 1944
Commissioned
22 June 1945
Decommissioned
31 May 1946
Recommissioned
7 August 1951
Struck
15 August 1973
Fate
Tethered underwater target in Keyport, Washington from 1976; sold for scrap, 1988 (1976)
Status
Scrapped

Specifications — As built

Displacement, surfaced
1,526 long tons (1,550 t)
Displacement, submerged
2,424 long tons (2,463 t)
Length
94.79 m (311 ft)
Beam
8.23 m (27 ft)
Draught
4.88 m (16 ft)
Speed
20.3 knots (37.5 km/h, 23.3 mph)
Range
11,000 nmi (20,372 km)
Complement
10
Main gun
127 mm (5 in)

(SS‑377: dp. 1,526 (surf.), 2,424 (subm.); l. 311'9"; b. 27'3"; dr. 15'3"; s. 20 k. (surf.), 9 k. (subm.); cpl. 66; a. 1 5", 1 40mm., 10 21" tt.; cl. Balao )

A marine fish of the herring family which, as the most abundant of fishes along the Atlantic coast, is found from New England waters southward; the fish is caught for bait or converted into oil and fertilizer. SP‑947 retained her former name.

The second Menhaden (SS‑377) was laid down by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wis., 21 June 1944; launched 20 December 1944; sponsored by Miss Mirium R. Johnson and commissioned at Manitowoc 22 June 1945, Comdr. David H. McClintock in command.

Continue to the full service history About 764 words

From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (Menhaden II (SS-377)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.

Armament and machinery

This vessel is recorded in 2 configurations. Wartime refits changed armament and complement substantially, so each is kept separately rather than averaged into one set of figures. The figures above are as built.

As built
Propulsion
  • 4 × General Motors Model 16-278A V16 diesel engines driving electrical generators
  • 2 × 126-cell Sargo batteries
  • 4 × high-speed General Electric electric motors with reduction gears
  • 2 × 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 × 5-inch (127 mm) / 25 caliber deck gun
  • Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
Guppy IIA
Displacement, surfaced
1,848 long tons (1,878 t)
Displacement, submerged
2,440 long tons (2,479 t)
Length
93.57 m (307 ft)
Beam
8.23 m (27 ft)
Draught
5.18 m (17 ft)
Speed
17 knots (31.5 km/h, 19.6 mph)
Propulsion
  • Snorkel added
  • One diesel engine and generator removed
  • Batteries upgraded to Sargo II
Armament
  • 10 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
  • (six forward, four aft)
  • all guns removed

Sister ships

86 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from USS Menhaden (SS-377) on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Service history reproduced verbatim from Menhaden II (SS-377) , Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships — public domain, a work of the United States Government.
  • Photograph: Unknown author — Unknown source — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons