Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War

United States Navy — Submarine

USS Pickerel (SS-524) — service history

This is the full service history. For the vessel's particulars, photograph and specifications, see the entry.

In the words of the US Navy. The account below is reproduced verbatim from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command — a work of the United States Government, in the public domain, and the only text on this site not written here.

Second World War 1939–1945

1944

The second Pickerel (SS-524) was laid down by the Boston Naval Shipyard 8 February 1944; launched without christening ceremony 15 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. John R. Moore; christened and commissioned at the Portsmouth Navy Shipyard, N.H., 4 April 1949, Lt. Comdr. Paul R. Schratz in command.

After sea trials, Pickerel departed New London, Conn. 10 August, and headed for Hawaii via East and Gulf coast ports, and the Panama Canal and arrived Pearl Harbor 28 September where she joined SubDiv 11.

Korean War period 1950–1953

1950

From 16 March to 5 April 1950, Pickerel completed a 5,200 mile voyage from Hong Kong to Pearl Harbor in 21 days while completely submerged, probably the longest distance ever traveled by a submerged diesel-electric submarine. During her first deployment in the Western Pacific in 1950, Pickerel spent 4 months in the Korean War Zone, one of the first submarines to enter the Korean Conflict.

1953

Returning to Pearl Harbor in the spring of 1951, Pickerel operated in the Hawaiian area undergoing tests of maximum capabilities, and conducting intensive training until she returned to the Far East in July 1953.

Cold War 1954–1963

1955

Upon returning to Hawaii early in 1954, Pickerel resumed services for our aircraft and surface anti-submarine forces there and, but for overhaul, continued this important duty until returning to the Western Pacific in June 1955. She returned to Hawaii 1 December.

Pickerel alternated North Pacific with WestPac duty through 1963 with the exception of a conversion period during 1962 for Guppy modernization.

Pickerel operated out of Pearl Harbor during 1964 until 28 December, when she departed enroute Yokosuka to begin a WestPac tour as a unit of the 7th Fleet. In the years that followed, she continued this pattern of alternating services in Hawaii with deployments in the Far East. In the fall of 1966 her duties in WestPac were broadened to include operations in the Vietnam combat zone on Yankee Station.

Vietnam War period 1964–1975

1968

After a year in Hawaiian waters, Pickerel headed west once more on 16 January 1968. She visited various ports of the Orient before returning to Yankee Station 8 May. Following service in the Combat Zone, she reached Pearl Harbor via Japan 8 July. Her home port was changed to San Diego 1 August and she headed for the West Coast 22 August.

Other photographs

Held for this vessel, and not tied to any part of the account above.

USS Pickerel (SS-524)
330-PS-2610 (USN 440604): USS Pickerel (SS 524) surfacing from a depth of 150 feet with a 48-degree up-angle during a routine training exercise off Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, the Pickerel, commissioned April 4, 1949, at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, established what is believed to be the world record for submerged operations by snorkeling from Hong Kong to Honolulu, a distance of 5200 miles in 21 day National Museum of the U.S. Navy — 330-PS-2610 (USN 440604) — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Pickerel (SS-524)
The U.S. Navy submarine USS Pickerel (SS-524) surfacing at a 48 degree up angle, during tests off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, 1 March 1952. USN — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 97019 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
USS Pickerel (SS-524)
The Tench -class submarine USS Pickerel (SS-524) off the Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, during the mid-1950s. Official U.S. Navy — http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-p/ss524.htm — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

References

Every work this entry draws on. There are no numbered markers in the text above: what we hold is the provenance of the page — this history, this article, these photographs.

  1. History Pickerel II (SS-524) Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Naval History and Heritage Command. A work of the United States Government, in the public domain — the only text on this site reproduced verbatim.
  2. Facts USS Pickerel (SS-524) Structured facts only — dates, dimensions, armament and fate. No wording is taken from it. Harvested 1 August 2026.
  3. Photograph USS Pickerel;140854 Official U.S. Navy — http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/u140000/u140854.jpg — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  4. Photograph 330-PS-2610 (USN 440604) (17286890243) National Museum of the U.S. Navy — 330-PS-2610 (USN 440604) — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  5. Photograph USS Pickerel (SS-524) surfacing near Oahu in 1952 USN — Official U.S. Navy photo NH 97019 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons
  6. Photograph USS Pickerel SS524 Official U.S. Navy — http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-p/ss524.htm — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons