USS Blackfin (SS-322)

Blackfin in 1944
History
United States
Name:	USS Blackfin
Builder:	Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down:	10 June 1943
Launched:	12 March 1944
Commissioned:	4 July 1944
Decommissioned:	19 November 1948
Recommissioned:	15 May 1951
Decommissioned:	15 September 1972
Struck:	15 September 1972
Fate:	Sunk as target off San Diego, California, 13 May 1973
General characteristics (As completed)
Class and type:	Balao-class diesel-electric submarine
Displacement:	1,526 tons (1,550 t) surfaced 2,424 tons (2,463 t) submerged
Length:	311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)
Beam:	27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)
Draft:	16 ft 10 in (5.13 m) maximum
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 two propellers 5,400 shp (4.0 MW) surfaced 2,740 shp (2.0 MW) submerged
Speed:	20.25 knots (38 km/h) surfaced 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged
Range:	11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)
Endurance:	48 hours at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) submerged 75 days on patrol
Test depth:	400 ft (120 m)
Complement:	10 officers, 70–71 enlisted
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
General characteristics (Guppy IA)
Class and type:	none
Displacement:	1,830 tons (1,859 t) surfaced 2,440 tons (2,479 t) submerged
Length:	307 ft 7 in (93.8 m)
Beam:	27 ft 4 in (8.3 m)
Draft:	17 ft (5.2 m)
Propulsion:	Snorkel added Batteries upgraded to Sargo II
Speed:	Surfaced: 17.3 knots (32.0 km/h) maximum 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h) cruising Submerged: 15.0 knots (27.8 km/h) for ½ hour 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h) snorkeling 3.0 knots (5.6 km/h) cruising
Range:	17,000 nm (28,000 km) surfaced at 11 knots (20 km/h)
Endurance:	36 hours at 3 knots (6 km/h) submerged
Complement:	10 officers 5 petty officers 64–69 enlisted men
Armament:	10 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes  (six forward, four aft) all guns removed

USS Blackfin (SS-322), a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the blackfin, a food fish of the Great Lakes.

Blackfin (SS-322) was launched 12 March 1944 by Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn., sponsored by Mrs. Phyllis Irwin Lockwood, wife of Rear Admiral Charles A. Lockwood; and commissioned 4 July 1944, Lieutenant Commander George Hays Laird, Jr., in command.

Blackfin arrived at Pearl Harbor 11 September 1944. During her war operations (30 September 1944 – 5 September 1945) she completed five war patrols. Her operating areas included the South China and the Yellow Seas. Blackfin sank the Japanese destroyer Shigure, 24 January 1945, in 06°00′N 103°48′E / 6.000°N 103.800°E / 6.000; 103.800., and a cargo ship for a total of 4325 tons.

The termination of hostilities occurred while Blackfin was on her fifth war patrol. After occupying a lifeguard station and destroying 61 floating mines, she retired to Guam, arriving in Apra Harbor 5 September 1945. After receiving voyage repairs and fuel she proceeded to San Diego where she joined Submarine Squadron 1.

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Wikipedia