USS Blackfin (SS-322)

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Career

Builder:	Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut ^[1]
Laid down:	10 June 1943 ^[1]
Launched:	12 March 1944 ^[1]
Commissioned:	4 July 1944 ^[1]
Decommissioned:	19 November 1948
Recommissioned:	15 May 1951
Decommissioned:	15 September 1972
Struck:	15 September 1972 ^[1]
Fate:	Scuttled off San Diego, California, 13 May 1973 ^[1]
General characteristics
Class and type:	Balao-class diesel-electric submarine
Displacement:	1,526 tons (1550 t) surfaced 2,424 tons (2460 t) submerged
Length:	311 ft 9 in (95.0 m) ^[1]
Beam:	27 ft 3 in (8.3 m) ^[1]
Draft:	16 ft 10 in (5.1 m) maximum ^[1]
Propulsion:	4 × General Motors Model 16 V16 diesel engines, total 5,400 bhp (4.0 MW) 4 × General Electric electric motors, total 2,740 bhp (2.0 MW) two propellers ^[1]
Speed:	20.25 knots (37 km/h) surfaced 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged
Range:	11,000 nm (20,000 km) surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)
Endurance:	48 hours at 2 knots (4 km/h) submerged 75 days on patrol
Test depth:	400 ft (120 m)
Complement:	6 officers, 60 enlisted
Armament:	10 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (six forward, four aft) 24 torpedoes 1 × 5 in (127 mm) / 25 caliber deck gun four machine guns

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. Charles A. Lockwood, wife of Rear Admiral Lockwood; and commissioned 4 July 1944, Lieutenant Commander G. H. 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., 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.

Through July 1948 Blackfin continued on active duty in the Pacific. The majority of her operations were conducted near the Hawaiian and Mariana Islands. In June and July 1946 she participated in "Operation Iceberg" which took her across the Arctic Circle. She reported to Mare Island for inactivation in July 1948 and was placed out of commission in reserve there 19 November 1948.

In November 1950 Blackfin began conversion to a Guppy submarine and was recommissioned 15 May 1951. She operated with Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, based at San Diego until 8 March 1954 and thereafter at Pearl Harbor. During this time she completed two tours in the Far East (December 1951–June 1952 and January–June 1955); conducted local and training operations; and made several simulated war patrols.

Blackfin was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 15 September 1972. She was used as a target and sunk by torpedo in the "SubSinkEx Project Thurber" project.

Blackfin received three battle stars for her World War II service.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Bauer, K. Jack & Roberts, Stephen S. (1991), Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-26202-0