Silent Service - The USN Submarine Forces

[topdcnut]

USS Whale SSN 638 at anchor with the USS Davis DD 937 Cartagena Spain 1981

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

I recently picked up this group of Pomodon patches

uss 004 (4).jpg

uss 004 (3).jpg

 

USS POMODON (SS-486) Tench class in service 1945 to 1970

 

Different version

[Tonomachi]

On 10/26/2014 at 10:46 AM, Salvage Sailor said:

We have some other Regulus photos and patches on the forum, but I didn't see anything for the USS BARBERO (SSG-317)

Along with the USS TUNNY (SSG-282) these WWII vets were the first USN nuclear deterrent submarines, paving the way for the Polaris boats and future Boomers.

 

She also held the distinction of being the only 'Missile Mail' submarine, sending letters via a Regulus missile to NAVSTA Mayport, Florida.

Nice original cut edge Japanese patch, measuring 6" x 6" and probably made by Ace Novelty.

 

Unlike her sister Regulus submarines which were converted to APSS/LPSS service during Vietnam, BARBERO was struck and sunk in Hawaii in 1964

Here is a variation of this patch which I was watching on eBay and I was shocked at how much it sold for at $598.88. This looks like a 1960s era Japanese made patch. Are they that rare for it to sell for this amount?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Navy-USN-USS-BARBERO-SSG-317-Submarine-patch-/392019966499?nma=true&si=DG8Ivl8CyWnI5Es%252BN4K3FqW3XYU%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

 

 

Back of patch

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Nice patch with nice detalis (much better than mine in post no. 18) but.....

 

Someone either spent their tax return or deep pockets bidders had to have it.

 

PS - Thanks for the reminder as I never posted this one

 

USS HALIBUT (SSGN-587) Diesel Electric submarine converted to Nuclear power, in service 1959 to 1976

 

 

 

USS Hailbut began as a diesel-electric submarine but completed with nuclear power, Halibut was the first submarine initially designed to launch guided missiles. Intended to carry the Regulus I and Regulus II nuclear cruise missiles, her main deck was high above the waterline to provide a dry "flight deck." Her missile system was completely automated, with hydraulic machinery controlled from a central control station.

 

 

GUIDED MISSILE UNIT 10 (GMU-10) Bonham Detachment, Regulus Missiles, Barking Sands Missile Range servicing the USS HALIBUT (SSGN-587) in the Pacific Fleet 1960

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS Spinax SSR 489

uss 001 (5).jpg

 

USS SPINAX (SSR-489) Tench class in service 1946 to 1969

 

Japanese made patch - Converted in 1947 to a SSR radar picket submarine & reverted to SS-489 fleet snorkel submarine in 1959,

[Salvage Sailor]

USS GRENADIER (SS-525) Tench class launched in 1944 for WWII service but not commissioned until 1951 for Korean service.

 

 

One of the first GUPPY Submarines (Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program) Decommissioned in 1973

The 210 on this patch is a tribute to her predecessor, USS GRENADIER (SS-210) lost in 1943

 

 

Legacy patch for USS GRENADIER (SS-210) Lost due to enemy action in 1943

 

...and a different version of USS GRENADIER (SS-525)

[Salvage Sailor]

USS TRIGGER (SS-564) Tang class in service 1952 to 1973

 

[Salvage Sailor]

On 7/7/2017 at 11:06 AM, Bearmon said:

Two more The USS Dolphin AGSS 555 and the USS Sand Lance SSN 660

 

USS DOLPHIN (AGSS-555) Specialized diesel electric deep-diving research and development submarine in service 1968 to 2007

 

Dolphin patch circa 1968

 

 

USS DOLPHIN (AGSS-555) Specialized diesel electric deep-diving research and development submarine in service 1968 to 2007

Deepest dive photo signed by the CO

 

Deepest Dive patch circa 2000

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS LAPON (SSN-661) Sturgeon class attack submarine in service 1967 to 1992

[Salvage Sailor]

USS SCAMP (SSN-588) Skipjack class in service 1961 to 1988, 3 campaign stars Vietnam War

 

Ace Novelty version, Vietnam Era

 

 

Commissioning booklet June 5, 1961

[Salvage Sailor]

USS SNOOK (SSN-592) Skipjack class in service 1961 to 1988

 

Cold War crewman's patches

 

Ace Novelty Version, Vietnam Era

 

 

 

 

UNITAS 1980 - Cadillac of the Fleet

 

 

Cold War Commie Sub Hunter - Death From Below - Med Run 1982

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS SEAWOLF (SSN-575) In service 1957 to 1987 - Gemsco Version

 

USS Seawolf (SSN-575), a unique submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the seawolf, the second nuclear submarine, and the only US submarine built with a liquid metal cooled (sodium) nuclear reactor known as the Submarine Intermediate Reactor (SIR) or Liquid Metal Fast Reactor (LMFR), later designated S2G. Her overall design was a variant of Nautilus, but with numerous detail changes, such as a conning tower, stepped sail, and the AN/SQS-51 active sonar mounted in the top portion of the bow instead of further below. This sonar arrangement resulted in an unusual bow shape above the water for a U.S. submarine. Her distinctive reactor was later replaced with a standard pressurized water reactor, the replacement process lasting from 12 December 1958 to 30 September 1960

[Salvage Sailor]

USS LAMPREY (SS-327) Balao class in service 1944 to 1946 and again briefly in 1960 for refitting.

 

This may be the refitting patch or more likely a vet/reunion patch

 

USS LAMPREY (SS-327) Balao class in service 1944 to 1946 - Veteran/Reunion patch

[Salvage Sailor]

USS OMAHA (SSN-692) Los Angeles class fast attack submarine in service 1978 to 1995

 

 

End of the Cold War Northern Pacific run 1991 - Note the CCCP on the soviet ship

 

 

[Bearmon]

USS Queenfish Westpac large patches about 8 inches across

[Josh B.]

Japanese USS TIRU

[Salvage Sailor]

USS PICUDA (SS-382) Balao class in service 1943 to 1972. Six war patrols and six battle stars for WWII service.

 

 

Japanese made cut edge

 

Picuda, in wolf-pack with sister ships Spadefish and Redfish, departed Pearl Harbor for her third war patrol 23 July in waters of the Luzon Strait between Formosa and Luzon. On 25 August, Picuda spotted ten ships hugging the coast some 4,000 yards (3,700 m) off the beach of Luzon. Slipping past five escorts, and with three enemy patrol planes overhead, she sent six torpedoes streaking to sink 1943-ton cargo ship Kotoku Maru, then skillfully maneuvered for a down-the-throat shot that spelled the doom of 1270 ton pursuing Japanese destroyer Yūnagi. Picuda probed deeper in the interior of Luzon Strait on 16 September, for a bold daylight attack on an eight-ship convoy, guarded by three destroyers and air cover. She sank 5975-ton cargo ship Tokushima Maru and scored hits for unknown damage to two other freighters. Searching the southern border of her assigned patrol area, Picuda found another convoy hugging the north coast of Luzon on 21 September and sent 1948-ton freighter Awaji Maru to the bottom. Picuda made rendezvous with Barb and Queenfish, then set course in company with these two submarines to terminate her third war patrol in the lagoon of Majuro Atoll on 3 October......

 

 

.....On 29 December, Picuda put to sea for her fifth war patrol in the Formosa Straits and the East China Sea off the east coast of China from Shanghai to Kam Kit. On 7 January 1945, Picuda received a contact report from Barb and closed a convoy in the straits of Formosa to inflict severe damage with four torpedo hits on 10,045-ton tanker Munakata Maru. On the afternoon of 8 January, she again received a convoy contact report from Barb and slipped between two escorts of the starboard screen about four hours before midnight to pick out two large passenger-freighters. Three bow tubes fired at each target resulted in one hit on each. She swung and fired stern shots at a tanker, then discovered an escort dead ahead, 700 yards (640 m) range, and was forced to clear the area. The 2854-ton coastal tanker Hikoshima Maru, hit by both Picuda and Barb, was disabled and ran aground. The freighter Meiho Maru had a similar experience, and severe damage was inflicted on 6600-ton freighter Hisagawa Maru as well as 6516-ton coastal tanker Manju Maru. Picuda having flashed a contact report as she cleared the area, set course for lifeguard station in support of the Third Fleet airstrikes on Formosa. In the early morning darkness of 29 January, Picuda made out at least three large ships in the rain and commenced tracking. The rain slacked as she approached dead ahead of a troop transport, overlapped by a freighter. One hit on the transport and two hits on the freighter were observed by Picuda’s officer of the deck. The transport, almost dead in the water, commenced shrill whistle blasts and the mist dropped down to reveal the freighter enveloped in a huge cloud of steam and smoke. An enemy float plane forced Picuda to abandon the attack. The victim sunk in this attack was the 5497-ton passenger-cargo ship Clyde Maru. Picuda reached Tanapag Harbor, Saipan 5–6 February and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 15 February.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS SPIKEFISH (SS-404) Balao class in service 1944 to 1963. Redesignated AGSS-404 in 1963 just prior to decommissioning.

 

 

She was credited with the sinking of the last Japanese submarine (I-373) during WWII. Spikefish received three battle stars for World War II service

 

On 15 August, an order was received to cease all attacks, as Japan had agreed to surrender. The submarine delivered her prisoners to Saipan on 21 August and proceeded to Pearl Harbor, On 6 September, she and Hoe (SS-258) sailed for the east coast of the United States. Spikefish transited the Panama Canal on 23 September and arrived at New London, Conn. on 29 September. She was in drydock at the Portsmouth Navy Yard from 1 November 1945 to 15 February 1946. Upon her return to New London, her home port, she was assigned to Submarine Squadron 2 and trained personnel of the submarine school.

 

Her training duty was interrupted by an overhaul from 7 April to 22 September 1947; a cruise to Bermuda from 25 September to 2 October 1947; and another overhaul at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from 16 May to 8 July 1948. Spikefish operated from New London making training cruises along the east coast from Bermuda to Nova Scotia until 30 April 1955. On that day, she and Piper (SS-409) sailed for the Mediterranean and deployment with the 6th Fleet. Spikefish returned to New London on 8 October 1955 and resumed her normal training duties until early 1963. On 18 March 1960, Spikefish became the first United States submarine to record 10,000 dives.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS SWORDFISH (SSN-579) Skate class nuclear submarine in service 1958 to 1989

 

 

 

[Bearmon]

I guess this one should go here, USS Oak Ridge ARDM 1 floating dry dock

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Here ya go Bearmon, it's been on my 'to-do' list for quite some time. Thanks for the reminder.

 

New Topic

Naval Shipyards, Repair Facilities and Dry Docks http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/324253-naval-shipyards-repair-facilities-and-dry-docks/

[mars&thunder]

Here are a bunch of sub related patches spread over 2 posts. Probably a lot of duplication of things people have already posted on individually. These date from 1980-1983 when I worked for a company that serviced navy nuclear propulsion systems. When I'd go to a shipyard or other facility to work on a sub, I'd buy patches of the boats I worked on, to include the tenders associated with the work.

 

Regards -

 

 

 

[mars&thunder]

Here's the second set of patches. I see I included one Destroyer patch - the MoosBrugger. I had to go out for 7 days on this one to observe ASW operations. The rest are in one way or another sub related. The purple one is hard to read in the photo - that's the Andrew Jackson SSBN 619.

 

Regards -

 

 

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Nice SKIPJACK (SSN-585) patch, that's one we hadn't posted yet.

[Salvage Sailor]

Boomer USS CASIMIR PULASKI (SSBN-633) James Madison class ballistic missile submarine in service 1964 to 1994. The CP patch is difficult to find and often overlooked by collectors.

 

 

 

Boomer USS CASIMIR PULASKI (SSBN-633) Ace Novelty Version