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Original WW2 USS Redfin (SS-272) submarine photos


StevenL
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These photos were given to my grandfather by one of his shipmates on the Redfin who was the official photographer. My grandparents finished moving recently and they were finally unearthed again this summer while I was back visiting family. I only scanned a few of them because there's so many but I'll try to give a description for the ones that need it. These are all from when the Redfin returned to the US after the war ended.


Redfin docked in Galveston, TX.

A photo of the iconic fish face and gills that the crew painted onto the boat after the war ended.

This is the Redfin logo painted onto the tower by the crew. It differs greatly from the official logo and is what my tattoo is based off it.

My grandfather told me SO many stories about the dog they had onboard named Rascal. He even wrote a story about some of Rascal's exploits in a small publication called Submarine Skullduggery. Imagine my surprise to actually find a photo of THE Rascal himself. :w00t:

This is a photo of the aft torpedo tubes. The ladder you can see leads to an escape hatch.

The Redfin's battle flag as part of a victory parade in Galveston, TX.

And last but not least someone riding a dummy torpedo in the same parade. :lol:

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General Apathy

Hi StevenL, got to be some of the best and interesting submarine shots I have seen.

 

If you have more fire them over here, look forward to seeing them

 

Thanks also to your granfather for his service, not the easiest of branches to be serving in.

 

Cheers Lewis

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The Redfin was launched on April 4th, 1943 at Manitowoc Shipbuilding in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The launch area is only 4 miles from my home. My Grandfather worked on 10 of these subs including the Redfin. Below is a picture of the Redfin on Sea Trials in Lake Michigan shortly after it was launched.

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The Redfin was launched on April 4th, 1943 at Manitowoc Shipbuilding in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The launch area is only 4 miles from my home. My Grandfather worked on 10 of these subs including the Redfin. Below is a picture of the Redfin on Sea Trials in Lake Michigan shortly after it was launched.

 

 

Sweet photos indeed!! My grandad was an architect on the subs at Two Rivers. I got these original 5"x8"s through my mom. Thanks for sharing!

 

-Ski

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  • 3 years later...

The bunk in the Fwd torpedo Rm just to the left of the ladder to the escape trunk is where I slept . Kinda messy looking here but that was in WW11 . No time for bunk making . !958-1961 was later when I served aboard her . Mother Hagen was the first class Torpedoman in charge of the Fwd torpedo Rm . No aft tubes during my time on board . Bob Crane MM2(SS)

 

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Hello, I see you are a pretty new member so I want to welcome you aboard the forum!

 

It is great to have someone who was actually aboard join our forum. Feel free to tell us about your time on the Redfin.

 

RC

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Hello, I see you are a pretty new member so I want to welcome you aboard the forum!

 

It is great to have someone who was actually aboard join our forum. Feel free to tell us about your time on the Redfin.

 

RC

Good to hear from you Rusty . Sure would like to contact the one who posted these pictures . He said he had more . I have a Page on Facebook with several pictures that he may be interested in . ( USS REDFIN SSR 272 ) . Lets keep in touch unless you lose all of your water , Bob Crane ( PS I havent read all of the regs on this site . Is it permissable to put your E Mail address on here . under your profile ?)

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Hi,

 

You can put your email address on your profile or the 'signature' line which is below every post you make. Here are the instructions to add a signature: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/160626-how-to-add-signatures/

 

The member that started this thread hasn't signed in since early summer, so I don't know if you will be successful in contacting them. But you can try sending a personal message and see what happens. Here is a link to intructions on how to send such a message: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/171588-how-to-send-a-private-message/

 

RC

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What a great thread-Thanks Redfin 1 for your insight-hopefully you won't be a stranger as I'm sure everyone would like to hear more of your experiences on the Redfin. The Redfin was one of a handful of boats the got converted for radar picket duty. (complete with a new sail). If I'm not mistaken some of the radar units came from the Kriegsmarine? I spent alot of time on the USS Requin when it was moored on the Hillsborough River in Tampa. Always interested in the Migraine conversion....post-35406-0-35798300-1386100034.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Redfin was launched on April 4th, 1943 at Manitowoc Shipbuilding in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The launch area is only 4 miles from my home. My Grandfather worked on 10 of these subs including the Redfin. Below is a picture of the Redfin on Sea Trials in Lake Michigan shortly after it was launched.

 

Redfin

 

 

(SS - 272: displacement 1,526; length 311’9”; beam 27’3”; draft 15’3”; speed 20 knots (surfaced), 8.7 knots (submerged); complement 60; armament 1 3”, 10 21” torpedo tubes; class Gato)

 

Redfin (SS-272) was laid down 03 September 1942 by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wis.; launched 4 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. B. B. Wygant; and commissioned 31 August 1943, Lt. Comdr. R. D. King in command.

 

Departing New Orleans 15 October 1943, Redfin proceeded to Fremantle, Australia. On her first war patrol, starting 4 January 1944, she encountered an enemy convoy of four ships in the South China Sea on 16 January. Before she could attack, however, Japanese destroyer Amatsukaze spotted Redfin in the afternoon haze and began a surface chase. After the Japanese warship began firing at Redfin from about 5,000 yards, the submarine carefully fired four torpedoes at the fast closing destroyer, scoring at least one hit that damaged Amatsukaze and allowed Redfin to escape. The submarine then returned to Fremantle to refit, a period broken by an emergency patrol off western Australia in mid-March to defend against a possible Japanese strike.

 

On her second war patrol, 19 March to 1 May, Redfin sank the 1,900-ton Japanese destroyer Akigumo off Zamboanga, Mindanao, 11 April. During the night of 15-16 April, she sank two Japanese passenger-cargo ships, Shinyu Maru, 4,621 tons, and Yamagata Maru, 3,807 tons. On the night of 22-23 April, she landed four of her crew near Dent Haven, Borneo, to evacuate a British reconnaissance party. Attacked by the Japanese, the landing party returned to Redfin without their charges, but the British agents were later evacuated by Australian forces, and transferred to Harder (SS-257).

 

On her third war patrol, 26 May to 1 July, she landed six Philippine guerrillas on a small island near Balabac Strait 8 June. Proceeding to scout the enemy naval base at Tawi Tawi, she sank the 5,142-ton Japanese tanker Asanagi Maru on the 11th. She also warned American forces in the Marianas of the departure from Tawi Tawi of the Japanese task force that was later defeated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on the 19th and the 20th. Operating off Leyte on the 24th, she sank the 3,028-ton Japanese passenger-cargo ship Aso Maru, before returning to Fremantle.

 

Departing Fremantle 6 August, she laid a minefield off the west coast of Borneo on the 19th, and rescued eight survivors of Flier (SS-250) at Palawan Island on the 30th. After lifeguard duty for airstrikes against Balikpapan, Borneo, she departed Fremantle 26 October, and sank the 15,226-ton Japanese tanker No.2 Nichinan Maru west of the Philippines 8 November. Completing her fourth war patrol 7 January 1945, she proceeded to Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, where she received special mine detection gear. Underway from Pearl Harbor 30 May to 10 July, and later from 30 July to 5 September she made mine surveys first off Honshu and Hokkaido, and later off Kyushu, Japan.

 

Decommissioned at New London, Conn., on 1 November 1946, she entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in April 1951 for conversion, and was reclassified SSR. Recommissioned on 9 January 1953, she engaged in radar picket duty for the next six years, ranging from American coastal waters, to northern Europe, and to the Mediterranean.

 

In April 1959 she entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and received an inertial guidance system. Redfin became a laboratory and training ship for the testing of inertial guidance systems used in Polaris submarines. She preceded the first ballistic missile submarine George Washington (SSBN-598) as flagship of Submarine Squadron l4. After searching for the lost Thresher (SSN-593) in April 1963, she was reclassified AGSS on 28 June. Operating in the Atlantic, she continued to assist in special research and development projects, including the Polaris A-3 missile, until she decommissioned 15 May 1967 to become a Naval Reserve Training Ship at Baltimore, Md.

 

Redfin was stricken from the Navy list on 1 July 1970 and sold to the North American Smelting Co., Wilmington, Del., on 3 March 1971.

 

Redfin received six battle stars for World War II service.

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  • 2 weeks later...

USS REDFIN SS272 nineteen hundred four ------ The inscription was never finished . The bell made for the Redfin was almost ready to be installed on the Redfin as she was being completed in Manitowoc, Ship building Co . Wisconsin . The Navy made a decision not to install bells on future subs as this could cause detection by sound of a submerged sub. The bell disappeared for many years . Jack March (deceased) now . was contacted by the people who had the bell . It was being used on their farm to call the workers in from the field for lunch . They generously offered it to the Redfin Reunion Committee . Jack and Jim Martin drove to the farm to retrieve the bell . It was on display with the supporting frame built by Jack March at our Mobile Reunion . Jim Gradeless the crew member with the longest time spent on the Redfin was asked to ring the bell in remembrance of ea. crew member (deceased) as their name was called out . This was a very moving time with the remaining crew who were present at the Mobile Alabama Reunion

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  • 2 months later...

USS REDFIN SS272 nineteen hundred four ------ The inscription was never finished . The bell made for the Redfin was almost ready to be installed on the Redfin as she was being completed in Mantiwoc, Ship building Co . Wisconsin . The Navy made a decision not to install bells on future subs as this could cause detection by sound of a submerged sub. The bell dissappeared for many years . Jack March (deceased) now . was contacted by the people who had the bell . It was being used on their farm to call the workers in from the field for lunch . They generously offered it to the Redfin Reunion Committee . Jack and Jim Martin drove to the farm to retrieve the bell . It was on display with the supporting frame built by Jack March at our Mobile Reunion . Jim Gradeless the crewmember with the longest time spent on the Redfin was asked to ring the bell in rememberence of ea. crew member (deceased) as their name was called out . This was a very moving time with the remaining crew who were present at the Mobile Alabama Reunion . Jim Gradeless pictured below in a subs Fwd torpedo Room , His favorite habitat .

 

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Bob crane: my brother-in-law was an officer aboard the Redfin. His name: Gordon Woodman. Was he aboard during your duty?

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These photos were given to my grandfather by one of his shipmates on the Redfin who was the official photographer. My grandparents finished moving recently and they were finally unearthed again this summer while I was back visiting family. I only scanned a few of them because there's so many but I'll try to give a description for the ones that need it. These are all from when the Redfin returned to the US after the war ended.

 

 

Redfin docked in Galveston, TX.

 

RedfindockedinGalvestonTX.jpg

 

Redfindeckgun.jpg

 

A photo of the iconic fish face and gills that the crew painted onto the boat after the war ended.

 

Redfinpostwarpaintjob.jpg

 

This is the Redfin logo painted onto the tower by the crew. It differs greatly from the official logo and is what my tattoo is based off it.

 

Towerlogo.jpg

 

My grandfather told me SO many stories about the dog they had onboard named Rascal. He even wrote a story about some of Rascal's exploits in a small publication called Submarine Skullduggery. Imagine my surprise to actually find a photo of THE Rascal himself. :w00t:

 

RascalontheRedfin.jpg

 

This is a photo of the aft torpedo tubes. The ladder you can see leads to an escape hatch.

 

Afttorpedotubes.jpg

 

The Redfin's battle flag as part of a victory parade in Galveston, TX.

 

RedfinbattleflagGalvestonparade.jpg

 

And last but not least someone riding a dummy torpedo in the same parade. :lol:

 

DummytorpedoGalvestonparade.jpg

This is Steven L 's grandfathers picture .

post-144008-0-56514500-1395537796.jpg

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  • 4 months later...

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