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USS Bass (SS-164)
Encyclopedia
USS Bass (SF-5/SS-164), a Barracuda-class submarine and one of the "V-boat
s", was the first ship of the United States Navy
to be named for the bass
. Her keel
was laid at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched
as V-2 (SF-5) on 27 December 1924 sponsored by Mrs. Douglas E. Dismukes, wife of Captain
Dismukes, and commissioned
on 26 September 1925, Lieutenant Commander
G.A. Rood in command.
until November 1927, when the Division sailed for San Diego, California
, arriving on 3 December 1927. V-2 operated with the fleet on the West Coast
, in the Hawaiian Islands
, and in the Caribbean Sea
until December 1932.
Renamed Bass on 9 March 1931, she was assigned to SubDiv 12 in April. On 1 July, her hull classification symbol
was changed from SF-5 to SS-164. On 2 January 1933, she was assigned to Rotating Reserve SubDiv 15, San Diego. Bass rejoined the fleet again in July and cruised along the West Coast, in the Canal Zone, and in the Hawaiian Islands until January 1937. She then departed the West Coast and arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
on 18 February 1937, where she went out of commission in reserve on 9 June.
on 5 September 1940, and assigned to SubDiv 9, Atlantic Fleet. From February–November 1941, she operated along the New England coast and made two trips to St. George, Bermuda. She arrived at Coco Solo
on 24 November and was on duty there when the Japanese launched their attack on Pearl Harbor
.
In 1942, Bass was attached to Submarine Squadron 3 (SubRon 3), SubDiv 31, Atlantic Fleet. From March–August, while based at Coco Solo, she made four war patrols in the Pacific, off Balboa, Panama
. While at sea on 17 August 1942, a fire broke out in the after battery room and quickly spread to the aft torpedo room and starboard main motor, resulting in the death of 25 enlisted men by asphyxiation. The following day, arrived to assist the submarine and escorted her into the Gulf of Dulce
, Costa Rica
. Both proceeded to Balboa.
Bass remained in the Canal Zone until October 1942, when she departed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, arriving on 19 October. After undergoing repairs at Philadelphia Navy Yard Bass proceeded to New London, Connecticut
where she conducted secret experiments off Block Island
in December 1943. She was again in Philadelphia for repairs from January–March 1944. During the remainder of the year, she was attached to SubRon 1, Atlantic Fleet, and operated out of New London in the area between Long Island
and Block Island
.
Bass was decommissioned at the Naval Submarine Base New London
on 3 March 1945 and expended as a target on 18 March 1945.
V-boat
The V-boats were a group of nine United States Navy submarines built between World War I and World War II from 1919-1934. These were not a ship class in the usual sense of a series of nearly identical ships built from the same design, but shared authorization under the "fleet boat" program...
s", was the first ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for the bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
. Her keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
was laid at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
as V-2 (SF-5) on 27 December 1924 sponsored by Mrs. Douglas E. Dismukes, wife of Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Dismukes, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 26 September 1925, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
G.A. Rood in command.
Inter-War Period
V-2 was assigned to Submarine Division 20 (SubDiv 20) and cruised along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean SeaCaribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
until November 1927, when the Division sailed for San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, arriving on 3 December 1927. V-2 operated with the fleet on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
, in the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
, and in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
until December 1932.
Renamed Bass on 9 March 1931, she was assigned to SubDiv 12 in April. On 1 July, her hull classification symbol
Hull classification symbol
The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration use hull classification symbols to identify their ship types and each individual ship within each type...
was changed from SF-5 to SS-164. On 2 January 1933, she was assigned to Rotating Reserve SubDiv 15, San Diego. Bass rejoined the fleet again in July and cruised along the West Coast, in the Canal Zone, and in the Hawaiian Islands until January 1937. She then departed the West Coast and arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
on 18 February 1937, where she went out of commission in reserve on 9 June.
World War II
Bass was recommissioned at Portsmouth, New HampshirePortsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
on 5 September 1940, and assigned to SubDiv 9, Atlantic Fleet. From February–November 1941, she operated along the New England coast and made two trips to St. George, Bermuda. She arrived at Coco Solo
Coco Solo
Coco Solo was a United States Navy submarine base established in 1918 on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama....
on 24 November and was on duty there when the Japanese launched their attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
.
In 1942, Bass was attached to Submarine Squadron 3 (SubRon 3), SubDiv 31, Atlantic Fleet. From March–August, while based at Coco Solo, she made four war patrols in the Pacific, off Balboa, Panama
Balboa, Panama
Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.- History :The town of Balboa, founded by the United States during the construction of the Panama Canal, was named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the Spanish conquistador credited with discovering the Pacific Ocean...
. While at sea on 17 August 1942, a fire broke out in the after battery room and quickly spread to the aft torpedo room and starboard main motor, resulting in the death of 25 enlisted men by asphyxiation. The following day, arrived to assist the submarine and escorted her into the Gulf of Dulce
Gulf of Dulce
Gulf of Dulce is an inlet in Costa Rica, located at . The inlet starts on the Pacific Ocean side of Costa Rica and extends slightly northward before turning west. The most westward part is at the city of Rincon. The [bay separates the Osa Peninsula from the mainland Costa Rica....
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. Both proceeded to Balboa.
Bass remained in the Canal Zone until October 1942, when she departed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, arriving on 19 October. After undergoing repairs at Philadelphia Navy Yard Bass proceeded to New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
where she conducted secret experiments off Block Island
Block Island
Block Island is part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island, east of Montauk Point on Long Island, and is separated from the Rhode Island mainland by Block Island Sound. The United States Census Bureau defines Block...
in December 1943. She was again in Philadelphia for repairs from January–March 1944. During the remainder of the year, she was attached to SubRon 1, Atlantic Fleet, and operated out of New London in the area between Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and Block Island
Block Island
Block Island is part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island, east of Montauk Point on Long Island, and is separated from the Rhode Island mainland by Block Island Sound. The United States Census Bureau defines Block...
.
Bass was decommissioned at the Naval Submarine Base New London
Naval Submarine Base New London
Naval Submarine Base New London is the United States Navy's primary submarine base, the "Home of the Submarine Force", and "the Submarine Capital of the World".-History:...
on 3 March 1945 and expended as a target on 18 March 1945.
External links
- On Eternal Patrol: USS Bass
- The WRECK HUNTERS Group of wreck divers visiting the wreck.