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USS Blenny (SS-324)
Encyclopedia
USS Blenny (SS/AGSS-324), a Balao-class
submarine
, was a ship of the United States Navy
named for the blenny, a fish found along the rocky shores of the Atlantic Ocean
.
Blenny (SS-324) was launched 9 April 1944 by Electric Boat
Co., Groton, Conn.; sponsored by Miss Florence King, daughter of CNO
Admiral Ernest J. King
; commissioned 27 June 1944, Lieutenant Commander W. H. Hazzard in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.
Between 10 November 1944 and 14 August 1945 Blenny conducted four war patrols in the Java
and South China Sea
s. Blenny sank eight Japan
ese vessels totaling 18,262 tons. In addition, she is credited with destroying more than 62 miscellaneous Japanese small craft by gunfire, and rescuing a boarding party lost by the when that boat had to make an emergency dive to avoid strafing.
With the cessation of hostilities Blenny returned to San Diego, arriving 5 September 1945. She operated locally from the San Diego area during the remainder of 1945. Between 1946 and 1951 Blenny made one cruise to China
(August–November 1946); participated in a midshipman
cruise to Canada
; made two winter cruises in Alaska
n waters (1947–48 and 1948–49); and participated in fleet maneuvers off Hawaii
and local operations near San Diego.
In 1951 Blenny underwent conversion to a GUPPY submarine and spent the remainder of the year operating in the San Diego area. Between May and November 1952 she cruised in the Far East during which time she conducted a 35-day reconnaissance patrol in support of the Korean operations
. The boat spent 1953 conducting local operations along the west coast.
On 24 May 1954 Blenny reported to the Atlantic Fleet. She operated out of New London, Conn.
, participating in Atlantic Fleet, NATO, and anti-submarine warfare
exercises, in addition to operating with a submarine development group engaged in evaluating new equipment.
Blenny was reclassified an Auxiliary Submarine, AGSS-324, circa 1964. She was decommissioned, 7 November 1969 and laid up in the Reserve Fleet
. Blenny was struck from the Naval Register, 15 August 1973. She was sunk to form part of an artificial reef
about fifteen miles (24 km) off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland
in June, 1989.
Blenny received four battle stars for her World War II
service and one battle star for Korean War
service.
Balao class submarine
The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
, was a 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...
named for the blenny, a fish found along the rocky shores of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Blenny (SS-324) was launched 9 April 1944 by Electric Boat
Electric boat
While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion...
Co., Groton, Conn.; sponsored by Miss Florence King, daughter of CNO
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
Admiral Ernest J. King
Ernest King
Fleet Admiral Ernest Joseph King was Commander in Chief, United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations during World War II. As COMINCH, he directed the United States Navy's operations, planning, and administration and was a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was the U.S...
; commissioned 27 June 1944, Lieutenant Commander W. H. Hazzard in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.
Between 10 November 1944 and 14 August 1945 Blenny conducted four war patrols in the Java
Java Sea
The Java Sea is a large shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf. It was formed as sea levels rose at the end of the last ice age. The Java Sea lies between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south; Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east...
and South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
s. Blenny sank eight Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese vessels totaling 18,262 tons. In addition, she is credited with destroying more than 62 miscellaneous Japanese small craft by gunfire, and rescuing a boarding party lost by the when that boat had to make an emergency dive to avoid strafing.
With the cessation of hostilities Blenny returned to San Diego, arriving 5 September 1945. She operated locally from the San Diego area during the remainder of 1945. Between 1946 and 1951 Blenny made one cruise to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(August–November 1946); participated in a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
cruise to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
; made two winter cruises in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n waters (1947–48 and 1948–49); and participated in fleet maneuvers off Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and local operations near San Diego.
In 1951 Blenny underwent conversion to a GUPPY submarine and spent the remainder of the year operating in the San Diego area. Between May and November 1952 she cruised in the Far East during which time she conducted a 35-day reconnaissance patrol in support of the Korean operations
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The boat spent 1953 conducting local operations along the west coast.
On 24 May 1954 Blenny reported to the Atlantic Fleet. She operated out of New London, Conn.
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:...
, participating in Atlantic Fleet, NATO, and anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
exercises, in addition to operating with a submarine development group engaged in evaluating new equipment.
Blenny was reclassified an Auxiliary Submarine, AGSS-324, circa 1964. She was decommissioned, 7 November 1969 and laid up in the Reserve Fleet
Reserve fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....
. Blenny was struck from the Naval Register, 15 August 1973. She was sunk to form part of an artificial reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
about fifteen miles (24 km) off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City, sometimes known as OC, or OCMD, is an Atlantic Ocean resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Ocean City is widely known in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is a frequent destination for vacationers in that area...
in June, 1989.
Blenny received four battle stars for her World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service and one battle star for Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
service.
External links
- http://www.brazosport.cc.tx.us/~nstevens/Blenindx.html
- http://www.webenet.net/~ftoon/memory/f_memory.html
- Kill record: USS Blenny