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USS Sennet (SS-408)
Encyclopedia
USS Sennet (SS-408), a Balao-class
submarine
, was a ship of the United States Navy
named for the sennet
, a barracuda
.
Sennet was laid down on 8 March 1944 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine
; launched
on 6 June 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Roscoe W. Downs; and commissioned
on 22 August 1944, Commander George E. Porter in command.
Sennet was fitted out by 18 September. She held training exercises and torpedo-tube testing off the coast of Connecticut
and Rhode Island
until 22 October. The submarine then tested mines
and torpedoes for the Mine Warfare Test Station, Solomons Island, Md. On 11 November, Sennet proceeded to the operations area off Balboa
, C. Z.
, and conducted further training exercises. The submarine departed Balboa on 29 November for Pearl Harbor
and arrived there on 16 December 1944.
Sennets topside armament was increased to two 5 inches (127 mm) guns, two 40 millimeter guns, and three .50 caliber machine guns before departing Pearl Harbor for her first war patrol on 5 January 1945.
with three escorts on 21 January but scored no hits. The following week, the submarine sank one 500-ton picket boat and damaged another.
Sennet refitted at Saipan
from 31 January to 7 February when she began her second war patrol off southern Honshū
, Japan
. On 13 February, two 300-ton picket boats were sunk by the combined gunfire of Sennet, , and .
Three days later, the submarine attacked an enemy minelayer
with an offset spread of torpedoes from her stern tubes and went deep, to 200 feet (61 m). Two torpedoes were heard to explode. While going deep, Sennet was rocked hard by two aircraft bombs which exploded beneath her. The submarine surfaced an hour later and saw a large oil slick and approximately 40 Japanese clinging to debris but no trace of Nariu which had sunk.
, Guam
, 9 March – 2 April. Patrolling off Honshū again from 3 April to 16 May, she was surfaced off Miki Saki on 16 April when she was twice straddled by torpedoes fired from patrol boats. Three days later, the submarine torpedoed and sank the cargo ship, Hagane Maru. On 22 April, Sennet attempted to save a P-51 pilot who had bailed out near her but the man went under only 100 feet (30.5 m) from the ship. Attempts to find him were in vain.
A repair ship was attacked on 28 April with two electrical torpedoes. The first blew the bow off and the second hit under the mainmast. Hatsushima sank by her stern. On 1 May, Sennett fired five steam torpedoes at an Asashio-class destroyer
but it maneuvered and avoided them. At the end of this patrol, the submarine sailed to Pearl Harbor for upkeep and leave.
Sennets most profitable patrol was from 1 July to 9 August in the Sea of Japan
. During the patrol, she sank one passenger-cargo ship, two cargo ships, and one tanker
totaling 13,105 tons.
In June 1946, she was reassigned to Submarine Squadron 6 (SubRon 6) at Balboa, C.Z. From 10 December 1946 to 13 March 1947, Sennet participated in Operation Highjump
, the third Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Sennet used the first basic under-ice SONAR
to establish the feasibility of United States under-ice operations.
Sennet operated from Balboa until 1949 when she was assigned to operate from Key West
, Fla.
, as a unit of Submarine Squadron 12 (SubRon 12). The ship conducted training for submarine and antisubmarine personnel at Key West and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
. In 1951, Sennet was converted to a Fleet Snorkel submarine at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
and returned to her homeport.
and service with the 6th Fleet. From her return on 30 January 1955, until 1 August 1959, the submarine conducted training, local, and fleet operations with her squadron. On the latter day, Sennett was reassigned to SubRon 4
and stationed at Charleston, S.C. For the next nine years, the submarine operated from Charleston with the Atlantic Fleet. She operated along the east coast, in the Caribbean
, and in the Atlantic with her squadron until mid-1968.
In November of that year, the submarine was found unfit for further Naval service. Sennet was struck from the Navy list
on 2 December 1968. On 18 May 1973, her hulk was sold to Southern Scrap Material Co. Ltd., New Orleans, La.
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 sennet
Sennet
Sennet may refer to:* USS Sennet * Sennet, the predecessor of London Student*the Northern sennet and Southern sennet, two species of barracuda...
, a barracuda
Barracuda
The barracuda is a ray-finned fish known for its large size and fearsome appearance. Its body is long, fairly compressed, and covered with small, smooth scales. Some species could reach up to 1.8m in length and 30 cm in width...
.
Sennet was laid down on 8 March 1944 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine
Kittery, Maine
Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
; 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...
on 6 June 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Roscoe W. Downs; 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 22 August 1944, Commander George E. Porter in command.
Sennet was fitted out by 18 September. She held training exercises and torpedo-tube testing off the coast of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
until 22 October. The submarine then tested mines
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
and torpedoes for the Mine Warfare Test Station, Solomons Island, Md. On 11 November, Sennet proceeded to the operations area off Balboa
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...
, C. Z.
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, and conducted further training exercises. The submarine departed Balboa on 29 November for Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
and arrived there on 16 December 1944.
Sennets topside armament was increased to two 5 inches (127 mm) guns, two 40 millimeter guns, and three .50 caliber machine guns before departing Pearl Harbor for her first war patrol on 5 January 1945.
First and second patrols, January – March 1945
Sennet patrolled north of the Bonin Islands until 28 January. She made two attacks on a large tankerTanker (ship)
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
with three escorts on 21 January but scored no hits. The following week, the submarine sank one 500-ton picket boat and damaged another.
Sennet refitted at Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
from 31 January to 7 February when she began her second war patrol off southern Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, 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...
. On 13 February, two 300-ton picket boats were sunk by the combined gunfire of Sennet, , and .
Three days later, the submarine attacked an enemy minelayer
Minelayer
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
with an offset spread of torpedoes from her stern tubes and went deep, to 200 feet (61 m). Two torpedoes were heard to explode. While going deep, Sennet was rocked hard by two aircraft bombs which exploded beneath her. The submarine surfaced an hour later and saw a large oil slick and approximately 40 Japanese clinging to debris but no trace of Nariu which had sunk.
Third and fourth patrols, April – August 1945
Sennet was refitted by in Apra HarborApra Harbor
Apra Harbor is a deep-water port on the western side of Guam in the Mariana Islands. The harbor is formed by Orote Peninsula in the south and Cabras Island in the north. To the south, the harbor narrows and then widens again to form an inner harbor. The southern end of the harbor is the location...
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, 9 March – 2 April. Patrolling off Honshū again from 3 April to 16 May, she was surfaced off Miki Saki on 16 April when she was twice straddled by torpedoes fired from patrol boats. Three days later, the submarine torpedoed and sank the cargo ship, Hagane Maru. On 22 April, Sennet attempted to save a P-51 pilot who had bailed out near her but the man went under only 100 feet (30.5 m) from the ship. Attempts to find him were in vain.
A repair ship was attacked on 28 April with two electrical torpedoes. The first blew the bow off and the second hit under the mainmast. Hatsushima sank by her stern. On 1 May, Sennett fired five steam torpedoes at an Asashio-class destroyer
Asashio class destroyer
The was a class of ten destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy in service before and during World War II.-Background:The Imperial Japanese Navy was not entirely satisfied with the performance of the , particularly in terms of operational range and speed...
but it maneuvered and avoided them. At the end of this patrol, the submarine sailed to Pearl Harbor for upkeep and leave.
Sennets most profitable patrol was from 1 July to 9 August in the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
. During the patrol, she sank one passenger-cargo ship, two cargo ships, and one tanker
Tanker (ship)
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
totaling 13,105 tons.
1945 – 1951
When the war ended in the Pacific, Sennet was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and operated from 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:...
In June 1946, she was reassigned to Submarine Squadron 6 (SubRon 6) at Balboa, C.Z. From 10 December 1946 to 13 March 1947, Sennet participated in Operation Highjump
Operation Highjump
Operation Highjump , officially titled The United States Navy Antarctic Developments Program, 1946-1947, was a United States Navy operation organized by RADM Richard E. Byrd Jr. USN, , Officer in Charge, Task Force 68, and led by RADM Richard H. Cruzen, USN, Commanding Officer, Task Force 68....
, the third Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Sennet used the first basic under-ice SONAR
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
to establish the feasibility of United States under-ice operations.
Sennet operated from Balboa until 1949 when she was assigned to operate from Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
, Fla.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, as a unit of Submarine Squadron 12 (SubRon 12). The ship conducted training for submarine and antisubmarine personnel at Key West and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. In 1951, Sennet was converted to a Fleet Snorkel submarine at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Business Center, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. The U.S. Navy reduced its activities there in the 1990s, and ended most of them on September 30, 1995...
and returned to her homeport.
1954 – 1973
On 4 November 1954, Sennet departed Key West on her first deployment to the MediterraneanMediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
and service with the 6th Fleet. From her return on 30 January 1955, until 1 August 1959, the submarine conducted training, local, and fleet operations with her squadron. On the latter day, Sennett was reassigned to SubRon 4
Submarine Squadron 4
Submarine Squadron 4 is a squadron of submarines based at US Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut under the command of Captain Robert Clark II . The submarines that make up SUBRON 4 include:...
and stationed at Charleston, S.C. For the next nine years, the submarine operated from Charleston with the Atlantic Fleet. She operated along the east coast, in the Caribbean
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....
, and in the Atlantic with her squadron until mid-1968.
In November of that year, the submarine was found unfit for further Naval service. Sennet was struck from the Navy list
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 2 December 1968. On 18 May 1973, her hulk was sold to Southern Scrap Material Co. Ltd., New Orleans, La.