USS Spadefish (SS-411) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

USS Spadefish (SS/AGSS-411), a Balao-class

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 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 spadefish. Although she was commissioned late in the war and spent only one year in the Pacific war zone

Pacific Theater of Operations

The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...

, she was to run up a record of 88,091 tons in 21 ships and numerous trawlers sunk.

The first Spadefish was laid down on 27 May 1943 by the Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Calif.

Vallejo, California

Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...

; launched on 8 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Francis W. Scanland; and commissioned on 9 March 1944, Commander Gordon W. Underwood in command.

First war patrol, July – September 1944

Following shakedown training along the coast of California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, Spadefish departed San Francisco on 14 June and arrived at 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...

on 22 June. On 23 July, she got underway from Pearl Harbor for her maiden war patrol, as a member of a coordinated attack group with and .

On 19 August, while patrolling in Philippine

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

water off the northwest coast of Luzon

Luzon

Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...

, Spadefish got off to a resounding start by torpedoing and sinking Japan's 9,589-ton, passenger-cargo ship Tamatsu Maru. Three days later, she trailed three large 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:...

s through Babuyan Channel along the northern Luzon coast; closed range; and fired two spreads of torpedoes, sinking the 10,023-ton tanker Hakko Maru No. 2, and damaging a second tanker that, protected by a destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

, limped back to a shallow cove off Luzon.

For several hours into the next day, Spadefish attempted to get around the escort to attack the damaged ship anchored in the cove. The submarine finally let go with four stern torpedoes at the destroyer, but the enemy zigged clear and proceeded to depth charge

Depth charge

A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...

the entire area. Having only three torpedoes remaining, Spadefish set course for Tanapag Harbor

Tanapag Harbor

Tanapag Harbor is the primary harbor of Saipan, and is located on the western side of the island. It is separated from the Philippine Sea by a barrier reef,located about 3 km off the shore. This reef forms the Saipan Lagoon....

, 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...

, to replenish her supply.

On 8 September, Spadefish was patrolling in waters of Nansei Shoto when she contacted a convoy

Convoy

A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...

of eight cargo ships. During a daring night surface attack, she fired a total of 20 torpedoes, sinking cargo ships Nichiman Maru, Nichian Maru, Shinten Maru, and Shokei Maru and damaging another. The following morning, she fired her final four torpedoes at an escort guarding the stricken ship; but they ran under the target. The submarine's only reward on this occasion was a rain of depth charges.

Although she was out of torpedoes, Spadefish continued to trail the remaining ships of the convoy that first took refuge in the harbor of Ishigaki

Ishigaki

*Ishigaki Island*Ishigaki, Okinawa*Ishigaki Airport*Japanese escort Ishigaki*Ai Ishigaki , guitarist for The Mad Capsule Markets*Ishigaki Rin...

; and then, in company with five escorts, continued their voyage. Spadefish terminated her first war patrol at Pearl Harbor on 24 September, having sunk six enemy ships for a total of over 31,500 tons. With the additional 33,000 tons sunk by her sister submarines, the coordinated attack group accounted for a total of 13 ships and over 64,000 tons of enemy shipping.

Second war patrol, October – December 1944

Spadefish did not rest on her laurels. On 23 October, she got underway from Pearl Harbor for her second war patrol, in a coordinated attack group with and . While patrolling in the Yellow Sea

Yellow Sea

The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...

on 14 November, she torpedoed and sank the Japanese cargo ship .

Three days later, she contacted an enemy convoy headed directly at her. After letting the convoy pass overhead, she surfaced after darkness had set in and commenced an “end around.” She first fired six torpedoes at the prime target, the 21,000-ton escort aircraft carrier

Escort aircraft carrier

The escort aircraft carrier or escort carrier, also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the USN or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft carrier used by the British Royal Navy , the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army Air Force, and the...

Shinyo

Japanese aircraft carrier Shinyo

was an escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy, converted from the German ocean liner , which had been purchased by the Japanese Navy. The liner had been trapped in Kure, Japan following the outbreak of World War II in Europe, which prevented any attempt for the ship to return to...

; and then turned rapidly to port and fired four stern torpedoes at a tanker. Although damage to the tanker could not be confirmed, Shinyo became a blazing inferno of explosions and slowly sank beneath the waves.

Later that same night, Spadefish drove in for another attack, firing four stern torpedoes at Submarine Chaser No. 156. As the enemy disappeared in the resulting explosion, the submarine quickly evaded other escorts and left the vicinity.

Spadefish sank the fourth ship of her second patrol on 29 November by torpedoing the 3,925-ton cargo ship Daiboshi Maru No. 6; and then concluded her patrol at Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands

The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...

on 12 December.

Third war patrol, January – February 1945

After spending the holidays at Majuro, Spadefish departed on 6 January 1945 for her third war patrol, conducted with , , and in the Yellow Sea

Yellow Sea

. On 28 January, she intercepted an enemy convoy and let go with two spreads of torpedoes. The 7,158-ton converted seaplane

Seaplane

A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...

tender Sanuki Maru, exploded and quickly sank, and the frigate

Frigate

A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...

Kume, spouted flames and began slowly to sink. Three enemy escorts pounced on Spadefish, but the submarine made her escape and continued her patrol.

Spadefish added to her score on 4 February by sinking the passenger-cargo ship Tairai Maru. Two days later, only five miles from Port Arthur

Lüshunkou

Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....

, she blasted the 1,092-ton passenger-cargo ship Shohei Maru, to the bottom. An enemy patrol airplane dropped a depth charge in the vicinity of the submarine; but, although she was rocked by the shock waves, Spadefish was unharmed and returned to 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...

on 13 February.

Fourth war patrol, March – April 1945

On 15 March, Spadefish departed Guam for her fourth war patrol, conducted in the East China

East China Sea

The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...

and Yellow Seas. On 23 March, the submarine sneaked past four escorts and let go with three torpedoes that sank the 2,274-ton cargo ship Doryo Maru. Spadefish patrolled along the coast of Kyūshū

Kyushu

is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....

, continuing north to Tsushima Strait

Tsushima Strait

is the eastern channel of the Korea Strait, which lies between Korea and Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.The Tsushima Strait is the broader eastern channel to the east and southeast of Tsushima Island, with the Japanese islands of Honshū to the east and northeast, and...

, where she carried out reconnaissance to determine the presence of minefields

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...

. She demolished an enemy schooner

Schooner

A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....

off the coast of Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

on 1 April and gave the same treatment to a three-masted junk on 7 April. Two days later, she sank the cargo ship Lee Tung; and, on 11 April, damaged a minesweeper

Minesweeper (ship)

A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...

. She terminated her fourth patrol at Guam

Guam

on 21 April.

Fifth war patrol, June – July 1945

Equipped with a new mine-detecting device, she began her fifth war patrol, joining eight other United States submarines in penetrating through the minefields of Tsushima Strait

Tsushima Strait

into 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...

. On 10 June, outside the breakwater of Taru Kawa Basin, Spadefish overtook the outbound passenger-cargo ship Daigen Maru No. 2, and blew the enemy ship apart with two torpedo hits. Before the day was over, the submarine had also sunk the passenger-cargo ships Unkai Maru No. 8 and Jintsu Maru.

Before dawn on 12 June, Spadefish sank a motor sampan

Sampan

A sampan is a relatively flat bottomed Chinese wooden boat from long. Some sampans include a small shelter on board, and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. Sampans are generally used for transportation in coastal areas or rivers, and are often used as traditional fishing boats...

with 20 mm fire; and, later in the day, sank three trawlers in gunfire attacks. On 13 June SS-411 sunk the Soviet merchant ship "Transbalt".On 14 June, she sank the passenger-cargo ship Seizan Maru; and, in a night attack on 17 June, she sank the C.M. minelayer Eijō Maru. She then rejoined the other submarines and exited the Sea of Japan, returning to Pearl Harbor on 4 July.

Spadefish was preparing for another war patrol when hostilities with 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...

ended. She remained at Pearl Harbor until 2 September and then set course for Mare Island Naval Shipyard

Mare Island Naval Shipyard

The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...

where she was decommissioned on 3 May 1946 and was placed in reserve. She was reclassified an auxiliary submarine, AGSS-411, on 6 November 1962, 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 1 April 1967, and sold for scrap in 1969.

Spadefish (SS-411) received four battle stars for 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.

First war patrol, July – September 1944

Second war patrol, October – December 1944

Third war patrol, January – February 1945

Fourth war patrol, March – April 1945

Fifth war patrol, June – July 1945

See also