Balao-class submarine

Balao-class submarine. The Balao-class was a large class of diesel-electric submarines built for the United States Navy during World War II. They were a direct, improved development of the preceding Gato-class, featuring a stronger pressure hull for increased operational depth. Over 120 were completed, making them the most numerous class of fleet submarines ever built and a cornerstone of the Pacific War's submarine warfare campaign.

Design and development

The design evolved from the successful Gato-class, with the primary enhancement being the use of high-tensile steel (HTS) in the pressure hull, increasing test depth to 400 feet. This improvement was a direct response to intelligence on the capabilities of Imperial Japanese Navy anti-submarine warfare forces. The class retained the proven propulsion plant of four General Motors Diesel engines driving electrical generators, with propulsion provided by electric motors. Armament centered on ten torpedo tubes—six forward and four aft—with a typical load of 24 Mark 14 or later Mark 18 torpedoes. Surface anti-aircraft defense was progressively enhanced throughout the war, with installations of single and twin 40mm and 20mm guns on extended conning tower platforms known as "fairwaters." Key builders included Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, and Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California.

Service history

Entering service from 1943 onward, Balao-class submarines formed the backbone of the United States Pacific Fleet's submarine force during the latter half of World War II. They executed the commerce raiding and blockade strategy against Japan, sinking over 1,300 merchant ships and numerous Imperial Japanese Navy warships, severely crippling the Japanese merchant marine and war economy. Boats like USS *Archerfish*, which sank the aircraft carrier *Shinano*, and USS *Tang*, under legendary commander Richard O'Kane, became famous for their exploits. Several were lost in action, including USS *Escolar* and USS *Snook*. Post-war, many served in the Korean War and the Cold War, with some converted to GUPPY configurations or radar picket submarines like USS *Sailfish*.

Ships in class

A total of 128 submarines were commissioned, named for marine creatures and famous prior naval vessels. The lead boat was USS Balao (SS-285). Other notable vessels included USS *Batfish*, credited with sinking three Japanese submarines, and USS *Sea Dog*. Many were transferred to allied navies under programs like the Military Assistance Program; for example, USS *Cutlass* served the Republic of China Navy as ROCS *Hai Shih*, and USS *Blower* joined the Turkish Naval Forces as TCG *Dumlupınar*. Several, including USS *Tusk*, were later transferred to the Republic of Korea Navy.

Specifications

The Balao-class displaced 1,526 tons surfaced and 2,424 tons submerged. They were 311 feet 9 inches in length, with a beam of 27 feet 3 inches and a draft of 16 feet 10 inches. Propulsion came from four General Motors model 16-278A V16 engine diesel engines (5,400 shp) and four General Electric electric motors (2,740 shp), driving two shafts. This gave a maximum surface speed of 20.25 knots and a submerged speed of 8.75 knots. Operational range was 11,000 nautical miles at 10 knots surfaced. The crew complement was 10 officers and 70–71 enlisted men. Armament, as built, consisted of ten 21-inch torpedo tubes, one 5-inch/25 caliber deck gun, and one single 40mm and one single 20mm anti-aircraft gun.

Legacy

The Balao-class is considered one of the most successful submarine classes in history, pivotal to the victory in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Their robust design formed the basis for the subsequent, slightly modified Tench-class. Many had extraordinarily long service lives in numerous navies; USS *Torsk*, now a museum ship in Baltimore, fired the last torpedoes of World War II. Others, like USS *Clamagore*, were converted to GUPPY III submarines, serving into the 1970s and influencing post-war NATO submarine development. Their widespread distribution solidified United States naval partnerships during the Cold War and their operational lessons directly informed the design of modern nuclear submarines like the Los Angeles-class.

Category:Submarine classes Category:Balao-class submarines Category:World War II submarines of the United States