SS 394

SS 394
Ship name	SS 394
Ship class	Balao-class submarine
Builder	Electric Boat Company
Laid down	1943
Launched	1944
Commissioned	1944
Fate	Decommissioned 1971 (example)
Displacement	1,525 tons (surfaced)
Length	311 ft
Beam	27 ft
Draught	17 ft
Propulsion	Diesel-electric
Speed	20+ kn (surfaced)
Complement	70–80

SS 394 was a Balao-class United States Navy submarine commissioned during World War II and active into the early Cold War era. Built by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, she participated in multiple war patrols, training exercises, and postwar fleet operations before decommissioning. Her career intersected with major Pacific campaigns, Cold War patrol doctrines, and evolving submarine technology projects like snorkel retrofit and sonar improvements.

Design and Construction

Laid down at the Electric Boat Company yard in Groton, Connecticut, the vessel followed Balao-class plans derived from earlier Gato-class submarine designs and improvements tested at the Naval Torpedo Station and by the Bureau of Ships. The hull employed improved high-tensile steel developed after trials at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and influenced by lessons from the Attack on Pearl Harbor and convoy battles in the Battle of the Atlantic. Construction incorporated welding techniques coordinated with the Carderock Division of the David Taylor Model Basin for hydrodynamic optimization. Outfitting included torpedo tubes compatible with Mark 14 torpedo systems and fire-control gear influenced by Admiral Ernest J. King's directives on undersea warfare capabilities.

Service History

After commissioning under a commanding officer veteran of Submarine Squadron 10, the submarine joined the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor and conducted first-war patrols in the waters around the Philippine Sea and East China Sea. Patrols often coordinated with carrier task groups from Task Force 58 and supply interdiction missions related to the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Postwar, she served with the Atlantic Fleet for training with destroyer escorts from Destroyer Squadron 4 and participated in multinational exercises with navies such as the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy during NATO maneuvers. During the early Cold War she was assigned to surveillance of shipping lanes influenced by the Korean War logistics demands and later joined anti-submarine warfare exercises under Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

Technical Specifications

The submarine was powered by four Fairbanks-Morse or General Motors diesel engines driving electric generators and two main electric motors supplied by Electric Boat Company contractors, enabling surfaced speeds exceeding 20 knots and submerged speeds around 9 knots. Range figures matched Balao-class standards, enabling long Pacific patrols staged from bases like Midway Atoll and Guam. Armament included ten 21-inch torpedo tubes compatible with Mark 14 torpedo and later Mark 18 electric torpedo inventories, a 5-inch deck gun similar to guns used on submarines at Guam Naval Base, and various anti-aircraft mounts comparable to those used by boats operating from Subic Bay. Sensors featured analog sonar sets influenced by developments at the Naval Research Laboratory and radar transceivers derived from MIT Radiation Laboratory work.

Modifications and Refits

Midcareer overhauls at yards such as Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Charleston Naval Shipyard included snorkel installation modeled after Dutch designs captured early in the war and sonar upgrades following tests at the David Taylor Model Basin. Fire-control systems were updated in line with Project Kayo and other postwar naval research initiatives, while habitability improvements mirrored fleet-wide changes recommended by the Bureau of Naval Personnel. During the 1950s the boat received electronic warfare suites comparable to gear trialed aboard USS Tang (SS-306) survivors and participated in trials with the Mark 45 torpedo guidance concepts.

Crew and Operations

Complement typically ranged from 70 to 80 officers and enlisted men drawn from training programs at Submarine School, New London and operational pools from Submarine Squadron 6. Crew rotations and training emphasized sonar operators trained at the Naval Sonar School and torpedomen certified through the Basic Enlisted Submarine School. Life aboard reflected routines established by doctrine from the Chief of Naval Operations and maintenance cycles coordinated with tenders from Submarine Squadron 4 and USS Sperry (AS-12)-type support units. Officers often had prior service on boats like USS Gato (SS-212) or USS Silversides (SS-236).

Notable Incidents and Engagements

During World War II patrols she was credited with successful attacks on enemy merchant tonnage in convoy systems akin to those engaged during the Battle of the Philippine Sea and survived depth-charge counterattacks like those reported in after-action reports from Task Group 17.5. Encounters included surface actions informed by doctrinal shifts following the Battle of Midway and coordinated patrols with Task Force 58 carriers. In the Cold War era she took part in surveillance missions during heightened tensions related to the Berlin Crisis and supported NATO anti-submarine exercises such as those conducted during Operation Mainbrace. Several board-level inquiries at the Judge Advocate General office reviewed incidents involving near-miss collisions during escort exercises in the North Atlantic.

Preservation and Legacy

After decommissioning, the submarine was considered for conversion to a museum ship following precedents like USS Pampanito (SS-383) and USS Cavalla (SS-244), but ultimately disposed of through sale or scrapping in line with programs administered by the Naval Sea Systems Command. Her service contributed to postwar submarine doctrine that informed designs such as the Forrestal-class aircraft carrier-centric ASW strategies and the transition to nuclear propulsion exemplified by USS Nautilus (SSN-571). Artifacts and crew memorabilia found their way into collections at institutions like the Submarine Force Library and Museum and National Museum of the United States Navy, preserving operational lessons used at the Naval War College and in historical studies of American submarine warfare.

Category:United States Navy submarines Category:Balao-class submarines