USS Flying Fish

USS Flying Fish was a United States Navy submarine that played a significant role in World War II, particularly in the Pacific Theater. The vessel was named after the flying fish, a species of fish found in tropical and subtropical waters, and was commissioned on December 1, 1951, at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, under the command of Commander Nathan Sonenshein. The USS Flying Fish was one of the Tang-class submarines, designed by Electric Boat Company and constructed at the General Dynamics shipyard. The submarine's design was influenced by the German Type XXI submarine and the Japanese I-400-class submarine.

● History

The USS Flying Fish was laid down on February 29, 1950, at the General Dynamics shipyard in Groton, Connecticut, and launched on August 19, 1951. The submarine was sponsored by Mrs. Albert G. Mumma, wife of Rear Admiral Albert G. Mumma, a renowned United States Navy officer who served during World War I and World War II. The USS Flying Fish was commissioned on December 1, 1951, at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, under the command of Commander Nathan Sonenshein, a veteran of the Battle of the Atlantic and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The submarine underwent a series of sea trials and shakedown cruises in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, visiting ports such as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda.

● Characteristics

The USS Flying Fish was a Tang-class submarine, measuring 268 feet in length and 27 feet in beam, with a displacement of over 1,900 tons. The submarine was powered by a General Motors diesel-electric propulsion system, consisting of four diesel engines and four electric motors, which provided a top speed of over 15 knots. The USS Flying Fish was equipped with six torpedo tubes, capable of firing Mark 16 torpedoes, and a 5-inch deck gun, used for surface attacks. The submarine's crew consisted of eight officers and 75 enlisted men, who were responsible for operating and maintaining the vessel's complex systems, including the sonar and radar equipment. The USS Flying Fish was also equipped with advanced communication systems, including a satellite communication system and a radio direction finder.

● Service

The USS Flying Fish began its service in the United States Navy in 1952, operating out of New London, Connecticut, and participating in various NATO exercises, including Operation Mainbrace and Operation Mariner. The submarine also conducted patrols in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, visiting ports such as Gibraltar, Malta, and Iceland. In 1955, the USS Flying Fish underwent a major overhaul at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which included the installation of new sonar equipment and radar systems. The submarine continued to serve in the United States Navy until its decommissioning on October 28, 1959, at the Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. The USS Flying Fish was eventually stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on January 1, 1972, and sold for scrap in 1978.

● Commanding_officers

The USS Flying Fish had several commanding officers during its service, including Commander Nathan Sonenshein, who commanded the submarine from 1951 to 1953. Other notable commanding officers included Commander John S. McCain Jr., son of Admiral John S. McCain Sr., who commanded the submarine from 1955 to 1957, and Commander William R. Anderson, who commanded the submarine from 1958 to 1959. The USS Flying Fish also had several executive officers, including Lieutenant Commander James L. Holloway III, who later became a four-star admiral and served as the Chief of Naval Operations from 1974 to 1978.

● Operations

The USS Flying Fish participated in various operations and exercises during its service, including Operation Mainbrace, a NATO exercise held in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1952. The submarine also conducted patrols in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, visiting ports such as Gibraltar, Malta, and Iceland. In 1955, the USS Flying Fish participated in Operation Mariner, a United States Navy exercise held in the Caribbean Sea. The submarine also conducted training exercises with other United States Navy vessels, including the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, and the USS Skate (SSN-578), a nuclear-powered submarine that conducted the first nuclear-powered submarine Arctic Circle transit. The USS Flying Fish also worked with Royal Navy vessels, including the HMS Dreadnought (S101), a nuclear-powered submarine that was the first Royal Navy vessel to be powered by a nuclear reactor.