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USS Barbel SS-316

The USS Barbel was a Balao-class submarine, and the first vessel in the United States Navy to be named for the barbel, more commonly known as a type of carp or minnow. She was launched on November 14, 1943, and commissioned on April 3, 1944, with Commander R.A. Keating as her commander.

The USS Barbel during World War II

The USS Barbel arrived in Pearl Harbor on June 21, 1944 to prepare for her first patrol of the war. Between July 15, 1944 and February 4, 1945 she completed a total of three patrols, and has officially been credited with the sinking of six Japanese vessels with a total weight of 15,263 tons.

Her first patrol began on July 15, 1944. She was assigned to patrol in the Nansei Shoto, where she made her first attack on August 5, and downed the Miyako Maru. Four days later she located a convoy of three cargo ships and six escorts. After firing her torpedoes at all three of the cargos, she quickly submerged to avoid depthcharges. She is credited with having downed Yagi Maru and Boko Maru during this encounter. The USS Barbel's first war patrol concluded in the Marshall Islands on August 21.

The second war patrol of the USS Barbel began on September 13. This time she was assigned to patrol northeast of Amami Shima. Here, she sank the Bushu Maru on September 25. After several more weeks on patrol it ended on October 24 at Saipan.

Her third and final complete war patrol was in Luzon Straight, where on November 14 she downed Sugiyama Maru and Misaki Maru, while managing to avoid machinegun fire and depthcharges from the ships escorting the convoy. Her patrol ended at Fremantle, Australia, on December 7.

Having been commissioned fairly late in the United States' involvement in World War II, the USS Barbel experienced little in the way of action, compared to other vessels which were launched much earlier. However, the USS Barbel's history was short for another reason: early in 1945, she was badly damaged and sunk by bombs dropped by Japanese aviators.

On January 5, 1945 the USS Barbel departed Fremantle, Australia, on her fourth and final patrol, which she never completed. At the end of January, she was given orders to form a wolf pack with Gabilan and Perch. Working together, they would coordinate their movement and attacks, with the intention of more successfully locating and downing targets. Wolf packs, officially known as coordinated attack groups, were used by the United States Navy mainly as a measure against Japanese shipping, preventing the transport of troops and supplies. The wolf packs normally consisted of three submarines, which would patrol together under the leadership of the senior captain of the three boats.

The wolf pack comprising Barbel, Perch, and Galilan was ordered to patrol the southern approach to Palawan Passage and the western entrance to Balabac Strait. On February 3, however, the USS Barbel reported that she had been attacked by enemy depthcharges, and would relay more information about the incident the next day. This was the last message ever received from the Barbel. Japanese records located after the war indicate that the Barbel may have been attacked by Japanese aviators off the southwest of Palawan on February 4. Records indicate that two bombs were dropped, and that one landed near the Barbel's bridge. She plunged underwater, and was never seen again. It is highly likely that this was the Barbel's last action of the war.

After the War

After her February 3 message, the USS Barbel was never heard from again, nor seen by any United States forces. She was officially reported as lost on February 16, 1945. She received three battle stars for her service in World War II.

Many United States Navy vessels contained large amounts of asbestos, as the substance was once used extensively as an insulator and fire-proofing material. Many people who served onboard these vessels, or were involved in building, repairing, or outfitting them, have subsequently developed asbestos-related diseases due to asbestos exposure. If you've developed an asbestos-related disease as a result of involvement with Navy vessels, contact us for information about your legal options.

Submarines Index

USS Albacore SS 218 USS AmberJack SS 219 USS Angler SS 240 USS Apogon SS 308 USS Archer-fish SS 311 USS Argonaut-SM-1 USS Argonaut SS 475 USS Aspro SS 309 USS Atule SS 403 USS Balao SS 285 USS Bang SS 385 USS Barbel SS 316 USS Barbero SS 317 USS Barb SS 220 USS Barracuda SS 163 USS Bashaw SS 241 USS Bergall SS 320 USS Besugo SS 321 USS Billfish SS 286 USS Blackfin SS 322 USS Blackfish SS 221 USS Blenny SS 324 USS Blower SS 325 USS Blueback SS 326 USS Bluefish SS 222 USS Bluegill SS 242 USS Boarfish SS 327 USS Bonefish SS 223 USS Bonita SS 165 USS Bowfin SS 287 USS Bream SS 243 USS Brill SS 330 USS Bugara SS 331 USS Bullhead SS 332 USS Bumper SS 333 USS Burrfish SS 312 USS Cabezon SS 334 USS Carbonero SS 337 USS Hake SS 256 USS Hammerhead SS 364 USS Harder SS 257 USS Hardhead SS 365 USS Hawkbill SS 366

USS Herring SS 233 USS Hoe SS 258 USS Icefish SS 367 USS Jack SS 259 USS Jallao SS 368 USS Kete S 369 USS Kingfish SS 234 USS Kraken SS 370 USS Lagarto SS 371 USS Lizardfish SS 373 USS Loggerhead SS 374 USS Macabi SS 375 USS Mackerel-204 USS Manta SS 299 USS Mapiro SS 376 USS Marlin SS 205 USS Mingo SS 261 USS Moray SS 300 USS Muskallunge SS 262 USS Narwhal SS 263 USS Nautilus-ss-0024 USS Paddle SS 167 USS Pampanito SS 383 USS Parche SS 384 USS Pargo SS 264 USS Perch SS 176 USS Permit SS 178 USS Peto SS 265 USS Pickerel SS 177 USS Picuda SS 382 USS Pike SS 173 USS Pilotfish SS 386 USS Pintado SS 387 USS Pipefish SS 388 USS Pirahna SS 389 USS Plaice SS 390 USS Plunger SS 179 USS Pogy SS 266 USS Pollack SS 180 USS Pomfret SS 391 USS Pompano SS 181 USS Pompon SS 267 USS Porpoise SS 172

USS Puffer SS 268 USS Queenfish SS 393 USS Quillback SS 424 USS Rasher SS 269 USS Raton SS 270 USS Ray SS 271 USS Razorback SS 394 USS Redfin SS 272 USS Redfish SS 395 USS Robalo SS 273 USS Rock SS 274 USS Ronquil SS 396 USS Runner SS 275 USS Runner SS 476 USS S-1 SS 105 USS S-20 SS 125 USS S-46 SS 157 USS Sailfish SS 192 USS Salmon SS 182 USS Sand Lance SS 381 USS Sargo SS 188 USS Saury SS 189 USS Sawfish SS 276 USS Scabbardfish SS 397 USS Scamp SS 277 USS Scorpion SS 278 USS Sculpin SS 191 USS Sea Cat SS 399 USS Sea Devil SS 400 USS Sea Dog SS 401 USS Seadragon SS 194 USS Sea Fox SS 402 USS Seahorse SS 304 USS Sealion SS 195 USS Seal SS 183 USS Sea Owl SS 405 USS Sea Poacher SS 406 USS Searaven SS 196 USS Sea Robin SS 407 USS Seawolf SS 197 USS Segundo SS 398 USS Sennet SS 408

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