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USS Barbero SS-317

The USS Barbero was a Balao-class submarine launched on December 12, 1943 and commissioned April 29, 1944, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Irvin S. Hartman. Her activities in World War II were limited to just a few months between August 9, 1944 and January 2, 1945, but she was active after the war until 1964. She has been credited with the sinking of three Japanese merchant ships in the South China and Java Seas, and was awarded two battle stars for her service in World War II.

The USS Barbero during World War II

Between August 9, 1944 and January 2, 1945 the USS Barbero completed two war patrols. Her first war patrol began on August 9, 1944. Assigned to patrol east of the central Philippines, her weeks in the area were largely uneventful, as she encountered only a few small targets, and hit none of those she found. She ended her patrol on October 4 at Fremantle, Australia.

After a brief refit, she departed on October 26 to begin her second patrol, this time in the company of Haddo and Redfin. Assigned to patrol in the Makassar Strait and west of Mindoro, she sank two tankers before a three-day stop to rearm at Mios Woendi. Following this brief stop, she sank a third ship on December 24, and a fourth the next day. She returned at the end of her patrol to Fremantle having sunk four ships for a total of 21,700 tons.

On December 27, 1944, while en route to Fremantle she was almost hit by an aerial bomb which came close enough to damage her port reduction gear. The damage she received kept her out of action for the remainder of World War II, as her repairs were carried out in the United States and the cessation of hostilities was announced as she was returning to Pearl Harbor.

After the War

In September 1945, the USS Barbero was ordered to berth at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Here, she was inactivated, overhauled, and finally decommissioned on April 25, 1946. Following her decommission she was converted into a cargo submarine, and redesignated with the hull classification SSA-317. She was then recommissioned and assigned to the Pacific Fleet. Between October 1948 and March 1950 she participated in an experimental program which was designed to evaluate her ability to serve as a cargo carrier. Following the close of the experiment she was decommissioned and placed on reserve.

On February 1, 1955, she entered Mare Naval Shipyard for a second conversion. This time she was equipped with the capability to launch Regulus nuclear missiles. She was redesignated as SSG-317 and recommissioned on October 28. For several months, she operated off the California coast, and then in April 1956 she joined the Atlantic Fleet. For the next eight years, she participated in strategic deterrence patrols in the Atlantic, throughout the Cuban Missile Crisis and other Cold War incidents. In 1959, the USS Barbero was enlisted to help with a special project for the United States Postal Service, which had been investigating the possibility of “missile mail.” Just before noon on June 8, 1959, the Barbero fired a Regulus missile at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Mayport, Florida. The missile, which had had its nuclear warhead replaced by two USPS mail containers, found its mark 22 minutes later. Of the event, Postmaster General Arthur E. Summerfield said, “This peacetime employment of a guided missile for the important and practical purpose of carrying mail, is the first known official use of missiles by any Post Office Department of any nation.”

After her “missile mail” project, the USS Barbero returned to her strategic deterrence patrols in the Atlantic until she was decommissioned on June 30, 1964. She was removed from the Naval Register on July 1, 1964 and was sunk by the USS Greenfish for target practice on October 7.

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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