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USS Barracuda SS-163

The USS Barracuda was the lead ship in her class, and the first launched of the “V-boats,” a special class of submarine designed with the ability to operate and connect more closely with surface vessels. They were much faster and more heavily armed than previous United States Navy submarines had been.

She was launched on July 17, 1924 and commissioned on October 1, 1924, and assigned to Submarine Division 20. Her first task was a test of her engines, which involved a surface-only shakedown cruise from the coast of New England to the Caribbean Sea, visiting a large number of ports, including Colon, Republic of Panama, and visited a succession of places in the West Indies – the Perlas Islands; St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; Curacoa, Dutch West Indies; Georgetown, British Guiana; Barbados; Port of Spain, Trinidad; Ponce, Puerto Rico; and Kingston, Jamaica. She cruised between the Caribbean and the Atlantic coast until November 1927.

Following the end of this period the USS Barracuda left for San Diego with Squadron 20, arriving on December 3. Until May 1932, she served with the Squadron on the west coast, the Caribbean, and the Hawaiian Islands. Between 1933 and 1937 she traveled between Pearl Harbor, the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean, voyaging and participating in fleet tactical exercises, engineering tests and crew training, battle torpedo exercises, and sound exercises. During July and August 1934 she visited a number of Alaskan ports, including Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Valdez, Seward, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor.

In 1935 the USS Barracuda was assigned to the BLACK Fleet, which was at the time working on “Fleet Problem XVI,” large scale fleet maneuvers which included anti-submarine tactics. In 1937, she spent time at Pearl Harbor, the Panama Canal, and a number of ports locations, including Port of Spain, Trinidad; Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort de France, Martinique; St. Johns, Antigua; and Bassaterre, St. Kitts.

On May 14, 1937 the USS Barracuda was placed out of commission in Philadelphia. While on reserve she was transported to the Portsmouth Navy Yard, arriving June 18, 1940.

The USS Barracuda during World War II

The USS Barracuda was recommissioned on September 5, 1940. While first assigned to Submarine Division 9, she sailed to Bermuda briefly then returned to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and was reassigned to Submarine Division 71. She remained in New England for more than a full year, before finally joining the Pacific Fleet on November 17, 1941.

She remained in the Pacific Fleet and operated in the Pacific only a short time, as she rejoined the Atlantic Fleet on December 15, 1941. From then until September 7, 1942 she was part of Submarine Division 31. As part of this division she completed a total of six Pacific Ocean war patrols southwest of Panama. Unlike the majority of Navy vessels in wartime, which saw at least some action during their war patrols, the USS Barracuda made no enemy contacts during any of her six patrols.

Following the completion of these activities, the USS Barracuda returned in September 1942 to Coco Solo in the Canal Zone. After undergoing repairs she made her way to Philadelphia for an overhaul, after which she switched her base of operations to New London. Until February 1945 she operated with Submarine Divisions 13 and 31, participating in training exercises with other submarines, as well as destroyers and plains, in Block Island Sound.

After the War

On February 16, 1945 the USS Barracuda arrived at Philadelphia Naval Yard, where she was decommissioned on March 3 and sold on November 16.

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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