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USS Burrfish SS-312

The USS Burrfish was named for a fish that expands when threatened, like the puffer or blowfish. It was launched by the Portsmouth Nay Yard in Kittery, Maine on June 18, 1943. It was commissioned into the Navy on September 14, 1943 and is the only ship to have carried the name.

This Balao class submarine could travel up to 20.25 knots when on the surface and 8.75 knots underwater. Its propulsion system used a combination of diesel and electric power. Two propellers were driven my electric motors with reduction gears built by Elliot. The electricity was provided by four Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines that had nine cylinders each which drove electric generators. Not only did they provide power to the electric motors, they also charged two, 126 cell Sargo batteries that could be used when the sub needed to run silent. The sub measured 311 feet, six inches long and 27 feet, three inches wide. Its displacement was 1,526 tons on the surface and 2,391 underwater.

When the sub came into contact with the enemy, it had ten, 21 inch torpedo tubes; six in the front and four in the back. Fully loaded, she had 24 torpedoes available. She also had one five inch 25 caliber gun and four machine guns on her deck that she could use to attack the enemy from the surface. When the enemy launched a counter attack, she could dive to 400 feet. She had a crew complement of ten officers and 70 to 71 enlisted men.

The Burrfish completed a total of six wartime patrols between February of 1944 and May of 1945. Most of her patrols took place between the western Caroline Islands, Formosa and the seas south of Japan. On her own, the Burrfish sank one 5,894 ton enemy tanker. She also cooperated with the USS Ronquil to sink a 200 ton Japanese patrol vessel. During her third patrol, she was also assigned reconnaissance missions along the coasts of Palau and Yap. Landings were planned for those beaches and the Allied forces needed to know what they looked like and what enemy installations might be present.

Once her last patrol was completed, she returned to America by way of Pearl Harbor. She arrived at the Portsmouth Navy Yard for a major overhaul on June 19, 1945. Once the work was complete, she reported to new London, Connecticut and spent a year there. The Burrfish was then placed in reserve on October 10, 1946. She was recommissioned in November of 1948 and ordered to return to the Portsmouth Naval Yard once again.

She was briefly recommissioned from January to May of 1961. She was, again, decommissioned and then loaned to Canada for service in the Royal Canadian Navy. They renamed her HMCS Grilse (SS-71). In July of 1969 the Canadians returned her to America. On November 19, 1969, she was used as for target practice near San Clemente Island in California and sunk. She had received five Battle Stars for her service during World War II.

There is one continuing concern regarding the men who served aboard the Burrfish, as well as most of the other vessels used by the military. Asbestos had been used extensively throughout the ships and subs. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found all over the world. It is flame and heat resistant and makes an excellent insulator. It was used all over the ships and subs. It could be found in the gaskets in the engines, made into fabrics for fire suppression and even stuffed into the walls. Not only does the mineral help protect against fire, it was also found to be a good sound dampener and vibration inhibitor.

Asbestos exposure is an ongoing concern because the damage caused by the dust can take anywhere from twenty to fifty years to develop. There are millions of microscopic fibers found in the dust that breaks free from the main mass. Once these fibers become airborne, they are inhaled and swallowed by anyone in the infected area. Both asbestosis and mesothelioma are deadly diseases that result from the inhalation and swallowing of asbestos dust. The poor ventilation aboard subs caused the fibers to be present in high concentrations. If you have questions regarding either of these diseases or asbestos exposure, please contact us for more information.

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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