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USS Hake SS-256

The USS Hake was a United States Navy Gato-class submarine which earned seven Battle Stars for her service in World War II. At 312 feet long, she could endure 48 hours when 300 feet deep and traveling at 2 knots per hour, as well as 75 days on patrol. When normally submerged, Hake could reach a top speed of 9 knot per hour, and on the surface, she could reach 21 knots. Her range was 11,000 nautical miles if surfaced at 10 knots, due to a propulsion system of 4 x diesel engines driving electrical generators, 2 x 126-cell batteries, 4 x high-speed electric motors with reduction gears, and two propellers. Hake carried a complement of 60 sailors and armament consisting of 10 x 21-inch torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1 x 3-inch / 50 caliber deck gun, and four machine guns.

First Year Success

After her keel was laid down by Connecticut's Electric Boat Company in 1941, Hake waited almost a year to be launched and commissioned. Finishing her shakedown trials off the New England coast, she departed n her maiden voyage in April of 1943. Her first patrol ended uneventfully in Helenburgh, Scotland, and Hake thus set sail for her next mission near the Azores, which was also not notable. That summer saw Hake being re-assigned to Pacific waters, where she received additional training prior to setting sail for Pearl Harbor. Ordered to cruise off the Philippine Islands, Hake sank an enemy transport in early January of 1944, and a few weeks later, damaged a tanker in a battle that caused her to incur severe damage from depth charge attacks. In February, USS Hake sank Tacoma Maru and Nanka Maru before returning to her base in Fremantle, Australia. Next directed to the vicinity of Singapore in the South China Sea, Hake spied an unescorted tanker on March 27th, and sank Yamamizu Maru; days later she also damaged several escorts before returning for refit. By May, Hake was traveling in waters near Mindanao, acting as picket for the expected return of the Japanese fleet. During this assignment, she sank the destroyer Kazegumo, cargo ship Kinshu Maru, and a troop transport-all in the month of June.

A Productive Career

The remainder of that summer was not significant for Hake, but it was followed by tasks that became sadly noticed by the county. Her partner, USS Growler, was lost on the patrol, and Hake sustained a great deal of damage from almost 150 depth charges. By November, she was back in fighting form, and did reciprocal damage to the Japanese cruiser Isuzu. Hake next dispatched to Panay Island; a rendezvous with Filipino guerrillas resulted in the rescue of 29 U.S. pilots whose planes had been shot down. This was followed by an overhaul in early 1945, after which Hake served as a lifeguard ship during air strikes against Japan until war hostilities ended in August. She thus returned to New London, through the Panama Canal, and was decommissioned in July of 1946 and placed in the reserve fleet. Ten years later, Hake was taken out of reserve and operated as a Reserve Training Ship for the 4th Naval District, based out of Philadelphia, for six years. On March 1, 1967, she was struck from the Navy List and sold for scrapping.

Hake's perseverance was probably one of her strongest and most admirable traits. She continued to fight even after repeatedly being the target of enemy fire power. This is obviously quite commendable for her skillful and prepared crew, and speaks also about Hake's good fortune in never taking a hit that resulted in tragic consequences. However, even though the vessel did not give up during the fight, the repeated and intense jostling she took during the hundreds of nearby depth charges leveled at her may very well have caused internal structure damage unknown at the time-to the sealant that would have been around any asbestos placed onboard. During the time of World War II ship construction, it was common to add asbestos to ships, for many reasons. It was inexpensive, readily available, and could fit into the many small and awkward spaces beneath decks and in equipment rooms. Plus, it weighed practically nothing, which was another excellent benefit. Since sailors feared fires almost as much as the enemy, the Navy considered its prevention as a top priority. Given limited resources and escape routes, a fire aboard any ship posed catastrophic consequences. Asbestos appeared to offer additional protection, as it was seen as an excellent fire, heat and flame retardant-and could thus regulate a ship's constantly high temperature conditions. As long as the sealant was intact, asbestos was not considered dangerous, but no one knows how much damage it suffered as a result of continuous jostling from attacks and sudden diving. If the sealant broke or ripped tiny fibers, invisible to the naked eye, would have escaped. Entering the ship's contained air system, they could have drifted anywhere on board and been swallowed or inhaled. It's now known that asbestos fibers can remain in human bodies for decades, all the while producing an irritation that has caused serious medical disease-and even malignancies-in many individuals. That is why any former crew member from the USS Hake should see a doctor at the first sign of unusual physical symptoms, and then contact us for additional 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 168 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 Piranha 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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