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USS Hammerhead SS-364

The USS Hammerhead was a United States Navy Gato-class submarine which earned seven Battle Stars and a Navy Unit Commendation for her actions during World War II service. At 312 feet long, she carried a complement of 60 sailors and armament comprised of 10 x 21-inch torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1 x 3-inch / 50 caliber deck gun and four machine guns. Her endurance was 75 patrol days, or 48 hours underwater at a depth of 300 feet, at 2 knots per hour. Hammerhead's top speeds were 21 knots surfaced and 9 knots when submerged, and her range was 11,000 nautical miles if surfaced at 10 knots. This was possible due to a propulsion system of 4 x V16 diesel engines driving electrical generators, 2 x 126-cell batteries, 4 x high-speed electric motors with reduction gears and two propellers.

Many Successful Strikes

After her keel was laid down by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company of Wisconsin, Hammerhead was launched in October of 1943, and commissioned five months later. She received shakedown training and her initial trials in Lake Michigan before being towed down the Mississippi River to New Orleans on a floating dry dock. Her maiden cruise took her to the Canal Zone, for final war preparations, and then to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from which she departed on her first war patrol in June of 1944. While sailing near Formosa, USS Hammerhead's first battle experience resulted in her sinking an enemy sampan with gunfire. Before the month ended, she had also damaged several other ships before making port at Fremantle, Australia. On her next mission, she was ordered to Java and the South China Seas, and while there, was responsible for sinking five cargo ships. Although her next job was uneventful, in February of 1945, Hammerhead set sail for Cape Varella, where she sank Japanese frigate Yaku. Her following mission took her to the shores of Indochina, where she broke an escort vessel in two and damaged other vessels in the enemy convoy before mooring at Subic Bay in the Philippines. USS Hammerhead next stood out in the Gulf of Siam, where, in May, she sank the tanker Kinrei Maru as well as a cargo carrier. June found her in the same area, sinking cargo ships Sakura Maru and Nanmei Maru No. 5, before the war hostilities ended on August 15.

Retirement in Turkey

Hammerhead returned to Mare Island, California and was shortly decommissioned and placed in the Reserve Fleet until taken out for Korean War service duty. After being re-commissioned in February of 1952, she participated in training activities off the shores of San Diego and San Francisco for a year and a half. At that time, USS Hammerhead received a conversion to a GUPPY submarine and was subsequently transferred to the Turkish Navy in October, 1954. Her new name was TCG Cerbe, and she served under a loaned status until being purchased by Turkey in 1972. The former Hammerhead was scrapped not too long after that by the Turkish government.

Hammerhead seemed to have a very productive career; luck seemed to be with her from the onset of her journey into the war, and stayed with her for her total 29 years of service. In fact, the vessel aptly deserved its namesake of a shark, since it received a commendation for the patrol in which it sank 5 enemy ships in one battle. There is no documentation of collisions, accidents, or even minor mishaps, which speaks of both good fortune as well as a skillful and responsive crew. Not every ship was so blessed; there are numerous incidents of successful submarines finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, or facing inclement weather, not to mention faulty equipment. The worst incidents Hammerhead faced involved returning to port after the illnesses of crew members. Hopefully, the sailors who served aboard her did not incur danger from another common peril that was unknown at the time: asbestos exposure. This insulation was heavily relied upon during the mid-twentieth century, and seemed ideal for the small, awkward spaces on submarines. It had a well-deserved reputation as a fire, heat and electrical retardant, and weighing practically nothing, could have been used everywhere on board. The Navy wished to protect its men from the horrible chance of fire, given any ship's limited escape routes and resources. However, if the asbestos sealant was damaged during repeated dives, depth charge explosions or overhauls, tiny fibers may have escaped and drifted through a ship's contained air system. It is now known that they have remained in bodies for decades and the long term irritation had been connected to serious medical conditions and even malignancies. That is why it is important that any former sailor from the USS Hammerhead see their 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-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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