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USS Hardhead SS-365

USS Hardhead was a United States Navy Balao-class submarine which was awarded six Battle Stars for her service during World War II, and four consecutive "E" awards for post-war performance. On her 312 feet, she carried a complement of 81 sailors as well as an armament of 10 x 21-inch torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1 x 5-inch / 25 caliber deck gun, and four machine guns. Her range was 11,000 nautical miles surfaced at 10 knots, and she could endure 48 hours submerged to 400 feet at 2 knots or 75 days on patrol. Hardhead could reach top speeds of 20 knots per hour when surfaced and 9 while underwater. This was due to a propulsion system that consisted of 4 x 10-cylinder opposed piston diesel engines driving electrical generators, 2 x 126-cell batteries, 4 x high-speed electric motors with reduction gears, and two propellers.

Timely and Commendable Assignment Execution

After her keel was laid down by Wisconsin's Manitowoc Shipbuilding, Hardhead was launched in 1943 and commissioned in April of the following year. Her shakedown trials took place close to home in Lake Michigan, but Hardhead was towed to New Orleans on a floating dry dock. She then stood out for the Canal Zone and underwent additional maneuvers and preparatory training prior to departing from Pearl Harbor on July 7, 1944. Arriving in the waters off the Philippines in late July, USS Hardhead's patrol became immediately successful; she sank the Japanese cruiser Natori on August 18. This achievement was followed with lifeguard duty during fleet aircraft strikes and operational services in the Palaus vicinity. In October, Hardhead embarked on her next mission, and while passing through the Sulu Sea, discovered a life raft. She thus rescued Commander Bakutis, the fighter squadron commander of the Enterprise; he had been shot down during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and had been adrift for 6 days. Then ordered into a coordinated attack group, Hardhead took part in the sinking of Manei Maru, but during battle her partner, the USS Growler, was tragically lost. Assigned to Subic Bay in November, she sank a coast defense vessel and damaged a merchantman, luckily dodging retaliatory depth charges. USS Hardhead's next task found her setting sail on Christmas Eve to the South China Sea, where she was responsible for sinking Nanshin Maru and damaging other enemy vessels. After lifeguard duty for B-29 strikes on Singapore, Hardhead returned to her base in Fremantle, Australia, in February. On her next war patrol Hardhead was given the job of laying special mines near French Indochina; when this was done, she during voyaged to the Gulf of Siam and sank cargo ship Araosan Maru on April 6. This was followed by a patrol in the Java Seam where Hardhead not only damaged a freighter, she also sank four coastal defense craft. In July, she forced an enemy merchant ship to the beach-it was her last notable success before the war ended on August 15, 1945.

Post-War Contributions

USS Hardhead arrived in San Francisco on September 22, and was decommissioned eight months later. Although a member of the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Hardhead was placed in commission in reserve six years later and sent to New London, Connecticut for GUPPY IIA conversion. When done, she was re-commissioned in March of 1953. Teaming with the Atlantic Fleet for exercises and drills, Hardhead traversed the U.S. Eastern seaboard and the Caribbean, and assisted the 6th Fleet during the Suez Crisis in the Mediterranean Sea. Her post-war career changed again in1958, when Hardhead joined Submarine Development Group 2 to begin the research and testing of equipment and tactical doctrine. She still was not ready for retirement 14 years later, as she decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register before transfer to Greece on July 26, 1972. The former USS Hardhead was commissioned into the Hellenic Navy as HS Papanikolis, and served there for 21 years before being struck from the Greek Naval registry.

Although named for a croaker fish, the term "Hardhead" was occasionally used by people of this era in reference to someone who was stubborn. The military version was only stubborn when it came to refusing to give up; she persevered in all circumstances and took advantage of every opportunity. Her performance was stellar, and her crew was obviously well-trained and responsive. The ship fortunately never incurred catastrophic loss of life, and there is no documentation regarding even minor accidents or mishaps. Hardhead was lucky in that regard, and hopefully she was also lucky when it came to the potential of dangerous asbestos exposure. During construction in the mid-twentieth century, it was common practice to rely heavily on asbestos as additional security against fire, heat, and electricity. For ships' small spaces and limitations, its lightweight and flexible properties seemed ideal. Since the threat of an onboard fire posed serious consequences, the Navy would have done whatever it could to protect its men. Probably no one will ever know whether any submarine's repeated diving and depth charge explosion jostling could have damaged the asbestos sealant to the point of allowing tiny fibers to escape. If fibers did escape, they could have drifted anywhere on board and been inhaled by anyone. With an ability to remain in a human body for decades, the long term irritation of asbestos has been considered the cause of severe diseases and even malignancies. That is why it is important that any former sailor see his doctor at the first sign of unusual 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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