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USS Icefish SS-367

The USS Icefish was a United States Navy Balao-class submarine which was awarded four Battle Stars for her service during World War II. She could dive to 400 feet and remain there for 48 hours traveling at 2 knots, or endure 75 days on patrol. Her range was 11,000 nautical miles if surfaced at 10 knots, and her top speeds were 20 knots per hour when surfaced and 9 while submerged. This was possible due to a propulsion system consisting of 4 xV16 diesel engines driving electrical generators, 2 x 126-cell batteries, 4 x high-speed electric motors with reduction gears, and two propellers. Icefish was 312 feet long and could carry a total 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.

Early and Accurate Aim

After her keel was laid down in September of 1943, Icefish waited five months to be launched by Wisconsin's Manitowoc Shipbuilding. She completed her first set of tests close to home before traveling the Mississippi to New Orleans, where her shakedown was officially finished. Icefish then voyaged to Pearl Harbor, where she teamed with the Pacific Fleet's Task Force 17 in August of 1944. The next month found Icefish on her first war patrol of the South China Sea and Luzon Straits; by October, Icefish and sister ship USS Drum had sunk 26,901 tons of enemy shipping, along with a cargo vessel and a transport. Ordered from the Marshall Islands to her next mission, USS Icefish returned to Hawaii in about 6 weeks due to minor problems, but was able to set sail again in February of 1945. Embarking on this task, Icefish headed to the East China Sea, but her service there was uneventful. She was then directed to waters off Hong Kong, near the Siam Gulf and Java Sea, but spied no enemy vessels. However, USS Icefish proved her prowess and luck in being there by rescuing six Army aviators off Formosa's coast. Following a refit, she intercepted a diesel lugger and took its crew as prisoners before sinking it. It was to be her final action of the war, which ended within days.

A Second Career with a New Crew

Icefish thus ended her patrol and arrived back at home in San Francisco on September 18. Her decommission occurred the following June at Mare Island, and she became part of the Reserve Fleet. But the Navy was not yet done with her; she was re-commissioned six years later, and sailed through the Canal Zone for Groton, Connecticut, where she was again decommissioned before undergoing a GUPPY IB conversion. On December 10, 1952, USS Icefish was once more re-commissioned and conducted a series of trials, tests, and maneuvers before another decommissioning and transfer to the Royal Netherlands Navy. Her new name was the HNLMS Walrus, under which she conducted operations until 1971. Once back in the custody of the U.S. Navy she was stricken from the US Naval Register and sold for scrapping on August 15, 1971.

It's always good to hear that another country valued a United States ship enough to want to utilize it temporarily. Such transfers appear to validate American-made expertise and trust in construction, equipment, and prior ownership. It probably also helped that the World War II crew handled her well and obtained immediate help at the first sign of malfunctions. Luckily, the USS Icefish did not have a record of collisions or minor mishaps, and clearly did not incur severe trauma or loss of life. Not all submarines were so fortunate; even if they evaded enemy fire, there was still a large chance of on-board accidents taking place. Some were caused by inclement weather or technical difficulties, while others were the result of carelessness or human error. More than a few instances resulted in fires, something no crew ever wanted to face due to limited escape and resources. Therefore, the Navy did what it could to give sailors as much protections as possible, and, in all likelihood, that would have included asbestos. That material was greatly relied upon during the mid-twentieth century for its fire and heat retardant properties, and its ability to fit in the small spaces of ships without adding weight made it even more appealing. However, had its sealant become damaged during rapid and repeated diving or by depth charge explosions, tiny fibers might have escaped and floated throughout the ship. Anyone could have inhaled or swallowed them. It's now been discovered that such fibers have remained in sailor's lungs for decades and have been responsible for the onset of serious diseases and even malignancies. That is why it is very important that anyone who served aboard the USS Icefish 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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