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USS Kingfish SS-234

USS Kingfish was a United States Navy Gato-class submarine which earned nine Battle Stars for her contributions to World War II. At almost 312 feet long, she could endure 48 hours underwater at 2 knots when submerged, or 75 days on patrol. Kingfish could travel at the top speeds of 21 knots per hour on the surface, and 9 knots at depths of up to 300 feet, and her range was 11,000 nautical miles if surfaced at 10 knots. Such achievements were made possible by a propulsion system of 10 x 21-inch torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1 x 3-inch / 50 caliber deck gun, and four machine guns. In addition to such equipment, Kingfish carried a complement of 60 sailors and armament consisting of 4 x 9-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.

Dauntless and Unstoppable

Kingfish's keel was laid down in 1941, and launched and commissioned a year later. She left her home at the Portsmouth Navy Yard for shakedown off Connecticut, and in September1942, sailed on her maiden voyage to Japan. On war patrol close to shore, she succeeded in a torpedo hit on an enemy freighter amidst 18 hours of depth charges. Within weeks, she repeated her efforts, sinking Yomei Maru and Seiko Maru, in addition to attacking a freighter-but with unverifiable results. On her next mission, Kingfish was ordered to the South China Sea, where she sank Hino Maru No. 3 and Choyo Maru in December. She was then responsible for setting a trawler on fire and sinking another. Sailing to Formosa in February, Kingfish sank a trawler near Bonin Islands before facing retaliatory enemy bombs, yet persevered and damaged a freighter. She also sank a troop transport in March. A few weeks later, USS Kingfish was at the receiving end of an intense depth charge attack. Believing that she would need to be abandoned, the crew burned secret codes and information. However, when enemy ships saw a huge bubble rising to the surface, they thought she had sunk, and departed. Kingfish was thus able to return to Mare Island Navy Yard, where she had entire sections rebuilt.

Successful In Everything Attempted

Within three months, she was whole again, and embarked on July 1st for the Babuyan Channel near Manila, before visiting the South China Sea once more. There, she followed orders to plant mines in enemy shipping lanes and land Allied personnel and equipment on Borneo. While performing these tasks, she managed to also damage a tanker and sink a gunboat and the cargo ship Sana Maru. Her luck and skill continued into the next year, when she sank Ryuei Maru, Bokuei Maru, and Fushimi Maru No. 3. After an overhaul from depth charge attacks, Kingfish traveled to Chichi Jima Retto in October, where she sank Ikutagawa Maru, Tokai Maru No. 4, and a landing craft transport. In January, 1945, she sank freighter Yaei Maru and passenger-cargo ship Shibozono Maru before a refit at Guam. In March, Kingfish became part of a coordinated attack group, and while on that job, rescued four downed British aviators. Next directed to Honsh?, she sank two sampan picket boats and exploded drifting mines. She returned to Midway two hours before the war ended. USS Kingfish reached Orange, Texas in time for Navy Day on October 25th, before returning to New London to be decommissioned in November. Four months later, she was placed in reserve, but struck from the Navy List on March 1, 1960 and sold for scrap metal that October.

Kingfish was one of those fortunate vessels that managed to evade enemy fire while contributing greatly to the war effort. Her numerous strikes on enemy ships were a display of her crew's skill, tenacity and ability to withstand hardships. The sailors who served aboard her are to be commended, and it's a certainty they and their families were proud of USS Kingfish's accomplishments. They faced a great deal of peril from the enemy, but sadly, may have faced another peril unknown at the time: asbestos. The Navy knew that onboard fires were a danger to its men, and probably utilized asbestos in the construction of vessels requiring heat regulation and fire protection. With limited escape routes and resources, fire was to be avoided at all costs. Asbestos was inexpensive, lightweight, and could be squeezed into the small and awkward spaces of submarines. So, there was a good chance it helped reduce the chance of fires, but there was also the chance that asbestos sealant may have damaged during repeated depth charge attacks. If any fibers escaped the sealant and gotten into the ship's air system, they could have been inhaled or swallowed, and become trapped in sailors' bodies. Asbestos is now known to be the cause of serious medical conditions and even malignancies. That is why it is important that any former crew member see a doctor at the first sign of unusual physical symptoms, and then 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 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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