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USS Narwhal SS-167

USS Narwhal was a United States Navy submarine which was awarded a total of 15 Battle Stars for her service in World War II. As the lead ship in her class, she was a long 371 feet in length and carried a complement of 89 sailors. Narwhal was considered a composite class propelled by a direct-drive diesel and diesel-electric equipment, consisting of 2 x direct-drive 10-cylinder/4-cycle diesel engines, 2 x 6-cylinder/4-cycle diesel engines driving electrical generators, 2 x 120-cell batteries, 2 x electric motors, and two shafts. With such power, Narwhal could dive to 300 ft, reach a speed of 8 knots submerged and 14 knots surfaced, and endure 10 hours at 5 knots. She was armed with 6 x 21-inch torpedo tubes and 2 x 6-inch / 53 caliber deck guns.

A Quiet Beginning

When her keel was laid down in 1927, Narwhal's original title was V-5; this was changed four years later to her better-known name. In the interim, she was commissioned in 1930 and sailed on her maiden voyage to the West Indies before returning to the U.S for additional training. After traveling from New England via the Panama Canal to San Diego, California, Narwhal was re-christened and reclassified with hull symbol SS-167. Regular maneuvers and fleet exercises off Hawaii followed in 1932, until she was ordered to patrol the West Coast and conduct standard operations. Two years later, Narwhal received a directive to join with Submarine Division 12 and serve in the area stretching from Seattle, Washington to Pearl Harbor, which was to be her home for the next seven years.

Much Success and Many Goodwill Missions

Narwhal was moored at her base when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Minutes after the first explosion, her crew helped to destroy two torpedo planes. Sent first to Wake Island in February and then to the Ityukyu Islands, Narwhal's first war patrol was significant for the damage she caused to Maju Maru and the sinking of Taki Maru. Narwhal next defended Midway Atoll in June; in July, she sunk two small freighters near the Kurile Islands, and in August she downed Meiwa Maru and Bifitku Maru. After an overhaul, she partnered with the 7th Infantry Scout Company to invade Attu Attlit Island. By the next year, Narwhal was in Dutch Harbor Alaska, where she patrolled the western Aleutian Islands and debarked rubber boats filled with Army forces, who successfully recaptured the targeted area. July found the USS Narwhal creating a diversion through the bombarding of an air base on Matsuwa to allow three sister ships to escape the Sea of Japan. In September, she sank Hokusho Maru before nine secret transport missions of Philippine guerrillas. Fall brought ammunition and Filipino civilian evacuee transport, as well as the transferring of Army operatives. In early December, Narwhal sank Hinteno Maru before continuing her transport duties into the New Year. In February she damaged river gunboat Karatsu, and in June she destroyed several enemy gasoline storage tanks before setting fires around a power house. These accomplishments were all made while carrying innocent people, delivering much needed supplies, and dodging gunfire and depth charges. Later that year, she carried 31 liberated prisoners-of-war who were pulled from the waters after USS Paddle sank Japanese transports off Sindagan Point. In late September, Narwhal's stern planes locked in a 20 degree angle while diving to evade a Japanese patrol plane. She quickly blew her main ballast to stop the steep dive and momentarily resurfaced; luckily she was not noticed again by the aircraft. On her 15th and last war patrol from Dutch New Guinea, Narwhal delivered deliver 11 tons of food to Tawi Tawi and narrowly missed being gunned by American Flying Boat PBY Catalina. (Once the plane recognized her, it signaled "Good Luck Narwhal.") In early 1945, USS Narwhal sailed into the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where she was decommissioned in April, struck from the Naval Vessel Register the following month, and sold for scrap in May. Her two six-inch guns can be seen in their permanent display in Groton, Connecticut, at the Naval Submarine Base.

USS Narwhal certainly deserved her many Battle Stars; her dependable transport of evacuees, military personnel, food, supplies and ammunition probably saved countless lives. Doing so in the face of enemy gunfire and near-misses proved how trained and skillful her sailors were. She was indeed fortunate that she never incurred major damage or loss of life. Hopefully, her good fortune extended to all aspects of her structure, including any asbestos sealant remaining intact. It was common practice for shipbuilders to add the retardant asbestos into the small and awkward spaces of submarines to provide extra protection against the threat of fire. However, if the sealant became damaged due to frequent depth explosion jarring, or even wear and tear by overhauls, tiny fibers may have circulated through the air system and been inhaled or swallowed by the crew. Since such materials can remain inside the body for decades, all the while causing irritation that can lead to dangerous medical conditions, former sailors should be alert for unusual physical symptoms. Since such indications may mean a serious disease or even malignancy, they should consult a doctor immediately and 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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