|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

USS Nautilus SS-168

USS Nautilus was a United States Navy submarine which earned the Presidential Unit Citation and 14 Battle Stars for her performance in World War II. She carried a complement of 89 sailors, as well as armament of 6 x 21-inch torpedo tubes and 2 x 6-inch / 53 caliber deck guns. She was a composite, or Narwhal class ship, utilizing propulsion from 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. Nautilius could take her 371 foot long body down to a depth of 300 feet and reach top speeds of 14 knots when surfaced and 7 knots while submerged. Her endurance was 10 hours at 5 knots.

Pre-War Operations

The keel of USS Nautilus was laid down in 1927 at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard , but she was not commissioned until three years later. Her shakedown and special submergence tests lasted until March of 1931, when she was re-christened Nautilus (from V-6) and became designated as the flagship of Submarine Division 12. Within a few years, she also served Submarine Division 13 while conducting maneuvers, fleet exercises and training operations. By 1941, Nautilus required modernization, and thus received radio equipment, new engines, and air conditioning. When World War II broke out in December of that year, she sailed to Pearl Harbor for a war patrol of Midway Island.

Dedicated War Service

Nautilus experienced her first attack the following June, when enemy planes bombed and depth-charged her over 40 times. After a return to the surface a few hours later, she sent torpedoes towards nearby Japanese carrier Kaga, which caught on fire and was subsequently abandoned-although not directly hit. The commanding officer of the USS Nautilus was later awarded the Navy Cross for his actions. Within a couple of weeks, Nautilus caused damage to a destroyer, oil tanker, and merchantman, and sank both a destroyer (Yamakaze) and a sampan. The retaliating gunfire caused her to return to Pearl Harbor for repairs soon after. She stood out again in August on the transport mission of "Carlson's Raiders", during which she diverted enemy attention away from the Solomon Islands with a fake raid. After that special Marine troop debarked, Nautilus fired upon ships at Ukiangong Point, sinking a troop barge and a patrol boat. In the fall, Nautilus was ordered to join a submarine blockade along the Kurile Islands to the Nansei Shoto. In inclement weather that prohibited periscope use and torpedo firing, and battling technical difficulties, she was still able sink three marus and three sampans. However, it was soon noticeable that heavy counter attack left the USS Nautilus leaking oil, and thus she sailed home for quick repairs once again.

Success despite Hardships

Winter found Nautilus near the Solomon Islands, performing civilian rescues while destroying cargo ship Yosinogawa Maru and damaging enemy vessels consisting of a tanker, freighter, and destroyer. By April, she deserved a short reprieve, and put into Dutch Harbor, Alaska; her new directive was to instruct 7th Army Scouts in amphibious landings. After a summer overhaul, Nautilus sailed on photo-reconnaissance duty in the Gilbert Islands. Her data and panoramic pictures offered some of the most useful intelligence ever acquired of the area. While gathering additional military information in November, she was mistaken as the enemy, and a five-inch shell pierced Nautilus's conning tower and damaged her main induction valve. Immediate repairs allowed her to land the 5th Amphibious Reconnaissance Company Marines on Abemama as planned. In early 1944, USS Nautilus sunk America Maru and damaged three others while in waters west of the Mariana Islands, before supporting guerrilla activities in the Philippines. Her next job was to transport ammunition, oil, and dry stores, as well as evacuees. This task also involved landing a reconnaissance party on North Pandan Island. Nautilus faced more peril in September, when she ran aground on Iuisan Shoal. To lighten her load, she successfully sent evacuees, mail, captured documents, and cargo ashore before burning secret materials and blowing reserve fuel tanks dry. Unfortunately, she was also forced to throw the variable ballast overboard and jettison her six-inch ammunition. By blowing her main ballast tanks, she was finally light enough to clear the reef, despite a receding tide. This accomplishment took her to the next call to duty, which was the destruction of USS Darter, which had run aground on a reef. Efforts to rescue her had been unsuccessful, but Nautilus was able to strike her 55 times with her six-inch guns.

Nautilus was inactivated in May, 1945, and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register two months later. That November, USS Nautilus was sold to the North American Smelting Company for scrapping.

The history of Nautilus is indeed interesting, as she faced danger, limitations, harsh weather, and severe enemy fire-and often required immediate repairs to complete her missions. Yet, she persevered and completed her tasks without loss of life; her crew was obviously skillful as well as lucky. Hopefully, they were also fortunate in not having had exposure to any errant asbestos fibers that may have escaped sealant during the repeated and harsh depth charge attacks. (Ships of this era often relied upon asbestos as added protection against the threat of onboard fires, due to its lightweight and flexible properties.) If fibers floated through the submarine and been inhaled or swallowed, former sailors may be at risk. They should be alert to unusual physical symptoms and report them to their doctors as soon as possible. There is a chance that the long-term irritating presence of asbestos fibers in the body may cause serious medical conditions and even malignancies. We can provide much more information regarding the potential danger of asbestos exposure, so crew members should not hesitate to contact us with questions.

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

Name:

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Phone Number:

Email:

Diagnosis:

Select... Mesothelioma Lung Cancer Asbestosis Severe Asbestosis Unknown

Comments:

Show Your Support

Free Wristbands
Get an Asbestos Awareness Wristband. Read More

VA Claim Help

Support Book

Cancer Support Book
Get a Free Copy of Lean on Me - Cancer Through a Carer's Eyes. Read More

In Your Area

Asbestos Exposure
Learn about asbestos exposure and legal options in your area. Read More

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: Verify Here.