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USS Paddle SS-263

USS Paddle was a United States Navy Gato-class submarine who was awarded eight Battle Stars for her actions in World War II . She carried a complement of 60 sailors as well as armament consisting of 10 x 21-inch torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1 x 3-inch / 50 caliber deck gun, and four machine guns. At 311 feet long, she was propelled by 4 x diesel engines driving electrical generators, 2 x 126-cell batteries, 4 x high-speed electric motors with reduction gears, and two propellers. This equipment allowed for an endurance of 75 days on patrol and 48 hours submerged at 2 knots, as well as top speeds of 21 knots per hour on the surface and 9 knots underwater.

Minor Damage, Major Hits

After her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in May of 1943, Paddle was launched that December and commissioned in March of the following year. Her fitting out and shakedown trials took place in New London, Connecticut, and she sailed for Pearl Harbor four months later. Thus began several months of war patrol assignments, duties in destroyer antisubmarine warfare training, and the transport of equipment for military meteorological utilization. Paddle was first directed into waters around the southern points of Japan, where she struck a freighter but endured 13 hours of depth charges on August 13. She incurred her first real damage six days later from seven bombs dropped out of enemy search planes. However, her crew remedied the situation, and Paddle retaliated with another sinking of passenger-cargo ship Ataka Maru within four more days. Her next assignment was to service the carrier task force in the Gilberts and Marshalls area by transmitting constant weather reports, and to guide Army bombers into the Tarawa vicinity. While doing these duties, USS Paddle was also able to cause serious damage to the tanker Nippon Maru; she then received an overhaul back in the U.S. In response to her next order in April of 1944, she sailed to the Dutch East Indies and the southern Philippines and sank Mito Maru and Hino Maru No. 1. Her next war patrol saw Paddle in the Celebes Sea, unfortunately damaged by bombs. Again her crew responded quickly, which allowed her to sink the destroyer Hokaze and damage two freighters within the week.

Misunderstandings and International Retirement

Her next success was in September, when she sunk the cargo ship Shinyo Maru while damaging an enemy convoy vessel. (Sadly, it happened to be an unmarked Prisoner of War carrier with over 750 Allied POWs aboard, unknown to the Paddle. Also unaware, Japanese boats then attacked and killed all but 83 of the POWs before reached shore. A survivor died upon reaching land; another chose to stay in the Phillipines, and the other 83 sailed for their Australian homeland. Seventeen "Survivors of the Shinyo Maru" were alive as of 2006.) In answer to the next call to duty, USS Paddle served as lifeguard off Balikpapan in the fall, and in doing so, sank two oil-laden sea trucks and a schooner. She was then sent to the South China Sea in early 1945, and west of Luzon, Paddle sank the tanker Shoei Maru-in addition to damaging an enemy destroyer. Traveling in the Yellow and East China Seas of her last war patrol, she demolished floating mines with gunfire, while intermittently sinking eight schooners and picket boats and performing lifeguard jobs near southern Honshū. After the war hostilities ended, she traveled back to New London, where she was placed in reserve, then later decommissioned in February of 1946. However, ten years later USS Paddle was re-commissioned for transfer to Brazil. On January 18, 1957, she joined the Brazilian Navy and was commissioned as Riachuelo (S-15), but sunk as a target in 1968.

Paddle was fortunate that most of her repairs could be easily fixed by the onboard crew. If not for their speed and expertise, she probably would not have been able to continue her efforts in serving her country. Even after thorough overhauls and professional maintenance, however, Paddle faced the same threat as other submarines, and that is in possessing unseen damage within her structure. This was especially true with regards to the fire retardant, asbestos. Heavily used during the time of Paddle's construction, asbestos was known to be an excellent addition to insulation, since it could fit into small spaces and weighed practically nothing. However, if its sealant became damaged during collisions or depth charge jarring, it may have become damaged. The problem with this was that it may not have even been noticeable, but could have allowed tiny asbestos fibers to escape and enter the ship's air system.. If any sailor inhaled or swallowed asbestos, they may still have it in their body today. With long-term affects from this irritation, some individuals have been known to develop serious medical conditions or malignancies. If any former crew member of the USS Paddle experiences unusual physical symptoms, they should see a physician immediately 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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