Pacific ships
USS Flounder (SS-251)

USN · SS

Flounder

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Afloat

Gato-class submarine, SS-251. Electric Boat at Groton. Laid down 5 December 1942, launched 22 August 1943, commissioned 29 November 1943, Commander Carl Arthur Johnson in command. Commander James Edward Stevens had her from 3 June 1944. On 17 June 1944 she sank the Japanese ship Nihonkai Maru south of Mindanao. On 10 November 1944 she sank the German submarine U-537 in the Java Sea east of Surabaya. The loss of the army cargo ship Gyosan Maru on 21 November 1944 is shared with Guavina. Six war patrols. The second and the fourth were marked successful. Two battle stars. Decommissioned in reserve at New London on 12 February 1947. NavSource dates the scrap sale 22 December 1959. uboat.net dates it 1 June 1959.

ClassGato class
TypeSubmarine (SS)
HullSS-251
BuilderElectric Boat, Groton
Launched1943-08-22
Commissioned1943-11-29
FateAfloat. Survived the war. On 17 June 1944 she sank the Japanese ship Nihonkai Maru, south of Mindanao. On 10 November 1944 she sank the German submarine U-537, north of Lombok Strait. uboat.net prints that place as 7°13' S, 115°17' E, in the Java Sea east of Surabaya. The loss of Gyosan Maru on 21 November 1944 is shared with Guavina (SS-362). Decommissioned in reserve at New London on 12 February 1947. NavSource dates the scrap sale 22 December 1959, and the removal 2 February 1960. uboat.net dates the sale 1 June 1959.
Armament (class)Fleet submarine. A deck gun forward of the conning tower.
Command
  • Johnson, Carl Arthur Commanding officer from commissioning, 29 November 1943; Relieved on 9 May 1944
  • Stevens, James Edward Commanding officer from 3 June 1944; In command when she sank U-537 on 10 November 1944; Relieved on 1 May 1945

Laid down, displacement, length, beam, draft, speed, and complement are not stored for each hull, so this table leaves them out.

The armament line is the class drawing, not a measurement of this hull.

USS Flounder (SS-251) off Mare Island on 24 July 1945, during overhaul. The print is marked (SS251). The painted hull number is not readable in this view. Mare Island photograph 5425-45. U.S. Navy. Public domain.

The pictures on this page are the originals.

Command

Carl Arthur JohnsonJohnson, Carl ArthurCommanding officer from commissioning, 29 November 1943Relieved on 9 May 1944James Edward StevensStevens, James EdwardCommanding officer from 3 June 1944In command when she sank U-537 on 10 November 1944Relieved on 1 May 1945

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