Pacific ships
USS Guardfish (SS-217)

USN · SS

Guardfish

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Afloat

Gato-class submarine, SS-217. Electric Boat at Groton. Laid down 1 April 1941, launched 20 January 1942, commissioned at New London 8 May 1942, Lieutenant Commander Thomas Burton Klakring in command. Lieutenant Commander Norvell Gardiner Ward relieved him on 18 May 1943. On 12 January 1943 near Kavieng she sank the destroyer Shimakaze of 1920, which had been renamed Patrol Boat No. 1. This is not the Shimakaze of 1942. On 23 January 1943 Hakaze attacked her and she sank Hakaze. On her seventh patrol she sank the oiler Kenyo Maru on 14 January 1944, then sank Umikaze on 1 February 1944 off the southern entrance of Truk. A Presidential Unit Citation for her first two patrols. Decommissioned on 25 May 1946. Naval Reserve training at New London from 18 June 1948. Placed out of service on 1 June 1960. uboat.net records the strike as 1 October 1960. Sunk as a target on 10 October 1961 off New England.

ClassGato class
TypeSubmarine (SS)
HullSS-217
BuilderElectric Boat, Groton
Launched1942-01-20
Commissioned1942-05-08
FateAfloat. Survived the war. On 12 January 1943 near Kavieng she sank the destroyer Shimakaze of 1920, renamed Patrol Boat No. 1. On 23 January 1943 she sank the destroyer Hakaze. On 1 February 1944 she sank the destroyer Umikaze off the southern entrance of Truk. Decommissioned on 25 May 1946. Placed out of service on 1 June 1960. Sunk as a target on 10 October 1961 off New England.
Armament (class)Fleet submarine. A deck gun forward of the conning tower.
Command
  • Klakring, Thomas Burton Commanding officer from commissioning, 8 May 1942; In command when she sank Patrol Boat No. 1 on 12 January 1943 and Hakaze on 23 January 1943; Relieved on 18 May 1943
  • Ward, Norvell Gardiner Commanding officer from 18 May 1943; In command when she sank Umikaze on 1 February 1944; Relieved on 27 October 1944

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 Guardfish (SS-217) moored on 27 February 1944, after her seventh war patrol. Hull number 217 is on the bow. U.S. Navy photograph, from NavSource. Public domain.

The pictures on this page are the originals.

Command

TKKlakring, Thomas BurtonCommanding officer from commissioning, 8 May 1942In command when she sank Patrol Boat No. 1 on 12 January 1943 and Hakaze on 23 January 1943Relieved on 18 May 1943NWWard, Norvell GardinerCommanding officer from 18 May 1943In command when she sank Umikaze on 1 February 1944Relieved on 27 October 1944

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