Pacific ships
USS Sand Lance (SS-381)

USN · SS

Sand Lance

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Afloat

Balao-class submarine, SS-381. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Laid down 12 March 1943, launched 25 June 1943, commissioned at Portsmouth 9 October 1943, Commander Malcolm E. Garrison in command. On the night of 12–13 March 1944 an airplane forced her down. She came up in a convoy. Tatsuta and the transport Kokuyo Maru went down, and she then took about 100 depth charges over about 16 hours. She reached Pearl Harbor on 23 April 1944. A Presidential Unit Citation for that patrol. Decommissioned on 14 February 1946. Recommissioned at Pearl Harbor on 6 April 1963 and transferred to Brazil on 7 September 1963 as Rio Grande do Sul.

TypeSubmarine (SS)
HullSS-381
BuilderPortsmouth Naval Shipyard
Launched1943-06-25
Commissioned1943-10-09
FateAfloat. Survived the war. On the night of 12–13 March 1944 she sank the light cruiser Tatsuta, about 40 miles west-southwest of Hachijo-jima. Decommissioned on 14 February 1946. Recommissioned at Pearl Harbor on 6 April 1963 and transferred to Brazil on 7 September 1963 as Rio Grande do Sul.
Command
  • Garrison, Malcolm E. Commanding officer from commissioning, 9 October 1943; In command when she sank Tatsuta on 13 March 1944

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

USS Sand Lance (SS-381) on post-repair trials off Oahu on 15 August 1963, after she was recommissioned. Hull number 381 is on the sail. This is not her 1944 appearance. U.S. Navy photograph. Public domain.

The pictures on this page are the originals.

Command

MGGarrison, Malcolm E.Commanding officer from commissioning, 9 October 1943In command when she sank Tatsuta on 13 March 1944

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