- USS Argonaut (SS-475)
The second USS "Argonaut" (SS-475) was a "Tench"-class submarine. Her keel was laid at
Portsmouth Navy Yard on28 June 1944 . She was launched on1 October 1944 sponsored by Mrs. Allan R. McCann and commissioned15 January 1945 , with Lieutenant Commander John S. Schmidt in command."Argonaut" held shakedown in the Portsmouth area and in
Narragansett Bay and returned briefly to Portsmouth on27 March for post-shakedown availability. She then sailed on14 April forKey West, Florida , where she conducted special tests for lighter-than-air craft and training operations with the Fleet Sound School. "Argonaut" departed theFlorida coast on13 May to transit thePanama Canal en routeHawaii . ReachingPearl Harbor on11 June , the submarine spent two weeks in repairs and training exercises before beginning her first war patrol on28 June .She made a fuel stop at
Saipan on10 July and then proceeded to theFormosa Strait and the East China and Yellow Seas to search for enemy shipping. On16 July , "Argonaut" spotted a downed aviator, picked him up, and later transferred him to USS|Quillback|SS-424|3. Her only contact with Japanese vessels during the patrol came on12 August , when "Argonaut" sank a 25-tonjunk with fire from her 40-millimeter and 20-millimeter guns. Since she terminated her patrol atGuam on21 August , six days after Japan capitulated, this was her only combat action duringWorld War II ."Argonaut" departed Guam on
1 September and proceeded, viaPearl Harbor and thePanama Canal , toTompkinsville, New York . She arrived in New York on4 October but continued on toKittery, Maine , for an overhaul. Early in 1946, "Argonaut" was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and was based at Panama. While en route to Panama, "Argonaut" collided with USS|Honolulu|CL-48|3 off the eastern coast betweenNew York City andPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania , during a heavy fog. Both ships sustained minor damage and "Argonaut" continued on to Panama. Later in 1946, "Argonaut" became a unit of SubRon2 based atNew London, Connecticut .In July 1952, the submarine underwent a major conversion at the
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard , during which she received a snorkel system and a streamlined conning tower. These changes gave the submarine greater underwater endurance. "Argonaut" operated from New London until July 1955, when she was reassigned to SubRon6 atNorfolk, Virginia . Following this move, "Argonaut" was converted to a guided-missile submarine armed with aRegulus I missile .In 1958, "Argonaut"s home port was changed to
San Juan, Puerto Rico , where she remained for a year, engaged primarily in missile operations. The submarine returned toNorfolk, Virginia , in 1959. During an overhaul in early 1960, "Argonaut"s missile equipment was removed. When the alterations were completed, the submarine resumed her routine of supporting antisubmarine warfare (ASW) training operations out of Norfolk.On
15 October 1962 , "Argonaut" performed duties in conjunction with the naval quarantine ofCuba . She then had a routine overhaul at theNorfolk Naval Shipyard . The yard work was completed on13 May 1963 , and the submarine sailed to the New London area for refresher training. After further training in the Virginia Capes area, she got underway on19 August for the Mediterranean and service with the Sixth Fleet. Her ports of call during the deployment includedGibraltar ; Suda Bay, Crete;Rhodes, Greece ; İzmir, Turkey;Toulon, France ; Marseille, France;Sanremo, Italy andNaples, Italy . The submarine returned to home port on15 December ."Argonaut" continued her routine of operations along the east coast with periodic deployments to the Mediterranean through
1 December 1965 . On that day, she commenced overhaul at theNorfolk Naval Shipyard . "Argonaut" left the shipyard on10 June 1966 , for sea trials and, on20 January headed for New London for refresher training. She then provided services to the submarine school at New London through the remainder of 1966.The submarine moved to Norfolk early in 1967 but left the Virginia Capes area on
9 January , bound forSan Juan, Puerto Rico . "Argonaut" took part in Operation "Springboard" through the rest of January and most of February before leaving the Caribbean on23 February to return to Norfolk, arriving there five days later. During the next two months, "Argonaut" prepared for a North Atlantic and Mediterranean cruise. She sailed on26 May and made her first port call atTrondheim, Norway . The submarine also visited Cuxhaven, Germany; Leith, Scotland;Rota, Spain ;Naples, Italy ; andValletta, Malta , before returning to her home port on20 September . She remained in the local operating area through the duration of the year.The submarine traveled to New London on
6 February 1968 , entered drydock there on9 February , and remained in it through26 February . "Argonaut" left the keelblocks on27 February and returned to Norfolk. She made a patrol in theJacksonville, Florida operating area in mid-March and put in atPort Everglades, Florida , on22 March . Three days later the submarine got underway for her home port. Upon her arrival in Norfolk on29 March , she assumed a schedule of local operations. This was interrupted by another cruise to Port Everglades in October. She returned that month to Norfolk and began preparations for deactivation. "Argonaut" was decommissioned on2 December , and her name was struck from theNaval Vessel Register that same day. She was sold to Canada and commissioned2 December 1968 , in theRoyal Canadian Navy as "Rainbow" (SS-75) and decommissioned31 December 1974 ."Argonaut" won one battle star for her
World War II service.ource
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a11/argonaut-ii.htm
References
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