USS Bergall (SS-320)

USS "Bergall" (SS-320), a "Balao"-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bergall, a small fish of the New England coast. Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. She was later sold to Turkey and operated as TCG "Turgutreis" (S 342) until scrapped some time in 1977.

Operational history

USS "Bergall

"Bergall" was launched on 16 February 1944 sponsored by Mrs. J. A. Elkins, and commissioned on 12 June 1944 with Lieutenant Commander J. M. Hyde in command.

Assigned to the Pacific Fleet, "Bergall" arrived at Pearl Harbor 13 August 1944. Operating out of Fremantle, Australia, the submarine made five war patrols between 8 September 1944 and 17 June 1945 in the South China Sea, Java Sea, Lombok Strait, and north of the Malay Barrier. During these patrols "Bergall" sank two merchantmen totaling 14,710 tons and one 740-ton frigate.

On 13 December 1944, "Bergall" engaged Japanese heavy cruiser "Myōkō" and both ships were damaged. "Bergall" had to end her patrol after being hit by a dud 8-inch shell; "Myōkō" sailed to Singapore and was never repaired.cite book | url = http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/| title = The official chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II | chapter = Chapter VI: 1944 | chapterurl = http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/USN-Chron-1944.html | first = Robert | last = Cressman | location = Annapolis, Maryland | publisher = Naval Institute Press | year = 2000 | isbn = 9781557501493 | oclc = 41977179 | accessdate = 2007-12-12 ]

While patrolling off the Malay coast, 13 June 1945, she was damaged aft by a naval mine explosion and forced to retire to Subic Bay, Luzon, for emergency repairs, arriving 17 June. Proceeding home for permanent repairs, she arrived at Portsmouth Navy Yard on 4 August 1945.

Following repairs "Bergall" rejoined the Pacific Fleet in December 1945 She remained on active duty with the Pacific Fleet until departing Pearl Harbor for the Atlantic 10 June 1950. During this time she made one cruise to the Far East from 4 December 1948 to 28 February 1949. On 11 July 1950 she transferred to New London, Connecticut, beginning her operations with the Atlantic Fleet with a Mediterranean Sea cruise.

During a fleet exercise on 1 November 1954, she collided with USS Norris (DD-859) while attempting to fire torpedoes at a surface attack force.

On 26 September 1958, "Bergall" left the United States, entered the Mediterranean on 9 October, and arrived in İzmir, Turkey, on 15 October, where she was decommissioned on 17 October.

"Bergall" received four battle stars during World War II.

TCG "Turgutreis"

Ex-"Bergall" was transferred, on loan, to Turkey on 17 October 1958, where she served as TCG "Turgutreis" (S 342). Her name was struck from the U.S. Naval Vessel Register on 1 February 1973, and she was sold to the Turkish government on 15 February 1973. "Turgutreis" served in the Turkish Navy until decommissioned on 5 April 1983. She was renamed "Ceryah Botu - 6" and served as a yard craft at Gölcük Navy Yard until she was scrapped in April 2000.

See USS|Bergall for other ships of the same name.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b5/bergall-i.htm

External links

*navsource|08/08320|Bergall