- USS Hammerhead (SS-364)
USS "Hammerhead" (SS-364), a "Gato"-class
submarine , was the first ship of theUnited States Navy to be named for thehammerhead shark ; ashark found in warm seas with a flattened anterior forward of the gill slits, presenting a hammer-like silhouette when viewed from above.The first "Hammerhead" was launched
24 October 1943 byManitowoc Shipbuilding Co. ofManitowoc, Wisc. ; sponsored by Mrs. R. W. Berry; and commissioned1 March 1944 , Commander J. C. Martin in command.After a month's training in
Lake Michigan "Hammerhead" was placed in afloating drydock and towed down theMississippi River to New Orleans, La., where she arrived8 April 1944 . She subsequently proceeded to Balboa, Canal Zone, for further training, and thence toPearl Harbor ,Hawaii .First patrol, June – August 1944
The submarine departed Pearl Harbor on her first war patrol
6 June 1944 in company with USS|Steelhead|SS-280|3 and USS|Parche|SS-384|3. Cruising the seas south of Formosa, her first engagement came9 June when she sank a sampan with gunfire. She then encountered a coastal oiler29 June and closed for the attack, but the topedoes failed to strike home and a surprise aerial attack forced the sub down. Next day "Hammerhead" damaged several ships of aconvoy . She made port at Fremantle,Australia 17 August 1944 .Second patrol, September – November 1944
"Hammerhead"'s second war patrol was conducted in the Java and
South China Sea s. She departed Fremantle9 September and made her first attack the night of1 October , when a convey consisting of four cargo ships, one oiler, and three escorts was detected offBorneo . "Hammerhead" fired 10 torpedoes, scored a total of 6 hits, and sent 3 of the cargo ships to the bottom.The morning of
20 October the submarine found still another six ship convoy, and after evading one of the escorts delivered a six-torpedo attack. Two more cargo ships fell victim to "Hammerhead"'s marksmanship. The submarine returned from this highly successful patrol2 November 1944 , and was later awarded theNavy Unit Commendation for her outstanding performance.Third and fourth patrols, November 1944 – March 1945
The submarine commenced her third war patrol
25 November , returning to the South China Sea. On this cruise she operated with USS|Lapon|SS-260|3 and USS|Paddle|SS-263|3, and although several attacks were made, no sinkings resulted. She returned to Fremantle17 January 1945 ."Hammerhead" departed on her fourth war patrol
19 February , in company with USS|Baya|SS-318|3. Patrolling offCape Varella , she detected a convoy and two escorts23 February and while closing the cargo ships obtained a perfect shot on an escort. A spread of four torpedoes sankJapan esefrigate "Yaku". Due to the illness of her commanding officer, the submarine was forced to end her patrol, and moored atSubic Bay 3 March 1945 .Fifth and sixth patrols, March – May 1945
Beginning her fifth war patrol
10 March 1945 , "Hammerhead" proceeded to the coast ofIndochina , where on29 March she detected a large escorted convoy. Working her way inside the screen, the submarine was able to get a clear shot at an escort vessel, and a single hit broke her in two. After sinking the escort, "Hammerhead" damaged other members of the group before retiring. She returned from this war patrol6 April 1945 , mooring at Subic Bay,Philippines .For her sixth war patrol "Hammerhead" operated in the
Gulf of Siam . She arrived6 May and that night encountered a small tanker and two escorts. After missing with two torpedoes at extreme range the submarine found the mark in a second attack, sinking the tanker "Kinrei Maru". "Hammerhead" attacked other ships of the convoy without success and after adepth charge attack decided to break off. Sighting a cargo carrier14 May with only an aircraft escort, "Hammerhead" made a perfect approach and sank the ship with two torpedoes. She returned from this patrol25 May .Seventh patrol, June – August 1945
"Hammerhead" departed Fremantle
21 June on her seventh and last war patrol, also carried out in the Gulf of Siam, in company with three other submarines. Her major attack of this patrol occurred10 July , when she sank cargo ships "Sakura Maru" and "Nanmei Maru No. 5". The patrol was brought to a close21 August 1945 at Pearl Harbor."Hammerhead" arrived Mare Island, Calif., for decommissioning
20 August 1945 and decommissioned9 February 1946 . She was then placed in theReserve Fleet at Mare Island."Hammerhead" was brought out of reserve during the
Korean War , recommissioned6 February 1952 , and engaged in training duty on the West Coast betweenSan Diego and San Francisco, Calif., until21 August 1953 . when she decommissioned for return to the Reserve Fleet.TCG "Cerbe" (S 341)
Earmarked for loan under the Military Assistance Program, the veteran submarine was converted to a
GUPPY submarine atMare Island Naval Shipyard and recommissioned once more16 July 1954 to prepare for transfer. Decommissioned and loaned toTurkey 23 October 1954 , she was recommissioned by theTurkish Navy as TCG "Cerbe" (S 341), the first submarine of that name. Initially designated S 03, she was later redesignated S 341. The submarine was formally sold to Turkey1 January 1972 , and subsequently scrapped.Awards
"Hammerhead" received seven
battle star s and aNavy Unit Commendation forWorld War II service. All seven of her war patrols were designated successful.References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h2/hammerhead-i.htm|http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/submar/ss364.txt
External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08364.htm navsource.org: USS "Hammerhead"]
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