- USS S-46 (SS-157)
USS "S-46" (SS-157) was a third-group ("S-42") "S"-class submarine of the
United States Navy . Her keel was laid down on 23 February 1921 by theBethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation inQuincy, Massachusetts . She was launched on 11 September 1923 sponsored by Miss Grace Roosevelt, and commissioned on 5 June 1925, Lieutenant Commander Hubert V. LaBombard in command.Early history
After training exercises off southern
New England , "S-46" sailed for thePanama Canal Zone to join Submarine Division (SubDiv) 19. Arriving atCoco Solo on26 September , she commenced a schedule of local operations, from Coco Solo and fromBalboa, Panama , which were interrupted only for semi-annual extended training cruises and annual fleet problems in theCaribbean Sea andPacific Ocean . Repairs and overhauls were performed at Balboa.In 1927, SubDiv 19 was transferred to the
Battle Fleet and based atSan Diego, California , withMare Island Naval Shipyard as homeyard for its boats. "S-46" departedPanama on11 June ; arrived at San Diego on31 July ; then proceeded, viaMare Island toPearl Harbor to participate in tactical exercises with other Battle Fleet submarines. During the latter part of August, she participated in the search for missingDole Air Race pilots; and, at the end of the month, she headed back to San Diego for two months of local operations. In December, she returned to Mare Island for an overhaul; and, in June 1928, she resumed operations out of her home port. In November, despite many attempts to improve design limitations of the third-group ("S-42") class, the maximum speed set for "S-46", and others of that class, was reduced to 10.5 knots to eliminate excessive vibration and accompanying engineering problems at higher speeds."S-46" remained based at San Diego until December 1930, when her division was transferred to
Pearl Harbor . There, for the next five years, she participated in training operations with her division, now SubDiv 11 and with other fleet units, and spent extended periods of time in port as a unit of Rotating Reserve Division 14. In the spring of 1936, after participating inFleet Problem XVII , she returned to Coco Solo, where she had again been homeported.Still in SubDiv 11, "S-46" remained based at Coco Solo through the end of the decade, operating on a schedule similar to that of her first tour in the Canal Zone. After September 1939, however, operations were confined to the canal approaches. In the spring of 1941, SubDiv 11 was ordered to New London to assist in patrols off the
New England coast and in Submarine School training operations. En route north, "S-46" underwent overhaul atPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania , and, in August, she commenced operations out of New London. In October, she shifted toOrdnance Island, Bermuda ; and, in December, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, she returned to the Panama Canal Zone.World War II
Two Defensive Patrols
During the next six weeks, she conducted two defensive war patrols in the approaches to the canal, then prepared to cross the Pacific. On
5 March 1942 , she headed west with her division, now SubDiv 53. In mid-April, theWorld War I -design submarines arrived at their new base,Brisbane ,Queensland , and joined TF 42. On13 May , "S-46" departed on her third patrol—her first offensive war patrol.First War Patrol
On leaving
Moreton Bay , theS-boat conducted sound training exercises with anRoyal Australian Navy escort, then continued on. On15 May , the ship's cook was discovered to have themumps . On16 May , the boat put intoTownsville, Queensland , and, on22 May —after hospitalizing sick crew members and disinfecting messing, berthing, and working areas—she set a course for her patrol area,New Britain .Second and Third War Patrols
On
26 May , "S-46" passedRossel Island . On31 May , she began her transit ofSt. George's Channel , favoring the New Ireland coast. That night, she hunted in the approaches toRabaul and between there and theDuke of York Islands . On the night of1 June and2 June , while patrolling on the Rabaul-New Hanover line, she was spotted by two Japanesedestroyer s, but no attacks were made. On3 June , the submarine began hunting along the northern coast of New Britain. On4 June , west of theWillaumez Peninsula , she developed motor trouble and turned forVitiaz Strait , one of the few areas for which she carried charts. On5 June , she entered the strait; and, on7 June , she commenced patrolling betweenCape Cretin and the south end of Dampier Strait. Two days later, she was ordered to intercept Japanese destroyers thought to be heading forLae on an estimated course which would take them north ofWoodlark Island .Moving into the area, "S-46" sighted no enemy ships and resumed her patrol in the Cape Cretin area. On
11 June , she headed for Brisbane. On19 June , an auxiliaryair compressor jammed, the motor burned out and the resulting smoke added further habitability problems to the already hot and humid condition of the boat. On21 June , "S-46" reached Brisbane.Fourth and Fifth War Patrols
On her fourth war patrol,
20 July to15 August , "S-46" hunted in theSolomon Islands . On her fifth patrol,11 September to11 October , she resumed a defensive role and patrolled in an area east of Normanby Island, off Papua, in anticipation of a major enemy attack ofMilne Bay .Refit
In early November, "S-46" started back across the Pacific. On
7 January 1943 , she arrived in the Panama Canal Zone; and, in early February, she continued on toPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania . There, from April to mid-June, she received extensive repairs and alterations. She then returned toPanama ; retransmitted the canal and proceeded to San Diego for further yard work. In mid-September, she moved north toUnalaska in theAleutian Islands .Sixth and Seventh War Patrols
Based at
Dutch Harbor , "S-46" ranged westward into theKuril Islands during her last two war patrols, October through November 1943 and December 1943 through January 1944. During the first, she damaged an enemy oiler in theParamushiro area; during the second, she was scoreless. On returning to Dutch Harbor after her last war patrol, she was assigned, with others of her class, to antisubmarine training activities.Later career
For the remainder of the war, "S-46" provided training services in the Aleutians, in the
Hawaiian Islands and off the coast ofCalifornia . In the latter area, from January 1945, she operated under the Commander,West Coast Sound School , San Diego. After the cessation of hostilities in August, she was ordered toSan Francisco, California , for inactivation; and, in late September, she moved up the bay toMare Island Naval Shipyard ."S-46" was decommissioned on 2 November 1945. Her name was struck from the
Naval Vessel Register two weeks later, and her hulk was sold for scrapping to theSalco Iron and Metal Company, San Francisco, in November 1946.Honors and awards
"S-46" was awarded one
battle star for herWorld War II service.References
* http://www.historycentral.com/NAVY/Submarine/s46.html
*External links
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