USS Croaker facts for kids
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|} The USS Croaker (SS-246) was a special type of submarine called a Gato-class submarine. It was the first ship in the United States Navy to be named after the croaker, a type of fish. These fish are known for making throbbing or drumming sounds.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
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| Name | Croaker |
| Namesake | Croaker, Fish |
| Builder | General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut |
| Laid down | 1 April 1943 |
| Launched | 19 December 1943 |
| Commissioned | 21 April 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 15 June 1946 |
| Recommissioned | 7 May 1951 |
| Decommissioned | 18 March 1953 |
| Recommissioned | 11 December 1953 |
| Decommissioned | 2 April 1968 |
| Stricken | 20 December 1971 |
| Status | Museum ship at Groton, Connecticut on 27 June 1976, then to Buffalo, New York since 1988. |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Gato-class diesel-electric submarine |
| Displacement | 1,525 tons (1,549 t) surfaced, 2,424 tons (2,460 t) submerged |
| Length | 311 ft 9 in (95.02 m) |
| Beam | 27 ft 3 in (8.31 m) |
| Draft | 17 ft (5.2 m) maximum |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 21 kn (39 km/h) surfaced, 9 kn (17 km/h) submerged |
| Range | 11,000 nmi (20,000 km) surfaced @ 10 kn (19 km/h) |
| Endurance | 48 hours @ 2 kn (3.7 km/h) submerged, 75 days on patrol |
| Test depth | 300 ft (91 m) |
| Complement | 6 officers, 54 enlisted |
| Armament |
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USS Croaker
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 Location in New York
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| Location | Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, Buffalo, New York |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000863 |
| Added to NRHP | 12 September 2008 |
Building and Launching the Submarine
The Croaker started being built on April 1, 1943, by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. It was launched into the water on December 19, 1943. Mrs. W. H. P. Blandy, the wife of an Admiral, was the sponsor for the ship. The submarine was officially ready for service on April 21, 1944, with Commander John E. Lee in charge.
Adventures at Sea
World War II Missions
The Croaker arrived at Pearl Harbor on June 26, 1944. Its first war patrol began on July 19, when it sailed to the East China and Yellow Seas. During this time, the submarine was very successful. It even earned the Navy Unit Commendation award.
On this patrol, the Croaker sank several enemy ships. These included the Nagara on August 7, and an auxiliary minesweeper called Taito Maru on August 16. It also sank two cargo ships, Daigen Maru No. 7 and Yamateru Maru. The submarine also helped rescue pilots during air attacks on the Bonin Islands.
After getting supplies at Midway Atoll, the Croaker went on its second patrol. It worked with a group of submarines called a wolf pack. Again, it was successful, sinking the cargo ships Shinki Maru and Hakuran Maru. It also sank another cargo ship, Mikage Maru, and damaged Gassan Maru with its last torpedo.
The Croaker's third patrol was from December 1944 to February 1945. It didn't find any enemy ships to attack. However, it played a very important role by helping rescue pilots during air strikes on Luzon. These strikes were preparing for the invasion landings in Lingayen Gulf.
Its fifth patrol was in the Java Sea. On May 30, it attacked a group of three small oil ships. The Croaker's last war patrol was from July to August. It was assigned to lifeguard duties again. This time, it helped pilots in the South China Sea and near Hong Kong. These pilots were carrying out the final air attacks on Japan.
After its war missions, the Croaker returned to the United States. It was taken out of service on May 15, 1946, and kept in reserve.
After the War
The Croaker was brought back into service on May 7, 1951. It was used as a training ship near New London. Then, it was taken out of service again to be changed into a special kind of submarine called a hunter-killer submarine. These submarines were designed to hunt other submarines.
It was recommissioned on December 11, 1953. From February 1954, it operated along the East Coast of the U.S. and in the Caribbean. It also visited ports in England for NATO training exercises in 1957 and 1958.
In September 1960, the Croaker went on a long journey. It sailed through the Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal. It visited many ports in the Near East and Karachi, Pakistan. It returned to New London in December.
The Croaker was taken out of service for the last time on April 2, 1968. For a while, it was a private attraction in Groton, Connecticut. Since 1988, the Croaker has been a Museum ship at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park in Buffalo, New York. You can visit it there today!
Awards and Recognition
The Croaker received several awards for its service:
- Navy Unit Commendation
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three battle stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- National Defense Service Medal with star
The Croaker earned three battle stars for its successful war patrols. It is credited with sinking ships that weighed a total of 19,710 tons.
The Croaker was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 12, 2008. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
Images for kids
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U.S.S. Croaker at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park
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See also
- Gato-class submarine#Hunter-killer - more about how these submarines were changed
- Attack submarine - learn about attack submarines
