USS Silversides (SS-236) facts for kids
USS Silversides (SS-236) on or about 31 March 1942 as she was on sea trials
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| History | |
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 United States |
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| Name | Silversides |
| Namesake | silversides |
| Builder | Mare Island Naval Shipyard |
| Laid down | 4 November 1940 |
| Launched | 26 August 1941 |
| Sponsored by | Elizabeth H. Hogan |
| Commissioned | 15 December 1941 |
| Decommissioned | 17 April 1946 |
| Stricken | 30 June 1969 |
| Status | Museum ship at Muskegon, Michigan |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Gato-class diesel-electric submarine |
| Displacement |
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| 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 |
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| Range | 11,000 nmi (20,000 km; 13,000 mi) surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Endurance |
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| Test depth | 300 ft (90 m) |
| Complement | 6 officers, 54 enlisted |
| Armament |
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U.S.S. Silversides
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Silversides, a national landmark and a museum, at "full dress ship" in Muskegon for the US Navy's Submarine Centennial, 3 June 2000
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 Location in Michigan
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| Location | Muskegon, Michigan |
| Built | 1941 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000453 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 18 October 1972 |
| Designated NHL | 14 January 1986 |
The USS Silversides (SS/AGSS-236) is a famous Gato-class submarine that served in the United States Navy. It was the first ship named after the silversides, a type of fish.
Silversides was one of the most successful submarines during World War II in the Pacific Ocean. It sank 23 enemy ships, totaling over 90,000 tons. For its brave actions, the submarine received a special award called the Presidential Unit Citation. It also earned twelve battle stars. Today, the Silversides is a museum ship in Muskegon, Michigan. It is also recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
Contents
Building the Silversides
The construction of Silversides began on November 4, 1940. It was built at the Mare Island Navy Yard in Vallejo, California. The submarine was launched into the water on August 26, 1941. Mrs. Elizabeth H. Hogan was its sponsor, a special person who officially named the ship. Silversides was officially ready for duty on December 15, 1941. Lieutenant Commander Creed C. Burlingame was its first commanding officer.
Silversides in World War II
First Missions: 1942
After testing its systems off the California coast, Silversides sailed to Hawaii. It arrived at Pearl Harbor on April 4, 1942. On April 30, the submarine began its first war patrol near the Japanese home islands.
On May 10, Silversides used its 3-inch gun to damage a Japanese guard boat. During this fight, a machine-gun bullet sadly killed Torpedoman's Mate Third Class Mike Harbin. He was the only crew member lost in action on Silversides during the entire war. He was buried at sea that evening.
A few days later, on May 17, something very unusual happened. While getting ready to attack, the submarine's periscope got tangled in a Japanese fishing net! The crew decided to keep going, net and all. They fired torpedoes and sank a 4,000-ton cargo ship. They also hit another ship. Silversides quickly left the area, likely the only American submarine to attack while flying a Japanese flag (on its periscope!). After damaging other ships, Silversides returned to Pearl Harbor on June 21.
More Patrols: July – November 1942
Silversides' second patrol was also near Japan, from July 15 to September 8. On July 28, it sank a 4,000-ton transport ship. Then, on August 8, it sank the passenger and cargo ship Nikkei Maru. It also hit a large tanker and sank two enemy trawlers before returning to Pearl Harbor.
Its third patrol was in the Caroline Islands. While no ships were sunk, Silversides badly damaged a large cargo ship. It also hit a Japanese destroyer or minelayer. The submarine finished this patrol in Brisbane, Australia, on November 25.
Heroic Actions: December 1942 – January 1943
Silversides left Brisbane on December 17, 1942, for its fourth patrol. On December 22, a medical orderly named Thomas Moore performed an emergency appendectomy on a crew member. He used ether for pain relief and simple tools.
After the operation, the submarine surfaced but was immediately attacked by a Japanese destroyer. It had to dive deep to avoid depth charges. When it surfaced again, the destroyer was still there, and a Japanese plane dropped bombs. The bombs badly damaged the submarine's bow planes, making them stick in a full dive position. Silversides barely avoided being crushed by the deep water. It eventually escaped and made repairs.
On January 18, 1943, near Truk, Silversides sank its biggest target of the war: the 10,022-ton oil tanker Toei Maru. Two days later, it had one of its most successful days. It followed a group of enemy ships, then waited for them. When they came into range, Silversides fired torpedoes and sank three cargo ships: Surabaya Maru, Somedono Maru, and Meiu Maru.
Right after this attack, a dangerous problem came up: a torpedo was stuck in its tube! It was too risky to disarm it, so the captain decided to try firing it again. The submarine moved backward at top speed and fired. The torpedo safely shot out and disappeared. After finding a serious oil leak, the submarine returned to Pearl Harbor on January 31 for major repairs.
More Successes: May – September 1943
Silversides' fifth patrol started on May 17 in the Solomon Islands. On May 28, a frigate bird dropped something on the head of an officer on deck! The submarine's main job was to lay mines in Steffan Strait. But it also attacked enemy ships. On June 10–11, it sank the 5,256-ton cargo ship Hide Maru. For this, it had to endure a heavy depth charge attack. It returned to Brisbane on July 16.
For its sixth patrol, from July 21 to September 4, Silversides was commanded by Lt. Commander John S. "Jack" Coye, Jr. This patrol had problems with torpedoes not working right and few targets. It returned to Brisbane without sinking any ships.
Continued Victories: October 1943 – January 1944
Silversides began its seventh patrol on October 5. It sank four enemy ships from the Solomon Islands to New Guinea. On October 18, it sank the cargo ship Tairin Maru. On October 24, it made daring attacks to sink the cargo ships Tennan Maru and Kazan Maru, and the passenger/cargo ship Johore Maru. It returned to Pearl Harbor on November 8 for repairs.
Its eighth patrol was off the Palau Islands. On December 29, 1943, it attacked an enemy group of cargo ships. It sank Tenposan Maru, Shichisei Maru, and Ryuto Maru. This patrol ended at Pearl Harbor on January 15, 1944.
Final Patrols: February 1944 – July 1945
For its ninth patrol, Silversides left Pearl Harbor on February 15 for the Marianas Islands. On March 16, it sank the cargo ship Kofuku Maru. The rest of this patrol had no good targets, so the submarine went to Fremantle on April 8.
On its tenth patrol, again off the Marianas, Silversides destroyed six enemy ships, totaling over 14,000 tons. On May 10, it sank the cargo ship Okinawa Maru, then the passenger/cargo ship Mikage Maru, and the gunboat Choan Maru Number Two. Ten days later, it sank another gunboat, the Shosei Maru. On May 29, it sank the cargo ships Shoken Maru and Horaizan Maru. It then headed to Pearl Harbor, arriving on June 11.
Silversides began its eleventh patrol on September 24 off Kyūshū, Japan. This patrol was not very successful in sinking ships. However, it helped a damaged sister submarine, Salmon (SS-182). Salmon was badly hit and had to surface, fighting enemy ships with its guns. Silversides arrived and bravely drew the attention of some enemy ships, then dove to escape. Other submarines, Trigger (SS-237) and Sterlet (SS-392), joined in to help escort Salmon back to Saipan. Silversides finished this patrol at Midway Island on November 23.
The twelfth patrol started on December 22, 1944, in the East China Sea. There were few targets, but on January 25, 1945, it torpedoed the 4,556-ton cargo ship Malay Maru. It returned to Midway Island on February 12.
During its thirteenth patrol, Silversides worked with other submarines, Hackleback (SS-295) and {{USS|Threadfin|SS-410|3]], off Kyūshū. It damaged a large freighter and sank a trawler before returning to Pearl Harbor on April 29.
Silversides' fourteenth and final patrol began on May 30. It was on a "lifeguard station," ready to rescue pilots whose planes were shot down during airstrikes on Honshu, Japan. On July 22, it rescued a fighter pilot from the aircraft carrier Independence (CVL-22). Two days later, it rescued another airman. This patrol ended at Apra Harbor, Guam, on July 30. The war with Japan ended on August 15 while the submarine was getting repairs there.
After the War: 1945–1969
Silversides traveled through the Panama Canal on September 15, 1945, arriving in New York City on September 21. It was officially taken out of service on April 17, 1946. It was then used as a training ship for Naval Reservists in Chicago, Illinois. It stayed in Chicago as a stationary training vessel until 1969.
The last time Silversides was in a dry dock (a special area where ships are repaired out of water) was in 1949. Its solid brass propellers were removed then. On November 6, 1962, Silversides was reclassified as an auxiliary submarine. On June 30, 1969, its name was removed from the official Navy list. The South Chicago Chamber of Commerce then asked to take care of Silversides to save it as a memorial.
Silversides Today: 1973–Present
On May 24, 1973, Silversides became part of the Combined Great Lakes Navy Association in Chicago, Illinois. Many dedicated volunteers worked hard to restore the submarine. They spent thousands of hours cleaning, repairing, and maintaining it. When they first got on board, the submarine was very dirty and rusty. There was a thick growth in the refrigeration area, and water damage in some parts.
The volunteers quickly started to fix things. They replaced old ropes, pumped out water, and brought in electricity and heat. They also sealed a leak in a torpedo tube. The first big job was cleaning and repainting the outside of the hull. This made Silversides look almost new again. Inside, they cleaned the boat and started general repairs. They rewired many areas to bring back light and checked the plumbing for leaks. They also worked on the powerful Fairbanks Morse engines. In 1975, the smaller auxiliary engine was brought back to life.
In 1979, the submarine moved to Navy Pier in Chicago. That July, the main engine, No. 3, was started for the first time since 1946. The No. 4 engine was also restored by 1984. In 1987, the submarine moved to Muskegon, Michigan. It became the main attraction of the new Great Lakes Naval Memorial & Museum.
Navy submarines usually go into dry dock every five years for maintenance. For ships permanently in freshwater, this can be extended to 25 years. In 2004, 55 years after its last dry-docking, the museum started a "Save the Silversides" fund. They began asking for donations to help pay for its next major repair.
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Silversides in Movies
The Silversides was used in the 2002 film Below. It played the part of a fictional submarine called USS Tiger Shark. It was towed in Lake Michigan for the filming.
Awards and Achievements
Silversides earned twelve battle stars for its service in World War II. It also received one Presidential Unit Citation for its overall actions during four patrols.
According to official records, Silversides is credited with sinking 23 enemy ships. This makes it the third most successful Allied submarine in World War II. Only the USS Tang and USS Tautog sank more. The total weight of ships sunk by Silversides was 90,080 tons. This places it among the top five American submarines for total tonnage sunk during the war. Of all the American submarines from World War II that still exist today, Silversides has the most impressive combat record.
Some other sources suggest that Silversides sank 31 ships, totaling 100,685 tons, during World War II.
USS Silversides Submarine Museum
The museum where Silversides is located was first called the Great Lakes Naval Memorial & Museum. It is now known as the USS Silversides Submarine Museum. This museum also includes the USCGC McLane (WSC-146), a United States Coast Guard cutter, and a museum building.
The museum staff starts the Silversides' Fairbanks Morse engines up to six times a year. This helps to keep the engines in good working condition.
See also
