List of Tench-class submarines

List of ''Tench''-class submarines and their dispositions. 29 of these boats were built during and after World War II, commissioned from October 1944 through February 1951, with 11 commissioned postwar.Bauer and Roberts, pp. 280-282 None of this class were lost in World War II. ''Ghazi'' (ex-''Diablo'' (SS-479)) was lost in Pakistani service on 4 December 1971 during the Indo-Pakistani Naval War of 1971, possibly due to an accident Some of the class served actively in the US Navy through the middle 1970s, others served into the 1990s with foreign navies, and one (''Hai Shih'' ex-) is still active in Taiwan's Republic of China Navy.

The primary improvement of the ''Tench'' and ''Balao'' classes over the preceding ''Gato'' class was an increase in test depth from to . This, combined with less wartime service than previous classes, led to these classes being preferred for modernization programs and active postwar service. 16 ''Tench''es were modernized under various GUPPY conversion programs, plus 8 received the more austere " Fleet Snorkel" modernization.GUPPY and other diesel boat conversions page
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Cancellations

A total of 125 U.S. submarines were cancelled during World War II, all but three between 29 July 1944 and 12 August 1945. The exceptions were , , and , cancelled 7 January 1946. References vary considerably as to how many of these were ''Balao''s and how many were ''Tench''es. Some references simply assume all submarines numbered after SS-416 were ''Tench'' class; however, and were completed as ''Balao''s. This yields 10 cancelled ''Balao''-class, SS-353-360 and 379-380. The ''Register of Ships of the U. S. Navy'' differs, considering every submarine not specifically ordered as a ''Tench'' to be a ''Balao'', and further projecting SS-551-562 as a future class. This yields 62 cancelled ''Balao'' class, 51 cancelled ''Tench'' class, and 12 cancelled SS-551 class. This article follows the information in the "Register". Two of the cancelled ''Balao''-class submarines, and , were launched incomplete and served for years as experimental hulks at Annapolis and Norfolk, Virginia. Two of the cancelled ''Tench''-class boats, and , were also launched incomplete, never commissioned, but listed with the Reserve fleet until struck in 1958 and scrapped in 1959. The cancelled hull numbers, including those launched incomplete, were SS-353-360 (''Balao''), 379–380 (''Balao''), 427–434 (''Balao''), 436–437 (''Tench''), 438–474 (''Balao''), 491–521 (''Tench''), 526-529 (''Tench''), 530–536 (''Balao''), 537-550 (''Tench''), and 551-562 (SS-551 class).

Abbreviations

Abbreviations and hull classification symbols for postwar redesignations/conversions:
* AGSS — auxiliary submarine (various roles including sonar testing and some pierside trainers)
* FS — " fleet snorkel" conversion, including a snorkel and streamlined sail
* G IA, G II, etc. — various GUPPY conversions, usually including a snorkel, streamlined sail, improved batteries, and upgraded sonar and electronics
* IXSS — unclassified submarine
* PT — pierside trainer for naval reservists, reportedly immobilized by removing the propellers
* SSR — radar picket submarine
* Struck — Struck (deleted) from the Naval Vessel Register, usually followed by scrapping or other final disposal, or sale to a foreign navy

Ships in class

See also

* List of Gato-class submarines
* List of Balao-class submarines

References

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Further reading

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External links

Description of GUPPY conversions at RNSubs.co.uk


* ttp://www.navsource.org/archives/08/04idx.htm Navsource.org fleet submarines photo and data index page
{{Tench class submarine

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