USS ''Croaker'' (SS/SSK/AGSS/IXSS-246), a ''Gato''-class

submarine A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...

, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the croaker, any of various fishes which make throbbing or drumming noises.

Construction and commissioning

''Croaker''′s keel was laid down on 1 April 1943 by

Electric Boat An electric boat is a powered watercraft driven by electric motors, which are powered by either on-board battery packs, solar panels or generators. While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail pow ...

Company in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 19 December 1943, sponsored by the wife of

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

William H. P. Blandy William Henry Purnell Blandy (28 June 1890 – 12 January 1954), known to close associates as "Spike", was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. Biography Born in New York City 28 June 1890, Blandy graduated first in his cla ...

, and commissioned on 21 April 1944, with

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

John E. Lee in command. ''Note:'' This includes an
''Accompanying five photographs''
/ref>

Service history

World War II

''Croaker'' arrived at Pearl Harbor from New London on 26 June 1944, and on 19 July put to sea on her first war patrol, sailing to the East China and Yellow Seas. In a series of brilliantly successful attacks which won her the

Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. History Navy and U.S. Marine Corps commands may recommend any Navy or Marine Co ...

, she sank the

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

''Nagara'' on 7 August, an auxiliary minesweeper, '' Taito Maru'', on 16 August, and two freighters, '' Daigen Maru No. 7'' on 14 August and '' Yamateru Maru'' on 17 August. During this patrol, she served as lifeguard during air strikes on the Bonin Islands. She refitted at

Midway Atoll Midway Atoll (colloquial: Midway Islands; haw, Kauihelani, translation=the backbone of heaven; haw, Pihemanu, translation=the loud din of birds, label=none) is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is an insular area of the Unit ...

from 31 August to 23 September, when she sailed in a

coordinated attack group The wolfpack was a convoy attack tactic employed in the Second World War. It was used principally by the U-boats of the during the Battle of the Atlantic, and by the submarines of the United States Navy in the Pacific War. The idea of a co-ordinat ...

for the same area on her second war patrol. Again successful, she sank the freighters '' Shinki Maru'' on 9 October, and '' Hakuran Maru'' on 23 October. She shadowed a convoy on 23–24 October, sank the freighter '' Mikage Maru'', and damaged '' Gassan Maru'' with her last torpedo. Tubes empty, she returned to Midway to fuel, and pushed on to Pearl Harbor, arriving for refit on 10 November. ''Croaker''s third war patrol, in the

Luzon Strait The Luzon Strait (Tagalog: ''Kipot ng Luzon'', ) is the strait between Taiwan and Luzon island of the Philippines. The strait thereby connects the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea in the western Pacific Ocean. This body of water is an im ...

s and South China Sea from 13 December 1944 to 12 February 1945, found her making no contacts with enemy shipping, but providing essential lifeguard service during strikes on Luzon preparatory to the invasion landings in

Lingayen Gulf The Lingayen Gulf is a large gulf on northwestern Luzon in the Philippines, stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central. The Agno River and the Balili ...

. She refitted at

Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for ...

, Australia, and on 12 March sailed for a patrol off the coast of Indo-China twice interrupted by the need to return to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

for repairs. She refitted at Subic Bay, Philippines from 22 April to 15 May, then sailed for her fifth war patrol, in the

Java Sea The Java Sea ( id, Laut Jawa, jv, Segara Jawa) is an extensive shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf, between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south, Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east. Karimata Strait to its nort ...

. On 30 May, she attacked a convoy of three small oilers guarded by an escort, with unconfirmed results, and on 5 June returned to Fremantle. Her final war patrol – from 1 July to 13 August – found her assigned to lifeguard duties in the South China Sea and off Hong Kong as the final series of air attacks on

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

were carried out. Returning to Subic Bay, ''Croaker'' sailed for

Saipan Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...

and continued on to Galveston, Tex., and New London, where she was then decommissioned and placed in reserve 15 May 1946 in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

Post-War

Recommissioned on 7 May 1951, she served as schoolship out of New London until 18 March 1953, when she was again decommissioned at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for conversion to a hunter-killer submarine. She was reclassified SSK-246 on 9 April 1953, and was recommissioned on 11 December 1953. Returning to active duty in February 1954, she operated along the East Coast and in the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

, visiting ports in England while taking part in NATO exercises in 1957 and 1958. ''Croaker'' was reclassified SS-246 again in August 1959. Special submarine exercises took her to England once more in February 1960, after which she resumed local operations out of New London. In September 1960, ''Croaker'' departed on a cruise which saw her sailing through the Mediterranean and

Suez Canal The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...

to call at various Near Eastern ports and Karachi, Pakistan. She returned to New London in mid-December, retracing her outward track. She was reclassified Auxiliary Submarine AGSS-246 in May 1967. Decommissioned for the last time on 2 April 1968, ''Croaker'' was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 20 December 1971 and reclassified Miscellaneous Unclassified Submarine IXSS-246 in December 1971. From 1977 to 1987, ''Croaker'' was displayed as a private attraction in Groton, Connecticut by the Submarine Memorial Association until the Navy revoked its agreement with the group citing a requirement for historical preservation of the vessel. Since 1988, ''Croaker'' has served as a museum ship at the

Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park The Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, formerly known as The Buffalo Naval and Servicemen's Park, is a museum on the bank of the Buffalo River in Buffalo, New York. It is home to several decommissioned US Naval vessels, including th ...

in Buffalo, New York. Image:U.S.S._Croaker.jpg, U.S.S. Croaker at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park Image:U.S.S._Croaker_3.1.jpg, Image:U.S.S._Croaker_5.jpg, Image:U.S.S. Croaker 6.jpg, File:USS CROAKER (submarine) 2013-09-22 07-34-59.jpg, File:USS CROAKER (submarine) 2013-09-22 07-41-50.jpg,

Awards

* American Campaign Medal * Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three battle stars * World War II Victory Medal * National Defense Service Medal with star Along with the

, ''Croaker'' received three battle stars for those of her war patrols designated as "successful": the first, second, and fifth of her six. She is credited with having sunk 19,710 tons of shipping. ''Croaker'' was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 12 September 2008.

References

External links

*
navsource.org: USS ''Croaker''
*

Photos on board the Submarine USS ''Croaker'' in Buffalo, NY {{DEFAULTSORT:Croaker (Ss-246) Gato-class submarines World War II submarines of the United States Cold War submarines of the United States Museum ships in New York (state) Ships on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) Ships built in Groton, Connecticut 1943 ships Museums in Buffalo, New York Military and war museums in New York (state) National Register of Historic Places in Buffalo, New York