USS Springer (SS-414)

USS ''Springer'' (SS-414) was a ''Balao''-class submarine of the United States Navy, named after the springer, a Grampus.

''Springer'' was laid down on 3 October 1943 at Vallejo, Calif., by the Mare Island Navy Yard; launched on 3 August 1944, sponsored by Mrs. M. S. Tisdale; and commissioned on 18 October 1944.

''Springer'' sailed for San Diego on 3 December to conduct sea trials and shakedown training. After availability, she departed Mare Island for Hawaii on 8 January 1945 and arrived at Pearl Harbor the following week. On 4 February, she steamed to Guam; topped off her stores and oil; and, on 17 February, sailed for the Ryukyu Islands to begin her first war patrol.

First patrol, February – March 1945

''Springer'' rode out several heavy storms and was driven down many times by enemy aircraft, but she finally spotted two Japanese warships on 11 March. The ships were at a range of 22,000 yards (20 km), steaming at , so the submarine surfaced to give chase. She was forced to submerge immediately by planes, and the pursuit was abandoned.

Later in the month, the submarine made radar contact with three ships, and she tracked the largest for three hours. When it was within torpedo range, she made a surface attack with four torpedoes. She scored two hits and the target began to burn. An hour later, ''Transport No. 18'' was still afloat so she sank it with another torpedo. The submarine returned to Guam on 25 March and was refitted by .

Second patrol, April – May 1945

''Springer'', , and sailed on 20 April for the Yellow Sea where they were to operate as a wolfpack. Eight days later, the pack checked Tomei Harbor on Fukue Shima. At 05:15, ''Springer'' sighted two ships hugging the coastline, but she found it impossible to close nearer than . She heard 14 explosions at approximately 06:30. ''Trepang'' had sunk ''Transport No. 146'' and was being depth charged by the victim's escort. ''Springer'' headed out of the harbor, and sighted the escort returning alone. At 08:30, the submarine launched three torpedoes. The target went dead in the water; and, as the crew was abandoning ship, ''Springer'' fired another torpedo. It hit under the target's No. 1 turret and blew off her bow. Two planes and two patrol craft approached, so ''Springer'' went deep and cleared the area, leaving Japan's '' Submarine Chaser No. 17'' to sink.

''Springer'' and ''Trepang'' contacted three targets on 30 April. The morning was very foggy, and the submarines decided to make a surface attack. Just as ''Springer'' reached a favorable firing position around noon, the fog suddenly lifted and left her exposed to a destroyer escort crossing her stern. The escort turned toward the submarine with all guns firing. ''Springer'' submerged, went deep, and rigged for silent running. Soon the first of 27 depth charges came down, and all were uncomfortably close. Speakers were knocked off the bulkhead, bulbs were smashed, and valves were lifted off their seats. When all was quiet, the submarine surfaced for a look as the fog closed in again. One more explosion was heard as ''Trepang'' sank the cargo ship ''Miho Maru''.

On the night of 2 May, ''Springer'' attacked a ship and two small escorts with a spread of four torpedoes. She heard the first explode and then saw and heard two more hits which blew up and sank the frigate ''Ojika''. The next night, she fired a spread of torpedoes at a ship making an antisubmarine sweep and sank the Japanese ''Coast Defense Vessel No. 25''.

On 4 May, ''Springer'' sailed toward Honshū for lifeguard duty. No American pilots were sighted but, on 14 May, after watching a dogfight between a Japanese fighter and four of American carrier planes, she fished the dead enemy pilot from the water. After removing his papers, the submarine's commanding officer returned his body to the sea. The submarine concluded her patrol at Guam, on 18 May, and was refitted by ''Proteus''.

Third patrol, June – July 1945

''Springer'' sailed to Saipan on 16 June and began her third war patrol the next day. This was a combination offensive and life guard patrol in the Tokyo Bay area. On 26 June, she rescued eight men from a downed B-29 and transferred them to . ''Springer'' and ''Trepang'' were notified that there was another crew down about distant. They raced to the scene and ''Springer'' rescued one airman while ''Trepang'' picked up seven. The airman was transferred to several days later. After an uneventful patrol in Kii Suido from 17 July to 23 July, the submarine sailed for Guam.

''Springer'' was at Guam when hostilities with Japan ceased. She departed there on 17 August and headed for the west coast of the United States. She arrived at Mare Island on 5 September 1945 and shortly thereafter was attached to Mare Island Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet. In January 1947, her status was changed to in reserve, out of commission.

Honors and awards

''Springer'' earned three battle stars for World War II service.

''Thomson'' (SS-22)

In April 1960, ''Springer'' was moved from Mare Island to the San Francisco Naval Shipyard to be modernized in preparation for her transfer to the Republic of Chile. She was recommissioned on 24 September and the overhaul completed on 15 November. From 19 December 1960 to 19 January 1961, she held alongside and underway training for the Chilean crew.

''Springer'' was decommissioned on 23 January 1961, transferred to the Republic of Chile, and commissioned in the Armada de Chile as ''Thomson'' (SS-22) on that date.

''Springer'' was struck from the US Navy list on 1 September 1972, and sold to the government of Chile; she was stripped for spare parts for other submarines and her hulk sold for scrapping.

References

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External links

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Kill record: USS ''Springer''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Springer (SS-414)
Balao-class submarines
Ships built in Vallejo, California
1944 ships
World War II submarines of the United States
Balao-class submarines of the Chilean Navy