USS Thornback (SS-418)
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USS ''Thornback'' (SS-418), a ''Tench''-class submarine, was the only ship of the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
to be named for the thornback, a slender member of the
shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimo ...
family with a long pointed snout and a sharp spine at the end of each dorsal fin, native to northern Atlantic waters ranging from the temperate to the Arctic. Her keel was laid down on 5 April 1944 by the
Portsmouth Navy Yard The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Founded in 1800, PNS is U.S. Navy's oldest continuou ...
. She was launched on 7 July 1944 sponsored by Mrs. Peter K. Fischler, and commissioned on 13 October 1944 with Commander Ernest P. Abrahamson in command.


World War II

On 10 November 1944 ''Thornback'' collided with USS CG-74327 (sank); one seaman was killed.LASt stand Sixbitters
/ref> ''Thornback'' stood out of
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, on 20 March 1945 bound, via the
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, for the
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. She arrived at
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on 25 May and conducted training in Hawaiian waters prior to getting underway on 11 June for the western Pacific. As she stood down the Pearl Harbor channel, a formation of
Landing Craft Infantry The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) were several classes of landing craft used to land large numbers of infantry directly onto beaches during the Second World War. They were developed in response to a British request for seagoing amphibious assault s ...
(LCIs), running down the wrong side of the channel, forced ''Thornback'' to crowd dangerously near the extreme edge of the channel. In the process, the submarine damaged her sound dome, necessitating repairs and a two-day delay in departing. She set sail for
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on 13 June, but she was rerouted to
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. En route to the
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, ''Thornback'' conducted an average of four training dives daily, in conjunction with battle problems, drills, and emergency surfacing exercises, before she arrived at Guam on 25 June. As lead ship of a wolf pack nicknamed "Abe's Abolishers", ''Thornback'' stood out to sea on 30 June, bound for the Japanese home islands. By this point in the war, American and British task forces steamed within easy gun range of Japanese coastal targets with near impunity. Japan's merchant marine and Navy had dwindled in size. Allied submarines and aircraft had taken an ever-increasing toll. In the air, Japan's once vaunted air forces had been struck from the skies. Sweeping ahead of
Third Fleet The United States Third Fleet is one of the numbered fleets in the United States Navy. Third Fleet's area of responsibility includes approximately fifty million square miles of the eastern and northern Pacific Ocean areas including the Bering ...
Task Forces, the "Abolishers" made antipicket boat sweeps in the
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-
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area before proceeding to hunting grounds off the east coast of
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and south of
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. Rough seas, strong winds, and generally poor visibility prevailed during ''Thornback''’s patrol. She sighted a
hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones. ...
on 5 July and let it pass. Six days later, a minor fire in the pump room caused a temporary shutdown in the number one air conditioning plant before swift repairs enabled the ship to continue as before. On 15 July, ''Thornback'' sighted submarine , and the two boats exchanged information on their hunting areas. They also swapped movies, precious commodities for boosting morale on board the crowded boats. Six days later, ''Thornback'' proceeded north to patrol off Erimo Seki, an area which had recently seen a series of devastating carrier raids by Admiral
William F. Halsey William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882 – August 16, 1959) was an American Navy admiral during World War II. He is one of four officers to have attained the rank of five-star fleet admiral of the United States Navy, the others ...
's
Fast Carrier Task Force The Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 38 when assigned to Third Fleet, TF 58 when assigned to Fifth Fleet), was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific War from January 1944 through the end of the war in August 1945. The tas ...
38. The submarine's commanding officer noted somewhat humorously, "This area should be about as heavily traveled as the
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after the working over it just had...." His assessment was correct—only straggling merchantmen and small patrol craft hugged the barren coasts. On 26 July, at 0320, ''Thornback'' submerged off Hei Saki. At 0400, the submarine's sound gear picked up the "pinging" projected by a snooping Japanese escort ship, and she came to periscope depth to have a look. Carefully maneuvering into position, ''Thornback'' fired one shot from her stern tubes at 04:29 and soon heard a small explosion which stopped the enemy's screws. Almost immediately the submariners picked up new sounds—two more escorts, "pinging" and coming aggressively closer. After sizing up the new attackers, ''Thornback'' felt that they were too small to use a
torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, su ...
on—besides, a Japanese floatplane had begun circling the area. A rowboat with a few Japanese sailors amidst a pile of flotsam testified to the fact that the first ship was no longer there. Satisfied that their quarry had been sunk, the submarine cleared the area. One of the other escorts gave up the chase and picked up survivors of her sunken sister. "All antisubmarine vessels have closed the beach," ''Thornback''’s commander later recorded, "and seem to be pinging away at the rocks." Three days later, by periscope, the submarine spotted a 950-ton "sea truck", similar to ''Sanko Maru'', at , close inshore. Unescorted, the Japanese presented a tempting target for a gun attack, but, no sooner had ''Thornback''’s periscope shears and bow broken the surface, than the target slipped into the misty weather. Not to be daunted, ''Thornback'' followed, playing a cat and mouse game, and fired five torpedoes. All missed. She later sighted the enemy again, missed with three more torpedoes, and took the "sea truck" under fire. Despite poor visibility, ''Thornback'' closed to and scored numerous hits with the 40 millimeter guns. The target, however, was able to move closer inshore and escaped in the fog which closed around her like a shroud. The submarine lurked on the surface off
Hokkaidō is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...
on 31 July and again tangled with some of the numerous Japanese patrol craft. She sighted a patrol boat at and closing. ''Thornback''’s five-inch (127 mm) deck gun was trained out, but her crew could not keep their sights on the attacker through the telescopes and switched to open sights. Meanwhile, the 40 millimeter gun opened a devastating barrage at the enemy craft as it came steadily on a collision course. These shells continually hit the escort ship along the waterline and in the pilot house, probably killing the occupants on the bridge. ''Thornback'' had passed her target once at and came about for a second pass when the forward torpedo room reported sharp noises forward. Further amplification showed that the noise was caused by enemy machine gun bullets striking the submarine's hull. Resuming the attack, ''Thornback'' swung back into action, with visibility only and lessening. Her 40 millimeter fire continued to maul the Japanese vessel, shooting away one of her masts and leaving her limping shoreward at only . After securing from battle stations, ''Thornback'' passed through an oil slick and noted a mast from the heavily hit patrol craft. Later on 31 July, ''Thornback'' rendezvoused with ''Sea Poacher'' off
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and proceeded north to pick up submarine en route to a projected shore bombardment mission against
Hokkaidō is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...
. The sight of the three submarines cruising on the surface moved ''Thornback''’s commander to write: "On this clear and sunny day, the three ships in perfect column on a flat sea made a beautiful picture tearing along at 18 knots." At 14:02 on 1 August, this part of "Abe's Abolishers"—''Thornback'', ''Angler'', and ''Sea Poacher''—made landfall off their target of Urakawa,
Hokkaidō is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...
. They swung parallel to the beach with guns manned and ready. Twelve minutes later, slowing to 10 knots (19 km/h), ''Thornback'' and her consorts opened fire with and 40 millimeter batteries at a range of . The first few rounds from ''Thornback''’s five-incher went wild, but the crew soon locked onto the range. Firing by hand after the foot firing plunger broke off, ''Thornback''’s gunners eventually sent 100 rounds of five-inch (127 mm) shells shoreward, heavily damaging a factory and a power plant. "The firing took 22 minutes and was of inestimable value to the entire crew," wrote the submarine's commanding officer. "The training was excellent and the boost to morale tremendous." ''Thornback'' set sail for
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after the shelling of Urakawa, and arrived at the atoll on 8 August. Seven days later, Japan—hemmed in by veritable armadas of Allied ships and planes which were able to roam almost at will and unchallenged off her coast and in her skies—surrendered.


Post-war service

''Thornback'' soon returned to the United States, where she was decommissioned at New London on 6 April 1946 and was placed in the
Atlantic Reserve Fleet The United States Navy maintains a number of its ships as part of a reserve fleet, often called the "Mothball Fleet". While the details of the maintenance activity have changed several times, the basics are constant: keep the ships afloat and s ...
. Subsequently, brought to the
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Founded in 1800, PNS is U.S. Navy's oldest continuo ...
, she was converted and reactivated under the
Greater Underwater Propulsive Power Program The Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program (GUPPY) was initiated by the United States Navy after World War II to improve the submerged speed, maneuverability, and endurance of its submarines. (The "Y" in the acronym was added for pronounce ...
(GUPPY). On 2 October 1953, the submarine was recommissioned, Lieutenant Commander Thomas C. Jones, Jr., in command, and assigned to Submarine Squadron (SubRon) 4. Shaking down in her new configuration, the submarine performed a "first" for submarines on 6 November 1954, when she snorkeled in the
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at
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Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
, from the
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to the foot of Canal Street. With SubRon 4, the ship was based at
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, and visited ports in the
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before entering the
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in February 1956 for overhaul. Upon completion of this work, the submarine was deployed to the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
for a tour with the
Sixth Fleet The Sixth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy operating as part of United States Naval Forces Europe. The Sixth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. The officially stated mission of the Sixth Fleet in ...
before returning to Key West in March 1957. While with SubRon 4, ''Thornback'' participated in operations supporting the Operational Development Force, the Fleet Sonar School, and the Fleet Training Unit at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On 2 June 1958, ''Thornback'' departed the Caribbean, bound for
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,
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, and operations with the joint
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-
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antisubmarine school. While thus engaged, the submarine damaged her port propeller at
Londonderry Port Londonderry Port, now operating as Foyle Port, is a port located on Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland. It is the United Kingdom’s most westerly port and an important northerly port on the island of Ireland. The current port is at Lisahally, Co ...
and became the first American submarine to be docked at
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by the Royal Navy. ''Thornback'' returned to the
Sixth Fleet The Sixth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy operating as part of United States Naval Forces Europe. The Sixth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. The officially stated mission of the Sixth Fleet in ...
and her second Mediterranean deployment which lasted from 2 July to 24 September 1958. For the remainder of the ship's active career, she was based out of
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, conducting deployments to the North Atlantic, the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
, and to the
Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...
and operating in a support capacity as newer submarine types joined the Fleet. ''Thornback'' received one
battle star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...
for her
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service.


TCG ''Uluçalireis'' (S 338)

Placed in a reduced manning status on 14 April 1971, the ship was turned over to the
Turkish Navy The Turkish Naval Forces ( tr, ), or Turkish Navy ( tr, ) is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The modern naval traditions and customs of the Turkish Navy can be traced back to 10 July 1920, when it was establi ...
on 1 July 1971 and renamed TCG ''Uluçalireis'' (S 338) for the Ottoman admiral
Uluç Ali Reis Occhiali (Giovanni Dionigi Galeni or ''Giovan Dionigi Galeni'', also ''Uluj Ali'', tr, Uluç Ali ''Reis'', later ''Uluç Ali Paşa'' and finally Kılıç Ali Paşa; 1519 – 21 June 1587) was an Italian farmer, then Ottoman privateer and ...
. Decommissioned from the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
on that same date, she was later struck from the
Naval Vessel Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...
on 1 August 1973. In 2000, after 28 years of service in the Turkish Navy she was taken from active duty. Handed over to the
Rahmi M. Koç Museum The Rahmi M. Koç Museum is a private industrial museum in Istanbul, Turkey dedicated to the history of transport, industry and communications. Rahmi M. Koç, member of the wealthiest dynasty in Turkey and retired chairman (currently the honorar ...
, she can be visited at her moorings in
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in
Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
.


References


External links


navsource.org: USS ''Thornback''
at Rahmi M. Koç Museum * {{DEFAULTSORT:Thornback (SS-418) Tench-class submarines Ships built in Kittery, Maine 1944 ships World War II submarines of the United States Cold War submarines of the United States Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the Turkish Navy Tench-class submarines of the Turkish Navy Museum ships in Turkey Museums in Istanbul