Tambor class submarine
Encyclopedia
The Tambor class submarine was a United States
Navy
submarine
design, used primarily during World War II
. It was the USN's first practical fleet submarine and formed the core of the United States Pacific submarine fleet at the time of the US entry into World War II.
assigned to escort shipping revealed that they had minimal ability to deter an aggressive threat. Despite the fact that German
U-boat
s proved beyond a doubt that no navy could be a world sea power without submarines, the role played by U.S. submarines in the defense of the Pacific
would have to be rethought, or else flat out discarded, by Navy planners.
Following the armistice
, and after testing the capabilities of German design, the U.S. Navy began to see the potential for extended offensive submarine operations. Submarine operations with the fleet required boats each with a large cruising radius and a relatively high speed so that they could intercept and stay with their prey. The huge advancement in American technology required to fill that role with "a new all-purpose fleet submarine" also became apparent.
After the fiasco of submarine design experienced in the late 1920s, Navy designers finally produced plans for a practical fleet submarine. The lineage of what was to become the fleet submarine actually began with the Porpoise
or "P"-class and Salmon
/ Sargo
or "S"-class
submarines, laid down in 1933 and 1935. These were smaller, more maneuverable boats than some of the varied and earlier V series
boats. While these newer P-class and S-class boats were a step in the right direction, they were found to be lacking in speed, reliability and firepower.
In the fall of 1937 a proposal for a true fleet submarine (a submarine intended to operate as part of a larger fleet) was finally put forward by the team of officers put together by then Commander Charles A. Lockwood
(later admiral and Commander Submarine Fleet Pacific
), Lt. Cmdr. Andrew I. McKee, planning officer at Portsmouth Navy Yard, and Lt. Armand M. Morgan, head of the Navy's submarine design section. It was to be large (1,500 tons), and carry the latest diesel engine
s, ten torpedo
tubes, a 5 inches (13 cm) gun, and a new Torpedo Data Computer
. Habitability would be increased by the addition of fresh water distillation
units and air conditioning
.
However, the design concepts faced opposition from Admiral Thomas Hart
, Chairman of the General Board
. Hart stubbornly defended the building of small, coastal defense boats (without "luxuries" like air conditioning). Through determination and skilled political maneuvering, the design of Lockwood's team prevailed (though Hart would only consent to a 3 inches (8 cm) gun). This design was finally adopted by the Navy's General Board and the Submarine Officers' Conference for the 1939 program.
The plans finally drawn for a practical fleet submarine were those of the Tambor or "T"-class submarine. A fairly trim and maneuverable vessel at 300 feet (91.4 m) LOA (Length Over All) and 1,500 tons (compared with the 381 feet (116.1 m) LOA and 2,000 tons of the varied and experimental but widely disliked predecessor, the V-class), the new fleet boats provided sufficient elbow room for long war patrols.
The Gar class boats were virtually identical to the "T" class and are often listed as "T" class submarines.
One key to the success of the "T" class was the development of a compact diesel engine designed in concert with the American railroad industry, which enthusiastically embraced the benefits of diesel-powered locomotives (and was delighted by the Navy's willingness to fund the huge research and development costs associated with their creation). Equipped with four of the new diesel engines, the boats could reach top speeds of over 20 knots (39.2 km/h) and make 10000 nautical miles (18,520 km) cruises without suffering from the engine fragility of the compact MAN diesel designs used in some of their predecessors.
Design changes in internal layout, silhouette and hull form also differentiate the "T" Class boats from the earlier Salmon / Sargos class. The "T" class featured a double hulled construction and included an external control room as in German U-boats. They were the last phase of development of US subs prior to the introduction of the Gato class
in 1942. These two classes of submarines handled most of the combat duties during the early stages of the war, with the holding the scoring record in the category of "number of ships sunk" by a U.S. submarine.
These boats were the core of the 56 boat U.S. Submarine Fleet Pacific
when the United States entered World War II
in December 1941. The "T" class design, somewhat refined in the following Gato
and Balao
classes, formed the backbone of the wartime US Navy submarine fleet.
The last six of the Tambor class are often listed as "Gar class" submarines
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
design, used primarily during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was the USN's first practical fleet submarine and formed the core of the United States Pacific submarine fleet at the time of the US entry into World War II.
Design history
Early U.S. submarine designs of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
assigned to escort shipping revealed that they had minimal ability to deter an aggressive threat. Despite the fact that German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s proved beyond a doubt that no navy could be a world sea power without submarines, the role played by U.S. submarines in the defense of the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
would have to be rethought, or else flat out discarded, by Navy planners.
Following the armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
, and after testing the capabilities of German design, the U.S. Navy began to see the potential for extended offensive submarine operations. Submarine operations with the fleet required boats each with a large cruising radius and a relatively high speed so that they could intercept and stay with their prey. The huge advancement in American technology required to fill that role with "a new all-purpose fleet submarine" also became apparent.
After the fiasco of submarine design experienced in the late 1920s, Navy designers finally produced plans for a practical fleet submarine. The lineage of what was to become the fleet submarine actually began with the Porpoise
United States Porpoise class submarine
The Porpoise class were submarines built for the United States Navy in the late 1930s, and incorporated a number of modern features that would make them the basis for subsequent classes such as the Salmon, Tambor, Gato, Balao, and Tench classes...
or "P"-class and Salmon
Salmon class submarine
The United States Navy Salmon-class submarines were an important developmental step in the design of the "Fleet Submarine" concept during the 1930's...
/ Sargo
Sargo class submarine
The Sargo-class submarines were the first US submarines to be sent into action after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, starting war patrols the day after the attack...
or "S"-class
Salmon class submarine
The United States Navy Salmon-class submarines were an important developmental step in the design of the "Fleet Submarine" concept during the 1930's...
submarines, laid down in 1933 and 1935. These were smaller, more maneuverable boats than some of the varied and earlier V series
V-boat
The V-boats were a group of nine United States Navy submarines built between World War I and World War II from 1919-1934. These were not a ship class in the usual sense of a series of nearly identical ships built from the same design, but shared authorization under the "fleet boat" program...
boats. While these newer P-class and S-class boats were a step in the right direction, they were found to be lacking in speed, reliability and firepower.
In the fall of 1937 a proposal for a true fleet submarine (a submarine intended to operate as part of a larger fleet) was finally put forward by the team of officers put together by then Commander Charles A. Lockwood
Charles A. Lockwood
Charles Andrews Lockwood was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is known in submarine history as the legendary commander of Submarine Force Pacific Fleet during World War II...
(later admiral and Commander Submarine Fleet Pacific
ComSubPac
Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet is the principal advisor to the Commander, United States Pacific Fleet for submarine matters. The Pacific Submarine Force includes attack, ballistic missile and auxiliary submarines, submarine tenders, floating submarine docks, deep submergence...
), Lt. Cmdr. Andrew I. McKee, planning officer at Portsmouth Navy Yard, and Lt. Armand M. Morgan, head of the Navy's submarine design section. It was to be large (1,500 tons), and carry the latest diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s, ten torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
tubes, a 5 inches (13 cm) gun, and a new Torpedo Data Computer
Torpedo Data Computer
The Torpedo Data Computer was an early electromechanical analog computer used for torpedo fire-control on American submarines during World War II . Britain, Germany, and Japan also developed automated torpedo fire control equipment, but none were as advanced as US Navy's TDC...
. Habitability would be increased by the addition of fresh water distillation
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
units and air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
.
However, the design concepts faced opposition from Admiral Thomas Hart
Thomas C. Hart
Thomas Charles Hart was an admiral of the United States Navy, whose service extended from the Spanish-American War through World War II. Following his retirement from the Navy, he served briefly as a United States Senator from Connecticut.-Life and career:Hart was born in Genesee County, Michigan...
, Chairman of the General Board
General Board of the United States Navy
The General Board of the United States Navy was an advisory body of the United States Navy, effectively a naval general staff. The General Board was established by general order 544, issued on March 13, 1900 by John Davis Long. The order was officially recognized by Congress in 1916...
. Hart stubbornly defended the building of small, coastal defense boats (without "luxuries" like air conditioning). Through determination and skilled political maneuvering, the design of Lockwood's team prevailed (though Hart would only consent to a 3 inches (8 cm) gun). This design was finally adopted by the Navy's General Board and the Submarine Officers' Conference for the 1939 program.
The plans finally drawn for a practical fleet submarine were those of the Tambor or "T"-class submarine. A fairly trim and maneuverable vessel at 300 feet (91.4 m) LOA (Length Over All) and 1,500 tons (compared with the 381 feet (116.1 m) LOA and 2,000 tons of the varied and experimental but widely disliked predecessor, the V-class), the new fleet boats provided sufficient elbow room for long war patrols.
The Gar class boats were virtually identical to the "T" class and are often listed as "T" class submarines.
One key to the success of the "T" class was the development of a compact diesel engine designed in concert with the American railroad industry, which enthusiastically embraced the benefits of diesel-powered locomotives (and was delighted by the Navy's willingness to fund the huge research and development costs associated with their creation). Equipped with four of the new diesel engines, the boats could reach top speeds of over 20 knots (39.2 km/h) and make 10000 nautical miles (18,520 km) cruises without suffering from the engine fragility of the compact MAN diesel designs used in some of their predecessors.
Design changes in internal layout, silhouette and hull form also differentiate the "T" Class boats from the earlier Salmon / Sargos class. The "T" class featured a double hulled construction and included an external control room as in German U-boats. They were the last phase of development of US subs prior to the introduction of the Gato class
Gato class submarine
The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...
in 1942. These two classes of submarines handled most of the combat duties during the early stages of the war, with the holding the scoring record in the category of "number of ships sunk" by a U.S. submarine.
These boats were the core of the 56 boat U.S. Submarine Fleet Pacific
ComSubPac
Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet is the principal advisor to the Commander, United States Pacific Fleet for submarine matters. The Pacific Submarine Force includes attack, ballistic missile and auxiliary submarines, submarine tenders, floating submarine docks, deep submergence...
when the United States entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in December 1941. The "T" class design, somewhat refined in the following Gato
Gato class submarine
The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...
and Balao
Balao class submarine
The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...
classes, formed the backbone of the wartime US Navy submarine fleet.
Ships in class
| Name | Hull number | Builder | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tambor USS Tambor (SS-198) USS Tambor , the lead ship of her class of submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tambor.Her keel was laid down on 16 January 1939 by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 20 December 1939 sponsored by Miss Lucia Ellis, and... |
SS-198 | Electric Boat Electric boat While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion... , Groton, CT Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census.... |
January 16, 1939 | December 20, 1939 | June 3, 1940 | Sold for scrap September 1, 1959 |
| Tautog USS Tautog (SS-199) ', a Tambor-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tautog, a small edible sport fish, which is also called a blackfish.... |
SS-199 | Electric Boat Electric boat While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion... , Groton, CT Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census.... |
March 1, 1939 | January 27, 1940 | July 3, 1940 | Sold for scrap 15 November 1959, to the Bultema Dock and Dredge Company of Manistee, Michigan Manistee, Michigan Manistee is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,586. It is the county seat of Manistee County. The name "Manistee" is from an Ojibwe word first applied to the principal river of the county. The derivation is not certain, but it may be from... |
| Thresher USS Thresher (SS-200) ', a Tambor-class submarine, was the first United States Navy ship to be named for the thresher shark. Her keel was laid down 27 May 1939 at the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 27 March 1940 sponsored by Mrs. Claude A... |
SS-200 | Electric Boat Electric boat While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion... , Groton, CT Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census.... |
April 27, 1939 | March 27, 1940 | August 27, 1940 | Sold for scrap 18 March 1948 to Max Siegel of Everett, Massachusetts Everett, Massachusetts Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, near Boston. The population was 41,667 at the 2010 census.Everett is the last city in the United States with a bicameral legislature, which is composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an 18-member Common Council... |
| Triton USS Triton (SS-201) USS Triton , a Tambor-class submarine, was the first submarine and third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Triton. Her keel was down on 5 July 1939 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched on 25 March 1940 sponsored by Mrs. Ernest J. King, wife of Rear Admiral King, and... |
SS-201 | Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine Kittery, Maine Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals... |
July 5, 1939 | March 25, 1940 | August 15, 1940 | Lost March 20, 1943 |
| Trout USS Trout (SS-202) USS Trout was a United States Navy Tambor-class submarine, serving in the Pacific from 1941 to 1944. She received 11 battle stars for World War II service and three Presidential Unit Citations, for her second, third, and fifth patrols... |
SS-202 | Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine Kittery, Maine Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals... |
August 8, 1939 | May 21, 1940 | November 15, 1940 | Lost around 29 February 1944 |
| Tuna USS Tuna (SS-203) USS Tuna was a United States Navy Tambor-class submarine, serving in the Pacific during World War II and earning seven battle stars for her service. After the war, she participated in the Bikini Atoll atomic testing in 1946.-Origins:... |
SS-203 | Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA Vallejo, California Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay... |
July 19, 1939 | October 2, 1940 | January 2, 1941 | Towed out to sea and sunk, 24 September 1948 |
The last six of the Tambor class are often listed as "Gar class" submarines
| Name | Hull number | Builder | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gar USS Gar (SS-206) USS Gar , a Tambor-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the gar, a fish of the Lepisosteidae family.... |
SS-206 | Electric Boat Electric boat While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion... , Groton, CT Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census.... |
December 27, 1939 | November 27, 1940 | April 14, 1941 | Sold for scrap 18 November 1959 to Acme Scrap Iron and Metal Company |
| Grampus USS Grampus (SS-207) USS Grampus , a Tambor-class submarine, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for a member of the dolphin family : Grampus griseus, also known as Risso's dolphin.... |
SS-207 | Electric Boat Electric boat While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion... , Groton, CT Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census.... |
February 14, 1940 | December 23, 1940 | May 23, 1941 | Lost March 5, 1943 |
| Grayback USS Grayback (SS-208) USS Grayback , a Tambor-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the lake herring.Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 31 January 1941 sponsored by Mrs... |
SS-208 | Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine Kittery, Maine Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals... |
April 3, 1940 | January 31, 1941 | June 30, 1941 | Lost February 27, 1944 |
| Grayling USS Grayling (SS-209) USS Grayling , a Tambor-class submarine, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the grayling, a fresh-water game fish closely related to the trout.... |
SS-209 | Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine Kittery, Maine Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals... |
December 15, 1939 | November 29, 1940 | March 1, 1941 | Lost between September 9 and September 12, 1943 |
| Grenadier USS Grenadier (SS-210) USS Grenadier , a Tambor-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the grenadier fish, relatives of cod that are very common in bathyal and abyssal habitats.... |
SS-210 | Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine Kittery, Maine Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals... |
April 2, 1940 | November 29, 1940 | May 1, 1941 | Scuttled following enemy action April 22, 1943 |
| Gudgeon USS Gudgeon (SS-211) USS Gudgeon , a Tambor-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the gudgeon). Her keel was laid down by the Mare Island Navy Yard. She was launched on 25 January 1941, sponsored by Mrs. William S. Pye, and commissioned on 21 April 1941 with Lieutenant Commander... |
SS-211 | Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine Kittery, Maine Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals... |
November 22, 1939 | January 25, 1941 | April 21, 1941 | Lost between April 7 and June 7, 1944 |