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USS Bluegill (SS-242)
Encyclopedia
, a Gato-class submarine
, was the only ship of the United States Navy
to be named for the bluegill
, a freshwater sunfish
of the Mississippi River
basin and Great Lakes
.
Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut
on 17 December 1942. She was launched on on 8 August 1943 (sponsored by Mrs. Cole, wife of Congressman W. Sterling Cole
of New York
), and commissioned on 11 November 1943 with Lieutenant Commander
Eric L. Barr, Jr. (Class
of 1934) in command, and reported to the Pacific Fleet
.
Bluegill’s war operations cover the period between 1 April 1944 and 21 June 1945, during which time she completed six war patrols in an area extending from New Guinea
to Formosa
and through the South China Sea
and Java Sea
. Bluegill sank ten Japanese vessels, totaling 46,212 tons, including the light cruiser
Yubari
(on 27 April 1944) and a submarine chaser.
During January 1945 Bluegill made reconnaissances in support of American liberation of the Philippines
. On 28 May she conducted a reconnaissance and bombardment of Pratas Island. Twelve men were landed and discovered that the island had recently been evacuated by the Japanese naval garrison. In a fitting ceremony, on 29 May Bluegill raised the American flag on Pratas Island and proclaimed it to be "Bluegill Island."
Bluegill arrived at Pearl Harbor
on 21 June 1945 from her last war patrol. She continued to serve with the Pacific Fleet until 1 March 1946 when she was placed out of commission in reserve at Mare Island Naval Shipyard
.
Bluegill was recommissioned on 3 May 1951 and reported to the Pacific Fleet for training duty. On 7 July 1952 she was placed out of commission in reserve and redesignated a "hunter-killer" submarine (SSK-242 and recommissioned 2 May 1953.
Bluegill again saw wartime service during the Vietnam War
. In 1965 she spent time in the Gulf of Tonkin
, conducting reconnaissance and pilot rescue.
Bluegill was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
on 28 June 1969. In 1971 she was sunk and moored to the bottom as a salvage trainer about two kilometers off Lahaina in 40 metres (131.2 ft) of water. For the next 13 years, her hull was used for underwater rescue training.
In November 1984, after a month of preparatory work, the twin Edenton-class salvage and rescue ships
and raised ex-Bluegill and towed her to deep water where she was sunk with military honors.
Bluegill received the Navy Unit Commendation
for her first war patrol during which she sank Yubari. In addition, she was awarded four battle stars for World War II
service.
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...
, was the only ship of the United States 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...
to be named for the bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, a freshwater sunfish
Centrarchidae
The sunfishes are a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes. The type genus is Centrarchus . The family's 27 species includes many fishes familiar to North Americans, including the rock bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and crappies...
of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
basin and Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
.
Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut
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....
on 17 December 1942. She was launched on on 8 August 1943 (sponsored by Mrs. Cole, wife of Congressman W. Sterling Cole
W. Sterling Cole
William Sterling Cole was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.Cole was born in Painted Post, New York. He graduated from Colgate University in 1925 and Albany Law School in 1929. He was elected to Congress in 1934 and served from January 3, 1935 until...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
), and commissioned on 11 November 1943 with Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
Eric L. Barr, Jr. (Class
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
of 1934) in command, and reported to the Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
.
Bluegill’s war operations cover the period between 1 April 1944 and 21 June 1945, during which time she completed six war patrols in an area extending from New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
to Formosa
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and through the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
and Java Sea
Java Sea
The Java Sea is a large shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf. It was formed as sea levels rose at the end of the last ice age. The Java Sea lies between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south; Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east...
. Bluegill sank ten Japanese vessels, totaling 46,212 tons, including the light cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
Yubari
Japanese cruiser Yubari
was a light cruiser built between 1922 and 1923 for the Imperial Japanese Navy. She fought in World War II and was sunk by the US Navy.-Design:The ship originated as an experimental scout cruiser, which would have the combat potential of the standard Japanese light cruisers on a much lighter ship....
(on 27 April 1944) and a submarine chaser.
During January 1945 Bluegill made reconnaissances in support of American liberation of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. On 28 May she conducted a reconnaissance and bombardment of Pratas Island. Twelve men were landed and discovered that the island had recently been evacuated by the Japanese naval garrison. In a fitting ceremony, on 29 May Bluegill raised the American flag on Pratas Island and proclaimed it to be "Bluegill Island."
Bluegill arrived at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 21 June 1945 from her last war patrol. She continued to serve with the Pacific Fleet until 1 March 1946 when she was placed out of commission in reserve at Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...
.
Bluegill was recommissioned on 3 May 1951 and reported to the Pacific Fleet for training duty. On 7 July 1952 she was placed out of commission in reserve and redesignated a "hunter-killer" submarine (SSK-242 and recommissioned 2 May 1953.
Bluegill again saw wartime service during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. In 1965 she spent time in the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
, conducting reconnaissance and pilot rescue.
Bluegill was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register 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 the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 28 June 1969. In 1971 she was sunk and moored to the bottom as a salvage trainer about two kilometers off Lahaina in 40 metres (131.2 ft) of water. For the next 13 years, her hull was used for underwater rescue training.
In November 1984, after a month of preparatory work, the twin Edenton-class salvage and rescue ships
and raised ex-Bluegill and towed her to deep water where she was sunk with military honors.
Bluegill received the Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
for her first war patrol during which she sank Yubari. In addition, she was awarded four battle stars for 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...
service.