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USS Mero (SS-378)
Encyclopedia
USS Mero (SS-378), a Balao-class
submarine
, was a ship of the United States Navy
named for the mero
, any of several large grouper
s found in warm ocean waters.
Mero was laid down by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wisc., 22 July 1944; launched 17 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Henry G. Taylor; and commissioned at Manitowoc 17 August 1945, Commander John H. Turner in command.
The last submarine built at Manitowoc, Mero got underway for shakedown in Lake Michigan
25 August; thence, between 6 September and 17 November she cruised the Great Lakes
and visited several ports including Detroit
, Cleveland
, and Chicago. Placed in floating drydock 9 November – 2 November, she reached New Orleans
via the Mississippi River
29 November, on 6 December sailed for the Canal Zone
, trained there a month, then sailed for Pearl Harbor
19 January 1946.
The Mero tied up at The Michigan Avenue bridge in Chicago and was open to visitors who were allowed aboard for a tour of the boat.
Mero reached Pearl 5 February and operated out of there until sailing for the west coast 22 February. Arriving San Francisco Bay
1 March, after preinactivation overhaul, she steamed to Mare Island
14 March to join the 19th Fleet, and decommissioned there 15 June 1946. Assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet, she remained berthed at Mare Island until loaned to Turkey
20 April 1960.
On 20 April 1960 she was transferred, as a loan, to Turkey
under the Military Assistance Program. The Turkish Navy
renamed her TCG Hızırreis (S 344). After her voyage from San Francisco, Hızırreis was commissioned into Turkish Navy
on 23 August 1960.
On 1 August 1973 ex-Mero was formally sold to Turkey and struck from the US Naval Vessel Register
. She was discarded by the Turkish Navy in 1977 and used for spare parts.
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...
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...
, was a 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...
named for the mero
Epinephelus
Epinephelus is a genus of groupers. They are large sea fish. Members of this genus may also be called a Mero.-Species:FishBase lists 99 species:* Areolate grouper, Epinephelus areolatus ....
, any of several large grouper
Grouper
Groupers are fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes.Not all serranids are called groupers; the family also includes the sea basses. The common name grouper is usually given to fish in one of two large genera: Epinephelus...
s found in warm ocean waters.
Mero was laid down by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wisc., 22 July 1944; launched 17 January 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Henry G. Taylor; and commissioned at Manitowoc 17 August 1945, Commander John H. Turner in command.
The last submarine built at Manitowoc, Mero got underway for shakedown in Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
25 August; thence, between 6 September and 17 November she cruised the 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...
and visited several ports including Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, and Chicago. Placed in floating drydock 9 November – 2 November, she reached New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
via 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...
29 November, on 6 December sailed for the Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, trained there a month, then sailed for 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...
19 January 1946.
The Mero tied up at The Michigan Avenue bridge in Chicago and was open to visitors who were allowed aboard for a tour of the boat.
Mero reached Pearl 5 February and operated out of there until sailing for the west coast 22 February. Arriving San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
1 March, after preinactivation overhaul, she steamed to Mare Island
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...
14 March to join the 19th Fleet, and decommissioned there 15 June 1946. Assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet, she remained berthed at Mare Island until loaned to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
20 April 1960.
TCG Hızırreis (S 344)
Mero was converted to a Fleet Snorkel submarine in 1960.On 20 April 1960 she was transferred, as a loan, to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
under the Military Assistance Program. The Turkish Navy
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
renamed her TCG Hızırreis (S 344). After her voyage from San Francisco, Hızırreis was commissioned into Turkish Navy
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
on 23 August 1960.
On 1 August 1973 ex-Mero was formally sold to Turkey and struck from the US 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...
. She was discarded by the Turkish Navy in 1977 and used for spare parts.