Barbel arrived at Pearl Harbor on 21 June 1944 and commenced preparation for her first war patrol. From 15 July 1944 to 4 February 1945, she carried out four war patrols and is officially credited with sinking six Japanese ships totaling 15,263 tons.
Barbel departed Fremantle submarine base, Western Australia, on 5 January 1945 for the South China Sea on her fourth patrol. Late in January she was ordered to form a "wolfpack" with Perch and Gabilan and patrol the western approaches to Balabac Strait and the southern entrance to the Palawan Passage. On 3 February, Barbel sent a message reporting that she had been attacked three times by enemy aircraft dropping depth charges and would transmit further information on the following night.
Barbel was never heard from again. Japanese aviators reported an attack on a submarine off southwest Palawan on 4 February. Two bombs were dropped and one landed on the submarine near the bridge. The sub plunged, under a cloud of fire and spray. This was very likely the last engagement of Barbel. She was officially reported lost on 16 February 1945.
^ abcdefgBauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 275–280. ISBN0-313-26202-0.
barbel, other, ships, with, same, name, barbel, balao, class, submarine, first, ship, united, states, navy, named, barbel, fish, commonly, called, minnow, carp, history, united, states, namebarbel, buildergeneral, dynamics, electric, boat, groton, connecticut,. For other ships with the same name see USS Barbel USS Barbel SS 316 a Balao class submarine was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the barbel a fish commonly called a minnow or carp History United States NameBarbel BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat Groton Connecticut 1 Laid down11 March 1943 1 Launched14 November 1943 1 Commissioned3 April 1944 1 FateSunk by Japanese aircraft off Palawan on 4 February 1945 2 General characteristics Class and typeBalao class diesel electric submarine 2 Displacement1 526 long tons 1 550 t surfaced 2 2 424 long tons 2 463 t submerged 2 Length311 ft 9 in 95 02 m 2 Beam27 ft 3 in 8 31 m 2 Draft16 ft 10 in 5 13 m maximum 2 Propulsion4 General Motors Model 16 278A V16 diesel engines driving electrical generators 2 126 cell Sargo batteries 4 high speed General Electric electric motors with reduction gears 2 propellers 5 400 shp 4 0 MW surfaced 2 740 shp 2 0 MW submerged Speed20 25 kn 37 50 km h 23 30 mph surfaced 3 8 75 kn 16 21 km h 10 07 mph submerged 3 Range11 000 nmi 20 000 km 13 000 mi at 10 kn 19 km h 12 mph 3 Endurance48 hours at 2 kn 3 7 km h 2 3 mph submerged 3 75 days on patrol Test depth400 ft 120 m 3 Complement10 officers 70 71 enlisted 3 Armament10 21 inch 533 mm torpedo tubes 6 forward 4 aft 24 torpedoes 4 1 5 inch 127 mm 25 caliber deck gun 4 Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon Contents 1 Construction and commissioning 2 Service history 3 Awards 4 Memorials 5 References 6 External linksConstruction and commissioning editBarbel s keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company of Groton Connecticut She was launched on 14 November 1943 sponsored by Mrs Harold A Allen and commissioned 3 April 1944 Service history editBarbel arrived at Pearl Harbor on 21 June 1944 and commenced preparation for her first war patrol From 15 July 1944 to 4 February 1945 she carried out four war patrols and is officially credited with sinking six Japanese ships totaling 15 263 tons Barbel departed Fremantle submarine base Western Australia on 5 January 1945 for the South China Sea on her fourth patrol Late in January she was ordered to form a wolfpack with Perch and Gabilan and patrol the western approaches to Balabac Strait and the southern entrance to the Palawan Passage On 3 February Barbel sent a message reporting that she had been attacked three times by enemy aircraft dropping depth charges and would transmit further information on the following night Barbel was never heard from again Japanese aviators reported an attack on a submarine off southwest Palawan on 4 February Two bombs were dropped and one landed on the submarine near the bridge The sub plunged under a cloud of fire and spray This was very likely the last engagement of Barbel She was officially reported lost on 16 February 1945 Awards edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with three battle stars for World War II serviceMemorials editBarbel has a war memorial in the Oregon Trail Veterans Cemetery in Casper Wyoming References edit a b c d Friedman Norman 1995 U S Submarines Through 1945 An Illustrated Design History Annapolis Maryland United States Naval Institute pp 285 304 ISBN 1 55750 263 3 a b c d e f g Bauer K Jack Roberts Stephen S 1991 Register of Ships of the U S Navy 1775 1990 Major Combatants Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press pp 275 280 ISBN 0 313 26202 0 a b c d e f U S Submarines Through 1945 pp 305 311 a b U S Submarines Through 1945 pp 305 311 nbsp This article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here External links editOn Eternal Patrol USS Barbel Kill record USS Barbel USS Barbel Memorial 7 49 N 116 47 E 7 817 N 116 783 E 7 817 116 783 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Barbel SS 316 amp oldid 1168579140, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
