For other ships with the same name, see USS Grenadier.
USS Grenadier (SS-525), a Tench-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the grenadier, a soft-finned deep sea fish of the Macrouridae with a long, tapering body and short, pointed tail family, also known as rattails.
Lt. Cmdr. Ted Davis marks a "Z" on the sail of the submarine USS Grenadier (SS 525) after tracking a Soviet Zulu-class submarine for more than 18 hours, leading to the first documented evidence that the Soviet Union was conducting submarine operations in the Atlantic Ocean
The contract to build Grenadier was awarded to the Boston Naval Shipyard, and her keel was laid down on 8 February 1944 in Boston, Massachusetts. She was launched on 15 December 1944 but was not christened until 10 February 1951. The seven year and two day period between keel laying and commissioning is the second longest in history for a United States Navy submarine after USS Pogy (SSN-647). She was sponsored by Mrs. John A. Fitzgerald, wife of the first Grenadier’s last commanding officer, and commissioned the same day with Commander Henry G. Reaves, Jr. in command.
Early careeredit
One of the first Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program (GUPPY) submarines, Grenadier was equipped with a snorkel to permit indefinite running in an awash condition. Grenadier proved the worth of this device during her shakedown. Returning from the Caribbean Sea cruise, the new submarine made the seven-day voyage from Guantanamo Bay to New London, Connecticut, submerged. Almost two years of intensive training exercises out of New London were capped by her first yard overhaul at Philadelphia, extending from 16 December 1952 to 22 April 1953.
In June 1953 Grenadier participated in the annual midshipman cruise to Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian ports. Returning to New London via the Caribbean Sea, she then supported ASW exercises during November, as an aircraft carrier task force perfected its antisubmarine operations. Grenadier continued training and battle exercises along the New England coast and off the Virginia Capes and in August 1955 cruised to Montreal, Quebec, via the St. Lawrence River.
Grenadier departed New London 3 January 1956 on the first of several Mediterranean Sea cruises. During a three-month deployment she steamed throughout the Mediterranean and both showed the flag and participated in attack and antisubmarine exercises with various units of the Sixth Fleet. On two subsequent Mediterranean deployments from 8 November 1957 to 27 January 1958, and from 10 April to 8 August 1962 she operated with the Sixth Fleet to bolster peace keeping operations in that troubled region of the world.
Between these cruises, the submarine participated in exercises along the East Coast and was a frequent visitor to Caribbean waters. Grenadier operated out of New London until 15 September 1958, she transferred to Key West, Florida. From there Grenadier served more frequently in the Caribbean, and also patrolled and held exercises along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of Florida.
While on special antisubmarine exercises in the North Atlantic on the morning of 29 May 1959, Grenadier, in company with a patrol plane, sighted and photographed a Soviet submarine prowling the waters off Iceland. It was the first confirmed sighting of a Soviet submarine in the Atlantic.[7]
Cuban Missile Crisisedit
Grenadier again confronted Soviet ships when the Cuban Missile Crisis threatened nuclear war in October 1962. In company with Balao (SS-285), Threadfin (SS-410), Trutta (SS-421), and Chopper (SS-342), she formed part of the American fleet that blockaded and quarantined Cuba. After the Soviet offensive missiles were pulled out of Cuba, Grenadier was one of several ships dispatched to Cuba in November to assert and confirm the United States's rights and position there.
Later careeredit
Grenadier continued patrols and training operations out of Key West. Assigned to SubRon 12, she participated in exercises along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. In addition, she has provided valuable aid during the perfecting of advanced sonar and ASW equipment. She distinguished herself in 1966 gathering navigational data and other information in the Caribbean.
Fateedit
Grenadier was decommissioned, struck from the Naval Vessel Register and sold to Venezuela on 15 May 1973. Renamed the ARV Picua ("Barracuda"),[8] she served in the Venezuelan Navy until 1990.[9]
^ abcdeBauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 280–282. ISBN0-313-26202-0.
^Diesel Sub Commander Recalls Historic Soviet Sub Chase
^. Portal de la Armada Bolivariana (in Spanish). Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
^Hernandez, Carlos E. (14 June 2004). . USS Grenadier former crewmember website. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Grenadier (SS-525).
USS Grenadier SS525, Website maintained by former crew of the vessel
January 01, 1970
grenadier, other, ships, with, same, name, grenadier, tench, class, submarine, second, ship, united, states, navy, named, grenadier, soft, finned, deep, fish, macrouridae, with, long, tapering, body, short, pointed, tail, family, also, known, rattails, history. For other ships with the same name see USS Grenadier USS Grenadier SS 525 a Tench class submarine was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the grenadier a soft finned deep sea fish of the Macrouridae with a long tapering body and short pointed tail family also known as rattails History United States BuilderBoston Navy Yard 1 Laid down8 February 1944 1 Launched15 December 1944 1 Commissioned10 February 1951 1 Decommissioned15 May 1973 1 Stricken15 May 1973 2 FateTransferred to Venezuela 15 May 1973 1 General characteristics Completed as GUPPY II Class and typeTench class diesel electric submarine 2 Displacement1 870 tons 1 900 t surfaced 4 2 440 tons 2 480 t submerged 4 Length307 ft 94 m 3 Beam27 ft 4 in 8 33 m 3 Draft17 ft 5 2 m 3 Propulsion4 Fairbanks Morse Model 38D8 10 cylinder opposed piston diesel engines equipped with a snorkel driving electrical generators 2 4 5 1 184 cell 1 68 cell and 2 126 cell GUPPY type batteries total 504 cells 4 2 low speed direct drive Westinghouse electric motors 2 two propellers 2 SpeedSurfaced 18 0 knots 33 3 km h maximum 13 5 knots 25 0 km h cruising Submerged 16 0 knots 29 6 km h for hour 9 0 knots 16 7 km h snorkeling 3 5 knots 6 5 km h cruising 4 Range15 000 nm 28 000 km surfaced at 11 knots 20 km h 3 Endurance48 hours at 4 knots 7 km h submerged 3 Test depth400 ft 120 m 6 Complement9 10 officers 5 petty officers 70 enlisted men 3 Sensors and processing systemsWFA active sonar JT passive sonar Mk 106 torpedo fire control system 3 Armament10 21 inch 533 mm torpedo tubes six forward four aft 3 Lt Cmdr Ted Davis marks a Z on the sail of the submarine USS Grenadier SS 525 after tracking a Soviet Zulu class submarine for more than 18 hours leading to the first documented evidence that the Soviet Union was conducting submarine operations in the Atlantic Ocean Contents 1 History 1 1 Construction 1 2 Early career 1 3 Cuban Missile Crisis 1 4 Later career 2 Fate 3 References 4 External linksHistory editConstruction edit The contract to build Grenadier was awarded to the Boston Naval Shipyard and her keel was laid down on 8 February 1944 in Boston Massachusetts She was launched on 15 December 1944 but was not christened until 10 February 1951 The seven year and two day period between keel laying and commissioning is the second longest in history for a United States Navy submarine after USS Pogy SSN 647 She was sponsored by Mrs John A Fitzgerald wife of the first Grenadier s last commanding officer and commissioned the same day with Commander Henry G Reaves Jr in command Early career edit One of the first Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program GUPPY submarines Grenadier was equipped with a snorkel to permit indefinite running in an awash condition Grenadier proved the worth of this device during her shakedown Returning from the Caribbean Sea cruise the new submarine made the seven day voyage from Guantanamo Bay to New London Connecticut submerged Almost two years of intensive training exercises out of New London were capped by her first yard overhaul at Philadelphia extending from 16 December 1952 to 22 April 1953 In June 1953 Grenadier participated in the annual midshipman cruise to Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian ports Returning to New London via the Caribbean Sea she then supported ASW exercises during November as an aircraft carrier task force perfected its antisubmarine operations Grenadier continued training and battle exercises along the New England coast and off the Virginia Capes and in August 1955 cruised to Montreal Quebec via the St Lawrence River Grenadier departed New London 3 January 1956 on the first of several Mediterranean Sea cruises During a three month deployment she steamed throughout the Mediterranean and both showed the flag and participated in attack and antisubmarine exercises with various units of the Sixth Fleet On two subsequent Mediterranean deployments from 8 November 1957 to 27 January 1958 and from 10 April to 8 August 1962 she operated with the Sixth Fleet to bolster peace keeping operations in that troubled region of the world Between these cruises the submarine participated in exercises along the East Coast and was a frequent visitor to Caribbean waters Grenadier operated out of New London until 15 September 1958 she transferred to Key West Florida From there Grenadier served more frequently in the Caribbean and also patrolled and held exercises along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of Florida While on special antisubmarine exercises in the North Atlantic on the morning of 29 May 1959 Grenadier in company with a patrol plane sighted and photographed a Soviet submarine prowling the waters off Iceland It was the first confirmed sighting of a Soviet submarine in the Atlantic 7 Cuban Missile Crisis edit Grenadier again confronted Soviet ships when the Cuban Missile Crisis threatened nuclear war in October 1962 In company with Balao SS 285 Threadfin SS 410 Trutta SS 421 and Chopper SS 342 she formed part of the American fleet that blockaded and quarantined Cuba After the Soviet offensive missiles were pulled out of Cuba Grenadier was one of several ships dispatched to Cuba in November to assert and confirm the United States s rights and position there Later career edit Grenadier continued patrols and training operations out of Key West Assigned to SubRon 12 she participated in exercises along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean In addition she has provided valuable aid during the perfecting of advanced sonar and ASW equipment She distinguished herself in 1966 gathering navigational data and other information in the Caribbean Fate editGrenadier was decommissioned struck from the Naval Vessel Register and sold to Venezuela on 15 May 1973 Renamed the ARV Picua Barracuda 8 she served in the Venezuelan Navy until 1990 9 References edit a b c d e f 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 Bauer K Jack Roberts Stephen S 1991 Register of Ships of the U S Navy 1775 1990 Major Combatants Westport Connecticut Greenwood Press pp 280 282 ISBN 0 313 26202 0 a b c d e f g h U S Submarines Since 1945 pp 242 a b c d e Friedman Norman 1994 U S Submarines Since 1945 An Illustrated Design History Annapolis Maryland United States Naval Institute pp 11 43 ISBN 1 55750 260 9 U S Submarines Through 1945 pp 261 U S Submarines Through 1945 pp 305 311 Diesel Sub Commander Recalls Historic Soviet Sub Chase Resena Historica de la Armada Bolivariana Portal de la Armada Bolivariana in Spanish Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela Archived from the original on 24 March 2012 Retrieved 5 September 2011 Hernandez Carlos E 14 June 2004 comment USS Grenadier former crewmember website Archived from the original on 22 August 2011 Retrieved 5 September 2011 This article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Grenadier SS 525 USS Grenadier SS525 Website maintained by former crew of the vessel Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Grenadier SS 525 amp oldid 1178594194, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
