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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

V-5 (SC-1)
Narwahl (SS-167)
WW II - Decommissioning

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Charlie - Victor
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Keel Laying - Pre WW II Service

Narwhal Class Submarine: Laid down, 10 May 1927, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME; Launched, 17 December 1929; Commissioned Cruiser Submarine USS V-5 (SC-1), 15 May 1930; Renamed Narwahl (SS-167), 19 February 1931; Decommissioned, 23 April 1945, at Philadelphia, PA.; Struck from the Naval Register, 19 May 1945; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping. Narwhal received 15 battle stars for World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 2,730 t., Submerged: 3,960 t.; Length 371' ; Beam 33' 3"; Draft 15' 9"; Speed, Surfaced 17 kts, Submerged 8 kts; Depth Limit 300'; Complement 8 officers 80 enlisted; Armament, four 21" torpedo tubes forward, two 21" torpedo tubes aft, four 21" torpedo tubes topside, 24 torpedoes; two single 6"/53 deck gun, two 30 cal. mgs.; Propulsion, diesel electric, Maschinfabrik - Augusburg- Nurnburg, New York Navy Yard diesel engines, hp 3175, Fuel Capacity, 182,778 gal., Westinghouse Electric Co., electric motors, hp 2500, Battery Cells 240, twin propellers.
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SS 167 64k Pearl Harbor attack, 7 December 1941, looking toward the Navy Yard from the Submarine Base during the attack. Submarine in the left foreground is Narwhal (SS-167). In the distance are several cruisers, with large cranes and 1010 Dock in the right center. Note Sailors in the center foreground, wearing web pistol belts with their white uniforms.
 Submitted by Scott Baker, US National Archives photo # 80-G-32704, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.
SS 167 28k Another view of the Pearl Harbor attack, looking toward the Navy Yard from the Submarine Base. Narwhal (SS-167) is at left secured to a dock. Notice the Japanese plane overhead.
 US Navy photo submitted by John Hummel.
SS 167 53k Oil/alkyd on canvas by the artist John Meeks entitled "Pearl".
Just a few minutes after America's unexpected and violent entry World War II, this painting depicts the scene at the submarine base with Dolphin (SS-169) (to the left) and Narwhal (SS-167) acquitting themselves to the best of their abilities, and honorably, during the first wave of the attack.
In the background, a pall of smoke rises from the disaster that has befallen "Battleship Row" and the Navy Yard, and Japanese "Kate" torpedo bombers race in from the south to add to the mayhem.
A lone "Kate", its torpedo already spent, circles - perhaps to take photographs. As it crosses astern of the moored submarines, their hastily prepared anti-aircraft fire scores a hit and it sustains fatal damage. Credit for the 'kill' is shared by Narwhal, Tautog (SS-199) and a destroyer (- although in detailed battle reports, the skipper of Dolphin claims the victory...).		 Photo & text courtesy of subart.net.
ARD-8 50k ARD-8 overhead view with Narwhal (SS-167) in her dock, date unknown, probably at Pearl Harbor. Photo courtesy of Susan Bloom for her uncle Raymond Rucker USS ARD-8. Photo i.d. courtesy of Ric Hedmen.
SS 167 97k Narwahl (SS-167) was, in effect, a cruiser version of Argonaut (SS-166) but without the special mine tubes. She is shown, as modified during WW II, with superstructure platforms for 20-mm guns & wartime-type open periscope shears. Note how her ship's boats were recessed into the deck forward of her 6-in guns. The added torpedo tubes under the deck guns are indicated in the plan view.
As in Argonaut, pumps and the forward (battery-charging) engines occupied the spaces below the control room, which had a galley at its fore end. Abaft the control room were the crew's mess & CPO quarters above the after battery and the after 6-inch magazine. Officer's quarters were above the forward battery & the forward 6-in magazine.
In contrast to Argonaut , the maneuvering room was moved aft, above the motor room, which was abaft the big engine room. The small space abaft it, forward of the after torpedo room, was crew's quarters. The crew was also accommodated in the space between the forward torpedo room and the officer's quarters. 		Photo & text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
SS 167 164k Plan view aft of the Narwahl (SS-167) shows war modifications in these Mare Island photographs taken on 28 March 1943. Circled changes include two external tubes forward, several 20-mm antiaircraft guns, & masts for SJ (forward) & SD (aft) radars. The boat was also fitted with external stern tubes right aft. USN photo # 2093-43, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
SS 167 179k Narwahl (SS-167) shows war modifications in these Mare Island photographs taken on 28 March 1943. Circled changes include two external tubes forward, several 20-mm antiaircraft guns, & masts for SJ (forward) & SD (aft) radars. The boat was also fitted with external stern tubes right aft. USN photo # 2094-43, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
SS 167 166k Mare Island workers are conducting an inclining experiment on the Narwahl (SS-167) on 28 Mar 1943. USN photo # 2095-43, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
SS 167 90k Bow view of the Narwahl (SS-167) in the Mare Island channel on 3 Apr 43. USN photo # 2307-43, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
SS 167 90k Narwahl (SS-167), as modified, shown here on 3 April 1943 off Mare Island. Her SD radar mast is raised. Note the external tubes forward & right aft. The boat was also fitted with external stern tubes right aft. USN photo # 2309-43, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
Fremantle 101k Busy pier scene at Fremantle Austraila, 19 December 1943. From left to right, stern view to the camera are the Bonefish (SS-223), Rasher (SS-269), Bowfin (SS-287), Bluefish (SS-222), Narwhal (SS-167) and the sub tender Pelias (AS-14).
Second row, bow view are the Cod (SS-224), Tinosa (SS-283) and Crevalle (SS-291).
I believe the only time that photo could have been taken was 19 Dec. 1943. The Tinosa was in Fremantle only once, from 16 Dec. 1943 to 10 Jan. 1944. During that brief window, the Bonefish had not arrived until 19 Dec. and the Rasher departed 19 Dec. so that is the single date all three submarines were ever in Fremantle port at the same time. 		Photo i.d. courtesy of Dan Goodell.
US Navy photo courtesy of Ric Hedmen.
Cisco 38k 3 March 1944:20 miles NE of Dapitan, Mindanao. Cdr (later KIA on Lagarto (SS-371) Frank D. Latta's Narwhal (SS-167) torpedoes Karatsu [ex-U.S. river gunboat Luzon (PR-7)]at 08-55N, 123-20E. The torpedo blows Karatsu's bow off back to the bridge. Narwhal is heavily depth charged, but undamaged. Karatsu is towed to Cebu and later towed to Manila for repairs. Her repairs commence at the No. 103 Repair Facility at Cavite. Text courtesy of combinedfleet.com via Tommy Trampp.
U.S. Naval Institute photo,Dudley Knox Library
Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey Ca.,Yangtze River Patrol Memorial Exhibit.
Photo added 10/13/11.
SS 167 65k Watercolor on paper by the artist Perry Stirling entitled "Narwahl (SS-167).
This painting shows her on her 12th war patrol in June, 1944, when she surfaced off Bula Ceram island in the South Pacific, and pounded the gasoline storage facilities and pumping station with 56 rounds from her 6-inch guns, leaving the facilities ablaze. 		Photo & text courtesy of subart.net.
SS 167 283k Narwahl's (SS-167) deck guns at NSB New London, CT., March 2009. Photo courtesy of David Johnston.
View the V-5 (SC-1) / Narwahl (SS-167)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
Through the Looking Glass, A Historic Look at Submarines.
Back To The Main Photo Index Back To the Submarine Index
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