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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski

Tarpon (SS-175)

Radio Call Sign: November - Echo - Bravo - Foxtrot

Shark Class Submarine: Laid down, 22 December 1933, at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.; Launched, 4 September 1935; Commissioned, USS Tarpon (SS-175), 12 March 1936; Decommissioned, 15 November 1945, at Boston, MA.; Placed in service as a Naval Reserve training ship at New Orleans, LA., 17 April 1947; Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 5 September 1956; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, foundered while under tow off Cape Hatteras, NC, 26 August 1957. Tarpon received seven battle stars for World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,316 t., Submerged: 1,968 t.; Length 298' 1" ; Beam 25' 1"; Draft 13' 10"; Speed, Surfaced 19.5 kts, Submerged 8.25 kts; Complement 5 Officers 45 Enlisted; Armament, six 21" torpedo tubes, (including two deck firing tubes), 16 torpedoes, one 3"/50 deck gun, two .50 cal machine guns, two .30 cal machine guns; Propulsion, diesel-electric, Winton diesel engines, HP 4300, fuel capacity 86,675 gal., Elliot Motor Co. electric motors, HP 2085, battery cells, 240. twin screws.

Size	Image Description	Source
87k	Senior Navy officials attend the Tarpon's (SS-175) launching ceremonies, at the Electric Boat Company shipyard, Groton, Connecticut, 4 September 1935. Those present are, from left to right: Assistant Secretary of the Navy Henry L. Roosevelt; Rear Admiral Edward C. Kalbfus, President, Naval War College; Rear Admiral Harold G. Bowen, Chief, Bureau of Engineering; Rear Admiral Emory S. Land, Chief, Bureau of Construction and Repair; and Admiral William H. Standley, Chief of Naval Operations.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 99007, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
70k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Tarpon's (SS-175) commissioning, 12 March 1936.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
15k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Tarpon's (SS-175) shakedown cruise and ports of call, 1 May 1936.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
28k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Tarpon's (SS-175) shakedown cruise, 16 June 1936.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
25k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Independence Day on the Tarpon's (SS-175), 4 July 1936.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
186k	Tarpon (SS-175), possibly off Groton CT., circa 1936.	Electric Boat photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 07/10/08.
119k	Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right: Nautilus (SS-168); Narwhal (SS-167); Shark (SS-174), marked *"P3"; Dolphin* (SS-169), marked *"D1"; Porpoise* (SS-172), marked *"P1"; Pike* (SS-173), marked *"P2"; and Tarpon* (SS-175), marked *"P4"*.	NH # 3036, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
82k	Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right: Nautilus (SS-168); Narwhal (SS-167); Shark (SS-174), marked *"P3"; Dolphin* (SS-169), marked *"D1"; Porpoise* (SS-172), marked *"P1"; Pike* (SS-173), marked *"P2"; and Tarpon* (SS-175), marked *"P4"*.	NH # 3037, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
90k	Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right: Nautilus (SS-168); Narwhal (SS-167); Shark (SS-174), marked *"P3"; Dolphin* (SS-169), marked *"D1"; Porpoise* (SS-172), marked *"P1"; Pike* (SS-173), marked *"P2"; and Tarpon* (SS-175), marked *"P4"*.	NH # 3038, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
96k	Holland (AS-3) with seven submarines alongside, circa 1936-1939. These "boats" are, from left to right: Nautilus (SS-168); Narwhal (SS-167); Shark (SS-174), marked *"P3"; Dolphin* (SS-169), marked *"D1"; Porpoise* (SS-172), marked *"P1"; Pike* (SS-173), marked *"P2"; and Tarpon* (SS-175), marked *"P4"*.	NH # 3039, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center.
97k	Six U.S. Navy submarines nested together, circa 1939-1941. Probably seen from Canopus (AS-9) in Manila Bay, Philippines. The inboard submarine is not identified. The others are (from left to right): Pike (SS-173); Tarpon (SS-175); Porpoise (SS-172); Perch (SS-176); and Permit (SS-178).	Collection of Jack L. Wheat, who served in Canopus. US Navy photo # NH 99672, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
55k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Tarpon's (SS-175) first year in commission, 12 March 1937.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
124k	Tarpon (SS-175) recovering a practice torpedo, during exercises off San Diego, California, 22 August 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # NH 63184, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
72k	Tarpon (SS-175) underway on the surface, circa 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # NH 41924, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
73k	Tarpon (SS-175) underway on the surface, circa 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # NH 41921, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
75k	Tarpon (SS-175) underway on the surface, circa 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # NH 41923, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
79k	Tarpon (SS-175) underway on the surface, circa 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 41922, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
67k	Tarpon (SS-175) underway on the surface, circa 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 41919, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
78k	Tarpon (SS-175) underway on the surface, circa 1937. Crewmen appear to be preparing to bring her 3"/50 deck gun into action.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 41928, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
91k	Tarpon (SS-175) submerging, with her foredeck awash, circa 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 41918, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
107k	Tarpon (SS-175) underway while nearly submerged, circa 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 41929, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
91k	Tarpon (SS-175) running submerged, with her periscope extended, circa 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 41927, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
98k	Tarpon (SS-175) underway with her deck awash, circa 1937.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 41930, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
171k	Bow view of the S-34 (SS-139) tied up to wharf, taken in the mid to late 30's, probably in Pearl Harbor. The sub is getting a new battery. The new cells are loaded on the railcars to the right. The photo was dated by looking at the sub moored behind it. It is a fleet boat, and probably a *Pike/Permit* class. It is painted black, so that puts it in the later 1930's. Also, the *S-34's* skeg has been cut away as part of a safety and maintenance mod, and that was done in April, 1932. The *S-34* was stationed almost exclusively in the P.I. and Pearl until 1941. The mountainous background looks a lot like Pearl (although it may be Subic or Cavite).	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org. Photo i.d. courtesy of David Johnston (USNR), Darryl Baker & John Hummel. Text i.d. courtesy of David Johnston (USNR) & Darryl Baker.
20k	Commemorative post mark and photo inset of the Tarpon (SS-175), 6 May 1938. During this time, she operated out of San Diego and Pearl Harbor with Submarine Division (SubDiv) 13 for several years and was then assigned to SubDiv 14.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle. Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
18k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Xmas day on the Tarpon (SS-175), 25 December 1938.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
190k	Tarpon (SS-175) entering Pearl Harbor witht the signature trademark of the photographer Tai Sing Loo's palm tree, circa pre war.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
140k	"Relaxation down below. Men off watch in the Tarpon (SS-175) enjoy a breather. All is not work in the pressure hull, where there is elbow room for a game of acey-ducey, a letter from home, some casual banter, or a bit of shut-eye. But "Battle Stations!" could turn the above scene into a blur of motion."	Text and photo courtesy of Theodore Roscoe, from his book "U.S. Submarine Operations of WW II", published by USNI.
228k	The Tarpon (SS-175) is seen off Mare Island on a trial run on 18 Sep 1942.	USN photo # 5750-42, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
65k	Tarpon (SS-175) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, at the conclusion of an overhaul, 30 September 1942.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 19-N-35369, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
68k	Tarpon (SS-175) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, at the conclusion of an overhaul, 30 September 1942. Note barrage balloons in the distance.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 19-N-35370, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
124k	Tarpon (SS-175) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, at the conclusion of an overhaul, 30 September 1942.	Courtesy of John Hummel. Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 19-N-35371, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
90k	Tarpon (SS-175) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, at the conclusion of an overhaul, 30 September 1942. Note the two recently installed external bow torpedo tubes.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 99008, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
90k	Stern view of the Tarpon (SS-175) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, at the conclusion of an overhaul, 30 September 1942.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 99009, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
80k	Tarpon (SS-175) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, at the conclusion of an overhaul, 24 September 1942. Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 19-N-35372, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
90k	Stern view of the Tarpon (SS-175) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, at the conclusion of an overhaul, 24 September 1942. Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph USNHC # 19-N-35373, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
29k	Conning tower of Tarpon (SS-175), at South Boston Navy Yard, circa 15 Nov 1945 to 4 Feb 1946. This photo clearly shows *Tarpon*'s World War II record of enemy vessels sunk. Note she sank one German warship in addition to 12 Japanese ships.	Photo by Vincent Grobbel, BM1, USCG, Davenport (PF-69).Courtesy of Mike Grobbel.