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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


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Greenling (SS-213)

Radio Call Sign: November - Echo - Golf - Victor

Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 12 November 1940, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 20 September 1941; Commissioned USS Greenling (SS-213), 21 January 1942, at New London, CT.; Decommissioned, 16 October 1946, at New London, CT.; Placed in service as a Naval Reserve training vessel at Portsmouth, NH, and Boston, MA; Placed out of service, 18 March 1960, at Boston Naval Shipyard, Boston, MA.; Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown); Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 16 June 1960, to Minichiello Brothers, Chelsea, MA. Greenling received ten battle stars for World War II service and a Presidential Unit Citation.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,424 t.; Length 311' 9"; Beam 27' 3"; Draft 15' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Complement 6 Officers 54 Enlisted; Operating Depth, 300 ft; Submerged Endurance, 48 hrs at 2 kts; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10 kts; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 3"/50 deck gun, two .50 cal. machine guns, two .30 cal. machine guns; Propulsion, diesel electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator engines, HP 5400, Fuel Capacity, 97,140 gals., four General Electric main motors, HP 2740, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin propellers.
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213 75k Launching of the Greenling (SS-213) at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 20 September 1941. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
213 20k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Greenling's (SS-213) launching at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 20 September 1941. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
213 20k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Greenling's (SS-213) launching at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 20 September 1941. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
213 45k Commissioning photo of the Greenling (SS-213) at rest at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 21 January 1942. Courtesy of subnet.com
213 20k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Greenling's (SS-213) commissioning at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 21 January 1942. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
213 49k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Greenling's (SS-213) commissioning at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 21 January 1942. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
213 78k Submarine gun crew in action! Manning a 4-incher, these deep-seamen are duelling on the surface. Hot-shell man removes shell case as the third loader passses up shell.Greenling's (SS-213) gunners staged a similar scene, night in April 1942. Text & photo courtesy of Theodore Roscoe, from his book "U.S. Submarine Operations of WW II", published by USNI.
213 11k Greenling (SS-213), underway, circa 1942-45, location unknown. Courtesy of subnet.com
Grant 161k CDR. James Donald Livingston Grant was the commanding officer of the Greenling (SS-213) from Feb. 1943 to May 1944 taking her out on four was patrols. Photo from the Alaska (CB-1) cruise book & submitted by Bill Gonyo. Photo added 10/15/09.
Flounder 62k Greenling (SS-213) & Flounder (SS-251), circa 1944-45.
Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
MINSY 306k This is a Safety Department photo showing the temporary staging used on submarines during their overhauls at the yard. The submarines are Greenling (SS-213) and Raton (SS-270). View looking forward.
Text on photos reads:"Good housekeeping and safety gear aboard subs. Walkways provide access to all portions of the boat." Photo taken on 22 Feb. 1945.
US Navy Photo # MINSY 1371-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
MINSY 319k This is a Safety Department photo showing the temporary staging used on submarines during their overhauls at the yard. The submarines are Greenling (SS-213) and Raton (SS-270). View looking aft.
Text on photos reads:"Good housekeeping and safety gear aboard subs. Walkways provide access to all portions of the boat." Photo taken on 22 Feb. 1945.
US Navy Photo # MINSY 1375-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Tambor 201k Forward plan view of Tambor (SS-198) at Mare Island on 24 Feb 1945. Shipyard records indicate that Ray (SS-271) and Greenling (SS-213) were berthed immediately aft of Tambor and behind these two boats were Cero (SS-225) and Raton (SS-270).
US Navy Photo # 1398-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
213 246k Stern view of Greenling (SS-213) entering the Mare Island channel on 3 May 45. US Navy Photo # 3267-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
213 225k Broadside view of Greenling (SS-213) off Mare Island on 3 May 45. She was in overhaul at the yard from 20 Feb until 7 May 45. US Navy Photo # 3269-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
213 187k Bow on view of Greenling (SS-213) off Mare Island on 3 May 45. US Navy Photo # 3271-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
213 56k Greenling (SS-213) at Mare Island, CA, 3 May 1945. US Navy Photo # 3270-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
MINSY 306k This is a Safety Department photo showing the temporary staging used on submarines during their overhauls at the yard. The submarines are Greenling (SS-213) and Raton (SS-270). View looking forward.
Text on photos reads:"Good housekeeping and safety gear aboard subs. Walkways provide access to all portions of the boat." Photo taken on 22 Feb. 1945.
US Navy Photo # MINSY 1371-45
213 58k WW II battleflag of the Greenling (SS-213). Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
213 & 235 76k Greenling (SS-213), and Shad (SS-235), at Boston in 1961 awaiting scrapping. © Richard Leonhardt.

View the Greenling (SS-213)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Combat Heritage Greenling (SS 213)
Victory at Sea: Full Fathom Five 2 of 3

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