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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Contributed by Lester Palifka

Darter (SS-227)

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Hotel - Xray

Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 20 October 1942, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 6 June 1943; Commissioned USS Darter (SS-227), 7 September 1943; Final Disposition, grounded on Bombay Shoal off Palawan on 4th patrol, 24 October 1944, scuttled by her crew, destroyed by a bomb from a Japanese aircraft; Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown). Darter was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation, and received four battle stars for World War II service.

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.

Size	Image Description	Contributed By/ Source
21k	Commemorative postal cover marking the laying of Darter's (SS-227) keel at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 20 October 1942.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
21k	Commemorative postal cover marking the laying of Darter's (SS-227) keel at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 20 October 1942.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
198k	Two WAVES to Participate in Ceremonies to Select Sponsors for Sub Launchings.	Photo courtesy of New London Day, 5 March 1943, through the kindness of Wendy S. Gulley, Archivist, Submarine Force Museum, Naval Submarine Base NLON, Groton, CT. Photo added 05/12/11.
376k	Sub Bonefish (SS-223) Launched at Electric Boat Yard; Second Launching in Two Weeks.	Photo courtesy of New London Day, 8 March 1943, through the kindness of Wendy S. Gulley, Archivist, Submarine Force Museum, Naval Submarine Base NLON, Groton, CT. Photo added 05/12/11.
293k	Darter (SS-227) slides down the ways at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 6 June 1943.	Electric Boat / USN photo.
20k	Commemorative postal cover marking Darter's (SS-227) launching on 6 June 1943.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
23k	Commemorative postal cover marking the commissioning of the Darter (SS-227), 7 September 1943.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
144k	General madness surrounding the Darter (SS-227) crew during battle-surface.	Courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
26k	Darter (SS-227) grounded on Bombay Shoal off Palawan on 4th patrol, 24 October 1944.	Courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
145k	Darter (SS-227) grounded on Bombay Shoal off Palawan on 4th patrol, 24 October 1944.	Courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
234k	The Darter (SS-227) has just grounded off Bombay Shoal off Palawan; a raft full of her sailors makes to the waiting Dace (SS-247) nearby for rescue.	US Navy photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
60k	General view of the destruction wrought on the deck of the Darter (SS-227) after she was grounded and destroyed by shellfire on Bombay Shoal off Palawan on 4th patrol, 24 October 1944.	USN / USNI photo.
41k	Darter (SS-227) after receiving 55 point-blank hits from the 6-inch deck gun of the Nautilus (SS-168) on 31st October 1944. Her Commander noted, "It is doubtful that any equipment in *Darter* at 11:31 this date would be of any value to Japan -- except as scrap."	(U.S. Navy Official Photo, courtesy of Ron Reeves, HTC, USN, Retired) Courtesy of Dave Carpenter.
64k	Google Earth satellite photo of the Darter's (SS-227) position off Palawan.	View courtesy of Google Earth.
51k	Darter's (SS-227) Commander, David Hayward McClintock, at the time of her loss.	Photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo.
50k	Commemorative photo remembering the Darter (SS-227).	Photo courtesy of Tom Kermen.
51k	Darter (SS-227) grounded on Bombay Shoal off Palawan on 4th patrol, 1952.	Courtesy of Dave Carpenter.
69k	Darter (SS-227) grounded on Bombay Shoal off Palawan on 4th patrol, 1998.	Courtesy of Dave Carpenter.
202k	Darter (SS-227) & Dace (SS-247) Memorial photo.	Photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
669k	Active duty and veteran submariners stand together at the 29th annual "Tolling The Boats" Memorial Service held at the World War II National Submarine Memorial-West, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Calif. 29 May 2006. The ceremony honored members of the Silent Service who gave their lives during World War II and the Cold War for their country and the cause of freedom.	U.S. Navy photo # N-1159B-052 by Journalist 1st Class Brian Brannon, courtesy of navy.news.mil.

View the Darter (SS-227)
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
ComSubPac Report of loss of USS Darter (SS-227) October 24 1944, No Men Lost
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ

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