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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch on left contributed by ussubvetsofworldwarii.org, on right by Mike Smolinski

Finback (SS-230)

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Victor - Tango
Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 5 February 1941, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME, Launched, 25 August 1941; Commissioned USS Finback (SS-230), 31 January 1942; Decommissioned, 21 April 1950, at New London, CT.; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1958; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in 1959. Finback received 13 battle stars for World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,410 t.; Length 311' 10"; Beam 27' 3"; Draft 15' 2"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Complement 6 officers, 54 enlished; 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 Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, 5400 hp, Fuel Capacity, 94,400 gals., four Elliot Motor Co., electric motors, 2740 hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin screws.
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Finback 18k Commemorative post mark from Finback's (SS-230) keel laying ceremony at Portsmouth Navy Yard N.H., 5 February 1941.
Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Finback 21k Commemorative post mark from Finback's (SS-230) keel laying ceremony at Portsmouth Navy Yard N.H., 5 February 1941.
Photo courtesy of petloveshack.com.
Finback 16k Finback (SS-230) slides down the building ways at her launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard N.H., 25 August 41.
 Photo courtesy of John Hummel.
Finback 116k Finback (SS-230) slides down the building ways at her launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard N.H., 25 August 41.
 US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
Finback 258k Launching of the Finback (SS-230) at Portsmouth Navy Yard N.H. 25 August 41 at 2:40 PM, view showing ship in water being towed to berth No.1 by the tugs Penacook (YT-6) & Sightseer. US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
Finback 18k Commemorative post mark from Finback's (SS-230) launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard N.H., 25 August 1941.
Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Finback 21k Commemorative post mark from Finback's (SS-230) launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard N.H., 25 August 1941.
Photo courtesy of petloveshack.com.
Grunion62kU.S. Naval Submarine Base, New London, Groton, Connecticut:
Members of the 4th Command Class at the Submarine Base, February 1942.
Those present are, bottom row left to right:
Lieutenant Commander Mannert L. Abele; first command would be the Grunion (SS-216). He would be K.I.A. while commmanding the Grunion, 30 July 1942.
Lieutenant Commander Thomas B. Klakring; first command would be the Guardfish (SS-217),
Commander Karl G. Hensel, Officer in Charge;
Lieutenant Commander George W. Patterson, Jr., Senior Assistant; and
Lieutenant Commander Jesse L. Hull; first command would be the Finback (SS-230).
Top row, left to right:
Lieutenant Commander Howard W. Gilmore; first command would be the Growler (SS-215). He was postumously awarded the Medal of Honor after he was K.I.A. on the bridge of the Growler, 7 February 1943.
Lieutenant Commander Philip H. Ross; first command would be the Halibut (SS-232),
Lieutenant Commander Arthur H. Taylor; first command would be the Haddock (SS-231),
Lieutenant Commander Albert C. Burrows; first command would be the Swordfish (SS-193) and
Lieutenant Commander Leonard S. Mewhinney; first command would be the Saury (SS-189).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph # 80-G-88577, now in the collections of the National Archives. Courtesy of the USNHC.
Finback 148k Finback (SS-230) model, circa 1942.
 Photo courtesy of the George Bush Presidential Library.
Finback 82k Crew of the Finback (SS-230) posing for a shot on 1 August 1942 in Dutch Harbor. Photo courtesy of J.R. Carrel. Photo i.d. courtesy of Edwin Page. Text i.d. courtesy of David L. Johnston (USNR).
Finback 204k On 20 Oct 1942 the Finback (SS-230) (Lt.Cdr. J.L. Hull) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese army passenger-cargo ship Africa Maru (9476 GRT) and cargo ship Yamafuji Maru (5359 GRT) west of Formosa in position 24^(o)26'N, 120^(o)25'E. Text info & map courtesy of Great Circle Mapper - © Karl L Swartz & uboat.net
Photos courtesy of Tommy Trammp.
Photo added 10/08/11.
Flasher & Finback 117k Flasher (SS-249) & probably Finback (SS-230) most likely from April of 1945 when Flasher was in Pearl Harbor enroute to San Francisco for overhaul. US Navy photo courtesy of Ric Hedman TN(SS).
Finback 97k Finback (SS-230) rescues Lt.(JG) George H.W. Bush before he became a source of protein for the Japanese garrison at Chichi Jima. Photo courtesy of the George Bush Presidential Library via Tommy Trammp.
Finback 189k Downed pilots rescued by the Finback (SS-230) shown with the officers of the Finback, circa September 1944. Photo courtesy of the George Bush Presidential Library.
Photo added 10/08/11.
Finback 157k Lieutenant (junior grade) Lawrence Heyworth, Jr., pictured in his service dress white uniform after the ceremony in which he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for service while on board the submarine Finback (SS-230) in 1945. Photo courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum via Bill Gonyo.
Grouper181kGroup of Grouper (SS-214) photos with a torn hull, unknown cause, circa 1946-50, probably at New London, CT. She is seen here with the Finback (SS-230).Photo courtesy of Daniel E. Whaley, Jr. of blessed memory via his daughter, Carol Poole.
Finback 390k Finback (SS-230) underway off New London, CT, 7 March 1949. US Navy photo.
View the Finback (230)
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
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
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