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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Bashaw (SS-241) (SSK-241) (AGSS-241)

Radio Call Sign: November - Bravo - Lima - Juliet

Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 4 December 1942, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 25 July 1943; Commissioned USS Bashaw (SS-241), 25 October 1943; Decommissioned, 20 June 1949; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet; Recommissioned, 3 April 1951; Decommissioned, 10 May 1952, for conversion to an Hunter-Killer Submarine, at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, CA.; Redesignated (SSK-241), 18 February 1953; Recommissioned, 28 March 1953; Redesignated (SS-241) in August 1959; Redesignated Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-241) in September 1962; Decommissioned, 13 September 1969; Struck from the Naval Register, 13 September 1969; Final Disposition, sunk as a target, July 1972. Bashaw received five battle stars for her 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, 5,400HP, Fuel Capacity, 97,140 gal., four General Electric main motors, 2,740HP, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin screws.

Size	Image Description	Source
210k	Postal cover marking the launching of the Bashaw (SS-241) on 25 July, 1943 at Electric Boat.	Courtesy of Darryl Baker.
34k	Postal cover marking the launching of the Bashaw (SS-241) on 25 July, 1943 at Electric Boat.	Courtesy of Jack Truetle.
111k	Postal cover marking the commissioning of the Bashaw (SS-241) on 25 October, 1943 at Electric Boat.	Courtesy of Darryl Baker.
506k	Bashaw (SS-241) passing in front of the oil terminal near Mare Island, taken 31 July 1945.	USN photo # 5618-45, courtesy of John Hummel.
233k	Amidships view looking aft at Mare Island on 1 August 1945, Bashaw (SS-241) shows final wartime radar & other modifications, all indicated: ST on her night (Type 4) periscope, SJ & SV search radars; and a whip radio antenna (for HF communication without fouling the sky arcs of her anti-aircraft guns). She was in overhaul at the yard from 27 May to 13 Aug 1945.	U.S. Navy photo # 5701-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Partial text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
229k	Amidships view forward at Mare Island on 1 August 1945, Bashaw (SS-241) shows final wartime radar & other modifications, all indicated: ST on her night (Type 4) periscope, SJ & SV search radars; and a whip radio antenna (for HF communication without fouling the sky arcs of her anti-aircraft guns). The barge *YF-198* is moored alongside her.	U.S. Navy photo # 5702-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Partial text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press.
461k	6 Dec 45 photo appeared in the 14 Dec 45 issue of the Mare Island newspaper lists the following subs present at the dockyard: Unknown, Dragonet (SS-293), Guavina (SS-362), Sunfish (SS-281), Sargo (SS-188), Spearfish (SS-190), Saury (SS-189). First two ships in second row appear to be: Bashaw (SS-241) and Mingo (SS-261). Tiru (SS-416) is on the building ways on the left above the subs and surrounding by staging and cranes. It is interesting to note that the boats have started the mothballing process, as evidenced by the preservative cocoons around the deck guns.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. Partial text courtesy of David Johnston, USNR.
308k	Bow view of the Tiru (SS-416) under construction at Mare Island on 3 Jan 1946. Submarines in the background are decommisioned or will soon be: from front to rear are Bashaw (SS-241), Pampanito (SS-383), Mingo (SS-261), Gurnard (SS-254), Macabi (SS-375), Tunny (SS-282), Guavina (SS-362) and Sand Lance (SS-381).	USN photo # 18-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
137k	Reserve fleet at Mare Island, circa Jan 1946. There are 52 submarines and 4 Sub Tenders in this photo. This photo is a Berthing list identifying the ships in the picture.	Photo commerating 50 years, U. S. Submarine Veterans of WW II 1996 calendar, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
453k	Photo of the Reserve fleet at Mare Island, circa Jan 1946. There are 52 submarines and 4 Sub Tenders in this photo. Whether coincidental or on purpose, the number of boats in the photo is the same as that which were lost in WW II. From back to front and left to right, first group of 12 boats: Sandlance (SS-381) Tunny (SS-282) Aspro (SS-309) Lionfish (SS-298) Guvania (SS-362) Sunfish (SS-281) Macabi (SS-375) Gurnard (SS-254) Pampanito (SS-383) Mingo (SS-261) Guitarro (SS-363) Bashaw (SS-241) From back to front and left to right, second group of 12 boats: Sealion (SS-315) Hammerhead (SS-364) Bream (SS-243) Seahorse (SS-304) Tinosa (SS-283) Pintado (SS-387) Mapiro (SS-376) Pipefish (SS-388) Moray (SS-300) Batfish (SS-310) Hackleback (SS-295) Bluegill (SS-242) From back to front and left to right, third group of 12 boats: Hawkbill (SS-366) Menhaden (SS-377) Perch (SS-313) Loggerhead (SS-374) Barbero (SS-317) Baya (SS-318) Hardhead (SS-365) Spadefish (SS-411) Springer (SS-414) Devilfish (SS-292) Kraken (SS-370) Dragonet (SS-293) From back to front and left to right, fourth group of 12 boats: Lamprey (SS-372) Piranha (SS-389) Manta (SS-299) Pargo (SS-264) Rancador (SS-301) Archerfish (SS-311) Mero (SS-378) Sawfish (SS-276) Spot (SS-413) Lizardfish (SS-373) Jallao (SS-368) Icefish (SS-367) From back to front and left to right, last group of 4 boats: Steelhead (SS-280) Puffer (SS-268) Stickleback (SS-415) Trepang (SS-412) From back to front, Submarine Tenders group of 4 ships: Pelias (AS-14) Aegir (AS-23) Euryale (AS-22) Griffin (AS-13)	Photo commerating 50 years, U. S. Submarine Veterans of WW II 1996 calendar, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
900k	Inactivated submarines at Mare Island on 3 January 1946. Front row left to right: Sand Lance (SS-381), next two could be Sealion (SS-315) and Seahorse (SS-304), Searaven (SS-196), Pampanito (SS-383), Gurnard (SS-254), Mingo (SS-261), Guitarro (SS-363), Bashaw (SS-241). Back row left to right: Unknown, Tunny (SS-282), next three could be Sargo (SS-188), Spearfish (SS-190), and Saury (SS-189), Macabi (SS-375), Sunfish (SS-281), Guavina (SS-362), Lionfish (SS-298),Piranha (SS-389). The Scabbardfish (SS-397) is docked in *ARD-11* on the other side of the causeway. The mixture of boats from the *Salmon/Sargo, Gato, and Balao classes* illustrate the clear differences in the conning tower fairwaters and the periscope shears that can be used to identify boats. The high bridges with the uncovered support frames (the "covered wagon" look) of the *Gatos* and *Salmon/Sargo's* contrast with the low and sleek look of the *Balao's. The fatter, more robust periscope shears of the Balao's* are markedly different from the thinner shears with more supporting structure of the *Gatos* and *Salmon/Sargo's. The differences in the pattern of the superstructure limber holes can also be used for identification purposes. The single row of large semi-circular holes indentify Electric Boat or Manitowoc boats. A dual row of smaller rectangular holes mark the government built boats. Also note that the EB/Manitowoc boats have the deck mounted, T-shaped JP sonar head on the starboard side of the forward deck, while the government boats have it on the port side. EB/Manitowoc boats had the anchor on the starboard side, the government boats on the port side. A close look will show that some of the boats have had the anchor removed and the hawsepipe plated over as part of the mothball process. Most of the boats have the late war radar outfit of the SJ surface search (small dish) and SS air search (large dish). The Balao's* and some of the *Gatos* have the SS dish mounted on a separate large mast aft of the periscopes. The older *Salmon/Sargo's* and *Gatos* have a much smaller mast. *Searaven* appears to have had her radars already removed. *Searaven* is actually sporting a late war SJ surface search antennae mounted to starboard of the periscopes. This is a rare installation. Most often it was mounted forward (early war) or aft (late war) of the 'scopes shears. Her air search set is a late war SD antennae mounted on a stub mast directly aft of the 'scopes. *Searaven* never received the much more capable SS air search set. Having been assigned to training duties after November, 1944 it was probably felt that the SS set was not necessary. One strange thing: almost all of the boats appear to have the outer doors of the forward torpedo tubes open. Even though the boats have an interlock system that prevents the breech and outer doors from being opened at the same time, this is an unusual thing to do and a potential source of catastrophic flooding.	U.S. Navy photo # 17-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Text courtesy of David Johnston, USNR.
34k	Bashaw (SS-241) with a huge sonar dome on the bow entering Pearl Harbor, 1950.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com.
115k	LCDR R. S. Froude reads his orders as commanding officer on the newly re-commissioned Bashaw (SS-241) at Mare Island on 4 April 1951. Capt W. A. Lent, Commander of Pacific Reserve Fleet Mare Island is to the left.	USN Photo # 8861-4-51, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 11/03/06.
111k	Bashaw (SSK-241), with Bream (SSK-243),Segundo (SS-398), Razorback (SS-394), and Menhaden (SS-377), in San Diego Harbor, circa 1953.	Courtesy of Phil Gulick, former 1st Amphib Recon Company member aboard the Perch (SS-313).
165k	Bashaw (SS-241) in San Francisco Bay for a Fleet Review, on June 13, 1957.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
47k	Bashaw (SSK-241), underway off Pearl Harbor, HI, fall 1959.	US Navy photo courtesy of Wesley C. Soderback, crewmember.
59k	Bashaw (SSK-241), underway, date and place unknown.	US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
430k	Seven inactive submarines at Mare Island on 30 April 1971. Left to right: Cusk (SS-348), Rock (SS-274), Bashaw (SS-241), Spinax (SSR-489), Pomodon (SS-486), Medregal (SS-480), and Diodon (SS-349). Photo by Ted Stone and negative given to the shipyard in 1995.	USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.