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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Bluegill (SS-242) (SSK-242) (AGSS-242)

Radio Call Sign: November - Bravo - Golf - Lima

Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 17 December 1942, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 8 August 1943; Commissioned USS Bluegill (SS-242), 11 November 1943; Decommissioned, 1 March 1946, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet; Recommissioned, 3 May 1951; Decommissioned, 7 July 1952, for conversion to a Hunter-Killer Submarine; Recommissioned, USS Bluegill (SSK-242), 2 May 1953; Redesignated (SS-242) in August 1969; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-242) in April 1966; Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 28 June 1969; Final Disposition, scuttled, 3 December 1970, at Lahaina, Maui, HI. Bluegill received the Navy Unit Commendation and was awarded 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, 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
74k	Postal cover marking the keel laying of the Bluegill (SS-242) at Electric Boat on 7 Dec 1942.	Courtesy of Darryl Baker.
54k	Bluegill (SS-242) slides down the ways at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 8 August 1943.	Photo courtesy of Electric Boat.
54k	Bows on view of the Bluegill (SS-242) being nudged into peir with the help of a tug at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 8 August 1943.	Photo courtesy of of flash.net. / Ray Basil.
74k	Postal cover marking the launching of the Bluegill (SS-242) at Electric Boat on 8 August 1943.	Courtesy of Darryl Baker.
14k	Postal cover marking the commissioning of the Bluegill (SS-242) at Electric Boat on 11 November 1943.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
59k	Starboard view of the Bluegill (SS-242) off Quonset, Rhode Island, on 24 November 1943.	Photo courtesy of of flash.net. / Ray Basil.
64k	Acrylic on canvas by the artist S. Burbridge entitled Coming Up. This painting shows a *Gato* submarine surfacing at a steep angle, some distance off a Pacific island. On 28 May 1945 Bluegill (SS-242) conducted a reconnaissance and bombardment of Pratas Island. Twelve men were landed and discovered that the island had recently been evacuated by the Japanese naval garrison. In a fitting ceremony on 29 May *Bluegill* raised the American flag on Pratas Island and proclaimed it to be "Bluegill Island."	Photo & partial text courtesy of subart.net. Partial text courtesy of DANFS. Photo added 02/10/07.
144k	Bluegill (SS-242) entering Pearl Harbor en route to San Francisco, 21 June 1945.	Photo courtesty of flash.net. / Hugh Story.
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.
278k	Three veterans of Operation Crossroads are shown at Mare Island on 17 Oct 1946 in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Left to right: Dentuda (SS-335), Searaven (SS-196) and Tuna (SS-203); Parche (SS-384) is aft of these three. Bluegill (SS-242) and Hackleback (SS-295) are to the left.	USN photo # 3618-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
103k	LCDR C. M. Esler Jr. reads his orders upon assuming command on the Bluegill (SS-242) at her re-commissioning ceremonies at Mare Island on 3 May 1951. Capt. W. A. Lent, Commander of Pacific Reserve Fleet Mare Island is to the far left.	USN Photo # 9118-5-51, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
216k	LCDR W. D. Chadwick reads his orders upon assuming command on the Bluegill (SS-242) at Mare Island on 15 July 1955. The ship is in *ARD-11* at the time and she was in overhaul at the yard from 9 June to 21 Nov. 1955.	USN Photo # 25993-7-55, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
19k	Bluegill (SS-242) in Pearl Harbor, circa 1950's.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
23k	Bluegill (SS-242) bow view underway, circa 1950's.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
33k	Bluegill (SSK-242), underway, circa 1950's off Hawaii.	US Navy photo, courtesy of George M. Arnold.
161k	Bluegill (SS-242) makes her way out of a cove into the sea, circa 1955.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
194k	Bluegill (SS-242) leads the Enterprise (CVA-65) out to sea, circa post 1961.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
94k	Bluegill (AGSS-242) Welcome Aboard pamphlet.	US Navy photo courtesy of Richard Miller.
78k	Bluegill (SSK-242), underway, date and place unknown.	US Navy photo, courtesy of George M. Arnold.
96k	Underwater view of two Navy divers working to raise the submarine ex-Bluegill (SS-242) during Pacific Submarine Salvage Exercise 83 (PACSUBSALVEX-83) off the coast of Maui on 6 Nov 1983.	USN photo # DN-ST-86-01166, by G.R. Sylva, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
295k	View of a Navy underwater photographer swimming over the hull of the submarine ex-Bluegill (SS-242)during Pacific Submarine Salvage Exercise 83 (PACSUBSALVEX-83) off the coast of Maui.	USN photo # DN-ST-86-01154, by G.R. Sylva, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil & submitted by Bill Gonyo.
23k	Bluegill (SS-242) scuttled, at Lahaina, Maui, HI. 1995.	Photo courtesy of Ed Robinson & Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com