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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Cavalla (SS-244) (SSK-244) (AGSS-244)

Radio Call Sign: November - Bravo - Papa - Sierra

Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 4 March 1943, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 14 November 1943; Commissioned USS Cavalla (SS-244), 29 February 1944; Decommissioned, 16 March 1946, at New London, CT.; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, New London Group; Recommissioned, 10 April 1951; Decommissioned, 3 September 1952; Redesignated Hunter-Killer Submarine (SSK-244), 18 February 1953; Recommissioned, 15 July 1953; Redesignated (SS-244), 15 August 1959; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-244) in July 1963; Decommissioned, and struck from the Naval Register, 30 December 1969; Final Disposition, donated, 21 January 1971, for display as a permanent submarine museum at Seawolf Park, Galveston, TX.. Cavalla was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation and 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
98k	The start of a long journey for the Cavalla (SS-244), as she slides down the lauching ways at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 14 November 1943.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
149k	With her wake streaming behind, the Cavalla (SS-244), heads into Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, circa 1945.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
117k	Cavalla (SS-244), makes her way into port, circa 1945.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
13k	Cavalla (SS-244), underway, circa 1945.	Courtesy of Lester Palifka.
95k	Proteus (AS-19) with submarines of Submarine Squadron 20 alongside in Tokyo Bay, on VJ-Day, 2 September 1945. Names of the submarines present, their commanding officers and the commanding officers of SubRon20 and *Proteus* are printed at the bottom of the image: Archerfish (SS-311), Cavalla (SS-244), Gato (SS-212), Haddo (SS-255), Muskallunge (SS-262), Pilotfish (SS-386), Razorback (SS-394), Runner (SS-476), Segundo (SS-398), Sea Cat (SS-399), and Tigrone (SS-419).	Courtesy of Captain Joseph F. Enright, USN(Retired), 1979. US Navy photo # NH 95019, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
53k	Cavalla (SS-244), at extreme right of a line of submarines at rest at their base in New London, Connecticut, in 1946. Periscopes and propellers have been removed and stored. The engines preserved, and the electrolyte has been drained from the batteries. dehumidifiers have been set up to keep the interior of the boats tight and dry. Note the familiar light metal ("Igloos") covering the deck 3" deck gun of *Cavalla* and her sisters.	USN photo from The American Submarine, by Norman Polmar, submitted by Robert Hurst.
279k	Line up of decommissioned subs at Groton, CT., circa 1947. From left to right:Archerfish (SS-311), Flasher (SS-249), Cobia (SS-245), Croaker (SS-246), Drum (SS-228) & what looks like the Cavalla (SS-244).	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Jack Treutle. Photo i.d. courtesy of Ric Hedman.
117k	Cavalla (SS-244), portside view underway, circa post 50's.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
226k	Busy piers at lower base in Groton shows a few SSKs, 1957. From left to right, unidentifed sub, Toro (SS-422), Irex (SS-482), unidentifed sub, Trout (SS-566), Bergall (SS-320), Sea Owl (SS-405), Cavalla (SS-244), & Remora (SS-487), & Piper (SS-409). The rest of the subs are too far away for positive identification.	Text courtesy of Dave Johnston. Photo i.d. courtesy of Mike Brood. USN photo courtesy of Submarine Force Library, courtesy of Ken Hart.
13k	Cavalla (AGSS-244), underway in Hampton Roads( Norfolk) for the 1957 fleet review .	Courtesy of Lester Palifka. Photo i.d. courtesy of Chuck Norris ETC(SS) Retired.
205k	Cavalla (SS-244), possibly making her way to Norfolk, Va., for the International Naval Review (11-12 June 1957).	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
29k	Cavalla (SS-244), on permanent display at Seawolf Park, Galveston, TX.	© Richard Leonhardt, 23 May 2002
109k	View of the Cavalla (SS-244) in the control room looking from fwd port to aft stbd at an IC switchboard and the high and low pressure air manifolds across the top of the chart table wit the gyro compass binacle under it. The ladder to the conning tower can be seen on the right.	Text courtesy of Ric Hedman TN(SS) Webmaster. Photo courtesy © Richard Leonhardt, 23 May 2002.
47k	Cavalla (SS-244), on permanent display at Seawolf Park, Galveston, TX.	Courtesy of Lester Palifka.
359k	The aftermath on Seawolf Park [location of Stewart (DE-238) and Cavalla (SS-244)] from Hurricane Ike. The *Stewart* was partially refloated from her dry berth by the storm surge and was left in her current, listing position. It also appears that *Cavalla* was partially refloated out of her dry berth as well (since the waterline is far more exposed than before), and the sail from Tautog (SSN-639) was tipped over.	U.S. Navy photo # N-6575H-603 by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Chris Hoffpauir & submitted by Douglas Brown. Photo added 09/26/08.
26k	Bow on view of Hurricane Ike's visit.	Courtesy of images.chron.com. Photo added 09/26/08.