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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch on left contributed Harold F.(Carl) Carlson & submitted by Gary Carlson, on right by Mike Smolinski

Flasher (SS-249)

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Xray - Quebec

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Presidental Unit Citation (3) - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (6) - World War II Victory Medal

Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 30 September 1942, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 20 June 1943; Commissioned USS Flasher (SS-249), 25 September 1943; Decommissioned, 16 March 1946, at New London, CT; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; Struck from the Naval Register, and sold for scrapping 31 May 1963. Final Dispostion, scrapped. Flasher was awarded 3 Presidential Unit Citations and the Asiatic-Pacific Area Service Ribbon with 6 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
27k	Postal cover marking Flasher's (SS-249) keel laying on 30 September 1942, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.	Courtesy of petloveshack.com.
61k	The Flasher (SS-249) slides down the ways at Electric Boat on 20 June 1943.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
112k	Postal cover marking the launching of the Flasher (SS-249) at Electric Boat on 20 June 1943.	Courtesy of Darryl Baker.
27k	Postal cover marking Flasher's (SS-249) commissioning on 25 September 1943.	Courtesy of petloveshack.com.
225k	Flasher (SS-249) underway, port side view, 4 November 1943.	US Navy photo courtesy of Mike Green, Images from "U.S. Warships of World War Two".
105k	Flasher (SS-249) underway off Cuba, 23 November 1943.	US Navy photo courtesy of Ric Hedman TN(SS).
137k	The Flasher (SS-249) port side view underway, circa 1943-45.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
47k	Flasher's (SS-249) Battleflag, 1943-45.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
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).
274k	A dockside Flasher (SS-249) post WW II at New London Sub Base in the mothball fleet.	Courtesy of Ric Hedman TN(SS). Photo added 08/12/07.
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.
243k	The twenty year old Flasher (SS-249) was towed down river and past Electric Boat about 3 hours before the launch of the new Flasher (SSN-613).	Courtesy of Ric Hedman TN(SS).Photo added 08/12/07.
299k	A tug boat nudges the twenty year old Flasher (SS-249) down river and past Electric Boat about 3 hours before the launch of the new Flasher (SSN-613).	Courtesy of Ric Hedman TN(SS). Photo added 08/12/07.
122k	Port stern view of Flasher (SS-249) memorial in Groton, July 1991.	Photo by Ken Hart.
110k	Flasher (SS-249) in 1/178 scale, starboard bow oblique view.	Model and photo by Ken Hart.
74k	Flasher (SS-249) in 1/178 scale, starboard side view, with measure 32-3SSB paint scheme.	Model and photo by Ken Hart.
62k	Page 21 of the Flasher's (SSN-613) Inactivation Ceremony Program. Pictured here is the WW II Flasher (SS-249) underway and her total score card of ships sunk & damaged.	Courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
79k	Page 23 of the Flasher's (SSN-613) Inactivation Ceremony Program. Pictured here is the WW II Flasher (SS-249) and her total score card of ships sunk & damaged.	Courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
94k	Page 24 of the Flasher's (SSN-613) Inactivation Ceremony Program. Pictured here is the Flasher's (SS-249) crew on parade after the war.	Courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
43k	Flasher (SS-249) last deckgun on display outside the Subforce Museum in Groton just outside the base main gate.	Courtesy of Ric Hedman TN(SS).Photo added 08/12/07.