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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski

Flounder (SS-251)

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Zulu - Bravo
Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 5 December 1942, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 22 August 1943; Commissioned USS Flounder (SS-251), 29 November 1943; Decommissioned, 12 February 1947, at New London, CT; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; Struck from the Naval Register, and sold for scrapping 22 December 1959 to Western Contracting Co., Sioux City, IA for $ 68K. Final Dispostion; Removed 2 February 1960 and scrapped.Flounder received 2 battle stars for World War II service.
Partial data submitted by Ron Reeves (of blessed memory) & Yves Hubert.

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.
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For Full Size		Size Image Description Source
Flounder 15k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Flounder's (SS-251) keel being laid at the Victory Yard, 5 December 1942 at Electric Boat. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Flounder 21k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Flounder's (SS-251) keel being laid at the Victory Yard, 5 December 1942 at Electric Boat. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Signs of the times 315k Signs of the times: Logo's for the following boats are emblazoned on the building wall to the right: Dace (SS-247), Dorado (SS-248), Flasher (SS-249), Flier (SS-250), Flounder (SS-251) & Gabilan (SS-252). Photographer: Bernard Hoffman, courtesy of life.time.com
Draw
0831413		 NR Helen Brogan Draws Depts For Sponsorships Of Subs
Miss Helen J. Brogan, outstanding woman employee of the Electric Boat Company in the purchase of war bonds, draws the names of departments which will ballot for sponsorship privileges for the submarines Flounder (SS-251) and Shark (SS-314). From among the names of 17 departments and groups of departments, Miss Brogan drew the Outsiide Electricians to ballot for the Flounder sponsorship, and the Pinters to choose the person to be or to name the sponsor for the Shark. Holding the shipyard hard hat is Mrs. Edwin B. Wheeler, wife of Shipbuilding Manager Wheeler, who was sponsor of the submarine Darter (SS-227). The drawing was a part of pre-electiion ceremonies. 		Image and text provided by Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT.
Photo from The Sub. (Groton, Conn.) 193?-1946, 17 June 1943, Image 9, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
251
0825119		 NR They're Honored At Privdege
On 22 August 1943, Mrs. Charles McClellan, wife of Charles (Barry) McClellan, assistant foreman under Jack Hilding in the North and South Yards, takes the spotlight as sponsor of the Flounder (SS-251). Mrs. McClellan was so chosen by her husband, winner in a recent election for employee sponsorship held in Department 331, Outside Electricians. 		Image and text provided by Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT.
Photo from The SUB. (Groton, Conn.) (Groton, Conn.) 193?-1946, 12 August 1943, Image 1, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
251
0825151		 NR The Flounder (SS-251) joining the sub fleet at Groton, Conn. Image and text provided by Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library.
Photo & text by Detroit Evening Times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 25 August 1943, 8 STAR, Image 30, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Flounder 74k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the launching of the Flounder (SS-251) on 22 August 1943 at Electric Boat. courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Flounder 72k Officers and crew of the Flounder (SS-251), circa 1944-45. Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
Flounder 382k Type IXC/40 boat U-537 leaving an unidentified French Atlantic port early in the war. Note the rather primitive FuMO 29 fixed-array radar antenna attached to the front of the tower and covered in canvas. She was torpedoed and sunk on 9 November 1944 by the submarine Flounder (SS-251) east of Surabaya. Photo & text courtesy of ww2aircraft.net. via Robert Hurst.
Flounder 4.26k Fifty five PDF page history of the Flounder (SS-251). USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Flounder 51k Kamaaina card of F.A. Knittle, QM 2/c, dated 3 May 1945, signed by J.E. Stevens, Cmd USN, Flounder (SS-251), circa 1944-45. Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
Flounder 43k The Submarine Combat Insignia card of Francis A. Knittle, QM 2c for completion of 2 successful patrols on the Flounder (SS-251), awarded 1 gold star, dated 27 December 1944, signed by C.C. Burlingame, Comdr., circa 1944-45. Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
Flounder 43k Imperium Neptuni Regis certificate, dated 27 January 1944 to F.A. Knittle, signed by J.E. Stevens Cmdr of the Flounder (SS-251), circa 1944-45. Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
Flounder 56k Flounder (SS-251) logo, circa 1944-45. Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
Flounder 56k View from the bridge of the Flounder (SS-251), and unidentified sub pass under the Golden Gate Bridge, circa 1944-45. Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
Flounder 43k Sacred Order of the Golden Dragon certificate, dated 30 April 1945 to F.A. Knittle, signed by J.E. Stevens Cmdr, Flounder (SS-251). Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
Flounder 65k WW II Battle-flag of the Flounder (SS-251).
Wallace (Wally) S. White, Gunner's mate, is holding the flag on the right side of the photograph. 		Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Gary White.
Flounder 109k The Flounder (SS-251) off Mare Island on 24 July 1945. USN photo courtesy of David Buell.
Flounder 505k Flounder (SS-251), underway off Mare Island, California, on 24 July 1945. USN photo # 19-N-87653 courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Flounder 105k Flounder (SS-251), underway off Mare Island, California, on 24 July 1945. USN photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Flounder 188k Bow on view of Flounder (SS-251), departing Mare Island on 24 July 1945. She was in overhaul at the yard from 14 May until 6 August 1945. USN photo # 5424-45, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Flounder 179k Stern view of Flounder (SS-251), departing Mare Island on 24 July 1945. She was in overhaul at the yard from 14 May until 6 August 1945. USN photo # 5428-45, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Flounder 233k Stern view of Gurnard (SS-254), departing Mare Island on 26 July 1945. The other submarine in the background (right of Gurnard) is either Sunfish (SS-281) or Flounder (SS-251). USN photo # 5462-45, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Flounder 62k Postwar photo of the Greenling (SS-213) & Flounder (SS-251). Photo courtesy of F.A. Knittle & Tami Murphree.
Fremantle 365k This plaque was unveiled 20 March 1995 by His Excellency Major General P.M. Jeffery OA MC, Governor of Western Australia to commemorate the sacrifices made by Allied submarines that operated out of Fremantle, Western Australia during WW II. Photo courtesy of Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
View the Flounder (SS-251)
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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