Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch on left contributed by John Hummel. Other patches contributed by Mike Smolinski.

Redfin (SS-272) (SSR-272) (AGSS-272)

Radio Call Sign: November - Whiskey - Golf - Charlie

Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 3 September 1942, at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI.; Launched, 4 April 1943; Commissioned USS Redfin (SS-272), 13 August 1943; Decommissioned, 1 November 1946, at New London, CT.; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, New London Group; Towed to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA. for conversion to a Radar Picket Submarine; Recommissioned, USS Redfin (SSR-272), 9 January 1953; Reclassified Auxiliary Research Submarine, (AGSS-272), 28 June 1963; Decommissioned, 15 May 1967, and placed in service as a Naval Reserve Training Vessel at Baltimore, MD.; Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1970; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 3 March 1971, to North American Smelting Co., Wilmington, DE. Redfin received 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, 116,000 gal., four General Electric main motors, 2,740HP, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source
262k	Montage of commemorative post marks on the occasion of the Redfin's (SS-272) keel laying, launching & commissioning at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
40k	Redfin (SS-272) starboard side view just prior to being side launched on the building ways at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI., 4 April 1943.	*Editors Note: There are over 200 images submitted on these pages covering the following submarines that were constructed at the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI,: SS-265 through SS-274, and SS-361 through SS-380. None of them would have seen the light of day if it were not for the efforts of Curator, Asst. Director, Bill Thiesen of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Larry Bohn,* who sent them to NavSource for publication. A special debt of gratitude is owed to these two men and the *Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia* (SS-245) for allowing these photographs to be seen by the lovers of naval history worldwide.
38k	Redfin (SS-272) bow view prior to being side launched on the building ways at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI., 4 April 1943.	Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245) .
47k	Redfin (SS-272) starting to enter the water at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI., 4 April 1943.	Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245) .
51k	The launching timbers are begining to feel Redfin's (SS-272) weight as she starts entering the water of the Manitowoc River at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI., 4 April 1943.	Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245) .
55k	Watercolor print by the artist Tom Denton of the side launching of a Manitowoc built boat.	Courtesy of submarineart.com
28k	Redfin (SS-272) underway during her sea trials on Lake Michigan shortly after launching at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI., 4 April 1943.	Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245) .
79k	Starboard side view of the Redfin (SS-272), probably during shakedown trials, April 1943 on Lake Michigan.	USN Photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
70k	Port side view of the Redfin (SS-272), probably during shakedown trials, April 1943 on Lake Michigan.	USN Photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
55k	Redfin (SS-272) plankowners pose at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI., circa April 1943.	Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245) .
209k	Redfin (SS-272) underway, circa 1943-44.	Contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
242k	Amidsips looking aft plan view of Redfin (SS-272) at Mare Island on 10 April 1945. She was in overhaul at the yard from 16 Jan to 12 April 1945.	U.S. Navy Photo # 2560-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 05/21/06.
224k	Bow on view of Redfin (SS-272) off Mare Island on 10 April 1945	U.S. Navy Photo # 2683-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 05/21/06.
39k	A painted Redfin (SS-272) at Pearl Harbor with some unknown company; the colorful art would have to come off before they went out to sea again, circa 1945.	Photo courtesy of George Alan Stephens, Electricians Mate, submitted by Michael Stephens.
42k	A painted Redfin (SS-272) at Pearl Harbor with some unknown company; circa 1945. Ship's patch and score card seem to indicate that it is towards the end of the war.	Photo courtesy of George Alan Stephens, Electricians Mate, submitted by Michael Stephens.
63k	Redfin's (SS-272) logo and scorecard painted on her bridge at Pearl Harbor, circa 1945.	Photo courtesy of George Alan Stephens, Electricians Mate, submitted by Michael Stephens.
34k	Redfin's (SS-272) logo, circa 1945.	Photo courtesy of George Alan Stephens, Electricians Mate, submitted by Michael Stephens.
121k	Redfin's (SS-272) battle flag & logo, circa 1945.	Photo courtesy of George Alan Stephens, Electricians Mate, submitted by Michael Stephens.
30k	Redfin (SS-272), off Mare Island during a refit where she received special mine detection gear, circa January 1945.	Text from DANFS,US Navy photo courtesy of Hyperwar US Navy in WW II.
121k	Redfin (SS-272) off Mare Island Naval Base, April 12, 1945 with cut down bridge. The forward 20mm gun has been replaced with a 40mm.	US Navy photo contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
92k	WWII battleflag of the Redfin (SS-272).	USN Photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
92k	"Naval engineers and shipyard workers at the PNS met the problem of installing a large amount of new electronic equipment in a submarine with typical Yankee ingenuity. Instead of jamming the gear into the subs Ray (SS-271) & Redfin (SS-272), already snugly packed, like all subs-they cut the subs in two and inserted a prefabricated section. The round the sub cut was made with acetylene burners. It was done just a little forward of amidships. The inserted section was 30 feet long, making the sub's length 342 feet. Four other Fleet-type subs are scheduled for the same operation. The six boats will be "an entirely new type of underseas weapon"-all that can be disclosed at the present". Cut in two, *Redfin* has her bow section pulled forward on greased rails to allow for the installation of a new 30-foot section.	Submitted by Stan Svec from the October 1951 issue of All Hands Magazine.
94k	Redfin (SSR-272) in Drydock at the Phila. Naval Yard, 1951, cut in two waiting for the Navigational Information Center to be placed between control and forward battery.	Contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
25k	Redfin's (SS-272) control Room.	Photographed and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
28k	Conning tower, (helm) of the Redfin (SS-272).	Photographed and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
33k	Redfin's (SS-272) forward torpedo room. (Note small Japanese flags on ventelation line, flags were painted by Jim Gradless TM1(SS).	Photographed and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
38k	Forward torpedo room of the Redfin (SS-272).	Photographed and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
29k	Redfin's (SS-272) radio room.	Photographed and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
25k	After battery (mess hall) of the Redfin (SS-272).	Photographed and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
139k	Redfin (SS-272) with the Grampus (SS-523) and other subs alongside *Orion* (AS-18) was taken between 1953-55. The "Nodding idiot" on *Redfin* was converted to the electronic version in 1956. The other 3 boats are from outboard in Migraine II Requin (SS-481) and Migraine I Burrfish (SS-312) and Tigrone (SS-419). The order of the last 2 might be reversed.	Text contributed by Larry Derouin. Photographed and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
113k	Redfin (SSR-272) with large radar in SSR guise.	Photographed and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
151k	Redfin (SSR-272) underway, circa 1953-57.	Contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
76k	Port side view of the Redfin (SSR-272) underway, circa 1953-57.	Contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
119k	At Marseille, France for 1958, Christmas. The Tirante (SS-420) and the Redfin (SS-272) are pictured from outboard to inboard.	Submitted by Laurent LaMarche.
53k	Redfin (SS-272) underway, Jan 14, 1959 at Genoa Italy.	Contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
57k	Redfin (SS-272) underway circa late 1950's, early 1960's.	Contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
57k	Navy ships circle in the vicinity of the site of Thresher's (SSN-593) sinking, 15 April 1963, five days after her loss. Ships are (left to right): Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618); Sunbird (ASR-15); Warrington (DD-843), group flagship; and Redfin (SS-272). Photographed by PHCS Parker.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 97555, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
35k	Redfin (SS-272) underway, circa 1963, place unknown.	US Navy photo courtesy of Hyperwar US Navy in WW II web site.
83k	Redfin (SS-272) underway VA., capes op area 1963.	Contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
139k	Redfin (SS-272) in 1963.	Photograped by the Enterprise (CVN-65) and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
268k	MK-14 Torpedo fired by the James Madison (SSBN-627), being recovered by the crew of the Redfin (SS-272), August 1964.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
144k	August 1964 photo of the Redfin (SS-272) with the TBT close up, and Ralph Nelson Whistler on left (*Redfin's* CO 1964/65).	Contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
49k	Redfin (AGSS-272) in Drydock at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA 1965.	Photographed and contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
44k	Redfin (SS-272) inboard of Runner (SS-476), Requin (SS-481) and Argonaut (SS-475) with other subs of SubRon 6, circa mid-late 1960's, at Norfolk pier #22 D&S.	Contributed by John Hummel, USN (Retired).
127k	Shark (SSN-591), in port at San Juan, PR., 1965. Triton (SSN-586) on left, you just see her topside. Redfin, (SS-272) and Requin (SS-481) are outboard of her.	Photographed and contributed courtesy of John Hummel.