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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Sawfish (SS-276)

Radio Call Sign: November - Whiskey - Foxtrot - Mike
Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 20 January 1942, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 23 June 1942; Commissioned USS Sawfish (SS-276), 26 August 1942; Decommissioned, 26 June 1946, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Mare Island Group; Placed in service as a Naval Reserve Training Vessel in May 1947, at San Pedro, CA.; Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 1 April 1960; Final Disposition, scrapped. Sawfish earned eight stars for service during World War II.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,410 t.; Length 311' 8"; Beam 27' 4"; 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 Fairbanks Morse main generator diesel engines, HP 5400, Fuel Capacity, 94,400 gals., four General Electric main motors, HP 2740, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin propellers.
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For Full Size Image		Size Image Description Source
Sawfish15kCommemorative post mark on the occasion of the Sawfish's (SS-276) keel laying, 20 January 1942, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Sawfish143kSawfish (SS-276), starboard side view, probably off Hunter's Point area near San Francisco CA., following an overhaul in late 1943-early 1944. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
Sawfish51kWWII battleflag of the Sawfish (SS-276).USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
Mare Island Reserve Fleet137kReserve 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.
Mare Island Reserve Fleet453kPhoto 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.
Mare Island dry dock #1325k Four submarines in Mare Island's dry dock #1 on 14 Feb 1947. Front row: Sawfish (SS-276) and Pargo (SS-264); back row Puffer (SS-268) and Steelhead (SS-280). U.S. Navy photo # 374-47, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Sawfish53kHollywood starts of the 1950's Brian Donlevy, Gene Raymond and Frank Jenks, are in the messhall of the Sawfish (SS-276). They were doing a movie on the Navy Base at Terminal Island, Long Beach, California. This picture taken in 1950 shows the entire messhall.
In a related note: The following article appeared in the The Sub Committee Silent Service VHS Tapes
"From out of the depths of 1950s NBC television came a television series called "The Silent Service". Each 30 minute episode covered the adventures of a WWII US submarine patrol based partly on actual patrol events. According to the USS Bowfin Museum, the actual sub used was the Sawfish which is seen in detail throughout each episode."		Photo courtesy of Allen A. Tallman.
The Pharmacist’s Mate149kThe T.V. show titled “Pulitzer Prize Playhouse” back in 1950. The episode was aired 22 December 1950. Brian Donlevy appears here at the periscope.
There are 77 photos in this Photo Essay; mercifully, only a few will be shown here.		Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life.
The Pharmacist’s Mate325kBrian Donlevy outside, the camera man inside the hatch of the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life. Photo added 08/10/09.
The Pharmacist’s Mate133kFrank Jenks on K.P. duty in the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life. Photo added 08/10/09.
The Pharmacist’s Mate121k Gene Raymond & Brian Donlevy topside on the deck of the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life. Photo added 08/10/09.
The Pharmacist’s Mate136kThe Pharmacist’s Mate consults some help during an operation of a patient on the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life. Photo added 08/10/09.
The Pharmacist’s Mate111kDown the hatch of the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life. Photo added 08/10/09.
The Pharmacist’s Mate105kThe camera man in action.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life. Photo added 08/10/09.
The Pharmacist’s Mate105kCatching some quiet action in the bunk aboard the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life. Photo added 08/10/09.
View the Sawfish (SS-276)
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
Victory at Sea: Full Fathom Five 2 of 3
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