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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski.

Bowfin (SS-287)
1943-45

Radio Call Sign: November - Whiskey - Sierra - Lima

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1946-Present

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 23 July 1942, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 7 December 1942; Commissioned USS Bowfin (SS-287), 1 May 1943; Decommissioned, 12 February 1947, at the Naval Submarine Base, New London, CT.; Laid up in the Reserve Fleet at New London; Recommissioned, 27 July 1951, at New London, CT.; Decommissioned, 22 April 1954, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet; Redesignated Auxiliary Research Submarine (AGSS-287) in 1962; Redesignated Miscellaneous Submarine (IXSS-287) in 1971; Struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1971; Final Disposition, on permanent display as a memorial at the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Bowfin received the Presidential Unit Citation for her second war patrol, the Navy Unit Commendation for her sixth war patrol, and eight battle stars during World War II.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,414 t.; Length 311' 9"; Beam 27' 3"; Draft 15' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10kts; Submerged Endurance, 48 hours at 2kts; Operating Depth Limit, 400 ft; Complement 6 Officers 60 Enlisted; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 4"/50 deck gun, one 40mm gun, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator diesel engines, 5,400hp, Fuel Capacity 94,400 gal., four General Electric main motors with 2,740 hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source
68k	Bowfin (SS-287) slides down the launching ramp at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 7 December 1942.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
55k	Bowfin (SS-287) Launch Pin.	Courtesy of Ron Toth Jr. of timepassagenostalgia.com via Tom Kermen. Photo added 05/01/09.
17k	Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of the Bowfin's (SS-287) commissioning at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 1 May 1943.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
119k	At the commissioning ceremony of the Bowfin (SS-287) on 1 May 1943, Commander Joseph H. Willingham, Jr. reads his orders and sets the first watch.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
56k	Bowfin (SS-287) leaving Portsmouth, NH., on 13 May 1943 for her first diving operation & trials.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
277k	A safety engineering photo of the congestion on the wing walls of *ARD-11* at Mare Island on 25 Oct 1944. The bow of the Bowfin (SS-287) is seen to the right.	US Navy photo # 6462-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
395k	Bowfin (SS-287) off Mare Island on 24 November 1944.	US Navy Photo # 7186-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
224k	Bow on view of Bowfin (SS-287) off Mare Island on 24 November 1944.	US Navy photo # 7182-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
263k	Broadside view of Bowfin (SS-287)off Mare Island on 24 November 1944. She was in overhaul at Mare Island from 21 Sep until 17 Dec 1944.	US Navy photo # 7185-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
194k	Stern view of Bowfin (SS-287) off Mare Island on 24 November 1944.	US Navy photo # 7187-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
57k	Bowfin (SS-287) at Mare Island following upgrading, 28 Nov., 1944. Circles represent additions.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
62k	Bow view of the Bowfin (SS-287) at Mare Island following upgrading, 28 Nov., 1944. Circles represent additions.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
112k	Bowfin (SS-287) returns from a patrol, possibly to Fremantle, Austraila.	USN photo courtesy of subvetsofwwii.org.
57k	Action on Bowfin's (SS-287) deck, note Battle Flag and Presidential Unit Citation Pennant.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
68k	Bowfin (SS-287) bringing back Japanese prisoners which were picked up and taken ashore by a Marine guard.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
98k	Bowfin's (SS-287) crew receiving the Presidential Unit Citation from Admiral Christie upon return from the second War Patrol. *Bowfin* is moored alongside Orion (AS-18) in Freemantle, Austraila.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
41k	The Presidential Unit Citation pennant is presented to Bowfin's (SS-287) captain, Commander John Corbus, by Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz in July 1944. Although earned during the second War Patrol, the pennant was not presented to the boat until her return to Pearl Harbor after her fifth War Patrol.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
447k	Albert Patrick Kenney, who was a Baker, Second Class, aboard Bowfin (SS-287) on Patrols 4 through 9. Photo was taken during the 9th Patrol by Marshall Woolley La Cour, PHOM2.	Photo submitted by Charles R. Hinman, Director of Education & Outreach, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, & On Eternal Patrol
209k	RADM Charles Andrews Lockwood, COMSUBPAC, greeting CDR Alexander Kelly Tyree, when Bowfin (SS-287) returned to Pearl Harbor from the Sea of Japan after her 9th war patrol, 4 July 1945.	Photo submitted by Charles R. Hinman, Director of Education & Outreach, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, & On Eternal Patrol
58k	Flying Fish (SS-229), Spadefish (SS-411), Tinosa (SS-283), Bowfin (SS-287), and Skate (SS-305) as they appeared from a photo taken at the top of training tower at Sail 9 in 1945.	US Navy photo courtesy of Grant Riddle and his website submarinebaseph.com from centerfold of Bowfin museum brochure.
74k	Flying Fish (SS-229), Spadefish (SS-411), Tinosa (SS-283), Bowfin (SS-287), and Skate (SS-305) as they appeared from a photo taken at the top of training tower at Sail 9 in 1945 after her 9th War Patrol.	Courtesy of Leeward Publications Ships Data #4, USS Bowfin, submitted by Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
297k	WW II battleflag of the Bowfin (SS-287).	Courtesy of Aryeh (Lee) Wetherhorn.
101k	Busy pier scene at Fremantle Austraila, circa late 1944 and before June 1945. From left to right, stern view to the camera are the Bonefish (SS-223), Rasher (SS-269), Bowfin (SS-287), Bluefish (SS-222), Narwhal (SS-167) and the sub tender Pelias (AS-14). Second row, bow view are the Cod (SS-224), Tinosa (SS-283) and Crevalle (SS-291).	US Navy photo courtesy of Ric Hedmen.
101k	The Bowfin (SS-287), drawn by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource.	Photo courtesy of Navy Yard Associates.