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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski

Tilefish (SS-307)
Commissioning - Transfer to Venezuela

Radio Call Sign: November - Yankee - Lima - Papa
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Keel Laying - Launching

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 10 March 1943, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.; Launched, 25 October 1943; Commissioned USS Tilefish (SS-307), 28 December 1943; Decommissioned, 12 October 1959; Recommissioned, 30 January 1960; Decommissioned, May 1960; Sold to Venezuelan Navy 4 May 1960 and struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1960; Renamed, ARV Carite (S-11), Decommissioned, by Venezuelan Navy, 28 January 1977; Final Disposition, cannibalized for spare parts. Tilefish received five battle stars for World War II service and one battle star for Korean service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,424 t.; Length 311' 10"; Beam 27' 4"; Draft 15' 2"; 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 5"/25 deck gun, one 40mm gun, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four Fairbanks-Morse main generator diesel engines, 5,400hp, Fuel Capacity 94,000 gal., four Elliot Motor Co., main motors with 2,740 hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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For Full Size Image		Size Image Description Source
Tilefish 194k Stern view of the Tilefish (SS-307) being outfitted at Mare Island Navy Yard on 6 Jan 1944. The Howard W. Gilmore (AS-16) is forward of Tilefish. Gilmore was also being outfitted at the yard.
US Navy photo # 156-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Tilefish 175k Bow view of the Tilefish (SS-307) being outfitted at Mare Island Navy Yard on 6 Jan 1944. The Crowley (DE-303) and Rall (DE-304) are aft of Tilefish. Both destroyer escorts are also being outfitted at the yard.
US Navy photo # 157-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Tilefish 114k Photo of the lookout platform of the Tilefish (SS-307) at Mare Island on 22 Feb 1944.
US Navy photo # 1378-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Tilefish 98k Broadside view of the Tilefish (SS-307) off Mare Island on 2 March 1944.
US Navy photo # 1434-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Tilefish 152k Bow on view of the Tilefish (SS-307) departing Mare Island on 2 March 1944.
US Navy photo # 1436-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Tilefish 160k Stern view of the Tilefish (SS-307) off Mare Island on 2 March 1944.
US Navy photo # 1432-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Tilefish 65k Bow view of the Tilefish (SS-307), at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., Feb-March 1944.
U.S. Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
Tilefish 50k Stern view of the Tilefish (SS-307), at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., Feb-March 1944.
U.S. Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
Tilefish 39k Tilefish (SS-307), in black, on sea trials after being completed at Mare Island in April 1944.
 USN Archive photo # 19-N-63082. Photo and text courtesy of The Floating Drydock, Fleet Subs of WW II by Thomas F. Walkowiak.
Tilefish 304k Tilefish (SS-307), circa 44-45, place unknown.
 US Navy photo.
Tilefish 94k Tilefish (SS-307), underway, portside view with a boiling wake, circa 1944-45, some where in the Pacific.
Courtesy of submarinesailor.com.
Lizardfish and friends 40k The submarine tender Sperry (AS-12), with a gaggle of submarines nestled nearby:
Tilefish (SS-307),
Brill (SS-330),
Trepang (SS-412),
Jallao (SS-368),
Spot (SS-413) and
Lizardfish (SS-373), late 1945 - early 46.		 Courtesy of John Hummel.
Tilefish 317k Hula dancers welcome Tilefish (SS-307), as she docks at the Pearl Harbor Submarine Base after a Korean War tour. Crewmen placing the flower lei around Tilefish's bow are Engineman 3rd Class Donald E. Dunlevy, USN, (left - still wearing E-3 stripes) and Torpedoman's Mate 1st Class Gordon F. Sudduth, USNR. This photograph was released by Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, on 26 March 1951. Cabezon (SS-334) is in the background.
 US Navy photo # NH 97068, from the "All Hands" collection at the US Naval Histoical Center.
Tilefish 167k Sailors on board the Tilefish (SS-307) throw a line to the pier at the sub base at Groton, CT., circa 1951.
Submitted by Stan Svec from the December 1951 issue of All Hands Magazine.
Nereus 63k Nereus (AS-17) with nine submarines;
Tunny (SSG-282),
Cusk (SS-348),
Carbonero(SS-337),
Tilefish (SS-307),
Spinax (SSR-489),
Rock (SSR-274),
Remora (SS-487),
Catfish (SS-339),
Volador (SS-490).
The Submarine Rescue Vessel Florikan (ASR-9) is moored alongside at San Diego for Subron Five's Change of Command, date unknown.		 US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1955, courtesy of Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
Tilefish 215k Tilefish (SS-307), the Tillymaru, underway, portside view in blue, sometime in the later 1950's. Courtesy of Roger N Stephenson.
ARV Carite (S-11)
Mapiro296k Mapiro (SS-376) and Mero (SS-378) transfer to Turkey San Francisco CA. 18 March 1960.
In the background the ex-Tilefish (SS-307) soon to be the ARV Carite (S-11) is being overhauled near a destroyer. She joined the Venezuelan Navy 4 May 1960. 		Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy.
Tilefish 83k Tilefish (SS-307), stern view, Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 7 July, 1960 subsequent to her transfer to the Venezuelan Navy and being renamed ARV Carite (S-11).
 Courtesy of submarinesailor.com
Tilefish 125k Tilefish (SS-307), broadside starboard view, Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 7 July, 1960 subsequent to her transfer to the Venezuelan Navy and being renamed ARV Carite (S-11).
 Courtesy of submarinesailor.com
Tilefish 66k Tilefish (SS-307), after quarter port view, Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., 7 July, 1960 subsequent to her transfer to the Venezuelan Navy and being renamed ARV Carite (S-11).
 Courtesy of submarinesailor.com
Tilefish 23k Stern view of the ARV Carite (S-11), on the Delaware river off the Philadelphia Navy yard, early 60's. Courtesy of John Hummel.
Tilefish 115k Starboard bow view of the ARV Carite (S-11), circa 1962. USN photo courtesy of the 1964-65 Edition of Jane's Fighting Ships courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Photo added 03/25/11/.
Tilefish 86k Stern view of the ARV Carite (S-11), circa 1965.
USN photo courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Tilefish 83k ex-Tilefish (SS-307), taken 12 Oct. 1966 after transfer to Venezuela as ARV Carite (S-11).
 US Navy photo courtesy of John Hummel.
View the Tilefish (SS-307)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway
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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