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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski

Burrfish (SS-312) (SSR-312)

Radio Call Sign: November - Yankee - Victor - Delta

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 24 February 1943, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 18 June 1943; Commissioned USS Burrfish (SS-312), 14 September 1943; Decommissioned, 10 October 1946, at Sub Base New London, CT.; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, New London Group; Recommissioned, 2 November 1948 and assigned to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for conversion to Radar Picket Submarine; Redesignated (SSR-312), 27 January 1949; Decommissioned, 17 December 1956, at Sub Base New London; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, New London Group; Recommissioned, 17 January 1961 as (SS-312); Decommissioned, 11 May 1961, and loaned to Canada, renamed HMCS Grilse (SS-71); Returned to US Navy custody and struck from the Naval Register, 19 July 1969; Final Disposition, sunk as a target off San Clemente Island, CA., 19 November 1969. Burrfish earned five battle stars for her World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,424 t.; Length 311' 10"; 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 5"/25 deck gun, one 40mm gun, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesels-electric reduction gear with four Fairbanks-Morse main generator engines., 5,400 hp, Fuel Capacity, 94,400 gal., four Elliot Motor Co., main motors with 2,740 hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source
122k	Officers and crewmen salute the colors as the Burrfish (SS-312) slides into the Atlantic at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 18 June 1943.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
60k	Burrfish (SS-312) starboard view entering Pearl Harbor, circa 1943-45.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
55k	The destroyer tender Yellowstone (AD-27) at Augusta Bay, Sicily, 1950. Ships alongside to starboard; Sea Robin (SS-407), Torsk (SS-423), Sea Leopard (SS-483), Burrfish (SS-312). To port; John R Pierce (DD-753), Barton (DD-722), Shea (DM-30) , and in the background Bauer (DM-26).	Paul Roggeman Sea Robin (SS-407) Web Site.
166k	Burrfish (SS-312), ship's officers, 1950. The contributor's father, Commander E.J. Levin, sailed on the first 4 patrols of the Harder (SS 257) and is second from the left in the back row.	Courtesy of John Levin.
61k	Burrfish (SS-312) 1950's Thansgiving Day menu.	Courtesy of John Levin.
266k	The Burrfish (SS-312) most likely on her way down the Thames River near New London, CT, circa 1950.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
38k	Between February 1950 and June 1956 Burrfish (SSR-312) completed three tours with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean; participated in several major type and inter-type exercises; and operated along the eastern seaboard as a radar picket ship. She appears here circa 1953.	Photo courtesy of Robert Hurst. Text courtesy of DANFS.
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).
156k	Burrfish (SSR-312) appears here circa shortly before being decommissioned & laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in late 1956.	US Navy photo courtesy of David Buell. Photo added 10/29/07.
51k	[ex-Burrfish (SS-312)] approaches the dock at Grand Isle, LA., after she was given to Canada as HMCS Grilse (SS-71) in 1961.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
36k	[ex-Burrfish (SS-312)] off Grand Isle, LA., after she was given to Canada as HMCS Grilse (SS-71).	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
58k	[ex-Burrfish (SS-312)] now as the HMCS Grilse (SS-71) makes her way through Canadian waters in 1968.	Photo courtesy of Robert Hurst.
108k	HMCS Grilse (SS-71) [ex-Burrfish (SS-312)], arrives at Mare Island on 26 September 1969 for decommissioning and return to the US Navy. In the background are two barges, one of which appears to be *YFR-369*.	US Navy Photo # 94526-9-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
154k	A prayer is being given during the decommissioning ceremonies aboard HMCS Grilse (SS-71) [ex-Burrfish (SS-312)] at Mare Island on 2 October 1969.	US Navy Photo # 94690-10-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
115k	The colors and commissioning pennant are lowered during the decommissioning ceremonies aboard HMCS Grilse (SS-71) [ex-Burrfish (SS-312)] at Mare Island on 2 October 1969.	US Navy Photo # 94691-10-69, courtesy of Darryl Baker.