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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

SSG-317 Barbero
Guided Missile Submarine

Radio Call Sign: November - Zulu - Lima - Uniform
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Keel Laying - WW II Service & Pre Missle Configuration

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 25 March 1943, at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.; Launched, 12 December 1943; Commissioned USS Barbero (SS-317), 29 April 1944; Status changed to in commission in reserve, 25 April 1946; Converted to a cargo submarine (SSA-317), at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.; Recommissioned, 26 July 1948; Decommissioned, 30 June 1950; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet; Converted to a guided missile submarine SSG-317, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard between 1 February and 25 October 1955; Recommissioned, (SSG-317), 25 October 1955; Decommissioned, 30 June 1964; Struck from the Naval Register, 1 July 1964; Final Disposition, sunk as a target by Greenfish (SS-351), 7 October 1964 off Pearl Harbor. Barbero received two battle stars for her World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,242 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, 400 ft; Complement 6 Officers, 60 Enlisted; Armament, could carry up to two Regulus I missiles, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 5"/25 deck gun, one 40mm gun, one 20mm gun, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four main generator engines., General Motors diesel engines, HP 5400, Fuel Capacity 118,000, four General Electric motors, HP 2,740, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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Barbero44k RADM F. I. Entwistle, Area Commander Mare Island, speaks at the recommissioning ceremonies aborad Barbero (SS-317) at Mare Island on 28 Oct 1955.
USN photo # 27016-10-55, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Barbero118kLieutenant Commander S. T. Bussey, USN, is shown accepting command of the Barbero (SS-317) during its recent commissioning ceremonies on 28 Oct 1955. Seated on the speakers stand are:
Left to Right: LCDR M. D. Becker, USN, Aide to Shipyard Commander, Rear Admiral M. J. Lawrence, USN, Shipyard Commander, Vice Admiral C. Lockwood, USN (Ret.), Rear Admiral F. I. Entwistle, Commander U. S. Naval Base Mare Island, Captain H. Carpenter, USN, Administrative Officer, CDR T. Ustick, Aide to Naval Base Commander, and Chaplain W. Wolf.
Source: NARA San Francisco, Mare Island Naval Shipyard Ship Files.
U.S. Navy photo # NY9-27014-10-55 courtesy of Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
Barbero131k Bow on view of Barbero (SSG-317) departing Mare Island on 18 January 1956.
USN photo # 27725-1-56, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Barbero69kPort quarter view of Barbero (SSG-317) at Mare Island on 18 January 1956. Source: NARA San Francisco, Mare Island Naval Shipyard Ship Files.
U.S. Navy photo # NY9-27726-1-56 courtesy of Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
Barbero89kStern view of Barbero (SSG-317) at Mare Island on 18 January 1956.
Interesting how much lower she rode in the water as an SSG, compare the prop guards. 		Source: NARA San Francisco, Mare Island Naval Shipyard Ship Files.
U.S. Navy photo # NY9-27729-1-56 & text courtesy of Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
Barbero111kBarbero (SSG-317) with crew lined up on deck to salute as cruiser passes at Norfolk VA, June 1957.
Photographer: Hank Walker, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life.
Barbero730kCrewmembers at the stern of Barbero (SSG-317) before firing on April 1958. Photo scanned by Ryan Crierie, via flickr, courtesy of Stephen Gower.
Photo added 11/01/11.
Barbero90kBarbero (SSG-317) showing a Regulus 1 missile being prepared for launching. This particular shot, on 7 June 1959, consisted of the missile being loaded with U.S. mail and flown ashore to be landed by radio control, as a demonstration of the potential of missiles for non-military uses.
US Navy photo courtesy of The American Submarine, by Norman Polmar & submitted by Robert Hurst.
Barbero71k"Neither rain nor shine or threat of snow will keep the mailman from his appointed rounds."
On 8 June 1959, the Barbero (SSG-317) fired a Regulus missile mail container in a unique experiment to see that the mail would get through. No postage due stamps were reported on this delivery.
Courtesy of Nancy Pope, Historian,
National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Mail by Missile Slideshow, Presentation by Curator Nancy A. Pope, 11 June 2009 courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero26kSouvenir commemorating of the first official Missle Mail, launched by the Barbero (SSG-317) on 8 June 1959.
Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Barbero37kPoint of Landing of the first official Missle Mail, launched by the Barbero (SSG-317) on 8 June 1959.Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Barbero260k Barbero (SSG-317), Wahoo (SS-565) and Aspro (SS-309) tied along dock in Hong Kong, November 1959.
The destroyer Halsey Powell (DD-686) is behind the Aspro. 		Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi and improved by Jim Kelling.
Barbero280kComposite photo of two parts of the Barbero (SSG-317) at Pearl Harbor, 1959-60.Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero45k Barbero (SSG-317) with a Regulus missle exiting from launcher.
USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Barbero724k Barbero (SSG-317) weathering a typhoon as seen through her periscope in western Pacific; December 1959. Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero482k Barbero (SSG-317) in dry dock following damage caused by a typhoon western Pacific; December 1959. Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero404k1959 Xmas tree aboard the Barbero (SSG-317). Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero172kBarbero (SSG-317) in drydock, either Pearl or Yokosuka. Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero200k Barbero (SSG-317) midships, circa 1960. Compare her periscope shears with this photo of her snorkel mast, San Diego, CA, 1949. Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi and improved by Jim Kelling.
Barbero174k Barbero (SSG-317) Plaque. Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Regulus Deterrent Patrols1.3mRegulus Deterrent Patrols by the following submarines from Sept. 1959 to July 1964:
Tunny (SSG-282),
Barbero (SSG-317),
Grayback (SS-574),
Growler (SSG-577),&
Halibut (SSGN-587). 		Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero28kBarbero (SSG-317), with a Regulus missle exiting from launcher, 12 January 1960.
Courtesy of Nick Spark.
Barbero45kBarbero (SSG-317) surfacing in Hawaiian waters on 4 August 1960 for the 100th launch of a Regulus I guided missle.
USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Barbero1.87kBarbero (SSG-317) before firing on August 1960. Photo scanned by Ryan Crierie, via flickr, courtesy of Stephen Gower.
Photo added 11/01/11.
Barbero124kFirst of five photos showing the loading sequence of a Regulus missle aboard the Barbero (SSG-317), circa 1960. Note the folded missle wings. Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero386kSecond of five photos showing the loading sequence of a Regulus missle aboard the Barbero (SSG-317), circa 1960. Note the missle is painted red.
First of all, red missile means training missile with no warhead. No warhead means, no problem regarding classified material. But even beyond that, if you watch the "Regulus" documentary (click here) you will see that we showed the weapons system in depth. It's a completely declass program at this point, with the exception of any data surrounding the nuclear warhead.
In the background lies the Gurnard (SS-254), which served as a Naval Reserve Training Vessel sometime between November 1949 thru June 1960. 		Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi. Text courtesy of Nick Spark via Ron Reeves.
Barbero463kThird of five photos showing the loading sequence of a Regulus missle aboard the Barbero (SSG-317), circa 1960. The crane has the missle positioned just in front of the container where it can be inspected before further loading. Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero434kFourth of five photos showing the loading sequence of a Regulus missle aboard the Barbero (SSG-317), circa 1960.
What's under the hood?		 Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero509kLast of five photos showing the loading sequence of a Regulus missle aboard the Barbero (SSG-317), circa 1960.
The bow of the Newell (DE-322) is visible in the right foreground.		 Photograph courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Barbero121kBarbero (SSG-317) in 1/192 scale, solid cast resin.Photograph courtesy of Mel Douyette & coldwarsubmarines.com
View the Barbero (SS/SSA/SSG-317)
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

Regulus; U.S. Navy's first nuclear missile submarines.
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
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