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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Becuna (SS-319) (AGSS-319)

Radio Call Sign: November - Zulu - Quebec - Juliet

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 29 April 1943, at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.; Launched, 30 January 1944; Commissioned USS Becuna (SS-319), 27 May 1944; Guppy II A conversion completed at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., November 1950 to August 1951; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-319) in 1969; Decommissioned, 7 November 1969; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; Reverted to (SS-319) in 1971; Struck from the Naval Register, 15 August 1973; Final Disposition, placed on permanent display to Cruiser Olympia Assn. (now the Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, PA., 21 June 1976. 21 July 1978, Dedicated as Submarine Memorial. Becuna received four battle stars for her World War II service. Partial data submitted by Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.)

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, 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.

Donated 6-21-76 to Cruiser Olympia Assn. (Seaport Museum was not established until 1978) 7-21.78 Dedicated as Submarine Memorial. The pix of the boat in drydock with the SS 417 was taken in 1970 not 1945. The Paint Shop X-71, and the Riggers X-72 are getting the boats ready for sandblasting in Drydock # 1. The sailors you see are from the INACSHIPS doing guard duty. You'll note the DH shelters abaft the conning towers painted yellow. The pix of the 324, 417 & 319 was taken at Pier "D" in the back channel of PNSY probably about the same time they are being prepared to be put on the marine railway which is on the left & out of the picture to be cl osed up.

Size	Image Description	Source
21k	Commemorative postal cover marking the keel laying of the Becuna (SS-319), 29 April 1943, at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.	Courtesy of petloveshack.com.
75k	Commemorative postal cover marking Becuna's (SS-319) launching, 30 January 1944.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
24k	Commemorative postal cover marking Becuna's (SS-319) commissioning, 27 May 1944.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
75k	Becuna (SS-319), after commissioning in May 1944.	USN Archives photo # USN-189867. Courtesy of The Floating Drydock, "Fleet Subs of WW II", by Thomas F. Walkowiak.
200k	Becuna (SS-319), starboard view entering Pearl Harbor, circa 1944. Note the battleship cage mast in the background. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, all the U.S. battleships were subsequently refitted and modernized, their cage masts going to harbor defense and the like.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
53k	Becuna (SS-319) entering Pearl Harbor, circa 1944-45.	Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
116k	Becuna (SS-319) portside view underway, circa 1944-45.	Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
69k	Becuna (SS-319) starboard view underway, circa 1944-45.	Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
59k	Becuna (SS-319) & Razorback (SS-394) at Pearl Harbor, circa 1944-45.	Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
103k	Stern view of Becuna (SS-319) departing Mare Island on 25 Aug 1947.	US Navy photo # 1603-47, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
101k	Broadside view of Becuna (SS-319) departing Mare Island on 25 Aug 1947. She was in overhaul at the yard from 6 May to 22 Sep 1947.	US Navy photo # 1605-47, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
239k	Bow on view of Becuna (SS-319) departing Mare Island on 25 Aug 1947.	US Navy photo # 1607-47, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
134k	Becuna (SS-319), starboard view underway, post 1951, location unknown.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
66k	Becuna (AGSS-319) starboard view underway, at New London, CT. Tender in the background in Fulton (AS-11) with the State Pier in the background, post 1951.	Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
47k	Pierside stern view of the Becuna (SS-319) at the Navy pier at Argentia, Newfoundland, circa 1953-54.	Courtesy of James R. Madson.
52k	View of the sail of the Becuna (SS-319) at the Navy pier at Argentia, Newfoundland, circa 1953-54.	Courtesy of James R. Madson.
669k	Becuna (SS-319) and Pompon (SS-267), possibly during September and October 1957, when they participated in the large scale NATO exercise "Strikeback," visiting Clyde River, Scotland; LeHavre, France; and Portland, England.	Courtesy of Gil Miller, photo i.d. courtesy of John Hummel, text courtesy of DANFS.
51k	A watercolor by the artist Richard C. Moore entitled "USS Becuna". The Becuna (SS-319) is pictured in her GUPPY configuration as she exercises with ships of the fleet.	Photo courtesy of ship-paintings.com. Courtesy of the artist Richard C. Moore.
113k	Bow on view of the Becuna (SS-319), circa early 1960's.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
211k	The Becuna (SS-319) off Sub Base New London CT., 1963.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
669k	Becuna (SS-319) in April 1963 on a "Northern Run" in the Cabot Straits.	Courtesy of Gil Miller.
49k	From left to right, Sea Robin (SS-407) , Tusk (SS-426) , Sea Owl (SS-405), Sablefish (SS-303), Halfbeak (SS-352) , Blenny (SS-324) , & Becuna (SS-319) at New London, CT., in 1968 during change of command.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
24k	Blenny (SS-324), in between the Tench (SS-417) (alongside pier)and Becuna (SS-319) at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. Boats are in for de-commissioning, 7 November 1969.	Photo courtesy of John Hummel.
144k	Becuna (SS-319), in drydock with the Tench (SS-417) in Phila., 1970. The Paint Shop X-71, and the Riggers X-72 are getting the boats ready for sandblasting in Drydock # 1. The sailors you see are from the INACSHIPS doing guard duty. You'll note the DH shelters abaft the conning towers painted yellow.	Courtesy of John Hummel. Text I.d. submitted by Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.) on 02/14/08.
65k	Becuna (SS-319), bow view, permanently moored at the Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, PA, 1989.	Courtesy of Michael Mohl.
108k	Becuna (SS-319), permanently moored at the Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, PA, January 1998. To her port side is the old cruiser Olympia (C-6).	Courtesy and copyright of Richard Leonhardt.
27k	Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of Sumbarine Day Station for the Becuna (SS-319) 11 April 2002.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.