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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Blackfin (SS-322)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Alpha - Yankee

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (3) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal - Vietnam Service Medal

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 27 May 1943, at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.; Launched, 12 March 1944; Commissioned USS Blackfin (SS-322), 4 July 1944; Decommissioned, 19 November 1948, for Guppy conversion at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.; Recommissioned, 15 May 1951; Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 15 September 1972; Final Disposition, sunk as a target off Monterey, CA in "Project 'Thurber" on 13 May 1973. Blackfin was used in two movies; "Move Over Darling" w/Doris Day & James Garner, & "Ice Station Zebra" w/Rock Hudson & Ernest Borgnine. Blackfin received three 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.

Size	Image Description	Source
21k	Commemorative postal cover marking the keel laying of the Blackfin (SS-322), 27 May 1943, at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.	USN photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
30k	Commemorative postal cover marking the Blackfin's (SS-322) launching on 12 March 1944, at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.	USN photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
11k	Commemorative medallion on the occasion of the commissioning of the Blackfin (SS-322), 4 July 1944, at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.	Photo courtesy of David W. Flight.
159k	Officers and crew salute the national ensign on the bridge of the Blackfin (SS-322) at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT. during her commissioning ceremony on 4 July 1944.	US Navy photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
34k	Blackfin (SS-322), underway, 4 August 1944.	US Navy photo. Images from "U.S. Warships of World War Two", contributed by Mike Green.
55k	Starboard view of the Blackfin (SS-322), 1944.	US Navy photo courtesy of maritime.org.
66k	Blackfin's (SS-322) battle-flag.	US Navy photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
232k	Bow on view of Blackfin (SS-322) departing Mare Island on 28 June 1946.	US Navy photo # 2216-46, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
242k	Broadside view of Blackfin (SS-322) off Mare Island on 28 June 1946. She was in overhaul at the yard from 17 March to 28 June 1946.	US Navy photo # 2218-46, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
228k	Stern view of Blackfin (SS-322) departing Mare Island on 28 June 1946.	US Navy photo # 2220-46, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
58k	Broadside view of the Blackfin (SS-322), underway, off Mare Island, CA., 28 June 1946.	USN Archives photo # 19-N-95957, courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
95k	Decommissioning ceremonies aboard Blackfin (SS-322) at Mare Island on 19 Nov 1948. Included here is a PDF of ship's history 1942-48 and a PDF of 1951 Commissioning Plan.	US Navy photo # 2371-11-48, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker. PDF added 07/30/10.
50k	Starboard view of the Blackfin (SS-322), underway after Guppy conversion, circa post mid 1952.	US Navy photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
115k	Blackfin (SS-322), entering Pearl Harbor and about to tie up, circa post mid 1952.	US Navy photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
54k	The Caiman (SS-323) was moored outboard of a fleet-type boat (unidentified) and inboard of the Blackfin (SS-322) in Yokosuka, Japan, 1952. The floating crane had come alongside to load torpedoes into the *Blackfin*.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com.
63k	The Caiman (SS-323) & Blackfin (SS-322) moored outboard of the ASR in Yokosuka, Japan, 1952.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com.
328k	Tang (SS-563), Wahoo (SS-565),Gudgeon (SS-567) & Blackfin (SS-322) at the sub base, Pearl Harbor. Circa 1958. Looks like a Change of Command for SubRon 7 is taking place.	Photo courtesy of Dan Craw ETC/SS Ret. Tang SS563, 1968-71. Text i.d. courtesy of Ken Wiltshire.
74k	Blackfin (SS-322) (on right) & Tang (SS-563) moored side by side, possibly at Pearl Harbor, date unknown.	US Navy photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
106k	Blackfin (SS-322), underway off the Oahu coast just outside of Pearl Harbor. The occasion was the shake down after a major overhaul where the sail was replaced with a "step" sail. With that kind of sail the lookouts and OOD stood their surface watches in the lower part of the sail. There was a Plexiglas bubble that could be raised to offer some protection (but not much) from high waves. Circa late 1965 or early 1966.	Text courtesy of Jerry Nicholas EN2(SS)(Ret). US Navy photo courtesy George M. Arnold.
150k	1969 - 25th Anniversary patch of the Blackfin (SS-322). Included here is a PDF of 1969 Officer's roster. .	US Navy photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker. Photo & PDF added 07/30/10.
106k	Blackfin's (SS-322) battle-flag 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.
414k	After Caiman's (SS-323) decommissioning ceremony as seen from the shore on 30 July 1972: Harder (SS-568), Blackfin (SS-322), Trigger (SS-564) & Sperry (AS-12). *Blackfin's* time clock was ticking, 45 days the boat would be decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register on 15 Sept 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy.
492k	After Caiman's (SS-323) decommissioning ceremony, from left to right: Trigger (SS-564), Blackfin (SS-322), & Harder (SS-568).	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy.

View the Blackfin (SS-322)
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
Guppy Submarines
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
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