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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org

Caiman (SS-323)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Charlie - Charlie

Balao Class Submarine: Originally named Blanquillo (name changed on 24 September 1942); Laid down, 24 June 1943 at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT; Launched, 30 March 1944; Commissioned USS Caiman (SS-323), on 17 July 1944. Entered Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA on 23 April 1951 for conversion to GUPPY (snorkel) configuration.
Upon completion of upgrade in February 1952, Caiman departed for duties in the Western Pacific in support of United Nations forces in the Korean Conflict. She returned to San Diego after her 10th and final deployment in May 1972 for upkeep and training.

On 30 May 1971, Caiman Decommissioned; Transferred (sold) to the Republic of Turkey and was Commissioned in the Turkish Navy as TGC Dumlupinar (S-339) in ceremonies conducted at the U. S. Support Facility, Ballast Point in San Diego.
Dumlupinar was the 3rd Turkish submarine to bear the name of the last battle of the Turkish War of Independence (1919 - 1922). The ex-Blower (SS-325), also named Dumlupinar, was lost with 81 Turkish submariners in the treacherous Dardanelles on 4 April 1953. (Note: the ex-Caiman also suffered a collision with the Soviet freighter Szik Vovilov just 28 nautical miles from where the ex-Blower was lost, however the crew managed to ground her before another tragic sinking and loss of life.) The ex-Caiman was salvaged and repaired and served in the Turkish Navy for 11 years before her Decommissioning as TGC Dumlupinar (S-339) on 23 December 1983. Final disposition and fate unknown.
Researched by CTRC Donald J. Wagner, USN (Ret) for NavSource.

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
31k	Commemorative postal cover marking the launching of the Caiman (SS-323), at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT., 30 March 1944.	USN photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
130k	Caiman (SS-323), sliding down the launching ways at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT., 30 March 1944.	US Navy photo courtesy of Electric Boat.
29k	March 1950 in Hawaii. Bergall (SS-320) is outboard of the Caiman (SS-323). In the background is the Valley Forge (CVA-45).	Text courtesy of John Hummel. Photo courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
50k	The after torpedo room and two torpedoes of the Caiman (SS-323) in 1950. My first bunk assignment was in the rack mounted right above the copper warhead of the torpedo. You can understand why we actually preferred to sleep in the barracks when we had the opportunity. The yellow "exercise shot" had a water-filled tank in place of the warhead. After being shot and running its course, when the propulsion ran down the water was blown out of the tank by air pressure and the torpedo would bob in the water like a buoy to be recovered by the retrievers and re-used. Being a newbie I was assigned a battle station on the torpedo re-loading crew. Under the direction of a torpedoman petty officer we would winch the torpedoes into the tubes before firing.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
87k	Caiman (SS-323), March 1950 at Hilo, Hawaii. In the background is a bulk sugar loading facility.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
100k	Caiman (SS-323) starboard quarter view, March 1950 off Hawaii.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
38k	Caiman (SS-323), Christmas 1950 in Hawaii.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
43k	Caiman (SS-323) underway in San Pablo Bay. Spring 1951 following upgrading and overhaul at Mare Island.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
140k	Caiman (SS-323), port view underway, Spring 1951 following upgrading to GUPPY and overhaul at Mare Island.	US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
211k	Bow on view of Caiman (SS-323) departing Mare Island on 25 Sep 1951.	USN Photo # 10521-9-51, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
290k	Stern view of Caiman (SS-323) departing Mare Island on 25 Sep 1951.	USN Photo # 10525-9-51, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
291k	Amidships looking forward plan view of Caiman (SS-323) at Mare Island on 25 Sep 1951. She was under conversion at the yard from 2 April to 10 Oct. 1951. The Charr (SS-328) & Baya (SS-318) are in front of the *Caiman* undergoing their conversions to GUPPY.	USN Photo # 10531-9-51, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
27k	Caiman (SS-323) taking water over the bow in the Western Pacific, 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
64k	The AC power distribution panel and gyro control panel in control room of the Caiman (SS-323). Circa 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
40k	After battery sleeping quarters, bunks "up" in the Caiman (SS-323). Circa 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
69k	The new snorkel control panel at the dive station of the Caiman (SS-323). The snorkel head had an electric sensor that would shut the valve if seawater washed over it. The engines would keep running and suck the air out of the boat. Circa 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
60k	Caiman (SS-323) with upgraded dive control station with new indicators. The former bubbles were replaced with more sensitive dial indicators. Circa 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
64k	One addition to the engine rooms in the Caiman (SS-323) was an air diverter to blow any sea water coming down the snorkel to over and behind the engines. Also, when we were snorkeling in Arctic waters the icy air was partially warmed by the engines before being blown through the boat. Circa 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
40k	The Captain's chair at the wardroom table. Nobody but nobody sat in that chair except the Captain of the Caiman (SS-323). Circa 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
81k	The high-pressure air distribution manifold of the Caiman (SS-323) looking forward. Circa 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
81k	The high and low-pressure distribution manifold of the Caiman (SS-323) looking aft. Circa 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
74k	The mess hall of the Caiman (SS-323) with galley passthrough. Important reading material. Circa 1951-52.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
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
46k	Caiman (SS-323) underway, circa 1952-3.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
82k	Caiman (SS-323) port quarter view underway, circa 1952-3.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
24k	Caiman (SS-323), underway, fall of 1953, prior to conducting a "covert" cruise to track the Soviet merchant fleet sailing through the Bering Strait between Alaska and the Siberian peninsula to supply the North Korean war effort.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
35k	Caiman (SS-323), in port following 60 days at sea in the fall of 1953 after conducting a "covert" cruise to track the Soviet merchant fleet sailing through the Bering Strait between Alaska and the Siberian peninsula to supply the North Korean war effort.	US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
41k	Caiman (SS-323), prior to going to the Dry Dock (ARD) for 10,000 mile overhaul. The white stuff is saltwater corrosion of aluminum, fall 1953.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
62k	Caiman (SS-323), in the Dry Dock (ARD) for scrapping and repainting. The ASR in the background, fall 1953.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle submarinebaseph.com
62k	Caiman (SS-323), stern view in the Dry Dock (ARD) for scrapping and repainting. The screws were removed and taken to the shop for repair.	Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
87k	The Caiman (SS-323) underway, circa post 1953.	USN photo courtesy of USNI.
76k	The Caiman (SS-323) underway, possibly off Hawaii, circa post 1953.	Courtesy usssubvetsofwwii.org
44k	Caiman (SS-323) is shown on 31 July 1958 after a San Francisco overhaul. The large dome enclosed BQR-3, a modernized JT, permitting it to fuction at higher underwater speeds. The smaller dome housed a single-ping searchlight sonar, BQS-3, a successor to the wartime WFA.	US Navy Photo & text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Since 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman & James L. Christley.Naval Institute Press.
153k	Subs alongside of the Sperry (AS-12), circa 1964 - 68. There are three *Guppies, one AGSS, and Skipjack class 585's. The Caiman* (SS-323) looks like the boat overhanging the end of the pier. *Caiman* was a Guppy 1A and had the sail, bow and aft messenger bouy on the port side as shown.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org. Photo i.d. courtesy of Ray ? Text courtesy of David Johnston, (USNR).
26k	Commemorative postal cover marking the Caiman's (SS-323) building history.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
100k	The Caiman (SS-323), 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.
100k	The Caiman's (SS-323) plaque 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. Photo added 11/20/07.