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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch on left courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org, on right by Y.M.Umar, CPO (Ret.),Turkish Navy.

Caiman (SS-323)
Decommissioning & Transfer

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Charlie - Charlie

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U.S. Service
Turkish Service

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 TCG 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 Dumlupinar 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 Dumlupinar was salvaged and repaired and served in the Turkish Navy for 11 years before her Decommissioning as TCG Dumlupinar (S-339) on 6 February 1983. She was renamed Ceryan Botu (Y-1247) and served as a charging boat at Gölcük Navy Yard until she was scrapped on 15 September 1986.
Researched by CTRC Donald J. Wagner, USN (Ret.) & Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret), Turkish Navy 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
140k	Dumlupinar (S-339), Preveze (S-345), Basaran-ex USS Patroclus (LST-672). In the rear of the photo past the unknown Floating Dry Dock is the ex-Greenlet (ASR-10) in Turkish naval service as *TCG Akin* (A-585)**, Sept 1981.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
116k	A week before decommissioning, US and Turkish crew on the Barbecue. EMCS (SS) J.A. Andrezik Chief of the Electric.& EMC Sait Kucuk.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
112k	Front cover of the Decommissioning & Transfer Program, 30 June 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
83k	Page 2 of the Decommissioning & Transfer Program, 30 June 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
60k	Page 3 of the Decommissioning & Transfer Program, 30 June 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
63k	Page 4 of the Decommissioning & Transfer Program, 30 June 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
116k	Page 5 of the Decommissioning & Transfer Program, 30 June 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
108k	Page 6 of the Decommissioning & Transfer Program, 30 June 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
91k	The National Colors are presented during the Decommissioning & Transfer ceremony, 30 June 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
140k	Decommissionning ceremony at Ballast Point, San Diego 30 June 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy.
151k	Decommissionning ceremony at Ballast Point, San Diego 30 June 1972. The submarine tender Sperry (AS-12) is behind the audience.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.
102k	The U.S. crew of the Caiman (SS-323) leave the boat for the last time on 30 June 1972.	Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy. Photo added 07/28/09.