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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch contributed by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN (ret.)

Blower (SS-325)

Radio Call Sign: November - Juliet - Romeo - Alpha
Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 15 July 1943, at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 23 April 1944; Commissioned, USS Blower (SS-325), 10 August 1944; Modernized in Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from March to September 1950 to Guppy I (snorkel) configuration. Arrived New London, CT to embark core Turkish Navy crew on 27 September 1950. Under terms of Mutual Defense Assistance Program, Blower sailed for Izmir, Republic of Turkey and Decommissioned on 16 November 1950. Struck from U. S. Naval Vessel Registry (NVR) and Commissioned TCG Dumlupinar (S-347) in the Turkish Navy.
Final Disposition: At 0200 on 4 April 1953, Dumlupinar was rammed by Swedish M/V Naboland off Nara Point, Dardanelles while returning to her home port from NATO exercise "Blue Sea". Struck on her starboard bow while on the surface, Dumlupinar was holed in her forward torpedo room and sank. Eighty-one Turkish submariners perished in the accident while only 4 of the 5 bridge personnel survived the collision. Researched by CTRC Donald J. Wagner, USN (Ret.)& Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (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.
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Blower 20k Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of Blower's (SS-325) launching at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 23 April 1944.
Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Blower 20k Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of Blower's (SS-325) commissioning, 10 August 1944.
Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Blower 248k Blower (SS-325) underway, starboard view, possibly during her shakedown period off the New England coast during the summer of 1944.
 US Navy photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
Blower 58k Blower (SS-325),underway, starboard view, possibly during her shakedown period off the New England coast during the summer of 1944.
 US Navy photo.
Blower 96k Commanding Officer of Blower (SS-325) exploding a surfaced mine with rifle fire, circa 44-45.
Courtesy by John Hummel.
Blower 44k Blower (SS-325) in dry dock, circa 44-45.
Photo by Lt. Herb Hanson, courtesy of John Hummel.
Blower 43k Starboard quarter bow view of the Blower (SS-325), circa 44-45.
Photo by Lt. Herb Hanson, courtesy of John Hummel.
Blower 32k Blower (SS-325) in Sydney Harbor. After engine room hatch open. 5" 25 on after deck.
Courtesy of John Hummel.
Blower 178k Blower (SS-325) in Tokyo Bay next to a captured Japanese I-Boat, Circa Sept 1945.
US Navy photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
Subron 5 181k Subron 5 family photo fall/winter (1945)in Guam, from left to right, Segundo (SS-398), Sea Cat (SS-399), Blenny (SS-324), Blower (SS-325), Blueback (SS-326) & Charr (SS-328).
 Photo by Lt. Herb Hanson, courtesy of John Hummel.
Blower 51k Blower (SS-325) in dry dock, probably when she was in overhaul at the Mare Island yard from 17 June to 28 Sep 1946.
This is a good view of shutter doors on forward torpedo tubes. The shutter doors keep sea junk from getting into the muzzel door of the tubes. They move in towards the center line and expose the end of the torpedo tubes They don't have them aft, because subs don't go backwards at sea much.
Courtesy of John Hummel.
Blower 104k Blower (SS-325), bow view in drydock, possibly on 1 Aug 1946 at Mare Island.
Courtesy by John Hummel.
Blower 263k Blower (SS-325) docked in (ARD-32) at Mare Island on 1 Aug 1946. YD-33 is aft of Blower while Eldorado (AGC-11) is to the right.
US Navy Photo # 2786-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 07/23/06.
Blower 233k Bow on view of Blower (SS-325) departing Mare Island on 17 Sep 1946.
US Navy Photo # 3297-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 07/23/06.
Blower 244k Broadside view of Blower (SS-325) off Mare Island on 17 Sep 1946. She was in overhaul at the yard from 17 June to 28 Sep 1946.
US Navy Photo # 3299-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Photo added 07/23/06.
Blower 75k Port side view of the Blower (SS-325) probably when she was in overhaul at the Mare Island yard from 17 June to 28 Sep 1946.
US Navy photo.
Blower 25k Blower (SS-325), starboard view, probably when she was in overhaul at the Mare Island yard from 17 June to 28 Sep 1946.
US Navy photo courtesy of subnet.com
View the Blower (SS-325)
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
Full Fathom Five, U.S. Submarine War Against Japan
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