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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch on right courtesy of Mike Smolinski, other patches contributed by Ramon Samson

Charr (SS-328) (AGSS-328) (IXSS-328)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Delta - Charlie
Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 26 August, 1943, at Electric Boat Co., Groton CT., as Bocaccio; Renamed Charr, 24 September 1942; Launched, 28 May 1944; Commissioned USS Charr (SS-328), 23 September 1944, Commander F. D. Boyle in command; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-328) in 1966; Decommissioned, 28 June 1969; Reclassified Miscellaneous Submarine (IXSS-328) in 1971; Struck from the Naval Register, 20 December 1971; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping to Nicolai Joffe, Beverly Hills, CA for $ 105,381.00 & scrapped in Kearny, NJ. 17 August 1972. Charr received one battle star for her service during World War II.
Partial data submitted by Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.)

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,424 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 66; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, one 4"/50 or 5"/25 deck gun, one 40mm gun; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator engines, 5,400hp, fuel capacity, 118,000 gal., four General Electric main motors with 2,740hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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Charr 25k Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of the keel laying of the Charr (SS-328), at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 26 August, 1943. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Charr 20k Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of the Charr's (SS-328) launching, 28 May 1944. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Charr 123k With a bit of a breeze brought on by her own launching, the bunting of the Charr (SS-328) is taut as she slides down the ways at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 28 May 1944. Courtesy of Electric Boat / Ramon Samson.
Charr 253k Commissioning crew of the Charr (SS-328). Courtesy of Ramon Samson.
Charr 186k Charr (SS-328), officers and chief petty officers. Courtesy of Ramon Samson.
Charr 89k Charr's (SS-328) first commanding officer, LCDR F. D. Boyle USN. Courtesy of Ramon Samson.
Charr 583k Dated 7 November 1944. Position 35 08 N, 75 03 W, course 183 degrees, 1230 hours, taken from altitude of 500'. Enroute from New London to ComSubPac at Pearl Harbor. Text courtesy of J.D. Decrevel EM2(SS).
USN photo # 80g 289666, from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert, Webmaster & Editor ModelWarships.com
Charr 92k The Charr (SS-328), under command of Commander Boyle, left Pearl Harbor on 30 December 1944, to patrol the northeast coast of French Indo-China. The patrol was highlighted by the unusual rescue of a Naval Aviator, a crew member of a PBY patrol plane that had been forced down just off the coast. While the Charr lay at anchor for four hours, a mile off the coast in broad daylight, an easy target for a Japanese plane or patrol boat, two men went ashore in a rubber boat. The aviator was brought aboard and three successive attempts were made to pick up the remaining nine members of the plane’s crew during subsequent evenings, but contact with them could not be reestablished.
Painting entitled Air-Sea Rescue by the artist E.V. Vandos, depicting a PBY-5 approaching a Balao class submarine. (I had to find some history more or less to relate to the painting.		 Photo courtesy of history.navy.mil.
Text courtesy of usscharr-ss328.org.
Charr 86k Charr (SS-328), port side view in harbor, circa 1944-45. Photo by Lt. Herb Hanson. Courtesy of John Hummel.
Charr 74k A 1944 Charcoal drawing by the artist Griffith Baily Coale entitled "Busy Fremantle--Busy Mother" is somewhat reminiscent of the above photo by Lt. Herb Hanson. Painting # 40 / 88-188-AN.
Courtesy of the USNHC.
Charr 59k WW II battleflag of the Charr (SS-328). 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.
Charr 475k Charr (SS-328), 16 September 1946 off Mare Island Naval Shipyard. U.S. Navy photo # 3292-46, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Charr 139k TBM-3E Avengers of Air Anti-Submarine Squadron Twenty Five (VS-25) in flight over the Charr (SS-328) off San Diego, California. US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1996.253.1342, courtesy of Mike Green.
Remora & Charr 137k Remora (SS-487) moored to the Charr (SS-328), San Diego, CA, 1949, as part of Submarine Squadron 3. Photo courtesy of Ric Hedman , & dedicated to the memory of Master Chief Petty Officer Charles (Monty) M. Montgomery (deceased). Thanks to Chief Petty Officer Joe Phoenix.
Caiman 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 L. Baker.
Charr 559k Charr (SS-328), 5 November 1951 off Mare Island Naval Shipyard following conversion to fleet snorkel configuration. Navy Photo NY9-10961-11-51, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Charr 135k Amidships looking forward plan view of Charr (SS-328) at Mare Island on 9 Nov 1951. Baya (SS-318) and Montrose (APA 212) are forward on Charr. USN Photo # 11035-11-51, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Charr 153k Amidships looking aft plan view of Charr (SS-328) at Mare Island on 9 Nov 1951. She was in overhaul at the yard from 10 July to 18 Nov 1951. USN Photo # 11036-11-51, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Charr 61k LCDR R. A. Harris reads his orders as he assumes command on the Charr (SS-328) at Mare Island on 30 June 1955. CDR W. A. Whitman (right) was relieved as commanding officer. USN Photo # 25873-6-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Charr 146k View of Charr (SS-328) departing Mare Island on 29 Nov 1955. She was in overhaul at the yard from 28 June to 29 Nov 1955. USN Photo # 27286-11-55, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Charr 92k 1956 photo of the Charr (SS-328), underway. Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
Charr 86k Charr (SS-328), circa 1958. Courtesy of Ramon Samson.
Charr 104k Location is San Diego Harbor, looking West with U.S. Navy North Island in foreground, and Point Loma in background. In 1958 just off the photo to left would be the carrier berthing docks, and aircraft on right would be Martin PB-Y’s and PBM-5’s. There is a ramp right there where they would wheel in and out of the bay, and their water takeoff and landing way is right behind where the Charr (SS-328) is traversing in the photo. Photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org. Photo i.d. & text courtesy of Jim Geldert.
Charr 15k Commemorative postal cover of the Charr (SS-328), 15 plus years after her commissioning on 23 Sept. 1944. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Charr 436k Late February 1967, tied alongside pier in Seattle, WA. following torpedo exercises in Dabob Bay. Photo by J.D. Decrevel EM2(SS).
Charr 341k Charr (SS-328) & Diodon (SS-349) at Ballast Point, 1967. Photo by J.D. Decrevel EM2(SS).
Charr 251k October 1967 in Sea of Japan off South Korea. Several crew swapped with crew from ROK destroyer. Photo by J.D. Decrevel EM2(SS).
Charr 89k Late 60's view of the conning tower, looking forward toward helm. Photo by J.D. Decrevel EM2(SS).
Charr 75k Charr's (SS-328) 7000th dive, 20 July 1968.
(L to R): TMSN Don McClain (IC Electrician watch), HMC(SS) "Doc" Taft(standing by just in case), TM1(SS) Vince Solari (OOD/Diving Officer), LCDR Jim Callan (port lookout), CS1(SS) Jake Wade (Chief of the Watch), EN1(SS) Harley Rackley (trim manifold watch), EM2(SS) Lin Marvil (starboard lookout). 		Photo by J.D. Decrevel EM2(SS).
Menhaden1.10kBream (AGSS-243), Tunny (AGS-282) and Charr (AGSS-328), during the decommissioning ceremony at Mare Island on 28 June 1969.Photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Photo added 04/18/12.
Menhaden212kRaton (AGSS-270) and Bluegill (AGSS-242) during the decommissioning ceremony at Mare Island on 28 June 1969. Bream (AGSS-243), Tunny (AGS-282) and Charr (AGSS-328) are forward of Raton and Bluegill. Chara (AE-31) is in the background.Photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Photo added 04/18/12.
Menhaden1.20kCommanding officers of the five decommissioned submarines on the speakers stant at Mare Island on 28 June 1969.Photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Photo added 04/18/12.
View the Charr (SS-328)
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
USS Charr SS328
USS Charr SS 328 Association
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
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