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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski

Capitaine (SS-336) (AGSS-336)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Charlie - India

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 2 December 1943, at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.; Launched, 1 October 1944; Commissioned USS Capitaine (SS-336), 26 January 1945;Decommissioned, 10 February 1950; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Mare Island Group; Recommissioned 23 February 1957; Reclassified Auxiliary Research Submarine (AGSS-336), 1 July 1960; Decommissioned, 4 March 1966; Transferred (loaned) to Italy, 5 March 1966;& renamed Alfredo Cappallini (S-507). Sold to Italy and struck from the Naval Register, 5 December 1977; Final Disposition, Sold outright 12-5-77. In movie "In Harm's Way" w/John Wayne 1956. Capitaine earned one battle star for 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.
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Electric Boat 140k Trains brought the building material for submarine construction at Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn., circa summer 1943, possibly for the following boats:
Chub (SS-329),
Brill (SS-330),
Bugara (SS-331),
Bullhead (SS-332),
Bumper (SS-333),
Cabezon (SS-334),
Dentuda (SS-335),
Capitaine (SS-336), or
Carbonero(SS-337).
Photo from the Photo Essay How To Build A Submarine at Electric Boat Co. New London, Conn.
Photographer: Bernard Hoffman, courtesy of time.com. via / images.google.com & Life. Photo added 11/30/08.
Electric Boat 493k Steel under giant rolls being shaped for submarine construction at Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn., circa August 1943, probably for one of the following boats:
Chub (SS-329),
Brill (SS-330),
Bugara (SS-331),
Bullhead (SS-332),
Bumper (SS-333),
Cabezon (SS-334),
Dentuda (SS-335),
Capitaine (SS-336), or
Carbonero(SS-337).
Photo from NARA, #: 080-G-468488, photographed by Lt. Comdr. Charles Fenno Jacobs, USNR., from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
Electric Boat 571k Welders work on hull of new submarine at Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn., circa August 1943. This sub is probably one of the following:
Chub (SS-329),
Brill (SS-330),
Bugara (SS-331),
Bullhead (SS-332),
Bumper (SS-333),
Cabezon (SS-334),
Dentuda (SS-335),
Capitaine (SS-336), or
Carbonero(SS-337).
Photo from NARA, #: 080-G-468489, photographed by Lt. Comdr. Charles Fenno Jacobs, USNR., from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
Capitaine19kCommemorative post mark on the occasion the keel laying of the Capitaine (SS-336), 2 December 1943, at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT.Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Capitaine18kCommemorative post mark on the occasion of Capitaine's (SS-336) launching, 1 October 1944. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Capitaine73kCapitaine (SS-336), painted in overall grey of Measure 10 July, 1945.US National Archive photo # 80-6-1042969.
Capitaine211k Stern view of Capitaine (SS-336) off Mare Island on 17 Dec 1946. USN photo # 4008-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Capitaine221k Broadside view of Capitaine (SS-336) off Mare Island on 17 Dec 1946. She was in overhaul at Mare Island from 1 Oct 1946 to 2 Jan 1947. USN photo # 4010-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Capitaine211k Bow on view of Capitaine (SS-336) departing Mare Island on 17 Dec 1946. USN photo # 4010-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Capitaine34kCapitaine (SS-336), with a deceptive camoflauge paint scheme, heads out to sea trials after her September 1947 refit.Courtesy of John Hummel.
Capitaine134kStarboard side view of the Capitaine (SS-336), probably off the coast of California, 1949.US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Capitaine24kPort side view of the Capitaine (SS-336), probably off the coast of California, 1949.US Navy photo courtesy of uboat.net.
Capitaine28kCapitaine (SS-336), underway, probably off the coast of California, 1949.US Navy photo courtesy of subnet.com.
Capitaine91k Capitaine (SS-336) appears in this photo without deckguns, 11 April 1949.US Navy photo.
Capitaine196k Photo of the decommissioning ceremonies aboard Capitaine (SS-336) at Mare Island Reserve Fleet on 10 Feb 1950. USN photo # 5411-2-50, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Mare Island Reserve Fleet 173k Submarines aft of unidentifed submarine in foregroud at Mare Island Reserve Fleet on 28 September 1950 are:
Left to right: Dragonet (SS-293), Menhaden (SS-377), Mapiro (SS-376), Seahorse (SS-304), Sand Lance (SS-381), Batfish (SS-310), Capitaine (SS-336), Pipefish (SS-388) and Manta (SS-299).
U.S. Navy photo # 6988-9-50, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Capitaine177k LT Eugene Dente reads his as he assumes command of the Capitaine (SS-336) at Mare Island on 26 Feb 1957. Officer in background are from ledt to right: Capt. R. K. McClain (COMAREAGRU PACRESFLT), RADM Martin J. Lawrence (Commandant. Mare Island Naval Shipyard), Capt. J. E. Lee (COMSUBFLOTONE), and CDR James S. Farris (Mare Island Chaplain). USN photo # 33144-2-57, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Capitaine176k Bow on view of Capitaine (SS-336) departing Mare Island on 8 March 1957. USN photo # 33640-3-57, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Italian Service

Italian boats228kFive Italian boats at Naples in 1968. From top to bottom:
Pietro Calvi (S-503), a former boat of WWII vintage – Italian built,
Alfredo Cappellini (S-507), ex-Capitaine (SS-336),
Francesco Morosini (S-508), ex-Besugo (SS-321),
Leonardo Da Vinci (S-510), ex-Dace (SS-247), &
Evangelista Torricelli (S-512), ex-Lizardfish (SS-373).
Photo courtesy of Maurizio Brescia Collection.
Capitaine36k The ex-Capitaine (SS-336), now in service to the Italian Navy as the Alfredo Cappallini (S-507), circa 1968.Photo courtesy of Jane's Fighting Ships, & submitted by Robert Hurst.

View the Capitaine (SS-336)
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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