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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Carp (SS-338) (AGSS-338) (IXSS-338)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Charlie - Romeo

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 23 December 1943, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 12 November 1944; Commissioned, USS Carp (SS 338), 28 February 1945; Converted to a guppy-type submarine in February 1952; Redesignated Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-338) on March 18 1968; Redesignated Miscellaneous Submarine (IXSS-338) on Dec. 20 1971; Struck from the Naval Register, 20 December 1971; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping on July 26 1973 to Tug Leasing Co., New London, CT for $ 86,898.91. Carp earned one battle star for her World War II service.
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 main generator engines., GM diesel, HP 5400, fuel capacity, 118,000 gal., four main GE motors with 2,740 shp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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Carp17kCommemorative postal cover marking the Carp's (SS-338) commissioning at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 28 February 1945. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Carp90kStern view of Carp (SS-338) off Mare Island on 6 January 1947. US Navy photo # 152-47, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Carp100kBroadside view of Carp (SS-338) off Mare Island on 6 January 1947. She was under repair at the yard from 15 Oct 1946 until 17 Jan 1947. US Navy photo # 154-47, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Carp107kBow on view of Carp (SS-338) departing Mare Island on 6 January 1947. US Navy photo # 156-47, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Carp117kCarp (SS-338) about to enter ARD-11 at Mare Island on 23 April 1948. She was in dock until 7 Jun 1948. Nepanet (YTB-189) on her starboard side and YTL-590 on her port side. US Navy photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Carp52kCarp (SS-338), underway 1948, above the Arctic Circle.
US Navy photo courtesy of the US Navy Arctic Submarine Laboratory.
Carp174k The Carp (SS-338) is seen undocking from dry dock #1 at Mare Island on 30 March 1950. The photo was taken from building #164. US Navy photo # 5823-3-50, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Carp81k The former and new Commanding Officers of Carp (SS-338) read their orders during the change of command cermonies at Mare Island on 1 June 1950. US Navy photo # 6322-6-50, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Carp27kCarp (SS-338), after receiving her Fleet Snorkel conversion., circa post 1952. Courtesy of George M. Arnold. Photo I.d. courtesy of David Johnston (USNR).
Billfish 42k Torsk (SS-423), Billfish (SS-286) & Carp (SS-338) moored together circa early 1950's. USN photo.
Carp49kCarp (SS-338), about to tie up at Navy Pier in San Diego on 4-7-53 after returning from 6 months WesPac deployment. Courtesy of Forrest J. Watson, ex ET- 2(SS)
Carp151kCarp (SS-338), at Navy Pier in San Diego on 4-7-53 after returning from 6 months WesPac deployment. Courtesy of Forrest J. Watson, ex ET- 2(SS).
Carp63kCarp (SS-338) entering the Pearl Harbor Sub Base pens in December 1955. Copyrighted photo courtesy of Captain J. Wood, USN (Retired),formerly of AM3 with VF-114 on the USS Kearsarge (CVA-33) & submitted by Jim Converse.
Carp91kCarp (SS-338) entering the Pearl Harbor Sub Base pens in December 1955. Copyrighted photo courtesy of Captain J. Wood, USN (Retired), formerly of AM3 with VF-114 on the USS Kearsarge (CVA-33) & submitted by Jim Converse.
Carp154kStarboard quarter view of the Carp (SS-338) about to tie up at North Wharf, Fremantle Naval Base - Australia in September 1956. Courtesy of Jack Tretule.
Blenny & CO 143k Mixed bag of boats from different bases moored together possibly at the Key West Naval Base or at Roosevelt Roads, P.R.
From left to right & front to back: From New London with the eight ball plaque of subron 8; Blenny (SS-324); from Key West with the subron 12 plaque: Grenadier (SS-525); from Norfolk with the subron 6 plaque; Carp (SS-338) & again from Key West; the Balao (SS-285) tied up to the pier. Behind them and from Charleston with subron 4 is the Trigger (SS-564) and an unidentified boat.
Grenadier received her high sail in an overhaul in 1961-62. I found a picture of Blenny that showed her with a high sail that was dated 18 Apr 1966. All of the boats in the photo were known to have been based in, or operating out of, Key West in the period of 1962-1966. Therefore, I can reliably conclude that this photo was taken between 1962 and 1966.
Grenadier and Balao (SS-285) participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis blockade in October, 1962. In November, Grenadier was one of several ships that participated in a maritime rights show of force exercise off Cuba. It is conceivable that these other boats were dispatched to the area as backup in case this exercise went south. So it's possible that this photo was taken during late 1962 during the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Photo by Tim "T-Spoon" Spoon & submitted by John Hummel. Text I.d. courtesy of John Hummel, Mike Keating & Dave Johnston. Photo added 03/03/08.
Carp25kCarp (SS-338), taken May 10th, 1963 coming into Norfolk, VA. Courtesy of John Hummel.
Carp79kStarboard side view of the Carp (SS-338), underway, circa 1960's, place unknown. US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Sirago & Carp 50k Sirago (SS-485) and Carp (SS-338), in June 1965, at D&S piers, Norfolk VA. Courtesy of John Hummel.

View the Carp (SS / AGSS / IXSS-338)
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
Guppy Submarines
Full Fathom Five, U.S. Submarine War Against Japan

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