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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch at left contributed by Mike Smolinski, others contributed by Patrick Householder

Chopper (SS-342) (AGSS-342) (IXSS-242)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Delta - Oscar

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 2 March 1944, at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 4 February 1945; Commissioned USS Chopper (SS-342), 25 May 1945; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-342) in 1969; Decommissioned, 27 August 1969; Reclassified Miscellaneous Submarine (IXSS-342) in 1971; Struck from the Naval Register, 10 October 1971; Assigned as salvage and rescue hulk at ServRon 8, 1971 to 1976; Final Disposition, sunk off Florida coast in 2400 fathoms on July 21 1976 while being rigged as an underwater target.
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 General Motors main generator engines, 5,400hp, Fuel Capacity 118,000, four General Electric main motors, 2,740hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source
19k	Commemorative postal cover on the occasion of the keel laying of the Chopper (SS-342), 2 March 1944, at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.	Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
18k	Commemorative postal cover on the occasion of the Chopper's (SS-342) launching on 4 February 1945.	Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle.
66k	Portside view of the Chopper (SS-342),underway, circa 1945.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
53k	Chopper (SS-342), WW II patch.	Courtesy of Patrick Householder.
224k	Forward plan view of Pomodon (SS-486) during her Guppy conversion at Mare Island on 16 May 1947. Chivo (SS-341) and Chopper (SS-342) are aft of *Pomodon*.	USN Photo # 988-47, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
53k	Portside view of the Chopper (SS-342),underway, circa post 1951 modernization at Electric Boat Co.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
49k	Chopper (SS-342) departed Key West 7 January 1952 for a tour of duty in the Mediterranean until 20 May.	Photo courtesy of Robert Hurst. Text courtesy of DANFS.
47k	The Chopper (SS-342) during 1958 off Key West Fla. The two gents on top the snorkel exhaust are going to be a bit wet if they stay where they are.	Photo courtesy of John Hummel.
249k	Change of command at Subron 12 Key West Fla.in the 1960's aboard the Bushnell (AS-15). Barracuda (SST-3) upper right. Other boats there are Sea Cat (SS-399), Picuda (SS-382), Atule (SS-403), Sea Fox (SS-402), Threadfin (SS-410) & Chopper (SS-342).	Photo courtesy of John Hummel.
72k	Chopper (SS-342), at Key West, FL., 1966.	© Richard Leonhardt.
27k	The Chopper (SS-342), decomissioned after deep dive, at destroyer and submarine piers Norfolk Va. Kittywake (ASR-13) in background, date unknown.	Photo courtesy of John Hummel.

View the Chopper (SS-342)
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
The Deep Diver USS Chopper (SS-342)
USS Chopper (SS-342) Association
Guppy Submarines
Victory at Sea: Full Fathom Five 2 of 3

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