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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.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
18k	Commemorative postal cover on the occasion of the Chopper's (SS-342) launching on 4 February 1945.	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.
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. Photo added 03/15/08.
72k	Chopper (SS-342), at Key West, FL., 1966.	© Richard Leonhardt.
21k	Chopper (SS-342), underway, date and place unknown.	US Navy photo, courtesy of George M. Arnold
27k	The Chopper (SS-342), decomissioned after deep dive, at destroyer and submarine piers Norfolk Va. Kittywake (ASR-13) in background, date unknown.	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
Full Fathom Five, U.S. Submarine War Against Japan

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