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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Corporal (SS-346)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Echo - Mike

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 27 April 1944, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 10 June 1945; Commissioned USS Corporal (SS-346), 9 November 1945. Between February 1947 and March 1948, she received extensive modernization at Groton.
Corporal was first U. S. submarine to land a helicopter on her deck on 26 April 1956. While conducting Anti-Submarine Warfare exercises 18 miles off Key West, Florida, Corporal had just surfaced when the helicopter became disabled and successfully landed on her after deck and was transported back to Key West.
Decommissioned (date unknown), she entered Charleston Navy Yard, SC for GUPPY III modernization (adding 15 to hull to accommodate modern electronic equipment). Re-commissioned on 20 July 1962 and continued to operate in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico with routine deployments to the Mediterranean as a unit of the U. S. 6th Fleet.
On 21 November 1973 and in accordance with the terms of the Security Assistance Program, Corporal was simultaneously Decommissioned; struck from the U. S. Naval Vessel Registry (NVR); transferred as a cash sale to the Republic of Turkey and Commissioned TCG2 Inonu (S-333); in ceremonies at Groton.
Proceeding as a commissioned ship of the Turkish Navy, the Inonu conducted underway training and independent ship exercises off the U. S. coast before departing for her new home port at Golcuk Navy Yard, Turkey on 18 December 1973. Arriving in Turkey on 15 January 1974, she operated in the Turkish Submarine Forces until she was Decommissioned on 2 September 1996.
Final disposition and fate unknown.
Researched by CTRC Donald J. Wagner, USN (Ret) for NavSource.

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.

Size	Image Description	Source
37k	Corporal (SS-346) sliding down the launching ways at Electric Boat, 10 June 1945.	USN photo courtesy of ss346.com. Photo added 06/15/07.
146k	Throngs of Cubans turn out to see the Corporal (SS-346) in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 1946. The ship to her right side might be the Fairview (PCER-850). She operated in the Gulf of Mexico between 25 February 1946 and 1947. She took part in antisubmarine warfare projects and fleet exercises off Florida and Bermuda and in the Caribbean until returning to Groton, Conn. 26 February 1947.	USN photo by John B. Cavanagh, submitted by Bob Machen, EM1(SS) ret. Text courtesy of DANFS.
66k	Corporal (SS-346) post circa 1949 underway off Key West. She continued to conduct training and join in exercises off Florida and in the Caribbean until her first tour of duty in the Mediterranean with the 6th Fleet from 16 July 1952 to 15 October.	USN photo from Jane's Fighting Ships, courtesy of Robert Hurst. Partial text courtesy of DANFS. Photo added 06/15/07.
72k	Corporal (SS-346), underway, 1951.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
146k	Corporal (SS-346) underway off Key West, early 50's.	Photo courtesy of Skip Riser.
219k	Helicopter hovering over the Corporal (SS-346) while she is underway, 1956.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
16k	Corporal (SS-346), underway, circa 1956, place unknown.	Courtesy of George M. Arnold.
48k	Corporal (SS-346), underway, circa 1963, place unknown.	Courtesy of George M. Arnold & Bob Machen, EM1(SS) ret.
31k	*Sub Ron 8: Clamagore* (SS-343),(front) Cobbler (SS-344) on her starboard side Corporal (SS-346) on her port side, Blenny (SS-324) bringing up the rear. Circa 1968-71, location unknown.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
109k	Portside view of the Corporal (SS-346) underway, 1969.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
27k	ex Corporal (SS-346), in Turkish Naval service as Inonu (S-333) underway, circa post 1973, place unknown.	Courtesy George M. Arnold.

View the Corporal (SS-346)
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 Corporal (SS 346)
Guppy Submarines
Full Fathom Five, U.S. Submarine War Against Japan

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