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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Cubera (SS-347)

Radio Call Sign: November - Juliet - Sierra - Hotel

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 11 May 1944, at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 17 June 1945; Commissioned USS Cubera (SS-347), 19 December 1945; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 5 January 1972; Final Disposition; sold under the Security Assistance Program to Venezuela, as ARV Tiburon (Shark) S-12. Decomm. & sold 2-87.
Partial data submitted by Ron Reeves (of blessed memory)

As built to the 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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Cubera18kCommemorative postal cover on the occasion of the keel laying of the Cubera (SS-347), 11 May 1944, at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Cubera764kChristening Cubera (SS-347) on 17 June 1945 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT. Photo courtesy of Dave Berry & usscubera.org via John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cubera188k Cubera (SS-347), slides down the ways at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 17 June 1945. Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
Cubera17kCommemorative postal cover on the occasion of the Cubera's (SS-347) launching on 17 June 1945. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Cubera38kCommemorative postal cover on the occasion of the Cubera's (SS-347) commissioning on 19 December 1945.Courtesy of petloveshack.com.
Cubera113kCubera (SS-347) with two deck guns underway in 1946, probably taking part in fleet exercises in the Caribbean.Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cubera286kLooking down the barrel of Cubera's (SS-347) forward 5-inch/25 caliber gun, 1946. Photo courtesy of Al Conner & usscubera.org via John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cubera99k Cubera (SS-347), surface view of the bow at the Philadelphia Naval Ship Yard, 19 February 1948.Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
Cubera267kFour page PDF Welcome Aboard Cubera (SS-347).PDF courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
U-2513149kGerman sub U-2513 with snorkel (fore) US fleet type submarine Cobbler (SS-344) in the center and Cubera (SS-347), with snorkel off the coast of Florida, September 1948. Photographer: Ralph Morse, courtesy of life.time.com.
Cubera153kMarker bell on deck that floats to the top of the water in case of a rescue. Photographer: Ralph Morse, courtesy of life.time.com.
Cubera170kAmerican submarine firing four torpedoes.Photographer: Ralph Morse, courtesy of life.time.com.
Cubera170kCubera (SS-347) on top of water.Photographer: Ralph Morse, courtesy of life.time.com.
Cubera129k Cubera (SS-347) marking time surfaced. Photographer: Ralph Morse, courtesy of life.time.com.
480, 343  & 34783kMedregal (SS-480), Clamagore (SS-343) & Cubera (SS-347), at Key West in 1948.Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Cubera360kCubera (SS-347), underway, during the Cold war.USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Dogfish 199k Dogfish (SS-350) & Cubera (SS-347) at St. Thomas, 1953. Don't you wish you were there? Photo courtesy of ussdogfish.com via John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cubera33kCubera (SS-347), making an emergency surface, (broaching) circa 1960, place unknown.USN photo contributed by Ray Cheesborough and James Lewis, courtesy of usscubera.org.
Cubera39kCubera (SS-347), bow planes control wheel, circa 1960.USN photo contributed by Ray Cheesborough and James Lewis, courtesy of usscubera.org.
Cubera62k Portside view of the Cubera (SS-347), in the Grande Harbor of Valletta, Malta, sometime in 1960. Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org.
Cubera255k Portside view of the Cubera (SS-347), entering the Grande Harbor of Valletta, Malta, sometime in 1960. US Navy ships identifiable are Moale (DD-693) (left center) and "Med-moored". The Hyman (DD-732) is in the background among another unknown US Navy destroyer and unidentified Royal Navy destroyers. Photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
Cubera320kT class submarine HMS Totem (S 52) moored outboard of the Cubera (SS-347), as both are moored next to the depot ship HMS Narvik at Msida Creek Malta on 9 December 1960.
HMS Totem would be lost at sea somewhere between the islands of Cyprus and Crete in January 1968 as the Israeli Dakar (77-ö). The boat would be found in 1999 giving closure to the 67 man crews family after 31 years.
Source: Imperial War Museum British Post-1945 Official Classified Print Collection, Photo No. © IWM (HU 130018) courtesy of Mike Green.
Cubera194kCubera (SS-347) in color in 1960.Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cubera138k Cubera (SS-347) loads a torpedo, with Requin (SS-481) outboard. Photo taken in Mayport, FL in January, 1963 when the squadron was taking part in Operation Springboard. Photo copyright & used by permission of the photographer, Charles L. Weaver.
Trumpetfish 184k 1960's meets the Cubera (SS-347), Trigger (SS-564) & Trumpetfish (SS-425) in Charleston, S.C. Photo by Richard Nilsson and submitted courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cubera377kCubera (SS-347) circa 60's.USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Cubera848kCubera (SS-347) circa 60's.USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Cubera119kCubera (SS-347), portside view underway, 1964. Contributed by Padden.
Photo i.d. by Robert Hurst.
Argonaut385k Argonaut (SS-475), Cubera (SS-347), Sirago (SS-485) pierside, 1964.Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired.
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1.53k Nearest to farthest: Cubera (SS-347), Argonaut (SS-475), and Damato (DD-871), mid-June 1965. Photo by Manuel Galilea. Courtesy of Museu Marítim de Barcelona via Fabio Pena.
Scamp 67kWalter N. Dietzen, Jr. CDR-USN.
Hailing from Chattanooga, TN, "Buck" graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1944. After completing Submarine School, he made two war patrols aboard Tirante (SS-420) where he served until 1946. He then transferred to Raton (SS-270) and Baya (SS-318), Executive Officer of the latter from 1952 to 1954. He then went to Naval War College, graduating in 1955, and then to Commanding Officer Cubera (SS-347). After tours at the Bureau of Naval Personnel and Naval Reactors, he was assigned in 1960 as Commanding Officer Scamp (SSN-588), where he built, launched, commissioned and commanded her until 21 Dec 1962. He subsequently commanded Woodrow Wilson (SSBN-624) Gold, from 1963 to 1966.
After graduation from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1967 he served as Deputy Director Submarine Warfare Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; Chief Navy Section, Military Mission for Aid to Turkey; Director Deep Submergence Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and finally, the Deputy Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Anti-Submarine Warfare. He retired from active duty on 30 August 1975 as Rear Admiral.
USN photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo.
Guavina75kThe Guavina's (AGSS-362) final moments above the ocean floor as seen through the periscope of the Cubera (SS-347), following a Mark 16 torpedo test off the coast of Cape Henry, Virginia, 11 November 1967. Photo courtesy of Ron Norford.
Cubera171kCubera's (SS-347) in dry dock ARD-2 at Key West FLA. 1970. Not many photo's of her with North Atlantic sail. She had the step sail the whole time she was in Norfolk.Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cubera141kTopside front view of Cubera (SS-347) in dry dock ARD-2, 1970.Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cubera178kArticle on the near sinking of the Cubera (SS-347), circa 1971.Photo courtesy of usscubera.org.
Cubera316kDecommissioning plaque of the Cubera (SS-347) presented to her decommissioning crew, 5 January 1972.Photo courtesy of Kenneth L Peterson via Barry Peterson.
ARV Tiburon (S-12)
Cubera161kCubera (SS-347) next to pier, and Grenadier (SS-525) outboard, February 1987 right after transfer to Venezuela.Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).

View the Cubera (SS-347)
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 CUBERA
Guppy Submarines
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ

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