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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patches on left contributed by Mike Smolinski, second right by USS Cusk Web Site, patch on right contributed by Ray Young.

Cusk (SS-348) (SSG-348) (AGSS-348)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Echo - Victor
Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 25 May 1944, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 28 July 1945; Commissioned USS Cusk (SS-348), 5 February 1946; Redesignated Missile Submarine, (SSG-348), 20 January 1948; Reverted to (SS-348), 1 July 1954; Redesignated Auxiliary Research Submarine (AGSS-348) in 30 June 1969; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 24 September 1969; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 26 June 1972, to Zidell Exploration, Inc., Portland, OR., for $112,013.
Partial data submitted by Ron Reeves (of blessed memory) & Yves Hubert.

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, one Loon missile (an Americanized version of the Nazi V-1) in its hangar, 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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For Full Size		SizeImage DescriptionSource
Cusk789kLaying of the Cusk's (SS-348) keel on 25 May 1944.Electric Boat Company photo courtesy of usscusk & Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
Cusk143kCusk (SS-348) keel laying cachet.Photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Cusk193kInsignia of the Cusk (SS-348) designed for the submarine by Ray Young, circa 1944. Photo by Ray Young, courtesy of his son, William Young.
Cusk327kCusk (SS-348) under construction, 27 July 1945.Electric Boat Company photo courtesy of usscusk & Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
348
0834842		 1.34k Cusk (SS-348) Co-Sponsors, Mrs. Reed and Mrs. Gillette.
A historical "first" for the Cusk as normally there is only one sponsor elected.
When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Rear Admiral Claude S. Gillette (then a Captain) was in charge of the Industrial Department at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base. One of the most experienced naval engineers in the service, he was in charge of the tremendous effort required to salvage damaged ships and facilities. 		Text via geni.com
Photo courtesy of US Navy Submarine Force Museum via usscusk.com
348
0834812		 277k Christening of Cusk (SS-348), with Mr. & Mrs. Walter Reed, Mr. L. Spear, Rear Adm & Mrs. Claude Gillette. Photo via commons.wikimedia.org
Cusk 576k Mrs. Claude S. Gillette, christening the Cusk (SS-348) at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut, 28 July 1945. USN photo # 80-G-409404 courtesy of National Museum of the U.S. Navy.
Cusk 428k Cusk (SS-348) launching at the Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut, 28 July 1945. USN photo # 80-G-409403 courtesy of National Museum of the U.S. Navy.
Cusk285kCommemorative post mark on the occasion of the launching of the Cusk (SS-348), 28 July 1945.Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
348 & 349 325k Cusk (SS-348) & Diodon (SS-349) moored in New London, CT. Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cusk 150k The Cusk (SS-348) at berth at Cristobal, C.Z., sometime between 24 April 1946, when she made an extended cruise through the Caribbean Sea, and before she arrived at San Diego 6 June 1946. Photo fix by Jim Kelling.
Photo courtesy of Jim Carroll and submitted by Mike Keating.
Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
Cusk55k Starboard view of the Cusk (SS-348) dockside, with fore and aft mounted deck-guns, 40MM on the fore and aft smoking decks. Location could be San Diego CA., or Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 1946. Courtesy of Ric Hedman.
Cusk141kAmidships looking forward plan view of Cusk (SS-348) showing LOON missile hanger at Mare Island on 29 September 1947. She was under conversion from 30 June to 7 October 1947. USN photo # 1822-47, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk153k Amidships looking aft plan view of Cusk (SS-348) showing LOON missile hanger at Mare Island on 29 September 1947. She was under conversion from 30 June to 7 October 1947. The decommissioned San Saba (APA-232) is in a nest of other decommissioned transports aft of Cusk. USN photo # 1823-47, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk73kStern view of the Cusk (SS-348) showing LOON missile hanger at Mare Island on 29 September 1947. USN photo courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Cusk142k This photo was taken just before Cusk (SS-348) fired the first Loon Missile in 1947. The launch ramp can be seen behind the crew.Courtesy of Ric Hedman.
Cusk1.00kThe following are a series of 8 photos showing the Cusk (SS-348) on 7 July 1948 launching a Loon Missile with the attendant misadventures that result in unexpected occurrences in this line of business. Smoke on the water. Cusk had to dive to extinguish the fire. Courtesy of Ric Hedman.
SubRonFive 2.48k Note that the last 2 submarines positions are incorrectly labeled in the photo, but are listed correctly here.
SubRonFive picture 30 December 1949 featuring from upper left corner to right: Florikan (ASR-9), Pomodon (SS-486), Volador (SS-490), Catfish (SS-339), Cusk (SS-348), Diodon (SS-349), Carp (SS-338), Carbonero (SS-337), & Nereus (AS-17).		 Text I.D. courtesy of John Spivey.
USN photo courtesy of usscusk.com.
Cusk 350k LTV-N-2 (Derby) Loon on deck of Cusk (SS-348) off NAMTC (Naval Air Missile Test Center), Point Mugu, California, 22 March 1950. USN photo # 80-G-414629 from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
Cusk604kCusk (SSG-348) going up the Mare Island Channel on 7 December 1950.Photo # 7692-12-50 TH, courtesy of Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk201k Bow on view of Cusk (SSG-348) in the fog off Mare Island on 7 December 1950. USN photo # 7691-12-50, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk209k Broadside view of Cusk (SSG-348) in the fog departing Mare Island on 7 December 1950. She was in overhaul at the yard from 18 September 1950 to 2 January 1951. Note Loon launcher and shelter. USN photo # 7693-12-50, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk177kStern view of Cusk (SSG-348) in the fog departing Mare Island on 7 December 1950. USN photo # 7695-12-50, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk1.24kLoon Launch # 586 from Cusk (SSG-348).Photo # USN 405931 scanned by Ryan Crierie, via flickr, courtesy of Stephen Gower.
Cusk106kCusk (SSG-348) firing a Loon missile, 15 May 1951.USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Cusk278k Cusk (SS-348) crew photo 1953.
The boat on the right of the picture (port side of Cusk) is the Spinax (SSR-489). The boat on the left of the photo (starboard side of Cusk) is harder to identify, but it might be the Carbonero (AGSS-337). The structure on the after deck looks a lot like a Loon missile launch ramp, and Carbonero was the only other boat equipped to fire this missile. However, other photos of Carbonero show the ramp mounted much closer to the conning tower fairwater; her installation was more temporary in nature than Cusk's and she lacked a water-tight hangar.
The Destroyer Hall (DD-583) can be seen in the right rear of the photo.		Photo courtesy of Vern Maxson, LCDR,USNR-R-RETIRED (SS). Text courtesy of David Johnston
Cusk313k The Cusk (SSG-348) is seen returning from sea trials at Mare Island on 30 June 1954. She was under repair at the yard from 15 February to 12 July 1954. USN photo # 21856-6-64, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk51kBroadside view of the Cusk (SS-348) underway, circa post mid 1950's. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Cusk178kBow view of the Cusk (SS-348) underway, circa post mid 1950's, possibly off Hawaii. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
COC 1.34k This unusual view shows eleven vessels of Submarine Squadron Five (nine submarines, a submarine rescue vessel and a submarine tender) moored side by side for a recent change of command ceremony at San Diego, California. Captain Eugene B. Fluckey, USN, Medal of Honor recipient, relieved Captain Francis B. Scanland, USN, as Commander, Submarine Squadron Five on 1 August 1955. Nested alongside the submarine tender Nereus (AS-17) are: Tunny (SSG-282), Cusk (SS-348), Carbonero (SS-337), Tilefish (SS-307), Spinax (SSR-489), Rock (SSR-274), Remora (SS-487), Catfish (SS-339), and Volador (SS-490), and the submarine rescue vessel, Florikan (ASR-9). Photograph released 3 August 1955. Photo # USN 681919 courtesy of the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, via flickr.com.
COC 681k Nereus (AS-17) with nine submarines;
Tunny (SSG-282),
Cusk (SS-348),
Carbonero (SS-337),
Tilefish (SS-307),
Spinax (SSR-489),
Rock (SSR-274),
Remora (SS-487),
Catfish (SS-339),
Volador (SS-490)
and the Submarine Rescue Vessel Florikan (ASR-9) moored alongside at San Diego.		 USN photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1955, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Cusk154kStern view of the Cusk (SS-348) underway, 4-3-61. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Cusk1.90kCusk (SSG-348) and Remora (SS-487) in 1963.
What might be an SSK (Bashaw (SSK-241), Bluegill (SSK-242) or Bream (SSK-243)) is bringing up the rear. 		Photo i.d. courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
USN photo courtesy of flickr.com via Stephen Gower.
Scamp & Cusk 798k Stern view of the Scamp (SSN-588) & Cusk (SS-348) during the 1960's. PDF courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Diodon 83k Commander Thomas F. Arnold was commissioned in June 1956 upon graduation from Tuft's University. For the next four years he served onboard the destroyers McDermut (DD-677) and Floyd B. Parks (DD-884) in various departmental assignments. After completion of submarine school in fall of 1960, Commander Arnold served in the Submarine Force onboard Tench (SS-417), Entemedor (SS-340), Staff Commander Submarine Squadron 14, and as Executive Officer of Rock (SS-270). Prior to his tour as Commanding Officer of the Cusk (SS-348) and Diodon (SS-349), he attended the United Kingdom Joint Services Staff College in 1968. Information from the Cruise book of the cruiser Albany (CG-10). He was X.O.
Photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo.
Cusk1.60kLCDR Thomas F. Arnold, Commanding Officer Cusk (SS-348) reads the decommissioning order for the submarine at Mare Island on 24 September 1969. USN photo # 94512-9-69, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk535k Sailors of the Cusk (SSG-348) fold the boat's flag during her decommissioning at Mare Island on 24 September 1969.Photo # 94513-9-69 TH, courtesy of Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk564k Sail of the Cusk (SSG-348) during her decommissioning at Mare Island on 24 September 1969.Photo # 94509-9-69 TH, courtesy of Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk239kCusk (SS-348) Display.Photo courtesy of usscusk & Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
Cusk1.30kLCDR Thomas F. Arnold, Commanding Officer Cusk (SS-348) receives the submarine's commissioning pennant during her decommissioning at Mare Island on 24 September 1969. Rock (AGSS-274) is just visible to the far left. USN photo # 94514-9-69, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk652kDecommissioning ceremonies for the Picking (DD-685) at Reserve Fleet, Mare Island on 1 June 1970.
The submarines from left to right in the background are: Cusk (SSG-348), Rock (AGSS-274), Bashaw (SS-241), Spinax (SSR-489). 		Photo i.d. courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
USN photo courtesy of Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Fred Willshaw & Darryl L. Baker.
MINSY430k Seven inactive submarines at Mare Island on 30 April 1971.
Left to right: Cusk (SS-348), Rock (AGSS-274), Bashaw (SS-241), Spinax (SSR-489), Pomodon (SS-486), Medregal (SS-480), and Diodon (SS-349).
Photo by Ted Stone and negative given to the shipyard in 1995. 		USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cusk30kCusk (SS-348) alongside, 1974.Photo contributed courtesy of Ron Gray.
View the Cusk (SS-348)
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