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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch on left contributed by Mike Smolinski, center by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN (ret.), on right by Ray Young.

Lamprey (SS-372)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Juliet - Whiskey
Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 22 February 1944, at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.; Launched, 18 June 1944; Commissioned USS Lamprey (SS-372), 17 November 1944; Decommissioned, 3 June 1946, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet; was transferred on loan to Argentina 21 Aug 1960 and became the Santiago Del Estero (S-12). Returned to US Navy custody, 1 September 1971, to be struck from the Naval Register, and sold outright to Argentina; Final Disposition, broken up in 1971 for use as spare parts. Lamprey received four battle stars for World War II service.
Note: Corrections to photo and text data were supplied by John D. Alden, author of The Fleet Submarine in the U.S. Navy: A Design and Construction History
Mr. Alden served on the Lamprey from her commissioning to decommissioning.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,424 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 54 Enlisted; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 5"/25 deck gun, one 40mm, one 20mm, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; ; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator diesel engines, 5,400 hp, Fuel Capacity, 116,000 gals., four General Electric main motors with 2,740 hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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Lamprey 71k Commemorative post cover issued on the Lamprey's (SS-372) keel laying, 22 February 1944, at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.
Note that the cancellation date is the 23rd of February.		 Photo courtesy of Paul Petosky.
Photo added 11/20/11.
Lamprey222kInsignia of the Lamprey (SS-372) designed for the submarine by Ray Young, circa 1944.
 Photo by Ray Young, courtesy of his son, William Young.
372, 373 & 37765kLamprey (SS-372), under construction, left hand side in the water, at the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI., April-May, 1944. The crane is holding a subsection of the Menhaden (SS-377) and the Lizzardfish (SS-373) is on the building ways on the right.
Editors Note: There are over 200 images submitted on these pages covering the following submarines that were constructed at the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc, WI,: SS-265 through SS-274, and SS-361 through SS-380.
None of them would have seen the light of day if it were not for the efforts of Curator, Asst. Director, Bill Thiesen of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Larry Bohn, who sent them to NavSource for publication.
A special debt of gratitude is owed to these two men and the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245) for allowing these photographs to be seen by the lovers of naval history worldwide.
Lamprey95kLamprey (SS-372), ablaze with bunting and bedeckled with signal flags, starboard bow view on the launching platform at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI., 18 June 1944.Photo by Harry Berns, Official photographer of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.
Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245)
Lamprey130k Crowds start to gather for the launching of the Lamprey (SS-372) while preliminary inspections are made, at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI., 18 June 1944.Photo by Harry Berns, Official photographer of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.
Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245)
Lamprey118kThe weight of the launching timbers incline as the Lamprey (SS-372) starts to tip over into the waters of the Manitowoc River, at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI., 18 June 1944.Photo by Harry Berns, Official photographer of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.
Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245)
Lamprey333kLamprey (SS-372) splashes into the waters of the Manitowoc River at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI., 18 June 1944. Photo by Harry Berns, Official photographer of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.
Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245)
Manitowoc55k Watercolor print by the artist Tom Denton of the side launching of a Manitowoc built boat. Courtesy of submarineart.com
Lamprey152k Lamprey (SS-372) finds her weight and rights herself immeadiatley after launching at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI., 18 June 1944. Photo by Harry Berns, Official photographer of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.
Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245)
Lamprey443kLamprey (SS-372) finds her weight and rights herself immeadiatley after launching at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI., 18 June 1944. Photo by Harry Berns, Official photographer of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.
USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Lamprey17kCommemorative postal cover on the occasion of the launching of the Lamprey (SS-372), 18 June 1944. Courtesy of Jack Tretule.
Lamprey92kLamprey (SS-372) on sea trials in Lake Michigan, circa June 1944.
John D. Alden, author of The Fleet Submarine in the U.S. Navy: A Design and Construction History comments that "the SS radar is aft of the scopes and looks like the Lamprey except for what appears to be a 40mm gun on the cigarette deck. We didn't receive ours until after the 1st patrol, when it was mounted forward of the bridge." 		National Archives photo # 019-N-76599, courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Lamprey43k Plankowners pose on board the Lamprey (SS-372) for her commissioning photo at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI., 17 Nov 44. Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245).
John D. Alden, author of The Fleet Submarine in the U.S. Navy: A Design and Construction History is the officer 7th from left.
Lamprey58kLamprey's (SS-372) emblem and crew signatures, circa Nov 1944.Photo by Harry Berns, Official photographer of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.
Submitted by Larry Bohn, courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, home of the Cobia (SS-245)
Harry Berns485kPhoto of Harry Berns, Official photographer of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI.
The photo of the Golet (SS-361) encased in snow appears on the wall above him on the upper right.
His obituary appears here. 		Photo courtesy of Susan Menk, Archives Assistant, Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Dee Anna Grimsrud,Reference Archivist, Wisconsin Historical Society, Steve Khail, CBC, Director of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, The Manitowoc Company, Inc. & William Young.
Lamprey17kCommemorative postal cover on the occasion of the commissioning of the Lamprey (SS-372), 17 November 1944. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Lizardfish and friends 85k L X 3: Lizardfish (SS-373), Loggerhead (SS-374) & Lamprey (SS-372) The Lizardfish arrived Subic Bay, Philippines, 6 August and was there when Japan capitulated 9 days later. Text courtesy of DANFS. Photo courtesy Lizardfish (SS-373) plankowner Walter H. Mead via his son, Scott Mead.
Mare Island Reserve Fleet137kReserve fleet at Mare Island, circa Jan 1946. There are 52 submarines and 4 Sub Tenders in this photo. This photo is a Berthing list identifying the ships in the picture. Photo commemorating 50 years, U. S. Submarine Veterans of WW II 1996 calendar, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Mare Island Reserve Fleet453kPhoto of the Reserve fleet at Mare Island, circa Jan 1946. There are 52 submarines and 4 Sub Tenders in this photo. Whether coincidental or on purpose, the number of boats in the photo is the same as that which were lost in WW II.
From back to front and left to right, first group of 12 boats:
Sandlance (SS-381)
Tunny (SS-282)
Aspro (SS-309)
Lionfish (SS-298)
Guvania (SS-362)
Sunfish (SS-281)
Macabi (SS-375)
Gurnard (SS-254)
Pampanito (SS-383)
Mingo (SS-261)
Guitarro (SS-363)
Bashaw (SS-241)
From back to front and left to right, second group of 12 boats:
Sealion (SS-315)
Hammerhead (SS-364)
Bream (SS-243)
Seahorse (SS-304)
Tinosa (SS-283)
Pintado (SS-387)
Mapiro (SS-376)
Pipefish (SS-388)
Moray (SS-300)
Batfish (SS-310)
Hackleback (SS-295)
Bluegill (SS-242)
From back to front and left to right, third group of 12 boats:
Hawkbill (SS-366)
Menhaden (SS-377)
Perch (SS-313)
Loggerhead (SS-374)
Barbero (SS-317)
Baya (SS-318)
Hardhead (SS-365)
Spadefish (SS-411)
Springer (SS-414)
Devilfish (SS-292)
Kraken (SS-370)
Dragonet (SS-293)
From back to front and left to right, fourth group of 12 boats:
Lamprey (SS-372)
Piranha (SS-389)
Manta (SS-299)
Pargo (SS-264)
Rancador (SS-301)
Archerfish (SS-311)
Mero (SS-378)
Sawfish (SS-276)
Spot (SS-413)
Lizardfish (SS-373)
Jallao (SS-368)
Icefish (SS-367)
From back to front and left to right, last group of 4 boats:
Steelhead (SS-280)
Puffer (SS-268)
Stickleback (SS-415)
Trepang (SS-412)
From back to front, Submarine Tenders group of 4 ships:
Pelias (AS-14)
Aegir (AS-23)
Euryale (AS-22)
Griffin (AS-13)
Photo commemorating 50 years, U. S. Submarine Veterans of WW II 1996 calendar, courtesy of Darryl Baker
Lamprey257kPost war, port side view of the Lamprey (SS-372).Photo i.d. courtesy of Dave Johnaton.
Photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Santiago Del Estero (S-12)
Lamprey52kStarboard view of the Ex-Lamprey (SS-372) after being transferred (loaned) to Argentina, 21 August 1960 and renamed Santiago Del Estero (S-12). USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Lamprey53kPort side view of the Santiago Del Estero (S-12). USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Lamprey96kSantiago Del Estero (S-12) at anchor at Mar del Plata naval base, circa 1969. Photo and text from The World Encyclopedia of Submarines by John Parker courtesy of Robert Hurst.
View the Lamprey (SS-372)
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
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
Manitowoc Built Submarines
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