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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patches on left & center by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN (ret.), on right courtesy of naviosdeguerrabrasileiros.hpg.ig.com.br

Sand Lance (SS-381)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Oscar - Mike

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 12 March 1943, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 25 June 1943; Commissioned USS Sand Lance (SS-381), 9 October 1943; Decommissioned, 14 February 1946, San Francisco Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet; Recommissioned, 6 April 1963, at Sub Base Pearl Harbor; Decommissioned, 7 September 1963; Transferred (loaned) under terms of the Military Assistance Act to Brazil, 7 September 1963, renamed Rio Grande do Sol (S-11); Struck from the Naval Register, 1 September 1972, Final Disposition, decommissioned by Brazilian Navy in 1972; returned to US Control 10-12-72, Sold 6-1-74 for $ 56,000.00 Scrapped in 1975. Sand Lance earned five battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation for World War II service.
Partial data submitted by Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.)

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced 1,526 t., Submerged 2,391 t.; Length 311' 8"; Beam 27' 3"; Draft 15' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10 kts; Submerged Endurance, 48 hours at 2 kts; 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 single 40mm gun mount, one single 20mm gun mount, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear, Fairbanks Morse diesel engines, 5,400 HP, Fuel Capacity, 116,000 gal., four Elliot Motor Co. electric main motors with 2,740 shp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
	51k	Commemorative launch day badge from the Sand Lance's (SS-381) launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME. 25 June 1943.	Courtesy of James A Munroe in remembrance of his father Raymond L Munroe Sr. who worked at the yard during WW II and the Korean wars as a chauffeur.
	51k	Commemorative postal cover on the occasion of Sand Lance's (SS-381) launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME. 25 June 1943.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
	75k	Moments after being launched, the Sand Lance (SS-381) is waterborne at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME. 25 June 1943.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
	258k	Stern view of Sand Lance (SS-381) off Mare Island on 26 Feb 1945.	USN photo # 1440-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
	248k	Broadside view of Sand Lance (SS-381) off Mare Island on 26 Feb 1945. She was in overhual at Mare Island from 1 Nov 44 until 13 March1945.	USN photo # 1442-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
	245k	Bow on view of Sand Lance (SS-381) off Mare Island on 26 Feb 1945. In the background is a stern view of either Snapper (SS-185), Cero (SS-225), & Raton (SS-270). All were out in the bay that day.	USN photo # 1445-45, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
	424k	On board the Sand Lance (SS-381) on war patrol. R.H. Swickard (QM2/c) operating searchlight. May 1945.	Official U.S. Navy photo NARA FILE #: 080-G-468151, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
	101k	Lookouts scan the horizon on the 4th war patrol of the Sand Lance (SS-381), May 1945.	National Archives photo # 80-G-468393, courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
	308k	Bow view of the Tiru (SS-416) under construction at Mare Island on 3 Jan 1946. Submarines in the background are decommisioned or will soon be: from front to rear are Bashaw (SS-241), Pampanito (SS-383), Mingo (SS-261), Gurnard (SS-254), Macabi (SS-375), Tunny (SS-282), Guavina (SS-362) and Sand Lance (SS-381).	USN photo # 18-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
	137k	Reserve 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.
	453k	Photo 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.
	900k	Inactivated submarines at Mare Island on 3 January 1946. Front row left to right: Sand Lance (SS-381), next two could be Sealion (SS-315) and Seahorse (SS-304), Searaven (SS-196), Pampanito (SS-383), Gurnard (SS-254), Mingo (SS-261), Guitarro (SS-363), Bashaw (SS-241). Back row left to right: Unknown, Tunny (SS-282), next three could be Sargo (SS-188), Spearfish (SS-190), and Saury (SS-189), Macabi (SS-375), Sunfish (SS-281), Guavina (SS-362), Lionfish (SS-298),Piranha (SS-389). The Scabbardfish (SS-397) is docked in *ARD-11* on the other side of the causeway. The mixture of boats from the *Salmon/Sargo, Gato, and Balao classes* illustrate the clear differences in the conning tower fairwaters and the periscope shears that can be used to identify boats. The high bridges with the uncovered support frames (the "covered wagon" look) of the *Gatos* and *Salmon/Sargo's* contrast with the low and sleek look of the *Balao's. The fatter, more robust periscope shears of the Balao's* are markedly different from the thinner shears with more supporting structure of the *Gatos* and *Salmon/Sargo's. The differences in the pattern of the superstructure limber holes can also be used for identification purposes. The single row of large semi-circular holes indentify Electric Boat or Manitowoc boats. A dual row of smaller rectangular holes mark the government built boats. Also note that the EB/Manitowoc boats have the deck mounted, T-shaped JP sonar head on the starboard side of the forward deck, while the government boats have it on the port side. EB/Manitowoc boats had the anchor on the starboard side, the government boats on the port side. A close look will show that some of the boats have had the anchor removed and the hawsepipe plated over as part of the mothball process. Most of the boats have the late war radar outfit of the SJ surface search (small dish) and SV air search (large dish). The Balao's* and some of the *Gatos* have the SS dish mounted on a separate large mast aft of the periscopes. The older *Salmon/Sargo's* and *Gatos* have a much smaller mast. *Searaven* appears to have had her radars already removed. *Searaven* is actually sporting a late war SJ surface search antennae mounted to starboard of the periscopes. This is a rare installation. Most often it was mounted forward (early war) or aft (late war) of the 'scopes shears. Her air search set is a late war SD antennae mounted on a stub mast directly aft of the 'scopes. *Searaven* never received the much more capable SV air search set. Having been assigned to training duties after November, 1944 it was probably felt that the SV set was not necessary. One strange thing: almost all of the boats appear to have the outer doors of the forward torpedo tubes open. Even though the boats have an interlock system that prevents the breech and outer doors from being opened at the same time, this is an unusual thing to do and a potential source of catastrophic flooding.	U.S. Navy photo # 17-46, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Text courtesy of David Johnston, USNR.
	289k	Inactivated submarines at Mare Island in early 1946. Front row left to right: Sand Lance (SS-381), next two could be Sealion (SS-315) and Seahorse (SS-304), Searaven (SS-196), Pampanito (SS-383), Gurnard (SS-254), Mingo (SS-261), Guitarro (SS-363), Bashaw (SS-241). Back row left to right: Unknown, Tunny (SS-282), next three could be Sargo (SS-188), Spearfish (SS-190), and Saury (SS-189), Macabi (SS-375), Sunfish (SS-281), Guavina (SS-362), Lionfish (SS-298),Piranha (SS-389). The Scabbardfish (SS-397) is docked in *ARD-11* on the other side of the causeway. Tiru (SS-416) is on the ways in upper left hand side of photo. Two ferry boats (to the right of *Tiru's* ways) are *YHB-2* / [ex-Post of Stockton] and *YHB-21* / [ex-Tamalpais].	Photo i.d. courtesy of Darryl Baker. US Navy photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com. Photo added 08/06/10.
	173k	Submarines aft of unidentified submarine in foreground at Mare Island Reserve Fleet on 28 September 1950 are: Left to right: Dragonet (SS-293), Menhaden (SS-377), Mapiro (SS-376), Seahorse (SS-304), Sand Lance (SS-381), Batfish (SS-310), Capitaine (SS-336), Pipefish (SS-388) and Manta (SS-299).	U.S. Navy photo # 6988-9-50, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Rio Grande do Sol (S-11)
	206k	Starboard side view of the Sand Lance (SS-381), off Oahu on 15 August 1963, running post-repair trials just prior to transfer to Brazil. She became the Brazilian Rio Grande do Sol (S-11) in September 1963.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
	98k	The crew of the Sand Lance (SS-381) stand at attention as the boat is decommissioned and turned over to Brazil, 7 September 1963.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
	106k	The crews of the Sand Lance(SS-381), & Plaice (SS-390) stand at attention as the boats are decommissioned, 7 September 1963.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
	109k	The crews of the Sand Lance (SS-381), & Plaice (SS-390) stand at attention as the boats are decommissioned, 7 September 1963.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
	101k	Stern view of the Sand Lance (SS-381), & Plaice (SS-390) as the boats are decommissioned, 7 September 1963.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
	42k	Sand Lance (SS-381), April of 1963 off of Pearl Harbor. The *Sand Lance* had just been re-commissioned and was getting ready to train the Brazilian crew. She was transferred to Brazil in September of 1963.	Submitted by Joel Staggs.
	75k	ex-Sand Lance (SS-381) as the Rio Grande do Sol (S-11) in drydock at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, circa 1970's. Note her name in Portuguese written on her port side aft.	Photo courtesy of naviosdeguerrabrasileiros.hpg.ig.com.br, & submitted by Valdo Novaes.
	59k	Rio Grande do Sol (S-11), 16 June 1971, entering the port of Santos, Brazil.	Photo courtesy of naviosdeguerrabrasileiros.hpg.ig.com.br, & submitted by Valdo Novaes.
	69k	Port bow on view of the Rio Grande do Sol (S-11), circa 1970's.	Brazilian Navy photo by SRPM, via Jose' Henrique Mendes. Photo courtesy of naviosdeguerrabrasileiros.hpg.ig.com.br, & submitted by Valdo Novaes.