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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski

Pipefish (SS-388) (AGSS-388)

Call sign: November - Juliet - Whiskey - Juliet
Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 31 May 1943, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 12 October 1943; Commissioned USS Pipefish (SS-388), 22 January 1944; Decommissioned 19 March 1946; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-388), 1 December 1962; Struck from the Naval Register, 1 March 1967; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 4 Feb. 1969, to Zidell Explorations, Inc., Portland, OR. for $ 55,459.00, removed 19 Feb. 1969. Pipefish received six battle stars 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, four Fairbanks Morse main engines, 5,400hp, Fuel Capacity, 116,000 gal., four Elliot Motor Co. electric main motors with 2,740hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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For Full Size Image		Size Image Description Source
Sand Lance335kBow view of the Sand Lance (SS-381) prior to launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME. 25 June 1943.
Note the keel of the Pipefish (SS-388) rising up from the ways on the left. 		U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Sand Lance121kCommemorative launching stamp of the Pipefish (SS-388) at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 12 October 1943.U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
Photo added 01/28/12.
Pipefish 171k Commemorative launching tag of the Pipefish (SS-388) at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 12 October 1943. Photo courtesy of Ron Toth, Jr.via Tom Kermen.
Pipefish 171k Mrs. George J. Bates, at left, sponsor of the Pipefish (SS-388), poses with 2 others at the boat's launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 12 October 1943. USN photo courtesy of Grover A. Kiick, MM1, (USN Ret).
Pipefish 128k The crew salutes the national ensign as the Pipefish (SS-388), slides down the building ways at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 12 October 1943. USN photo courtesy of Grover A. Kiick, MM1, (USN Ret).
Pipefish 145k The Pipefish (SS-388), is now waterborne at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 12 October 1943. USN photo courtesy of Grover A. Kiick, MM1, (USN Ret).
Pipefish 170k Launching of the Pipefish (SS-388), in stream prior to docking at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 12 October 1943. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Pipefish 98k Officers of the Pipefish (SS-388): From left to right - Mr. Carlson, Gunnery officer; Supply Officer; XO, Lt. Joe McDowell; Captain Deregan; ships 1st Lt.; Engineering Officer. USN photo courtesy of Grover A. Kiick, MM1, (USN Ret).
Pipefish 207k Officers from left to right, standing is the Pipefish's (SS-388) 1st Lt.; seated is the Engineering Officer; XO Joe McDowell; Captain Deregan; unknown, not a ships officer; Gunnery Officer Carlson; Supply Officer. USN photo courtesy of Grover A. Kiick, MM1, (USN Ret).
Pipefish 92k Pipefish's (SS-388) crew dance the night away prior to embarking for the war zone. USN photo courtesy of Grover A. Kiick, MM1, (USN Ret).
Pipefish 94k Pipefish's (SS-388) crew dance the night away prior to embarking for the war zone. USN photo courtesy of Grover A. Kiick, MM1, (USN Ret).
Pipefish 139k Pipefish (SS-388), crew photo, 3rd row, forth in from the right with his white hat cocked on the back of his head is Grover A. Kiick, MM1. He identified the place where the photo was taken as Midway and the date to be June-July 1945. Text courtesy of Grover A. Kiick, MM1, (USN Ret). Photo from the collection of Marshall Y. Colley, crew member.
Submitted by Rich "Doc" Colley.
Pipefish 276k Pipefish (SS-388), crew photo Midway Island, 1945 From the Collection of Marshall Y. Colley, crew member.
Submitted by Rich "Doc" Colley.
Pipefish 17k Pipefish (SS-388), at sea VJ Day. From the Collection of Marshall Y. Colley, crew member.
Submitted by Rich "Doc" Colley.
Pipefish 39k Pipefish (SS-388), Marshall Y. Colley and other crew members, date unknown. From the collection of Marshall Y. Colley, crew member.
Submitted by Rich "Doc" Colley.
Pipefish 11k Marshall Y. Colley on the bridge of the Pipefish (SS-388) on VJ day. From the collection of Marshall Y. Colley, crew member.
Submitted by Rich "Doc" Colley.
Pipefish 73k Pipefish (SS-388), crew photo on VJ day. From the collection of Marshall Y. Colley, crew member.
Submitted by Rich "Doc" Colley.
Pipefish 73k Pipefish (SS-388), crew photo, place and date unknown. From the collection of Marshall Y. Colley, crew member.
Submitted by Rich "Doc" Colley.
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,
Mare Island Reserve Fleet 173k Submarines aft of unidentifed submarine in foregroud 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.
View the Pipefish (SS-388)
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
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