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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Patch on left courtesy of Cully Middleton & submitted by Gary Carlson, center left courtesy of Bill Hughes, on second right by Mike Smolinski, right by Y.M.Umar,CPO (Ret.),Turkish Navy.

Pomfret (SS-391)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - November - Lima

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 14 July 1943, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 27 October 1943; Commissioned USS Pomfret (SS-391), 19 February 1944; The 39th President of the United States, James "Jimmy" E. Carter qualified and served in Pomfret between 29 December 1948 and 1 February 1951. Decommissioned in April 1952 for GUPPY IIA upgrade at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA. Re-Commissioned on 5 December 1952 and operated locally from her home port of San Diego, CA and periodic Western Pacific deployments with the U. S. Seventh Fleet.
In April, 1971 Pomfret embarked the prospective Turkish Navy crew at San Diego for training and on 1 July 1971, she was transferred to the Republic of Turkey and renamed TCG Orucreis (S-337). After transiting the Panama Canal, she underwent an overhaul at the Philadelphia Navy Yard until January 1972. (Note: Orucreis was the name of an Ottoman Empire Admiral that, with his brother Hizar Reis, took control of Algeria from Spain in 1506).
Before departure for Turkey, Orucreis (S-337) participated in joint ASW exercises around Key West, FL. She arrived at Izmir, Turkey and was Commissioned into the Turkish Submarine Forces on 3 May 1972. Pursuant to the Foreign Military Sales Act of 1968, the ex-Pomfret was sold to the Republic of Turkey on 1 August 1973; concurrently struck from the U. S. Naval Vessel Registry and the title transferred. TCG Orucreis (S-337) was Decommissioned on 15 September 1986. Final Deposition and fate unknown. Pomfret received five battle stars for World War II service.
Researched by CTRC Donald J. Wagner, USN (Ret) for NavSource.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced 1,526 t., Submerged 2,391 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 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 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.
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Pomfret13k Commemorative postal cover on the occasion of Pomfret's (SS-391) commissioning, 19 February 1944. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Pomfret76kPlankowner Officers and crew of the Pomfret (SS-391) celebrate at her commissioning party, 19 February 1944.Photo courtesy of Wayne Shepherd.
Pomfret56kPlankowner Officers of the Pomfret (SS-391) celebrate at her commissioning party, 19 February 1944.Photo courtesy of Wayne Shepherd.
Pomfret & Greenfish328kAfter refit and training, Pomfret (SS-391) reentered the same patrol area 1 November 1944 as part of a wolf pack. The next night Pomfret torpedoes and damages troop transport Atlas Maru, 7,347-tons, & passenger-cargo vessel Hamburg Maru, 5,271-tons, which is scuttled by an escort. The next day the Atlas Maru is beached off 20'18'N, 121?51'E Sabtang Island and declared a total loss.Text courtesy of DANFS & combinedfleet.com. Photo courtesy of Tommy Trampp. Photo added 03/31/10.
Pomfret93kOfficers of the Pomfret (SS-391) pose beneath one of the boat's 40-mm guns, circa August 1945, possibly at Guam. Partial text i.d. courtesy of John Hummel, photo courtesy of Wayne Shepherd.
Pomfret44kThe crew of the Pomfret (SS-391) crowd the boat's rails near their tender, possibly the Sperry (AS-12), circa August 1945, possibly at Guam. Photo courtesy of Wayne Shepherd.
Pomfret & Greenfish128k Stern view of the Pomfret (SS-391) entering Pearl Harbor, circa late 40's, early 50's. The Greenfish (SS-351) is off to Pomfret's port side. Text courtesy of John Hummel.
USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Pomfret117kPomfret (SS-391), underway in 1951, prior to her "Guppy IIA" modernization. Official U.S. Navy Photograph # 80-G-1042402, courtesy of the USNHC.
Pomfret176k Photo of the re-commissioning of Pomfret (SS-391) at Mare Island after her Guppy IIA conversion on 5 December 1952. US Navy Photo # 15538-12-52, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Pomfret165k Broadside view of Pomfret (SS-391) off Mare Island after her Guppy IIA conversion on 27 January 1953. She was under conversion at the yard from 15 April 1952 to 4 March 1953. US Navy Photo # 16009-1-53, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Pomfret272k Aerial view of Pomfret (SS-391) off Mare Island on 23 May 1957. She was in overhaul at the yard from 5 January to 27 May 1957. US Navy Photo # 24425-5-57, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Pomfret81kPomfret (SS-391), off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, in January 1953, following her "Guppy IIA" modernization. Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 90865, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
Photo courtesy of Jack Howland, 1980.
Pomfret77kPomfret (SS-391), off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, in January 1953, following her "Guppy IIA" modernization. Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 90866, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
Photo courtesy of Jack Howland, 1980.
Pomfret78kPomfret (SS-391), off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, on 27 January 1953, following her "Guppy IIA" modernization. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, # NH 90867, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
Photo courtesy of Jack Howland, 1980.
Pomfret94kThe Pomfret (SS-391) in 1955 between coastal operations out of San Diego and WestPac deployments. US Navy photo, text courtesy of DANFS.
Pomfret63kPomfret (SS-391), off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, on 9 August 1962.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 98634, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
Pomfret208kPomfret (SS-391), underway during the 1960s.
USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Pomfret62kStarboard side view of the Pomfret (SS-391), underway during the 1960s.
USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Pomfret82kPomfret (SS-391), underway during the 1960s.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, # NH 78984, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson, USN(MSC), 1974.
Pomfret87kPomfret (SS-391), underway in the Pacific, 18 October 1968. Photographed by PHC R.G. Dawson, of squadron VC-3.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 98635,from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
TCG Orucreis (S-337)
Pomfret 79k The ex-Pomfret (SS-391), now the Turkish Orucreis (S-337) with crew in dress whites.Photo courtesy of Y.M.Umar,CPO (Ret.),Turkish Navy.
Pomfret 135k The crew of the Orucreis (S-337) salute the flagship.Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy.
Pomfret62kThe Orucreis (S-337) in an undated photo.Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy.
Pomfret87kOrucreis (S-337) on trail, circa 1976.
Photo courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Ret),Turkish Navy.

View the Pomfret (SS-391)
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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