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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch on left courtesy of Bill Hughes, second from left courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org. Other patches courtesy of Mike Smolinski.

Sterlet (SS-392)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Quebec - Lima
Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 14 July 1943, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 27 October 1943; Commissioned USS Sterlet (SS-392), 5 February 1944; Decommissioned 18 September 1948, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.; Recommissioned, 26 August 1950; Converted to a Fleet Snorkel Submarine in 1952; Decommissioned, 30 September 1968; Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1968; Final Disposition, sunk as a target by Sargo (SSN-583), 31 January 1969. Sterlet received four battle starts for World War II service.

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.
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For Full Size Image		Size Image Description Source
Sterlet 129k Commemorative launch tag on the occasion of Sterlet's (SS-392) launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, 27 October 1943.Photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo.
Photo added 07/22/11.
Sterlet 21k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Sterlet's (SS-392) commissioning at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, 5 February 1944.
 Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Sterlet 21k Sterlet (SS-392), in port, circa 1944-45.
US Navy photo courtesy of subnet.com.
Sterlet 49k Sterlet (SS-392), in the tropics, circa 1944-45.
 Photo by Bob Fedor, courtesy of John Prylzba, MMC(SS)(Ret) / dbfer.com.
Sterlet 93k Photo of the re-commissioning ceremonies of the Sterlet (SS-392), at Mare Island on 26 Aug 1950. Lt. Comdr. George W. Kittredge in command.
 US Navy photo # 6796-8-50, courtesy of Darryl Baker. Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
Sterlet 84k Photo of the change of command of Sterlet (SS-392) at Mare Island on 1 December 1953. I'm unable to identify the officers.
US Navy photo # 19473-12-53, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Sterlet 50k Sterlet (SS-392), and Ronquil (SS-396) moored outboard of the ASR in Yokosuka harbor, Japan, 1954.
 Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
Sterlet 91k Sterlet (SS-392), Yokosuka harbor, Japan, 1954.
 Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
Sterlet 589k Port side view of the Sterlet (SS-392) on 19 May 1955 off Hawaii. US Navy photo # USN 667747 courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Sterlet 46k Sterlet (SS-392), in Kaoshung, Formosa, tied up alongside the dock and the Ronquil (SS-396) moored outboard, 1956.
Courtesy of Grant Riddle / submarinebaseph.com
Sterlet 39k Crew in dress whites aboard the Sterlet (SS-392) at dockside, circa post mid 1950's.
 US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Sterlet 44k Sterlet (SS-392) entering Pearl Harbor, circa post mid 1950's.
 US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Sterlet 10k Cutout of the Sterlet (SS-392), in her final configuration.
 Courtesy of John Przybyla, ETC(SS)/ dbfer.net.
Sterlet 58k A still from a 16mm movie clip shows the Sterlet (SS-392), possibly off Hawaii, circa post mid 1950's.
US Navy photo courtesy of periscopefilm.com.
Greenfish 118k Three different bow views of fleet boats.
Greenfish (SS-351) is the outboard boat in the photo.
The boat with the sonar dome on the bow is the Fleet Snorkel boat Sterlet (SS-392). In 1955, she was fitted with a BQR-4A sonar similar to the SSK conversions, but she retained all six forward torpedo tubes (unlike the SSK conversions, which lost the upper two), was not silenced to the extent that the SSK's were, and retained all four engines. Sea Owl (SS-405) and Piper (SS-408) received similar installations. These three boats were never re-designated as SSK. They can be easily distinguished from the SSK conversions because the sonar dome was raised above the deck level. The SSK's dome was flush with the main deck. This is why they lost the upper two torpedo tubes.
Carp (SS-338) is the next boat inboard.		 Photo courtesy of Ron Phillipi. Photo & text i.d. courtesy of Dave Johnston (USNR).
Carp200kStern view of four boats tied up in Pearl Harbor about 1959. Inboard to outboard are the Sabalo (SS-302), Carp (SS-338), Sterlet (SS-392) & Greenfish (SS-351). Photo courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Carp227kInverse of the above photo shows a partial bow view of Sabalo (SS-302),Carp (SS-338), Sterlet (SS-392) & Greenfish (SS-351). Photo courtesy of Ron Phillipi.
Sterlet 246k Sterlet (SS-392) is a shell of her former self in dry dock, 1966. US Navy photo courtesy of Ron Reeves.
Sterlet 192k Stern & propeller guards on the Sterlet (SS-392) in dry dock, 1966. US Navy photo courtesy of Ron Reeves.
Sterlet 124k Sterlet's (SS-392) crew pose topside waiting to disembark from her final patrol in September 1968. US Navy photo courtesy of Ron Reeves.
Sterlet 52k Sterlet (SS-392), underway outside Pearl Harbor just prior to being decommissioned, 30 September 1968.
 Courtesy of John Przybyla, ETC(SS) dbfer.net.
Submitted by Gary "Cowboy" McLaughlin, former crewmember, early 60's.
Sterlet 22k First of three photos of the Sterlet (SS-392), sinking sinking by the stern after being hit as a target by Sargo (SSN-583), 31 January 1969.
 Courtesy of John Przybyla, ETC(SS)/ dbfer.net.
Sterlet 21k Second of three photos of the Sterlet (SS-392), sinking after being hit as a target by Sargo (SSN-583), 31 January 1969.
 Courtesy of John Przybyla, ETC(SS)/ dbfer.net.
Sterlet 21k Final of three photos of the Sterlet (SS-392), after being hit as a target by Sargo (SSN-583), 31 January 1969.
 Courtesy of John Przybyla, ETC(SS)/ dbfer.net.
View the Sterlet (SS-392)
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
Diesel Boats Forever by John Prylzba.
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
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