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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Second patch on left courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org., all other patches courtesy of Mike Smolinski

Razorback (SS-394)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - November - Xray

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 9 September 1943, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 27 January 1944; Commissioned USS Razorback (SS-394), 3 April 1944; She was one of twelve United States submarines present in Tokyo Bay during the Surrender Ceremony on 2 September 1945. In August 1952, Razorback Decommissioned to undergo Guppy IIA modifications. Re-commissioned in January 1952, she underwent shakedown and post overhaul training at New London, CT. On 24 May 1954, Razorback reported for duty at San Diego, CA. Under terms of the Security Assistance Program, she again Decommissioned on 30 November 1970 at Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, CA; struck from the Naval Vessel Registry and was transferred (sale) to the Republic of Turkey.
Concurrently, the ex- Razorback was Commissioned as TGC Muratreis (S-336) of the Turkish Navy. In 1974, Muratreis (S-336) departed the Golcuk Navy Yard, Turkey under combat conditions as a participant in the "Cyprus Peace Operations".
Decommissioned from the Turkish Navy on 8 August 2001, she was laid up at Golcuk awaiting final disposition. Through the efforts of various veteran and civic organizations, the veteran submarine was purchased from the Turkish Government for the scrap price of $37,500. After receiving seaworthiness overhaul at a shipyard in Tuzla, Turkey, the ex- Razorback again put to sea (under tow) on 5 May 2004.
After departure, she made port calls in Gibraltar and Key West, FL and arrived at her final berth at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum, North Little Rock, AR on 16 July 2004. Since July 2005, ex-Razorback/ex-Muratreis has been open to the public.
Razorback received five battle stars for World War II service, and four stars for Vietnam 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.

Size	Image Description	Source
93k	Early 1944 photo of the Razorback (SS-394), Redfish (SS-395), Ronquil (SS-396) under construction and soon to be launched, with prefabricated sections and other building parts for the soon to be constructed Piper (SS-409) & Threadfin (SS-410) in the foreground.	Photo courtesy of John D. Alden, author of The Fleet Submarine in the U.S. Navy: A Design and Construction History Photo added 08/03/06.
154k	Preparing for the Christening ceremony aboard the Redfish (SS-395) at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 27 January 1944. Two of the submarines behind the *Redfish* are either the Razorback (SS-394), Ronquil (SS-396) & Scabbardfish (SS-397). All 4 boats were launched that day.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
178k	Miss Ruth Roper holds the bottle at the Christening ceremony aboard the Redfish (SS-395) at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 27 January 1944. Two of the submarines behind the *Redfish* are either the Razorback (SS-394), Ronquil (SS-396) & Scabbardfish (SS-397). All 4 boats were launched that day.	US Navy photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
123k	Commemorative postal cover marking the quadruple launching of the Razorback (SS-394), Redfish (SS-395), Ronquil (SS-396) & Scabbardfish (SS-397) launching, 27 January 1944 at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.	Courtesy of Jack Tretule.
41k	Commemorative postal cover marking the Razorback's (SS-394) commissioning, 3 April 1944.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle. Photo added 04/14/06.
147k	Officers and crew on the bridge of the Razorback (SS-394) as she enters Pearl Harbor, circa 1944-45.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
83k	Officers and crew line the deck of the Razorback (SS-394) as she enters Pearl Harbor, circa 1944-45.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
45k	Starboard quarter view of the Razorback (SS-394), circa 1944-45.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
95k	Proteus (AS-19) with submarines of Submarine Squadron 20 alongside in Tokyo Bay, on VJ-Day, 2 September 1945. Names of the submarines present, their commanding officers and the commanding officers of SubRon20 and *Proteus* are printed at the bottom of the image: Archerfish (SS-311), Cavalla (SS-244), Gato (SS-212), Haddo (SS-255), Muskallunge (SS-262), Pilotfish (SS-386), Razorback (SS-394), Runner (SS-476), Segundo (SS-398), Sea Cat (SS-399), and Tigrone (SS-419).	Courtesy of Captain Joseph F. Enright, USN(Retired), 1979. US Navy photo # NH 95019, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
50k	WW II battleflag of the Razorback (SS-394), 16 merchant vessels, 2 men of war, 5 American airmen rescued.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
159k	WW II battleflag of the Razorback (SS-394), 16 merchant vessels, 2 men of war, 5 American airmen rescued.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
59k	Becuna (SS-319) & Razorback (SS-394) at Pearl Harbor, circa 1946.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
97k	Razorback (SS-394) underway, circa 1946.	USN photo courtesy of USNI.
53k	WWII and GUPPY configurations of the Razorback (SS-394).	Courtesy of Philip LaVoie.
111k	Bashaw (SSK-241), with Bream (SSK-243),Segundo (SS-398), Razorback (SS-394), and Menhaden (SS-377),in San Diego Harbor, circa 1953.	Courtesy of Phil Gulick, former 1st Amphib Recon Company member aboard the Perch.
99k	Segundo (SS-398), Razorback (SS-394), and Menhaden (SS-377),in San Diego Harbor, circa 1953.	Courtesy of Phil Gulick, former 1st Amphib Recon Company member aboard the Perch.
142k	Starboard view of the Razorback (SS-394) after GUPPY conversion, circa mid 50's.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
166k	Stern view of the Razorback (SS-394) after GUPPY conversion, circa mid 50's.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
105k	Bow view of the Razorback (SS-394) after GUPPY conversion, circa mid 50's.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
65k	Razorback (SS-394), starboard view, mid 50's, place unknown.	Courtesy of George M. Arnold.
38k	Razorback (SS-394), surfaced and underway after Guppy IIA conversion, circa 1960's, place unknown.	US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
113k	Port side view of the Razorback (SS-394) after GUPPY IIA conversion, circa 1960's off Hawaii.	USN photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org
60k	Razorback (SS-394), moored after completing patrol, circa 1960's, place unknown.	Courtesy of George M. Arnold.
346k	Razorback (SS-394), is heading home.	Courtesy Naval Affairs Journal, Jan. 2003.
247k	Razorback (SS-394) undertow during her journey from Istanbul, Turkey to North Little Rock, Arkansas.	Photo submitted by John Hummel, courtesy northlr.org/maritime-museum.
130k	Bows on view of the Razorback (SS-394), undertow during her journey from Istanbul, Turkey to North Little Rock, Arkansas.	Photo submitted by John Hummel, courtesy northlr.org/maritime-museum.
129k	Starboard view of the Razorback (SS-394), undertow during her journey from Istanbul, Turkey to North Little Rock, Arkansas.	Photo submitted by John Hummel, courtesy northlr.org/maritime-museum.
105k	Assisted by a tug nudging her towards the dock, the Razorback (SS-394), proceeds to tie up.	Photo submitted by John Hummel, courtesy northlr.org/maritime-museum.
59k	Razorback (SS-394), tieing up to wharf.	Photo submitted by John Hummel, courtesy northlr.org/maritime-museum.
106k	Securing the line, Razorback (SS-394).	Photo submitted by John Hummel, courtesy northlr.org/maritime-museum.
243k	From the Pensacola News Journal - Monday, June 14, 2004. "World War II submarine making stops along coast." Associated Press KEY WEST -Navy veterans and local dignitaries celebrated the arrival of a World War II-era submarine as the Razorback (SS-394) made its first U.S. stop in the Florida Keys on Sunday en route to its new home on the banks of the Arkansas River. The city of North Little Rock, Ark., acquired the submarine from Turkey in March after the Turkish Navy, which purchased the sub from U.S. Navy in 1970, decommissioned it. John Ranguette of Fort Myers served on the *Razorback* from 1960 to 1962 and was on hand at Key West to welcome her home. "She looks beat up, but she sure looks beautiful to us," Ranguette said after touring the *Razorback* . "She has some rust and so forth, but I know that will be taken care of. The *Razorback* will be towed into the Gulf of Mexico today and is scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on Saturday. The submarine should arrive at its permanent home in North Little Rock in late July where it will become a tourist attraction as part of a inland maritime museum. Gene Haley, who served on the *Razorback* from 1945 to 1948, planned to accompany the ship. The former quartermaster from Ogunquit, Maine, will serve as navigator during the *Razorback* final sea voyage. North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Hays joked about his expanding job responsibilities brought by the submarine. "I never felt like bringing a submarine from Turkey would be part of my job description," he said. Hays also plans to attend celebrations marking the *Razorback* 's arrival in New Orleans.	Photo & text courtesy of Joe Radigan.
202k	Razorback (SS-394) appears here in a File Photo from Aug. 17, 1964. She returns to the United States after 34 years of service in the Turkish Navy. After five World War II (WWII) patrols and her presence at the Tokyo surrender ceremony, *Razorback* continued in U.S. Navy service until 1970. Seen here in its last Greater Underwater Propulsive Power (GUPPY II) configurations, this last operational WWII submarine is being brought to North Little Rock, Ark., by a group of submarine veterans and local authorities to serve as a museum.	U.S. Navy photo N-0000P-001 by Photographer�s Mate 1st Class J.B. Paul, courtesy of news.navy.mil.
70k	A chilly day in Arkansas. Razorback (SS-394) with a light dusting of the Christmas snow, 2004.	Submitted by Joe Radigan. Photo & text courtesy of (CNLR Mayor�s Office).