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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch courtesy of George M. Arnold.

Sea Fox (SS-402)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Papa - Echo
Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 2 November 1943, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 28 March 1944; Commissioned USS Sea Fox (SS-402), 13 June 1944; Decommissioned on 15 October 1952 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA for GUPPY IIA conversion. Re-Commissioned on 5 June 1953. After more than 25 years of alternating Western Pacific deployments with the U. S. Seventh Fleet and local operations and training, Sea Fox (SS-402) returned from her final deployment to her homeport of San Diego on 11 October 1970. In November, she embarked the prospective Turkish Navy crew for training and departed for Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard at San Francisco pursuant to the provisions of the Foreign Military Sales Act of 1968.

On 14 December 1970, (Sea Fox Decommissioned from the United States Navy; struck from the Naval Vessel Registry; transferred to the Republic of Turkey and concurrently Commissioned TGC Burak Reis (S-335) (Note: Burak Reis was the 2nd submarine of the Turkish Navy to bear the name of the 15th century Commander of the Western Fleet of the Ottoman Empire Navy). On 1 July 1996, TGC Burak Reis, (ex-Sea Fox(SS-402) Decommissioned from Turkish Navy and reportedly acted as a "charging boat" for other GUPPY submarines at Golcuk Navy Yard, Turkey until cannibalized for parts and the hulk discarded for scrap in 2003.
Sea Fox (SS-402) was awarded four battle stars for WWII service and another four stars for service in Vietnam.
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, 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
Sea Fox 32k Alopias vulpinus, known as the long-tailed thresher shark, or "fox shark", & "sea fox", among others. Courtesy of Evgeny V. Romanov & fishbase.org.
Sea Fox 29k Commemorative postal cover marking the launching of the Sea Fox (SS-402), 28 March 1944 at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Sea Fox 21k Commemorative medallion on the occasion of the launching of the Sea Fox (SS-402), 28 March 1944. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Sea Fox 52k One month before commissioning, the Sea Fox (SS-402) lies out in Portsmouth (N.H.) Navy Yard, 16 May 1944.
 US Navy photo.
Sea Fox 55k Sea Fox (SS-402) in San Francisco Bay, 1946.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 74k Sea Fox (SS-402), moored, Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, CA., 17 May 1946
 Photo SFNSY 1572-46-S8-C, now in the collections of the US Naval Historical Center
Sea Fox 20k Sea Fox (SS-402), circa 1948, place unknown. US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 92k Sea Fox (SS-402), as a "Guppy IIA" submarine, underway at San Diego, CA., May 1953.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 109k A view of the commissioning ceremonies for Sea Fox (SS-402) at Mare Island on 5 June 1953. She was under conversion at the yard from 1 Oct. 52 to 5 Aug. 1953. USN photo # 17774-6-53, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Sea Fox 146k LCDR George S. Bennett, Jr. reads his orders as he assumed command of the Sea Fox (SS-402), at Mare Island on 5 June 1953.
USN photo # 17777-6-53, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
Sea Fox 58k The Sea Fox (SS-402) is seen off Mare Island on 13 August 1953. USN photo # 18358-8-53, courtesy of Darryl Baker. The photo is off a negative from the Vallejo Naval Historic Museum.
Sea Fox 53k Sea Fox (SS-402), underway, circa mid 1950's.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 57k Close-up of Sea Fox (SS-402) underway, circa mid 1950's.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 60k Sea Fox (SS-402) moored, Sub Base Pearl Harbor, HI, 1955. US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 20k Sea Fox (SS-402) underway, view of stern, New London, CT., date unknown.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Chopper 249k Change of command at Subron 12 Key West Fla.in the 1960's aboard the Bushnell (AS-15). Barracuda (SST-3) upper right. Other boats there are Sea Cat (SS-399), Picuda (SS-382), Atule (SS-403), Sea Fox (SS-402), Threadfin (SS-410) & Chopper (SS-342). Photo courtesy of John Hummel. Photo added 03/15/08.
Sea Fox 24k Sea Fox (SS-402) underway, circa 1961.
 US Navy photo courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Sea Fox 234k Sea Fox (SS-402) underway, place unknown, circa 1960s.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 18k Sea Fox (SS-402), passing under the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA., during a fleet review, date unknown. US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 109k Sea Fox (SS-402) underway, circa 1960s, and place unknown.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 38k Sea Fox (SS-402) underway, circa 1960s, off San Francisco, CA.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 29k Sea Fox (SS-402) underway, off San Francisco, CA., date unknown.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 30k Sea Fox (SS-402) moored, at a Naval Shipyard, in San Francisco area, date unknown.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 24k Sea Fox (SS-402) departing San Francisco Bay, 1967 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 15k Sea Fox (SS-402) underway off San Francisco, 1968 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 70k Sea Fox (SS-402) underway, circa late 1960's.
 US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Sea Fox 19k ex Sea Fox (SS-402) in Turkish Naval service as Burak Reis (S-335), circa post 1970. US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
View the Sea Fox (SS-402)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
USS Sea Fox SS-402
Fleet Reserve Association
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Sea Fox SS-402 web site by Gary Webb
Guppy Submarines
Full Fathom Five, U.S. Submarine War Against Japan

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