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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Sea Owl (SS-405) (AGSS-405)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Papa - Hotel

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 7 February 1944, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 7 May 1944; Commissioned USS Sea Owl (SS-405), 17 July 1944; Converted to a Fleet Snorkel Submarine at Philadelphia Navy Yard from April to August 1951; Redesignated Auxiliary Research Submarine (AGSS-405), 30 June 1969; Decommissioned, and Struck from the Naval Register, 15 November 1969; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 3 June 1971 to Universal Machine Co., Newton Center, MA for $ 81,613.00. Scrapped by American Marine Salvage Co., Bordentown, NJ. Sea Owl earned five battle stars during WWII.
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, 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
16k	Commemorative postal cover on the occasion of the launching of the Sea Owl (SS-405), at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 7 May 1944.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
191k	New London, Connecticut 1949. The *Balao class* boat in the foreground is the Sea Owl (SS-405). What gave it away were the box-like sponsons on either side of her bridge. These were very rare additions and I have only seen them on a shot of the *Gato class* Bashaw (SS-241). They were used to mount the Target Bearing Transmitters (TBT's), which were normally mounted in forward (bridge) and aft (cigarette deck) positions. In addition, the configuration of the wind venturi on the forward edge of the bridge varied greatly from boat to boat and in this case it matched the other *Sea Owl* photo. Information located in the *Sea Owl* entry in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships shows that she was operating out of New London in the fall of 1949, and that was the clincher. The boat in the background is also a government built *Balao/Tench class* but unfortunately it doesn't have any outstanding distinguishing features that might give it away.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Seattle NARA & submitted by Tracy White. Photo i.d. courtesy of Dave Johnston.
182k	In her original configuration in this Jan - March 1951 photo, the Sea Owl (SS-405) sports one 5"/25 deck gun, one single 40mm gun mount, one single 20mm gun mount, two .50 cal. machine guns.	US Navy photo, courtesy of John Hummel.
34k	Sea Owl (SS-405), broadside view leaving Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 8-51 after conversion to fleet snorkel.	US Navy photo, courtesy of John Hummel.
37k	Sea Owl (AGSS-405), underway, post 50's, location unknown.	US Navy photo courtesy of submarinesailor.com
226k	Busy piers at lower base in Groton shows a few SSKs, 1957. From left to right, unidentifed sub, Toro (SS-422), Irex (SS-482), unidentifed sub, Trout (SS-566), Bergall (SS-320), Sea Owl (SS-405), Cavalla (SS-244), & Remora (SS-487), & Piper (SS-409). The rest of the subs are too far away for positive identification.	Text courtesy of Dave Johnston. Photo i.d. courtesy of Mike Brood. USN photo courtesy of Submarine Force Library, courtesy of Ken Hart.
118k	Sea Owl (SS-405), circa 1956. After engaging in special operations in the late fall of 1956 and early 1957, the submarine resumed normal duties in the New London area until 1 September when she departed to engage in NATO exercises "Fishplay" and "Strikeback" in the northern Atlantic, returning to New London in October.	Text courtesy of DANFS. US Navy photo from Jane's Fighting Ships, 1956-57 submitted by Robert Hurst.
434k	Sea Owl (SS-405), as seen from CDR Thomas B. Ray's window while flying ASW from the deck of the Essex CV-9).	From the collection of CDR Thomas B. Ray, Essex CV-9) via Fred Willshaw & Chris Stanley. Photo added 05/01/09.
107k	Sea Owl (SS-405), 1965 fitted with BQR-4A sonar same as SSK conversion, but was never redesignated SSK. Photo taken at Halifax, N.S. between British *A class* and British built Canadian *Oberon class* & *HMCS Ojibwa*.	US Navy photo courtesy of John Hummel.
49k	From left to right, Sea Robin (SS-407), Tusk (SS-426), Sea Owl (SS-405), Sablefish (SS-303) , Halfbeak (SS-352) , Blenny (SS-324) & Becuna (SS-319) at New London CT., in 1968 during change of command.	Courtesy of John Hummel.
749k	Decommissioning ceremony of the Sea Owl (SS-405), 15 November 1969.	Photo courtesy of Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.)
16k	Commemorative postal cover on the occasion of 60th year anniversary of the Sea Owl's (AGSS-405) service on Navy Day, 27 October 2005.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.

View the Sea Owl (SS-405)
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
USS Sea Owl SS405
USS Sea Owl
Full Fathom Five, U.S. Submarine War Against Japan

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