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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch contributed by Don McGrogan, BMCS, USN (ret.)

Tench (SS-417) (AGSS-417)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Romeo - Yankee
Tench Class Submarine: Laid down, 1 April 1944, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 7 July 1944; Commissioned USS Tench (SS-417), 6 October 1944; Decommissioned in March 1946; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet; Converted to a Guppy IA submarine and recommissioned, 1 October 1950, at Norfolk, VA.; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-417), 1 October 1969; Decommissioned, 8 May 1970, at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA.; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia Group; Struck from the Naval Register, 16 August 1973; Transferred (sold) under terms of the Security Assistance Program, to Peru, 7 September 1976; Final Disposition, sold for stripping only to Peru for $ 81,600.00. Tench was awarded three battle stars for her World War II service.
Partial data submitted by Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.)

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,570 t., Submerged: 2,416 t.; Length 311' 8"; Beam 27' 2"; Draft 15' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10kts; Submerged Endurance, 48 hours at 2kts; 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 40mm gun, one 20mm gun, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four Fairbanks Morse main generator diesel engines, 5,400 hp, Fuel Capacity, 113,510 gals, two General Electric main motors, 2,740 hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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Tench 28k Tinca Tinca tench. Courtesy of fishbase.org.
Tench49kCommemorative launching tag of the Tench (SS-417) at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 7 July 1944. Photo courtesy of Ron Toth, Jr. via Tom Kermen.
Tench174kA measure of Tench (SS-417) in her original configuration. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 09/11/11.
Tench 268k Tench (SS-417) sports her WW II battleflag in harbor. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Tench258kThree dimensional cutaway of the Tench (SS-417). Photo courtesy of unlimiteddetails.com
Tench137kTench (SS-417) cutaway. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 09/11/11.
Barney31kRear Admiral William Bernard “Barney” Sieglaff was a member of the Naval Academy graduating class of 1931 with a degree in Engineering. He also received a Master’s Degree from MIT in Naval Engineering prior to the war. On submarines during WWII he was the commanding officer of the Tautog (SS-199) from 28 November 1942 to 8 April 1944 and the Tench (SS-417) from 6 October 1944 to March 1945. His record in the Pacific gained him two Navy Crosses, three Silver Stars, and two Legions of Merit. USN photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo.
Tench97kPostcard cover dated 18 Jan. 1951 signed by Lady Bird Johnson, sponsor (LBJ was at that time a congressman from Texas), and Cdr. William B. Sieglaff, USN, Tench's (SS-417) first commanding officer. Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave.
Tench49kOil on canvas by the artist Jim Christley entitled "Night Run" shows a Guppy submarine similar to the Tench (SS-417).
The deck was cleared of protrusions such as antenna supports and deck guns. The bow and superstructure were smoothed and a fairing built around the bridge and the support structure for the antennas and periscopes. A snorkel system was added to allow the boat to run on its diesel engines while submerged. Most of the time, however, the boats transited on the surface where their speed could be used to advantage.
Photo & text courtesy of subart.net.
Tench1.67kPDF History & Welcome Aboard the Tench (SS-417). PDF courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Tench93k Tench's (SS-417) control room, 1953. Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired.
Tench46kTench (SS-417) underway after her GUPPY IA rebuild.
US Navy photo courtesy of George M. Arnold.
Tench54kTench (SS-417) underway, stern view. Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired.
Tench269kA cold weather Tench (SS-417) and crew. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 09/11/11.
Tench319k Tench (SS-417) with the Newport News (CA-148) before 1962. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Photo added 09/11/11.
Tench31kTench (SS-417) on her way to the Arctic Circle, 1960.USN photo courtesy of Arctic Submarine Laboratory.
Blenny24kBlenny (SS-324), in between the Tench (SS-417) (alongside pier)and Becuna (SS-319) at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. Boats are in for de-commissioning, 7 November 1969.
This photo was taken at Pier "D" in the back channel of PNSY probably about the same time they are being prepared to be put on the marine railway which is on the left & out of the picture to be closed up. 		Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. Text I.d. submitted by Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.)
Becuna144kBecuna (SS-319), in drydock with the Tench (SS-417) in Phila., 1970.
The Paint Shop X-71, and the Riggers X-72 are getting the boats ready for sandblasting in Drydock # 1. The sailors you see are from the INACSHIPS doing guard duty. You'll note the DH shelters forward of the conning towers painted yellow.		 Text I.d. submitted by Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.)
Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired.
View the Tench (SS-417)
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
Tench Class Submarines
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
HISTORIC SUBMARINE DOCUMENTARY AND TRAINING FILMS
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