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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Cutlass (SS-478)


Cutlass served both the US Navy and Taiwanese Navy

Radio Call Sign: November - Yankee - Delta - Tango
Tench Class Submarine: Laid down, 10 July 1944, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 5 November 1944; Commissioned USS Cutlass (SS-478), 17 March 1945; Converted to a Guppy type submarine in 1948; Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, 15 December 1971; Transferred (sold) to Taiwan under terms of the Security Assistance Program, 4 December 1973, renamed Hai Shih (791); Final Disposition, As of October 2006 still in service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,570 t., Submerged: 2,414 t.; Length 311' 8"; Beam 27' 4"; 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 7 Officers 69 Enlisted; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 5"/25 deck gun, two 20mm guns, two .30 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four Fairbanks Morse main generator engines, 5,400HP, Fuel Capacity, 113,510 gal., two Elliot Motor Co. main motors with 2,740HP, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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For Full Size Image		Size Image Description Source
Cutlass 28k Port side view of the Cutlass (SS-478) underway during WW II, location unknown.
 Courtesy of John Hummel.
Cristobal, C.Z. 125k Several boats at berth at Cristobal, C.Z. Among the boats known to be based there in 1946-47, and what looks to be from left to right are the Conger (SS-477), Cutlass (SS-478), Runner (SS-476) & Amberjack (SS-522). Photo courtesy of Jim Carroll and submitted by Mike Keating.
Cutlass 92k Cutlass (SS-478) surface bow view at the Phila. Navy Yard, March 26, 1948.
 Courtesy of John Hummel.
Cutlass 82k Cutlass (SS-478) port side view, circa 50's with steep sail as a Guppy type.
 Courtesy of John Hummel.
Cutlass 86k Cutlass (SS-478) port side view, North Atlantic sail (1960's).
 Courtesy of John Hummel.
Cutlass 84k Cutlass (SS-478) underway, starboard side view, circa 1960's.
 Courtesy of John Hummel.
Cutlass 605k Cutlass (SS-478) at Genoa Italy, 29 June 1968.CARLO MARTINELLI.
 Photo courtesy of Carlo Martinelli. Photo added 04/01/09.
Taiwanese Service
Cutlass 57k Wardroom of the ex-Cutlass (SS-478) in Taiwanese service as the Hai Shih (791), 2003.
 Courtesy of San Francisco Maritime National Park Association
Cutlass 28k Captain's room of the Hai Shih (791) 2003.
 Courtesy of San Francisco Maritime National Park Association
Cutlass 29k ex-Cutlass (SS-478) in Taiwanese service as the Hai Shih (791) 2004.
 Authors collection.
Cutlass 32k Running submerged and coming up for a look-see on Hai Shih (791) 2004.
 Authors collection.
Cutlass 70k The Republic of China Navy (Taiwan) invited the press to see the 60-year-old submarine Hai Shih (791) the exCutlass (SS-478) on 7th Nov. 2005.
 Photo courtesy of Yu-Lun Miao, staff reporter for the Brocasting Cooperation of China (BCC).
Cutlass 37k Accomadations haven't changed much aboard a sixty year old vessel as the Hai Shih's (791) crew berth with the torpedoes on 7th Nov. 2005.
 Photo courtesy of Yu-Lun Miao, staff reporter for the Brocasting Cooperation of China (BCC).
Cutlass 61k Sixty years of service peering through this scope aboard the Hai Shih (791) on 7th Nov. 2005.
 Photo courtesy of Yu-Lun Miao, staff reporter for the Brocasting Cooperation of China (BCC).
Cutlass 66k Port bow view of the Hai Shih (791) on October 2006.
 Photo courtesy of Perry Huang.
Cutlass 57k Hai Shih (791) on October 2006.
 Photo courtesy of Perry Huang.
View the Cutlass (SS-478)
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 Cutlass (SS-478) Shipmate Connection
San Francisco Maritime National Park Association
Tench Class Submarines
Full Fathom Five, U.S. Submarine War Against Japan
HISTORIC SUBMARINE DOCUMENTARY AND TRAINING FILMS
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