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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Irex (SS-482) (AGSS-482)

Radio Call Sign: November - Yankee - Echo - Echo

Tench Class Submarine: Laid down, 2 October 1944, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 26 January 1945; Commissioned USS Irex (SS-482), 14 May 1945; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine in 1969; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 17 November 1969; Final Disposition, Sold 13 Sept. 1971 to North American Smelting Co., Wilmington, DE for $ 80,676.00. Scrapped by American Marine Salvage Co., Bordentown, NJ.
Partial data submitted by Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.)

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.

Size	Image Description	Source
21k	Commemorative postal cover marking the Irex's (SS-482) launching at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Kittery, ME., 26 January 1945.	Courtesy of petloveshack.com.
23k	By December 1946 the Navy had completed plans for the modern telescopic snorkel (a device to enable diesel-powered submarines to run submerged for long periods of time), and Irex (SS-482) was ordered to Portsmouth for installation and test of this equipment. She spent July 1947 to February 1948 evaluating her new apparatus and then joined Submarine Squadron 8 at New London as the U.S. Navy's first operational snorkel submarine. Pictured here is a typical snorkel arrangement for a GUPPY or fleet snorkel submarine. It was the key to sustained submerged operation. The two vertical masts are the 15-inch induction & exhaust. The induction masts lead into a moisture seperator and then, via a 22-inch pipe, into the main induction valve. Dual 15-inch pipes lead air into each engine room. The engine room acts as a plenum, feeding the two diesel engines, which keep running even if the snorkel head closes temporarily as a wave sweeps over. By way of contrast, each engine exhaust leads directly into an uptake, exiting either through a car-type muffler or via the snorkel exhaust trunk. Most of this piping was led under the superstructure abaft the submarine's sail. Later submarines had their induction and exhaust pipes combined into a single mast. U.S. snorkels used electrodes to sense water sweeping over the snorkel head.	Photo & majority text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Since 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman & James L. Christley. Partial text courtesy of DANFS. Naval Institute Press.
159k	The outboard boat is the Irex (SS-482). This photo was taken approximately 1956 and shows her unique 3rd out of four sail configurations. The rest of the boats can't be identified, but there are two Guppies and one Fleet Snorkel outboard of the Sperry (AS-12).	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org. Text and photo I.D. courtesy of David Johnston (USNR).
465k	Irex (SS-482) entering Monoco, which was in January or February 1956 while she was deployed for submarine warfare training with the 6th Fleet.	U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Ed Martin LCDR,USN(Ret.) Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
475k	Irex (SS-482) & Grenadier (SS-525), tied up to the wharf in Monoco, February 1956 while conducting submarine warfare training with the 6th Fleet.	U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Ed Martin LCDR,USN(Ret.) Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
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.
231k	The Irex's (SS-482) plastic sail at PNSY in 1957.	Photo courtesy of Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.) Photo added 03/18/08.
310k	The Irex's (SS-482) plastic sail at PNSY in 1957. All of the channel beams are plastic, and the inserts are of teak all bolted by CRES fasteners. The Boat is tied up at Pier "D" in the Back Channel.	Photo courtesy of Ron Reeves, HTC, USNR (ret.) Photo added 03/18/08.
33k	Crew of the Irex (SS-482) during swiming call, Feb 1962, possibly off Puerto Rico.	Courtesy of Ric Hedmen.
35k	Apparent weight of the sailors in the sail of the Irex (SS-482) is causing the boat to list to starboard, during swiming call, Feb 1962, possibly off Puerto Rico.	Courtesy of Ric Hedmen.
160k	Irex (SS-482) underway, south of the Groton Sub Base just opposite the Coast Guard Academy in the Thames River. Possibly circa early 60's.	Text courtesy of Ken Robarge STS 2 SS Irex Crew 1964-65. Photo courtesy of John Hummel.
83k	Stern view of the Hardhead (SS-365) with Irex (SS-482) inboard, circa 1964.	USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
97k	Irex (SS-482) underway, 1964.	US Naval Historical Center photo.
33k	Irex (SS-482) port side view underway, circa mid 60's, place unknown.	Courtesy of subnet.com.