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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch at left contributed by Mike Smolinski, at right by Chuck McGowen

Sailfish (SSR-572) (SS-572)

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Kilo - Oscar
Voice Call Sign: CUPGRASS
Sailfish Class Submarine: Laid down, 8 December 1953, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 7 September 1955; Commissioned, USS Sailfish (SSR-572), 14 April 1956; Reclassified Attack Submarine (SS-572), 3 February 1961; FRAM II conversion, January 1965 to February 1966, at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA.; Decommissioned, 29 September 1978, Submarine Support Facility, San Diego, CA.; Struck from the Naval Register, 30 September 1978; Final Disposition; sunk by a Mk 48 ADCAP torpedo fired from the Topeka (SSN-754).
The location of Sailfish is 47-05.783N 127-23.133W. 121.2 nautical miles (139.5 statute miles) from land at a depth of 1451 fathoms (8700 feet).

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 2,334 t., Submerged: 3,168 t.; Length 350' 5" ; Beam 29' 1"; Draft 16' 4"; Speed, Surfaced 20.5 kts, Submerged 15 kts; Complement 10 Officers, 85 Enlisted; Armament, six 21" torpedo tubes, Propulsion, diesel-electric, twin propellers.
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Sailfish 12k Istiophorus platypterus, a Sailfish. Illustrated by Diane Rome Peebles. Photo courtesy of myfwc.com.
Sailfish 338k Sailfish (SSR-572), launching, 7 September 1955, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Sailfish 129k Sailfish (SSR-572), prior to commissioning, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME. The Destroyer Escort Peterson (DE-152) is moored dockside behind the Sailfish. USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Albacore 137k A view of the Albacore (AGSS-569) submarine in December 1955 at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME. The submarine Sailfish (SSR-572) is under construction in the background. The Destroyer Escort Peterson (DE-152) is moored dockside behind the Albacore. Photographer: Peter Stackpole, courtesy of life.time.com
Sailfish 86k Sailfish (SSR-572), underway during builders sea trials, early 1956. USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Sailfish 83k Sailfish (SSR-572), at sea, 1956. USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Sailfish 92k Sailfish (SSR-572), underway circa 1956-1958. USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Sailfish 400k 1957 4 page PDF Sailfish (SSR-572) history as a Radar Picket. Photo courtesy of Thomas Becher.
Sailfish 81k Sailfish (SSR-572), date and place unknown. Photo from "Our Navy" Magazine 15 February, 1958, courtesy of Stanley Svec.
Sailfish 80k Sailfish (SSR-572), on the Thames River in New London, CT., heading out of the Sub Base toward the open sea, circa 1959 or 1961. USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Sailfish 84k This photo of Sailfish (SS-572) was taken on the Thames River in New London. Outbound. Was part of Squadron 10 located at the State Pier which is on the right in the photo. Photo i.d. via Charles Milikin Jr.
USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Sailfish 195k Sailfish (SS-572) in December 1962, in Genoa, Italy while backing into the pier before heading for Rota Spain, en route to New London, Conn. The Photograph was taken by an Italian photographer and a postcard produced and sold to crew members. USN photo courtesy of Paul Kelley, IC1(SS). Photo i.d. courtesy of David Yoh (USN retired).
Angler271kSailfish (SS-572) & Angler (SSK-240) at Genoa, Italy on 29 December 1962. Photo courtesy of Carlo Martinelli.
Sailfish 84k Sailfish (SS-572), getting underway to lay a wreath over the last known location of Thresher (SSN-593). Photo from Subron 10 Cruise Book, 1964-1965. USN photo courtesy of Fred Willshaw.
Sailfish 886k Orion (AS-18) at Naval Station Norfolk, VA. during a change of command ceremony with the following submarines alongside.
Inboard to outboard:
Sailfish (SSR-572),
probably Cutlass (SS-478),
Runner (SS-476),
Cobbler (SS-344),
Argonaut (SS-475),
unidentified,
Requin (SS-481) & Barbero (SSG-317).		 US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 92321 courtesy of Robert Hurst via Gary Priolo.
Sailfish 265k Sailfish (SS-572) sails in February 1966. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Sailfish 326k Portside view of the Sailfish (SS-572) circa 1966. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Sailfish 83k Sailfish (SS-572) in the Philly yards 1967-68. Fletcher class destroyers in mothballs in background. Photo i.d. courtesy of Glenn Jackson EM2(SS) USS Sailfish SS572, 1967-1960.
Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Sailfish 101k Sailfish (SS-572) arriving at Pearl Harbor, August 1969. This was the day Sailfish arrived in Pearl Harbor from SubRon 8 in New London, CT. The Lei is made from GDU bags. USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Sailfish 101k Sailfish (SS-572) at Pearl Harbor, August 1969. This was the first official Navy picture taken in Pearl Harbor after she was attached to SubRon 7. USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Small624kOctober 1969 Bio for RADM Walter L. Small, USN. Per the bio he commanded Batfish (SS-310), Clamagore (SS-343), Van Valkenburgh (DD-656) and Sperry (AS-12).
The photo is of RADM Small addressing officer and men of SUBPAC during the change of command of SUBPAC on 10/13/70 aboard the Queenfish (SSN-651). Note Sailfish (SS-572) is in the background.		 USN photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Sailfish 68k Sailfish (SS-572), in dry dock Yokosuka Naval Shipyard, Japan, 1970. USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Sailfish 160k Sailfish (SS-572), in dry dock Yokosuka Naval Shipyard, Japan, 1970. USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Sailfish 72k Sailfish (SS-572), at Kaohsiung, 1970. Photo by William P. Jones, MD, Medical Officer, USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3).
Sailfish 52k Sailfish (SS-572), tied to USCGC Taney (37) at the anchorage in Kaohsiung. Photo by William P. Jones, M.D. 1969.
Sailfish 200kSailfish (SS-572), in dry dock Yokosuka Naval Shipyard, Japan, 1970's. Barely visible in the drydock ahead of the Sailfish is the transport submarine Grayback (LPSS-574). A portion of her hull, the port side lockout chamber, and the top of her tall sail can be seen. Text courtesy of David Johnston.
USN photo courtesy of Glenn Jackson, former crew member.
Sailfish 152k Sailfish (SS-572), underway 1972. Attached here is a PDF during her period in Submarine Group 5. Photo courtesy of Chuck McGowen.
PDF courtesy of Darryl L. Baker
Sailfish 1.30k Sailfish (SS-572) Welcome aboard pamphlet, circa 1975. PDF courtesy of Darryl L. Baker
Sailfish
0857217		 458k 3 photo PDF of the Sailfish (SS-572) layout circa 1970. She overhauled at Mare Island from 7/7/1975 to 9/13/76. USN photos courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Sailfish 547k James D. Rattan during his Annapolis years.
He appears here as a LCDR when he took command of the Sailfish (SSR-572) at Mare Island on 26 September 1975 and relieved LCDR James O. Ballard. 		Insert photo via his daughter Dana Adams & son James Laud Rattan II.
Photo from the files of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Sailfish 100k Sailfish (SS-572), quietly sitting under the port flight deck overhang of the Midway (CV-41) at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in July 1997. Photo taken from Warship Boneyards, by Kit and Carolyn Bonner & submitted by Robert Hurst.
Sailfish 399k Sailfish (SS-572) berthed at Bremerton, WA. Photo courtesy of Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
Sailfish 127k The Sailfish (SS-572), berthed at Bremerton, WA., 18 October 2002, stripped of electronics and weapons, awaiting disposal. She is moored starboard side to, under the angled flight deck of Midway (CV-41). Photo courtesy of Ric Hedman TN(SS).
Sailfish 133k Sailfish (SS-572) on 25 October 2003, getting ready for sinkex. Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Sailfish 97k Sailfish (SS-572) sinkex location. Photo courtesy of mysite.verizon.net/gjack572/ via Eric H. Ericson III, TM3(SS) Bang (SS-385).
View the Sailfish (SSR-572)
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

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