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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Sawfish (SS-276)

Radio Call Sign: November - Whiskey - Foxtrot - Mike
Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 20 January 1942, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, on Seavey Island in Kittery, Maine. Launched, 23 June 1942; Commissioned USS Sawfish (SS-276), 26 August 1942; Decommissioned, 26 June 1946, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Mare Island Group; Placed in service as a Naval Reserve Training Vessel on 15 May 1947, at San Pedro, CA.; Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register, 1 April 1960; Final Disposition, sold for scrap 14 November 1960. Sawfish earned eight stars for service during World War II.
Partial data submitted by Yves Hubert.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,410 t.; Length 311' 8"; Beam 27' 4"; Draft 15' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Complement 6 Officers 54 Enlisted; Operating Depth, 300 ft; Submerged Endurance, 48 hrs at 2 kts; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10 kts; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 3"/50 deck gun, two .50 cal. machine guns, two .30 cal. machine guns; Propulsion, diesel electric reduction gear with four Fairbanks Morse main generator diesel engines, HP 5400, Fuel Capacity, 94,400 gals., four General Electric main motors, HP 2740, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin propellers.
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For Full Size		Size Image Description Source
Sawfish15kCommemorative post mark on the occasion of the Sawfish's (SS-276) keel laying, 20 January 1942, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N.H.Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Sawfish33kSawfish (SS-276) was sponsored by the Honorable Hattie Wyatt Caraway, the first woman to be elected to the United States Senate.Text courtesy of DANFS.
Photo courtesy of nwhm.org.
276"</a
0827619		 NR LAUNCHING A SUBMARINE
HATTIE W. CARAWAY & REAR ADMIRAL T. WITHERS
Senator Caraway, the gentlewoman from Arkansas, christening the Sawfish (SS-276), a submarine, it went down the ways at Portsmouth, N. H. Admiral Withers is the new commanding officer of the Portsmouth Navy Yard.		Image and text provided by Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library.
Photo from Detroit Evening Times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 25 June 1942, NIGHT EDITION, Image 11, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
Sawfish624kU.S. Senator Hattie W. Caraway, sponsor, christening Sawfish (SS-276), Navy Yard, Portsmouth, NH., 23 June 1942. National Archives Identifier: 7788882
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
The Pharmacist’s Mate3.56kSawfish (SS-276) goes down the ways on 23 June 1942.USN photo # 80-G-21286 from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
276"</a
0827620		 NR Letter from Rear Admiral T. Withers to Honorable Hattie W. Caraway, 17 April 1943.
This letter from Rear Admiral T. Withers, Commandant of the Portsmouth Navy Yard to U.S. Senator Hattie W. Caraway, regards the performance of the submarine Sawfish (SS-276) during the vessel's first patrol. 		Record Group 181:
Records of Naval Districts and Shore Establishments, 1784 - 2000 Series: Correspondence Concerning Ships, 1937 - 1954
National Archives Identifier: 7788881
Local Identifier: 19-N-18245
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
Sawfish214kSawfish (SS-276), starboard side view, probably off Hunter's Point area near San Francisco CA., following an overhaul in late 1943-early 1944. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
Sawfish178kDuring her seventh war patrol, Sawfish (SS-276) joined submarines Rock (SS-274) and Tilefish (SS-307) for wolfpack operations. The submarines sortied from Majuro on 22 June and headed for the Philippines. On 18 July, she damaged a tanker and, on the 26th, fired a spread of four torpedoes at surfaced Japanese submarine I-29 which exploded and sank. Text courtesy of DANFS.
PDF photos from Submarine Warfare: Monsters and Midgets" by Richard Compton-Hall, Blandford Press, Poole, Dorset, England, courtesy of Robert Hurst.
The Pharmacist’s Mate370kBroadside view of the Sawfish (SS-276) at Hunters Point, San Francisco on 29 February 1944.National Archives photo courtesy of William Clarke and atlanticfleetsales.smugmug.com.
Sawfish51kWWII battleflag of the Sawfish (SS-276).USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
Mare Island Reserve Fleet137kReserve fleet at Mare Island, circa January 1946. There are 52 submarines and 4 Sub Tenders in this photo. This photo is a Berthing list identifying the ships in the picture. Photo commemorating 50 years, U. S. Submarine Veterans of WW II 1996 calendar, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Mare Island Reserve Fleet453kPhoto of the Reserve fleet at Mare Island, circa January 1946. There are 52 submarines and 4 Sub Tenders in this photo. Whether coincidental or on purpose, the number of boats in the photo is the same as that which were lost in WW II.
From back to front and left to right, first group of 12 boats:
Sand Lance (SS-381)
Tunny (SS-282)
Aspro (SS-309)
Lionfish (SS-298)
Guvania (SS-362)
Sunfish (SS-281)
Macabi (SS-375)
Gurnard (SS-254)
Pampanito (SS-383)
Mingo (SS-261)
Guitarro (SS-363)
Bashaw (SS-241)
From back to front and left to right, second group of 12 boats:
Sealion (SS-315)
Hammerhead (SS-364)
Bream (SS-243)
Seahorse (SS-304)
Tinosa (SS-283)
Pintado (SS-387)
Mapiro (SS-376)
Pipefish (SS-388)
Moray (SS-300)
Batfish (SS-310)
Hackleback (SS-295)
Bluegill (SS-242)
From back to front and left to right, third group of 12 boats:
Hawkbill (SS-366)
Menhaden (SS-377)
Perch (SS-313)
Loggerhead (SS-374)
Barbero (SS-317)
Baya (SS-318)
Hardhead (SS-365)
Spadefish (SS-411)
Springer (SS-414)
Devilfish (SS-292)
Kraken (SS-370)
Dragonet (SS-293)
From back to front and left to right, fourth group of 12 boats:
Lamprey (SS-372)
Piranha (SS-389)
Manta (SS-299)
Pargo (SS-264)
Rancador (SS-301)
Archerfish (SS-311)
Mero (SS-378)
Sawfish (SS-276)
Spot (SS-413)
Lizardfish (SS-373)
Jallao (SS-368)
Icefish (SS-367)
From back to front and left to right, last group of 4 boats:
Steelhead (SS-280)
Puffer (SS-268)
Stickleback (SS-415)
Trepang (SS-412)
From back to front, Submarine Tenders group of 4 ships:
Pelias (AS-14)
Aegir (AS-23)
Euryale (AS-22)
Griffin (AS-13)
Photo commemorating 50 years, U. S. Submarine Veterans of WW II 1996 calendar, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Mare Island203kSawfish (SS-276) & Stickleback (SS-415) in dry dock #1 between 26 April & 29 May 1946 at Mare Island. Photo i.d. courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Mare Island dry dock #2325kPargo (SS-264), Sawfish (SS-276), Puffer (SS-268), and Steelhead (SS-280) entering Mare Island's dry dock #2 on 31 January 1947.USN photo MINSY #368-47, courtesy ofDarryl L. Baker.
Mare Island dry dock #1325k Four submarines in Mare Island's dry dock #1 on 14 February 1947. Front row: Sawfish (SS-276) and Pargo (SS-264); back row Puffer (SS-268) and Steelhead (SS-280). USN photo # 374-47, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Sawfish53kHollywood stars of the 1950's Brian Donlevy, Gene Raymond and Frank Jenks, are in the mess-hall of the Sawfish (SS-276). They were doing a movie on the Navy Base at Terminal Island, Long Beach, California. This picture taken in 1950 shows the entire mess-hall.
FYI, when this link was put up several years ago, it worked, now (2018), it is a Error 404: NOT FOUND!.
In a related note: The following article appeared in the The Sub Committee Silent Service VHS Tapes
"From out of the depths of 1950s NBC television came a television series called "The Silent Service". Each 30 minute episode covered the adventures of a WWII US submarine patrol based partly on actual patrol events. According to the USS Bowfin Museum, the actual sub used was the Sawfish which is seen in detail throughout each episode."		Photo courtesy of Allen A. Tallman.
The Pharmacist’s Mate149kThe T.V. show titled "Pulitzer Prize Playhouse" back in 1950. The episode was aired 22 December 1950. Brian Donlevy appears here at the periscope.
There are 77 photos in this Photo Essay; mercifully, only a few will be shown here.		Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of life.time.com
The Pharmacist’s Mate325kBrian Donlevy outside, the camera man inside a water tight door of the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of life.time.com
The Pharmacist’s Mate133kFrank Jenks on K.P. duty in the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of life.time.com
The Pharmacist’s Mate121kGene Raymond & someone topside on the deck of the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of life.time.com
The Pharmacist’s Mate136kThe Pharmacist’s Mate consults some help during an operation of a patient on the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of life.time.com
The Pharmacist’s Mate111kDown the hatch of the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of life.time.com
The Pharmacist’s Mate105kThe camera man in action.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of life.time.com
The Pharmacist’s Mate105kCatching some quiet action in the bunk aboard the Sawfish (SS-276) during the filming of the The Pharmacist’s Mate.Photo from the Photo Essay The Pharmacist’s Mate.
Photographer: Allan Grant, courtesy of life.time.com
View the Sawfish (SS-276)
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
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
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