Salmon Class Submarine - World War II

World War II

From the very start, the Salmons were in the thick of the fight in the defense of the Philippines. The submarines of the Asiatic Fleet were the primary striking force available to Admiral Thomas C. Hart, the fleet's commander. He was assigned twelve Salmons or Sargos: Sailfish, Salmon, Sargo, Saury, Sculpin, Seal, Skipjack, Snapper, Stingray, Sturgeon, Swordfish.

The qualities designed into the Salmons for their role as fleet submarines made them well suited for the war they found themselves fighting, but some shortcomings came up that were not apparent prior to the war. It came to be realized that the boats were going to spend a lot more time on the surface than what had been previously acknowledged. Thus the large bulk of the conning tower fairwater became a liability. It was too easily spotted by keen-eyed Japanese lookouts using their excellent binoculars. It was found that portions of the fairwater plating could be cut away both fore and aft of the bridge, greatly reducing the silhouette. This also had the desirable effect of creating mounting locations for 20mm rapid fire cannon, which were useful against aircraft and small surface targets.

The timely development of radar in the USN proved to be a key factor in the eventual victory over the Imperial Japanese Navy, and its incorporation into the Salmons and other USN submarines gave them a critical advantage in detection and defense. The first sets became available within days of the war beginning, and they were introduced to the boats as they went into overhaul in 1942.

The original Mk. 21 3"/50 caliber deck gun proved to be too light in service. It lacked sufficient punch to finish off crippled or small targets quickly enough to suit the crews. It was replaced by the Mk. 9 4"/50 caliber gun in 1943 and 1944.

The well liked Salmons were heavily relied on by the Submarine Force during the first two and a half years of the war, with some of them completing 15 war patrols before being assigned to training duties by 1945.