View source for USS Snapper (SS-185)

{{short description|Submarine of the United States}}
{{Other ships|USS Snapper}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Snapper-SS-185.jpg
|Ship caption=USS ''Snapper'' off the [[Mare Island Navy Yard]] on 24&nbsp;February&nbsp;1945
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}}
|Ship name=''Snapper''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]], [[Kittery, Maine]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates">{{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | title = U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History
  | publisher = [[United States Naval Institute]]
  | date = 1995
  | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
  | pages = 285–304
  | isbn = 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref>
|Ship laid down=23 July 1936<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship launched=24 August 1937<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=15 December 1937<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship decommissioned=15 November 1945<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=30 April 1948<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate=Sold for scrap, 18 May 1948<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Salmon|submarine|0}} composite [[Diesel locomotive#Diesel-hydraulic|diesel-hydraulic]] and [[diesel-electric]] [[submarine]]<ref name="Register">{{cite book
  | last = Bauer
  | first = K. Jack
  |author2=Roberts, Stephen S.
   | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants
  | publisher = Greenwood Press
  | date = 1991
  | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]]
  | isbn = 0-313-26202-0
  | page = 269 }}</ref>
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1435|long ton|t|lk=on}} standard, surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 305–311</ref>
*{{convert|2198|long ton|t}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship length={{convert|308|ft|0|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|26|ft|1+1/4|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship draft={{convert|15|ft|8|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship propulsion=*4 × [[Electro-Motive Diesel|General Motors]] Model 16-248 [[V16 engine|V16]] [[diesel engine]]s (two hydraulic-drive, two driving [[electrical generator]]s)<ref name="Register"/><ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/><ref name="FriedmanSubs1-composite-drive">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 202–204</ref>
*2 × 120-[[Electrochemical cell|cell]] [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*4 × high-speed [[Elliott Company|Elliott]] [[electric motor]]s with [[Reduction drive|reduction gears]]<ref name="Register"/>
*two shafts<ref name="Register"/>
*5,500&nbsp;[[Horsepower#Shaft horsepower|shp]] (4.1&nbsp;MW) surfaced<ref name="Register"/>
*2,660&nbsp;shp (2.0&nbsp;MW) submerged<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship speed=*{{convert|21|kn|km/h|0}} surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*{{convert|9|kn|km/h|0}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship range={{convert|11000|nmi|km}} at {{convert|10|kn|km/h}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship endurance=48 hours at {{convert|2|kn|km/h}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship test depth={{convert|250|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship complement=5 officers, 54 enlisted<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*8 × [[American 21-inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
*&nbsp;(four forward, four aft)
*&nbsp;24 torpedoes <ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*1 × [[3"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}}]] / 50 [[Caliber#Caliber as measurement of length|caliber]] deck gun<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*four machine guns
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Snapper'' (SS-185)''', a {{sclass|Salmon|submarine}}, was the third ship of the [[United States Navy]] of the name and the second to be named for the [[Lutjanidae|snapper]].

==Construction and commissioning==
''Snapper''′s [[keel]] was [[Keel-laying|laid down]] by the [[Portsmouth Navy Yard]] at [[Kittery, Maine|Kittery]], [[Maine]], on 23 July 1936. She was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 24 August 1937, sponsored by Mrs. Katharine R. Stark, wife of [[Rear admiral (United States)|Rear Admiral]] [[Harold R. Stark]], Chief of the [[Bureau of Ordnance]], and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 16 December 1937.

==Pre-World War II service==

On 10 May 1938, ''Snapper'' departed [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire]], for her shakedown cruise, visited [[Cuba]], the [[Panama Canal]] Zone, [[Peru]], and [[Chile]], and returned to Portsmouth on 16 July. There, she conducted final acceptance trials and underwent post-shakedown overhaul.

On 3 October, ''Snapper'' was assigned to Submarine Squadron (SubRon) 3 based at [[Balboa, Canal Zone]], where she participated in training and fleet exercises until 15 March 1939, when she set sail for repairs at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. Departing Portsmouth on 9 May, she stopped at [[New London, Connecticut]], and then got underway for the West Coast, arriving at [[San Diego, California]], on 2 June. On 1 July, the submarine set sail for [[Pearl Harbor]] and maneuvers in the [[Hawaii]]an area, followed by overhaul at the [[Mare Island Navy Yard]] in [[Vallejo, California]], from 1 December 1939 to 1 March 1940.

Following her return to San Diego, ''Snapper'' was assigned to SubRon 6 and got underway for Hawaii on 1 April, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 9 April. Except for a brief voyage to San Diego in October and November 1940, ''Snapper'' remained in the Hawaiian area participating in training exercises and fleet tactics until 3 May 1941, when she departed for overhaul at the Mare Island Navy Yard. Upon completion, she became a unit of SubRon 2 based at San Diego. During the Japanese [[attack on Pearl Harbor]], ''Snapper'' was operating in the [[Philippine Islands]] area.

==First and second war patrols==

On 19 December, ''Snapper'' departed [[Manila]] for her first war patrol, covering the shipping lanes between [[Hong Kong]] and [[Hainan Strait]] until 8 January 1942, when she set sail for [[Davao Gulf]] in the [[Philippines]]. On 12 January, she made an unsuccessful attack on a Japanese supply ship which escaped when ''Snapper'' was forced down by an escorting [[destroyer]]. While off [[Cape San Agustin]] on 24 January, she attacked another supply ship without success, again being forced deep by destroyer escorts. On 1 February, as the submarine approached [[Bangka Strait]], she was detected by an enemy destroyer which made a fruitless [[depth charge]] attack. In return, ''Snapper'' fired two torpedoes but both failed to find the target. ''Snapper'' arrived at [[Soerabaja]], [[Java (island)|Java]], on 10 February and then continued on to [[Fremantle, Western Australia]].

''Snapper'' departed Fremantle on 6 March for the approaches to [[Tarakan Island|Tarakan]] and her second war patrol. Finding no suitable targets there, she was directed to Davao Gulf where, on 31 March, she closed a large armed tender or auxiliary cruiser. She fired two bow torpedoes at {{convert|600|yd|m|sigfig=2}} and, after reversing course, came to periscope depth to observe the enemy ship dead in the water. After firing one torpedo from her stern tube, she was forced deep to evade an attacking escort ship. Later that night, she was ordered to [[Mactan Island]] to unload ammunition and take on board 46&nbsp;tons of food for the besieged island of [[Corregidor]]. Arriving there on 4 April, she transferred her cargo to submarine rescue vessel {{USS|Pigeon|ASR-6|2}}, took on board 27 evacuees, and headed back to Fremantle, evading Japanese destroyer patrols on the way.

On 23 April, ''Snapper'' received word that {{USS|Searaven|SS-196|2}} was in trouble and reversed course to go to her aid. After towing the stricken submarine to Fremantle, she sailed for [[Albany, Western Australia|Albany]] and then returned to Fremantle.

==Third and fourth war patrols==

''Snapper''{{'}}s third war patrol was conducted in the [[Flores Sea]], [[Makassar Strait]], and the western [[Celebes Sea]]. Despite intensive efforts, the submarine found no worthwhile targets and returned to Fremantle from a disappointing patrol on 16 July 1942.

On 8 August 1942, ''Snapper'' headed for the [[South China Sea]] and her fourth war patrol. On 19 August, she fired two torpedoes at a cargo ship but lost contact when forced to evade an escort ship. The only other targets sighted during this patrol were at too great a distance or on a course and speed that prevented the submarine from closing. On 28 September 1942, a [[Consolidated PBY Catalina|PBY Catalina]] [[flying boat]] of U.S. Navy [[VPB-29|Patrol Squadron 101 (VP-101)]] mistook her for a Japanese submarine and attacked her in the [[Indian Ocean]] {{convert|330|nmi|0}} south-southwest of [[Bali]] at a position given by ''Snapper'' as {{coord|12|59|S|113|42|E}} and by the PBY as {{coord|12|50|S|114|28|E}}.<ref name=hinmanpp268269>Hinman & Campbell, pp. 268–269.</ref> ''Snapper'' [[Crash dive|crash-dived]], and the PBY dropped one [[depth charge]] that shook ''Snapper'' as she passed through a depth of {{convert|140|ft|0}} on her way to {{convert|250|ft|0}}.<ref name=hinmanpp268269/> ''Snapper'' suffered only superficial damage and no casualties.<ref name=hinmanpp268269/>

==Fifth, sixth and seventh war patrols==
{{Infobox dive site
| name                = Wreck of Tokai Maru
| photo               = Tokai Maru-Cormoran wrecks at Apra Harbor.jpg
| photo_width         = 
| photo_caption       = ''Tokai Maru'' lies at the top of this [[National Park Service]] illustration. The drive shaft of ''Cormoran'' lies closest to the bottom of the Tokai. The buoy used by recreational [[scuba diving|scuba divers]] is marked.
| map                 = 
| map_width           = 
| map_caption         = 
| location            = 
| coords              = 
| coords_ref          = 
| waterbody           = 
| nearest_land        = 
| dive_type           = [[Open-water diving|Open-water]], [[Deep diving|Deep]], [[Wreck diving|Wreck]]
| depth_range	      = {{convert|60|to|120|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| average_visibility  = {{convert|25|to|40|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| entry_type          = Boat, very rarely shore
| bottom_composition  = Metal, silt
| water               = 
| nearby_sites        = {{SMS|Cormoran|1909|6}}
}}
Although both the fifth and sixth war patrols were also unproductive, during the seventh, conducted in the vicinity of [[Guam]], ''Snapper'' sank her initial victim of the war. According to her war diary, she sighted two vessels moored in the extreme northeast corner of [[Apra Harbor, Guam]], and decided to patrol submerged off the harbor until they departed. Seven days later, on 27 August, she headed to the north of the harbor, firing three torpedoes at the first target and one at the second. As she quickly departed the vicinity, ''Snapper'' observed one hit on the first target, sinking the passenger-cargo ship ''Tokai Maru'', stern first.

On 2 September, ''Snapper'' closed a convoy of five cargo ships and two escorts. The primary targets, the cargo ships, zigged away; and, when the port escort came into view "head on," the submarine fired a "down-the-throat" shot at the escort, {{ship|Japanese frigate|Mutsure||2}}, that blew the enemy's bow completely off and enveloped her in flames as she sank. The submarine quickly cleared the locality as the other escort commenced a [[depth charge]] attack. On 6 September, ''Snapper'' intercepted another convoy and fired three torpedoes; but all were misses. On 17 September, she terminated her seventh patrol at Pearl Harbor.

==Eighth and ninth war patrols==

''Snapper''{{'}}s eighth war patrol was conducted off [[Honshū]], [[Japan]], from 19 October to 14 December. While battling heavy seas on 29 November, the submarine sighted a convoy of five ships and two escorts and began to close the range. She fired three bow torpedoes and scored two hits that set the cargo ship ''Kenryu Maru'' ablaze as she settled by the bow and sank.

On 14 March 1944, following overhaul at Pearl Harbor, ''Snapper'' began her ninth war patrol, conducted in the area of the [[Bonin Islands]]. Few worthwhile targets were sighted during this patrol. On 24 March, she contacted a convoy of 12 ships and fired eight torpedoes with six hits. She was credited with damaging a freighter but, due to heavy seas, was unable to continue the attack. Enemy escorts and heavy seas continually prevented any further attacks, and ''Snapper'' returned to [[Midway Island]] on 29 April.

==Tenth and eleventh war patrols==

''Snapper'' spent her tenth war patrol engaged in lifeguard duties near [[Chuuk Lagoon|Truk]] in support of bombardment missions by the [[United States Army Air Forces]]. On 9 June, while the submarine was patrolling on the surface, an enemy plane broke quickly from a low cloud and attacked. As ''Snapper'' quickly dove, one bomb struck directly above the hatch instantly killing one crewman<ref>[http://www.oneternalpatrol.com/mckee-r-s.htm Eternal patrol memorial]</ref> and injuring several others, including the commanding officer. As the submarine continued to dive, shells were heard striking her hull. Upon surfacing, it was found that her pressure hull had not been damaged, but a heavy oil slick indicated a puncture of a fuel oil ballast tank. Minor repairs were made. Two wounded enlisted men were transferred to submarine tender {{USS|Bushnell|AS-15|2}} at [[Majuro Atoll]] on 13 June, and ''Snapper'' continued her lifeguard duty until returning to Pearl Harbor on 21 July.

On 5 September, ''Snapper'' departed Pearl Harbor for her eleventh and final war patrol, conducted in the Bonin Islands area. On 1 October, the submarine encountered two enemy vessels escorted by a small patrol craft. The submarine fired her bow torpedoes at the large target then swung for a "down-the-throat" shot at the smaller vessel. Hits were scored on both vessels resulting in the sinking of the passenger-cargo ship ''Seian Maru'', and the coastal [[minelayer]], ''Ajiro''. ''Snapper'' then took up lifeguard station off [[Iwo Jima]] until 18 October and terminated her eleventh patrol at Midway on 27 October, before continuing on to Pearl Harbor.

==End of war and fate==

''Snapper'' departed Pearl Harbor on 2 November and set sail for overhaul at the Mare Island Navy Yard. Getting underway from Mare Island on 9 March 1945, the submarine arrived at San Diego on 11 March and engaged in local training operations for several months. She transited the Panama Canal on 20 May and arrived at [[New London, Connecticut]], on 27 May where she operated until decommissioned at [[Boston, Massachusetts]], on 15 November 1945. ''Snapper'' was struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 30 April 1948 and sold for scrap to the [[Interstate Metals Corporation]] of [[New York City]], on 18 May 1948.

==Honors and awards==
*{{ribbon devices|number=6|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} [[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]] with six [[battle star]]s for World War II service

== References ==
===Citations===
{{refbegin}}
{{reflist}}
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/snapper-iii.html}}
{{refend}}
===Bibliography===
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=hkupDwAAQBAJ&dq=LApon+raton&pg=PA181 Hinman, Charles R., and Douglas E. Campbell. ''The Submarine Has No Friends: Friendly Fire Incidents Involving U.S. Submarines During World War II''. Syneca Research Group, Inc., 2019.] {{ISBN|978-0-359-76906-3}}.

{{Salmon class submarine}}
{{September 1942 shipwrecks}}

{{coord|28|20|N|139|25|E|source:kolossus-jawiki|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Snapper (SS-185)}}
[[Category:Salmon-class submarines]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Kittery, Maine]]
[[Category:1937 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in September 1942]]
[[Category:Friendly fire incidents of World War II]]