The USS Batfish, a Balao-class submarine, is named after the Batfish which is a small fish that resembles the stingray. She is credited with sinking an impressive three Royal Imperial Japanese submarines in a 76 hour period.
The USS Batfish was commissioned August 21, 1943, at the Navy Yard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She was credited with seven war patrols, sinking three enemy submarines and eleven other enemy vessels, sinking almost 38,000 tons of shipping during World War II. She also assisted in the rescue of three American aircrews from the South China Sea. She was awarded with 10 Bronze Stars, 9 Battle Stars, 4 Silver Stars, 1 Navy Cross and a Presidential Unit Citation.
Today the USS Batfish is on display at the War Memorial Park in Muskogee.
History on the SS-310, USS Batfish Submarine
Launched: | Builder: | Sponsor: | Commissioned: | First Captain: | Stricken/Lost: |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1943 | Museum, Muskogee, OK |
Patrols | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No: | Captain: | From: | Date: | Duration: | Score (WT): | JANAC | Return: |
1 | Wayne R. Merrill | Pearl Harbor | 12/43 | 50 | 2/15,700 | 1/5,486 | Pearl Harbor |
2 | Wayne R. Merrill | Pearl Harbor | 2/44 | 53 | 0/0 | 0/0 | Pearl Harbor |
3 | John K. Fyfe | Pearl Harbor | 5/44 | 43 | 4/9,500 | 1/1,000 | Pearl Harbor |
4 | John K. Fyfe | Pearl Harbor | 8/44 | 41 | 2/2,900 | 1-½/1,500 | Fremantle |
5 | John K. Fyfe | Fremantle | 10/44 | 53 | 2/5,000 | 0/0 | Pearl Harbor |
6 | John K. Fyfe | Pearl Harbor | 1/45 | 61 | 3/4,500 | 3/3,262 | Pearl Harbor |
7 | Walter L. Small | Pearl Harbor | 6/45 | 58 | 0/0 | 0/0 | Pearl Harbor |