View source for USS Spadefish (SS-411)

{{short description|Submarine of the United States}}
{{other ships|USS Spadefish}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[Image:USS Spadefish;0841102.jpg|300px|Spadefish (SS-411), off Mare Island Navy Yard, 11 May 1944.]]
|Ship caption=USS ''Spadefish'' (SS-411) off [[Mare Island Navy Yard]] on 11&nbsp;May&nbsp;1944.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1946}}
|Ship name=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]]<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
 |place= [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
 |pages= 285–304
 |isbn= 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref>
|Ship laid down=27 May 1943<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship launched=8 January 1944<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=9 March 1944<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship decommissioned=3 May 1946<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=1 April 1967<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate=Sold for scrap, 17 October 1969<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Balao|submarine|4}} [[diesel-electric]] [[submarine]]<ref name="Register">{{cite book
 |last1= Bauer
 |first1= K. Jack
 |last2=Roberts
 |first2= Stephen S.
 |title= Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants
 |publisher= Greenwood Press
 |date= 1991
 |place= [[Westport, Connecticut]]
 |pages= 275–280
 |isbn= 0-313-26202-0 }}</ref>
|Ship displacement=*1,526&nbsp;[[long ton|ton]]s (1,550&nbsp;[[tonne|t]]) surfaced<ref name="Register"/>
*2,424&nbsp;tons (2,463&nbsp;t) submerged<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship length={{convert|311|ft|10|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|27|ft|4|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship draft={{convert|16|ft|10|in|abbr=on}} maximum<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship propulsion={{Fleet-boat-propulsion-late-FM-4-GE}}
|Ship speed=*{{convert|20.25|kn|km/h|0|lk=in}} surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 305–311</ref>
*{{convert|8.75|kn|km/h|0}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship range={{convert|11000|nmi|km|lk=in}} surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship endurance=*48 hours at {{convert|2|kn|km/h}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*75 days on patrol
|Ship test depth={{convert|400|ft|m|-1|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship complement=10 officers, 70–71 enlisted<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament={{Fleet-boat-armament-5-inch}}
}}
|}

The first '''USS ''Spadefish'' (SS/AGSS-411)''', a {{sclass|Balao|submarine}}, was the first ship of the [[United States Navy]] to be named for the [[spadefish]]. Although she was commissioned late in the war and spent only one year in the [[Pacific Ocean theater of World War II|Pacific war zone]], she was able to run up a record of 88,091&nbsp;tons in 21 ships and numerous [[Fishing trawler|trawler]]s sunk.

==Construction and commissioning==
''Spadefish'' was [[Keel-laying|laid down]] on 27 May 1943 at the [[Mare Island Navy Yard]] in [[Vallejo, California]]. She was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 8 January 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Mildred Florence Scanland (''née'' Boyd), wife of [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] Francis W. Scanland, and was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 9 March 1944, [[Commander (United States)|Commander]] [[Gordon W. Underwood]] in command.

==Service history==
===First war patrol, July – September 1944===
Following shakedown training along the coast of California, ''Spadefish'' departed San Francisco on 14 June and arrived at [[Pearl Harbor]] on 22 June. On 23 July, she got underway from Pearl Harbor for her maiden war patrol, as a member of a [[Wolf pack (submarines)|coordinated attack group]] with {{USS|Picuda|SS-382|3}} and {{USS|Redfish|SS-395|3}}.

On 19 August, while patrolling in [[Philippines|Philippine]] waters off the northwest coast of [[Luzon]], ''Spadefish'' torpedoed and sank her first enemy target the 9,589-ton, passenger-cargo ship ''[[Tamatsu Maru]]''. Three days later, she trailed three large [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]]s through [[Babuyan Channel]] along the northern Luzon coast; closed range; and fired two spreads of torpedoes, sinking the 10,023-ton tanker ''Hakko Maru No. 2'', and damaging a second tanker that, protected by a [[destroyer]], limped back to a shallow cove off Luzon.

For several hours into the next day, ''Spadefish'' attempted to get around the escort to attack the damaged ship anchored in the cove. The submarine finally let go with four stern torpedoes at the destroyer, but the enemy zigged clear and proceeded to [[depth charge]] the entire area. Having only three torpedoes remaining, ''Spadefish'' set course for [[Tanapag Harbor]], Saipan, to replenish her supply.

On 8 September, ''Spadefish'' was patrolling in waters of [[Nansei Shoto]] when she contacted a [[convoy]] of eight cargo ships. During a daring night surface attack, she fired a total of 20 torpedoes, sinking cargo ships ''Nichiman Maru'', ''Nichian Maru'', ''Shinten Maru'', and ''Shokei Maru'' and damaging another. The following morning, she fired her final four torpedoes at an escort guarding the stricken ship; but they ran under the target. The submarine's only reward on this occasion was a rain of depth charges.

Although she was out of torpedoes, ''Spadefish'' continued to trail the remaining ships of the convoy that first took refuge in the harbor of [[Ishigaki Island|Ishigaki]]; and then, in company with five escorts, continued their voyage. ''Spadefish'' terminated her first war patrol at Pearl Harbor on 24 September, having sunk six enemy ships for a total of over 31,500&nbsp;tons. With the additional 33,000&nbsp;tons sunk by her sister submarines, the coordinated attack group accounted for a total of 13 ships and over 64,000&nbsp;tons of enemy shipping.

===Second war patrol, October – December 1944===
[[File:StateLibQld 1 141083 Gracchus (ship).jpg|thumb|In the [[Yellow Sea]] in November 1944 ''Spadefish'' sank the 1902 cargo ship ''Daiboshi Maru No. 6''. This photo shows her as the British ship ''Gracchus'', which was her name until Japanese owners bought her in 1923.]]
On 23 October, she got underway from Pearl Harbor for her second war patrol, in a coordinated attack group with {{USS|Sunfish|SS-281|3}} and {{USS|Peto|SS-265|3}}. While patrolling in the [[Yellow Sea]] on 14 November, she torpedoed and sank the Japanese cargo ship {{SS|Gyokupy Maru||2}}.

Three days later, she contacted an enemy convoy headed directly at her. After letting the convoy pass overhead, she surfaced after darkness had set in and commenced an "end around". She first fired six torpedoes at the prime target, the 21,000-ton [[escort aircraft carrier]] {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Shin'yō||2}}; and then turned rapidly to port and fired four stern torpedoes at a tanker. The unarmored fuel tanks of the escort carrier ''Shinyo'' exploded and started a huge fire that destroyed the ship and killed most of her crew. Only 70 men from her crew of 1,200 officers and men survived. Damage to the tanker could not be confirmed.

Later that same night, ''Spadefish'' drove in for another attack, firing four stern torpedoes at ''Submarine Chaser No. 156.'' As the enemy disappeared in the resulting explosion, the submarine quickly evaded other escorts and left the vicinity.

''Spadefish'' sank the fourth ship of her second patrol on 29 November by torpedoing the 3,760-ton cargo ship ''Daiboshi Maru No. 6''; and then concluded her patrol at [[Majuro Atoll]] in the [[Marshall Islands]] on 12 December.

===Third war patrol, January – February 1945===
After spending the holidays at Majuro, ''Spadefish'' departed on 6 January 1945 for her third war patrol, conducted with {{USS|Pompon|SS-267|3}}, {{USS|Atule|SS-403|3}}, and {{USS|Jallao|SS-368|3}} in the [[Yellow Sea]]. On the day of her departure, two [[United States Marine Corps]] [[Douglas SBD Dauntless|SBD Dauntless]] [[dive bomber]]s of [[VMSB-245|Marine Scouting Squadron 245 (VMSB-245)]] mistook her for a Japanese submarine and dropped two [[depth charge]]s on her after she submerged off Majuro.<ref name=hinmanp272>Hinman & Campbell, pp. 8, 272</ref> She suffered only superficial damage and no casualties,<ref name=hinmanp272/> and she proceeded to her patrol area.

On 28 January 1945, ''Spadefish'' intercepted Japanese convoy and let go with two spreads of torpedoes. The 7,158-ton converted [[seaplane tender]] ''[[Japanese seaplane tender Sanuki Maru (1939)|Sanuki Maru]]'', exploded and quickly sank, and the [[frigate]] [[Japanese frigate Kume|''Kume'']] spouted flames and began to sink slowly. Three Japanese escorts pounced on ''Spadefish'', but she made her escape and continued her patrol.

''Spadefish'' added to her score on 4 February by sinking the passenger-cargo ship ''Tairai Maru''. Two days later, only five miles from [[Lüshunkou|Port Arthur]], she blasted the 1,092-ton passenger-cargo ship ''Shohei Maru'', to the bottom. An enemy patrol airplane dropped a depth charge in the vicinity of the submarine; but, although she was rocked by the shock waves, ''Spadefish'' was unharmed and returned to [[Guam]] on 13 February.

===Fourth war patrol, March – April 1945===
On 15 March 1945, ''Spadefish'' departed Guam for her fourth war patrol, conducted in the [[East China Sea]] and Yellow Sea. On 21 March, an [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] aircraft mistakenly attacked, dropping a bomb that exploded as she submerged which exploded as she passed a depth of {{convert|45|ft|0}}.<ref name=hinmanp273>Hinman & Campbell, p. 273.</ref> She sustained no damage or casualties, but her crew found bomb fragments on her deck after she surfaced.<ref name=hinmanp273/>

On 23 March 1945, ''Spadefish'' sneaked past four escorts and let go with three torpedoes that sank the 2,274-ton cargo ship ''Doryo Maru''. ''Spadefish'' patrolled along the coast of [[Kyūshū]], continuing north to [[Tsushima Strait]], where she carried out reconnaissance to determine the presence of [[Naval mine|minefields]]. She demolished an enemy [[schooner]] off the coast of [[Korea]] on 1 April and gave the same treatment to a three-masted [[Junk (ship)|junk]] on 7 April. Two days later, she sank the cargo ship ''Lee Tung''; and, on 11 April, damaged a [[minesweeper]]. She terminated her fourth patrol at [[Guam]] on 21 April 1945.

===Fifth war patrol, June – July 1945===
[[File:USS Spadefish battle flag.jpg|thumb|USS ''Spadefish''{{'}}s battle flag]]
Equipped with a new mine-detecting device, she began her fifth war patrol, joining eight other United States submarines in penetrating through the minefields of [[Tsushima Strait]] into the [[Sea of Japan]]. On 10 June, outside the breakwater of [[Ishikari, Hokkaido|Tarukawa Wharf]], ''Spadefish'' overtook the outbound passenger-cargo ship ''Daigen Maru No. 2'', and blew the enemy ship apart with two torpedo hits. Before the day was over, the submarine had also sunk the passenger-cargo ships ''Unkai Maru No. 8'' and ''Jintsu Maru''.

Before dawn on 12 June 1945, ''Spadefish'' sank a motor [[sampan]] with 20&nbsp;mm fire; and, later in the day, sank three trawlers in gunfire attacks. On 13 June she mistakenly sank the Soviet [[merchant ship]] {{SS|Transbalt}} at {{coord|45|44|N|140|48|E}} in a [[friendly fire]] incident.<ref name=hinmanappB>Hinman & Campbell, Appendix B, unpaginated.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/bibl/paperno/for_65_engl.htm |last=Paperno |first=Alla 
|title=The Unknown World War II in the North Pacific |date=27 April 2000 }}</ref> On 14 June, she sank the [[Cargo liner|passenger-cargo ship]] ''Seizan Maru''; and, in a night attack on 17 June, she sank the [[Japanese minelayer Minoo#Approximate vessels|C.M. minelayer ''Eijō Maru'']]. She then rejoined the other submarines and exited the Sea of Japan, returning to Pearl Harbor on 4 July 1945.

''Spadefish'' was preparing for another war patrol when [[Surrender of Japan|hostilities with Japan ended]] on 15 August 1945 (14 August across the [[International Date Line]] in Hawaii.

===Post-World War II===
''Spadefish'' remained at Pearl Harbor until 2 September 1945 and then set course for [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]] where she was decommissioned on 3 May 1946 and placed in [[Reserve fleet|reserve]]. She was reclassified an [[Auxiliary ship|auxiliary]] submarine, '''AGSS-411''', on 6 November 1962, struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register|Navy List]] on 1 April 1967, towed to New London, CT Submarine Base full of spare parts and later sold for scrap in 1969.

==Honors and awards==
''Spadefish'' (SS-411) received four [[battle star]]s for [[World War II]] service.

==In popular culture==
''Spadefish'' is one of several submarines along with the era's {{USS|Tang|SS-306}}, {{USS|Bowfin|SS-287}}, {{USS|Growler|SS-215}}, and {{USS|Seawolf|SS-197}} whose war patrols can be re-enacted in the 1985 [[MicroProse]] computer game ''[[Silent Service (video game)|Silent Service]]'' and the game's various ports, including [[Konami]]'s 1989 release for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]].

In 2008 ''Spadefish''{{'}}s ship's flag and [[ship's wheel]] were appraised in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], for an episode of the American [[television series]] ''[[Antiques Roadshow (American TV program)|Antiques Roadshow]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200805A04.html |title=WWII Submarine Flag & Wheel of the U.S.S. Spadefish |work=[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S. TV series)|Antiques Roadshow]] |publisher=[[PBS]] |date=20 August 2009}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Gordon Waite Underwood]], commanding officer for ''Spadefish'''s first three war patrols
*[[List of most successful American submarines in World War II]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}
{{Refbegin}}
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s15/spadefish-i.htm|http://hazegray.org/danfs/submar/ss411.txt}}
{{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}}.

==External links==
*{{navsource|08/08411|Spadefish}}
* {{cite web |url= https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200805A04.html |title=WWII Submarine Flag & Wheel of the U.S.S. Spadefish |work=[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S. TV series)|Antiques Roadshow]] |publisher=[[PBS]] |date=20 August 2009}}

{{Balao class submarine}}
{{January 1945 shipwrecks}}
{{March 1945 shipwrecks}}
{{June 1945 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spadefish (Ss-411)}}
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:Balao-class submarines]]
[[Category:Ships built in Vallejo, California]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in January 1945]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in March 1945]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in June 1945]]
[[Category:Friendly fire incidents of World War II]]