.gif)
USS Remora (SS-487)
Encyclopedia
USS Remora (SS-487), a Tench-class submarine
, was the only ship of the United States Navy
to be named for the remora
, a fish with a suctorial disk on its head enabling it to cling to other fish and to ships. Her keel was laid down on 5 March 1945 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine
. She was launched
on 12 July 1945 sponsored by Mrs. T. W. Samuels, III, and commissioned
on 3 January 1946 with Commander Robert Sellars in command.
Completing her Caribbean Sea
shakedown in April 1946, Remora operated out of New London, Connecticut
, as a training submarine until January 1947. Then transferred to the Pacific, she transited the Panama Canal
at midmonth and arrived at Mare Island
, Vallejo, California
, on 14 February to begin a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power Program (GUPPY) conversion. Early in November, she completed trials and on 22 February arrived at San Diego, California
, her new homeport.
For the next two years, she remained in the eastern Pacific operating primarily off California
, but during the summer and early fall of 1948, ranged as far north as the Aleutian Islands. On 1 May 1950 she headed west for her first deployment in the Far East. On 8 June she arrived at Sasebo, and on 11 June she shifted to Yokosuka, from which base she conducted ASW training exercises with units of Naval Forces Far East. Two weeks later the Korean War
began.
A unit of TF 96, Naval Forces Japan Remora patrolled Soya Strait, between Hokkaidō
and Sakhalin
in late July and early August. Later in the month, she headed back to San Diego. During the next two years she underwent overhaul, provided services for the Line School at Monterey, California
, and conducted local training exercises. She returned to the western Pacific in early 1953. Arriving at Buckner Bay on 15 March, she continued on to Japan in April and at midmonth rejoined TF 96. In June she was back in Okinawan waters for patrols and exercises, after which she returned to Yokosuka. On 2 July she headed east, reaching San Diego on 3 August.
After the fighting in Korea ended, Remora remained based at San Diego and through the decade continued to alternate training exercises and patrols in the western Pacific with similar First Fleet operations off the west coast and in Hawaii
an waters. She remained in the eastern Pacific during 1956 and 1958, but, during the spring of the latter year, was engaged in extended exercises off Alaska
.
In November 1961, Remora was transferred from San Diego to Pearl Harbor
. The following year she underwent a seven-month Greater Underwater Propulsive Power Program (GUPPY) conversion which lengthened her hull by 15 feet (5 m) and her conning tower by five feet. Then, in 1963, she was employed to evaluate antisubmarine sonar in Hawaiian waters. In May 1964, she resumed a schedule of annual six-month WestPac deployments which she continued into 1969. "Remora" was one of the last diesel boats to receive the Navy Unit Commendation for "Meritorious Service for operations during the Summer and Fall of 1967." During a Shipyard overhaul in late 1967 early 1968, Engine #1 was removed and replaced with a "Prairie Masker" system designed to mask her engines during snorkeling.
In July 1969, Remora shifted home ports, from Pearl Harbor to Charleston, South Carolina
. With the exception of one Mediterranean Sea
cruise, from 16 February to 26 June 1970, she continued to operate out of Charleston, along the Atlantic seaboard, in the Caribbean Sea
, and in the Gulf of Mexico
, until decommissioned 29 October 1973 at Charleston.
and recommissioned as Katsonis (S115).
Tench class submarine
Tench-class submarines were a type of submarine built for the United States Navy between 1944 and 1951. They were an evolutionary improvement over the Gato and Balao classes, only about 35 to 40 tons larger, but more strongly built and with a slightly improved internal layout...
, was the only ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for the remora
Remora
The remora , sometimes called a suckerfish or sharksucker, is an elongated, brown fish in the order Perciformes and family Echeneidae...
, a fish with a suctorial disk on its head enabling it to cling to other fish and to ships. Her keel was laid down on 5 March 1945 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine
Kittery, Maine
Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 12 July 1945 sponsored by Mrs. T. W. Samuels, III, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 3 January 1946 with Commander Robert Sellars in command.
Completing her Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
shakedown in April 1946, Remora operated out of New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, as a training submarine until January 1947. Then transferred to the Pacific, she transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
at midmonth and arrived at Mare Island
Mare Island
Mare Island is a peninsula in the United States alongside the city of Vallejo, California, about northeast of San Francisco. The Napa River forms its eastern side as it enters the Carquinez Strait juncture with the east side of San Pablo Bay. Mare Island is considered a peninsula because no full...
, Vallejo, California
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
, on 14 February to begin a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power Program (GUPPY) conversion. Early in November, she completed trials and on 22 February arrived at San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, her new homeport.
For the next two years, she remained in the eastern Pacific operating primarily off California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, but during the summer and early fall of 1948, ranged as far north as the Aleutian Islands. On 1 May 1950 she headed west for her first deployment in the Far East. On 8 June she arrived at Sasebo, and on 11 June she shifted to Yokosuka, from which base she conducted ASW training exercises with units of Naval Forces Far East. Two weeks later the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
began.
A unit of TF 96, Naval Forces Japan Remora patrolled Soya Strait, between Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
and Sakhalin
Sakhalin
Sakhalin or Saghalien, is a large island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50' and 54°24' N.It is part of Russia, and is Russia's largest island, and is administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast...
in late July and early August. Later in the month, she headed back to San Diego. During the next two years she underwent overhaul, provided services for the Line School at Monterey, California
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, and conducted local training exercises. She returned to the western Pacific in early 1953. Arriving at Buckner Bay on 15 March, she continued on to Japan in April and at midmonth rejoined TF 96. In June she was back in Okinawan waters for patrols and exercises, after which she returned to Yokosuka. On 2 July she headed east, reaching San Diego on 3 August.
After the fighting in Korea ended, Remora remained based at San Diego and through the decade continued to alternate training exercises and patrols in the western Pacific with similar First Fleet operations off the west coast and in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an waters. She remained in the eastern Pacific during 1956 and 1958, but, during the spring of the latter year, was engaged in extended exercises off Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
In November 1961, Remora was transferred from San Diego to Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. The following year she underwent a seven-month Greater Underwater Propulsive Power Program (GUPPY) conversion which lengthened her hull by 15 feet (5 m) and her conning tower by five feet. Then, in 1963, she was employed to evaluate antisubmarine sonar in Hawaiian waters. In May 1964, she resumed a schedule of annual six-month WestPac deployments which she continued into 1969. "Remora" was one of the last diesel boats to receive the Navy Unit Commendation for "Meritorious Service for operations during the Summer and Fall of 1967." During a Shipyard overhaul in late 1967 early 1968, Engine #1 was removed and replaced with a "Prairie Masker" system designed to mask her engines during snorkeling.
In July 1969, Remora shifted home ports, from Pearl Harbor to Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. With the exception of one Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
cruise, from 16 February to 26 June 1970, she continued to operate out of Charleston, along the Atlantic seaboard, in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, and in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, until decommissioned 29 October 1973 at Charleston.
Greek submarine Katsonis (S-115)
After decommissionning from US Navy in 1973, she was transferred to the Hellenic NavyHellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...
and recommissioned as Katsonis (S115).
External links
- Photo gallery at navsource.org