USS Blueback (SS-326)

	Excerpt from the decommissioning booklet of the second USS Blueback (SS-581) describing the first USS Blueback (SS-326). The booklet was printed and distributed by the U.S. Navy.
History
United States
Name	Blueback
Namesake	Blueback salmon
Builder	Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut
Laid down	29 July 1943
Launched	7 May 1944
Commissioned	28 August 1944
Decommissioned	23 May 1948
Stricken	28 May 1948
Fate	Transferred to Turkey 23 May 1948; Transferred to United States 1975; Sold for scrap;
Turkey
Name	TCG İkinci İnönü
Namesake	Second Battle of İnönü
Acquired	23 May 1948
Commissioned	25 May 1948
Identification	Pennant number D-12 (1948–1955); Pennant number S-18 (1955–1959); Pennant number S 331 (1959–1973);
Decommissioned	30 November 1973
Renamed	TCG Ceryan Botu-2 (Y-1241) 1973
In service	1973 (non-commissioned)
Out of service	1975 (non-commissioned)
Fate	Returned to United States 1975
Notes	Non-commissioned charging platform for submarine batteries 1973–1975
General characteristics
Class and type	Balao-class diesel-electric submarine
Displacement	1,526 tons (1550 t) surfaced; 2,424 tons (2460 t) submerged;
Length	311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)
Beam	27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)
Draft	16 ft 10 in (5.13 m) maximum
Propulsion	4 × General Motors Model 16-278A V16 diesel engines driving electrical generators; 2 × 126-cell Sargo batteries; 4 × high-speed General Electric electric motors with reduction gears; 2 × propellers; 5,400 shp (4.0 MW) surfaced; 2,740 shp (2.0 MW) submerged;
Speed	20.25 knots (37 km/h) surfaced; 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged;
Range	11,000 nm (20,000 km) surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)
Endurance	48 hours at 2 knots (4 km/h) submerged; 75 days on patrol;
Test depth	400 ft (120 m)
Complement	10 officers, 70–71 enlisted
Armament	10 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes; 6 forward, 4 aft; 24 torpedoes; 1 × 5-inch (127 mm) / 25 caliber deck gun; Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon;

USS Blueback (SS-326), a Balao-class submarine in commission from 1944 to 1948, was the first submarine of the United States Navy to be named for the blueback salmon, also known as the sockeye salmon. She completed three war patrols in the South China Sea and Java Sea during World War II. She sank a 300-displacement ton submarine chaser as well as eight smaller vessels.

After her U.S. Navy service, the submarine was transferred to Turkey, and was in commission in the Turkish Naval Forces from 1948 to 1973 as TCG İkinci Inönü (D-12) (also written TCG 2. Inönü (D-2)), later renumbered S-18 and S 331.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 285–304. ISBN 978-1-55750-263-6.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 275–280. ISBN 978-0-313-26202-9.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305-311
^ ^a ^b U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311

[FriedmanSubs1-dates-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 285–304. ISBN 978-1-55750-263-6.

[Register-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 275–280. ISBN 978-0-313-26202-9.

[FriedmanSubs1-specs-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305-311

[FriedmanSubs1-specs_305–311-4] U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311

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