USS Thresher (SS-200)

Thresher as she appeared prewar, with hull number prominently displayed. Note also her conning tower has the large slab silhouette which would be rapidly reduced with wartime experience,
History
United States
BuilderElectric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut[1]
Laid down27 April 1939[1]
Launched27 March 1940[1]
Commissioned27 August 1940[1]
Decommissioned13 December 1945[1]
Honors and
awards
Recommissioned6 February 1946[1]
Decommissioned12 July 1946[1]
Stricken23 December 1947[1]
FateSold for scrap, 18 March 1948[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeTambor class diesel-electric submarine[3]
Displacement
  • 1,475 long tons (1,499 t) standard, surfaced[2]
  • 2,370 long tons (2,410 t) submerged[2]
Length307 ft 2 in (93.62 m)[2]
Beam27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)[2]
Draft14 ft 7+12 in (4.458 m)[2]
Propulsion
Speed
  • 20.4 knots (38 km/h) surfaced[2]
  • 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged[2]
Range11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h)[2]
Endurance48 hours at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) submerged[2]
Test depth250 ft (76 m)[2]
Complement6 officers, 54 enlisted[2]
Armament
Notes6th patrol and later: 3 inch gun replaced with 5"/51 caliber gun

USS Thresher (SS-200) was the most decorated United States Navy submarine of World War II, with 15 battle stars and a Navy Unit Commendation. Thresher was the third of twelve Tambor-class submarines that were commissioned. All twelve fought in the war, and she was one of five to survive it.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 285–304. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311
  3. ^ a b c d e f Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 270–280. ISBN 978-0-313-26202-9. OCLC 24010356.
  4. ^ U.S. Submarines Through 1945 p. 261
  5. ^ a b c U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311