Sargo-class submarine

	USS Searaven during her sea trials on 13 May 1940
Class overview
Name	Sargo class
Builders	Electric Boat Company, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Operators	United States Navy
Preceded by	Salmon class
Succeeded by	Tambor class
Built	1937–1939
In commission	1939–1946
Completed	10
Lost	4
Retired	6
General characteristics
Type	Composite direct-drive and diesel-electric (first 6) or full diesel-electric (last 4) submarine
Displacement	1,450 tons (1473 t) standard, surfaced; 2,350 tons (2,388 t) submerged;
Length	310 ft 6 in (94.64 m)
Beam	26 ft 10 in (8.18 m)
Draft	16 ft 7½ in – 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)
Propulsion	4 × Hooven-Owens-Rentschler (H.O.R.) or General Motors diesel engines (two direct-drive, two driving electrical generators in early boats, all driving electrical generators in late boats), 1,535 hp (1,145 kW) each; 2 × 126-cell Sargo batteries; 4 × high-speed geared electric motors, 685 hp (511 kW) each; 2 × auxiliary diesel generators, 258 kW (346 hp) each; two shafts ; Net 5,200–5,500 shp (3,900–4,100 kW) surfaced; 2,740 hp (2,040 kW) submerged;
Speed	21 knots (39 km/h) surfaced; 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged;
Range	11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h)
Endurance	48 hours at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) submerged
Test depth	250 ft (76 m) Crush Depth Possible 450 ft (140 m)
Complement	5 officers, 54 enlisted
Armament	8 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (four forward, four aft); 24 torpedoes ; 1 × 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber deck gun; four machine guns;

The Sargo-class submarines were among the first United States submarines to be sent into action after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, starting war patrols the day after the attack, having been deployed to the Philippines in late 1941. Similar to the previous Salmon class, they were built between 1937 and 1939. With a top speed of 21 knots, a range of 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) (allowing patrols in Japanese home waters), and a reliable propulsion plant, along with the Salmons they were an important step in the development of a true fleet submarine. In some references, the Salmons and Sargos are called the "New S Class", 1st and 2nd Groups.^[6]

The Sargo-class submarine USS Swordfish (SS-193) had the distinction of being the first US Navy submarine to sink a Japanese ship in World War II.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 269–270. ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c 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.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311
^ U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 202–204, 310
^ Friedman, p. 310
^ Silverstone, pp. 190-193

[Register-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 269–270. ISBN 0-313-26202-0.

[FriedmanSubs1-dates-2] 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.

[FriedmanSubs1-specs-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311

[FriedmanSubs1-composite-drive-4] U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 202–204, 310

[5] Friedman, p. 310

[6] Silverstone, pp. 190-193

[2]

[1]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

Class overview
USS Searaven during her sea trials on 13 May 1940
Name	Sargo class
Builders	Electric Boat Company, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Mare Island Naval Shipyard^[2]
Operators	United States Navy
Preceded by	Salmon class^[1]
Succeeded by	Tambor class^[1]
Built	1937–1939^[2]
In commission	1939–1946^[2]
Completed	10^[1]
Lost	4^[1]
Retired	6^[1]
General characteristics
Type	Composite direct-drive and diesel-electric (first 6) or full diesel-electric (last 4) submarine^[1]
Displacement	1,450 tons (1473 t) standard, surfaced^[3] 2,350 tons (2,388 t) submerged^[3]
Length	310 ft 6 in (94.64 m)^[3]
Beam	26 ft 10 in (8.18 m)^[3]
Draft	16 ft 7½ in – 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)^[3]
Propulsion	4 × Hooven-Owens-Rentschler (H.O.R.) or General Motors diesel engines (two direct-drive, two driving electrical generators in early boats, all driving electrical generators in late boats), 1,535 hp (1,145 kW) each^[1]^[4] 2 × 126-cell Sargo batteries^[3] 4 × high-speed geared electric motors, 685 hp (511 kW) each^[1] 2 × auxiliary diesel generators, 258 kW (346 hp) each^[5] two shafts ^[1] Net 5,200–5,500 shp (3,900–4,100 kW) surfaced^[1] 2,740 hp (2,040 kW) submerged^[1]
Speed	21 knots (39 km/h) surfaced^[3] 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged^[3]
Range	11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h)^[3]
Endurance	48 hours at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) submerged^[3]
Test depth	250 ft (76 m) Crush Depth Possible 450 ft (140 m)^[3]
Complement	5 officers, 54 enlisted^[3]
Armament	8 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (four forward, four aft) 24 torpedoes ^[3] 1 × 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber deck gun^[3] four machine guns