USS Balao (SS-285)

Diesel-Electric Attack Submarine [ 1943 ]

USS Balao SS-285 led the storied United States Navy Balao-class during the fighting of World War 2.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/23/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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One of the most hazardous roles in all of the fighting of World War 2 (1939-1945) was that of submariner - this certainly proved the case with the American Navy operating in the Pacific Theater against the Imperial Japanese Navy. Like other services of the United States military, the Navy needed time to bring their fighting capabilities up to speed and this led to quick development of several attack submarine classes. One of the most important became the Gato-class which were improved T-class boats and, from this design, stemmed the equally important Balao-class of which some 256 boats were ordered but only 122 completed and 10 incomplete hulls being scrapped. The newer class was differentiated by its adoption of HT steels and advanced sections which helped to improved operating depths.

The lead ship of the Balao-class was USS Balao (SS-285) which saw her keel laid down by Portsmouth Naval Shipyard of Kittery Main on June 26th, 1942. She was launched on October 27th, 1942 and formally commissioned for service on February 4th, 1943.

As completed, the boat had a displacement of 1,550 tons when surfaced and 2,455 tons when submerged. She held a length of 311.8 feet with a beam of 27.2 feet and a draught of 16.9 feet. Power was from 4 x General Motors Model 16-278A V16 diesel engines driving electrical generators along with 4 x General Electric high-speed electric motors with reduction gears. There were 2 x 126-cell battery packs fitted for submerged traveling. All this drove power (2,740 horsepower surfaced / 5,400 horsepower submerged) to 2 x shafts at the stern, propelling the boat to speeds of 20.25 knots when surfaced and 16.2 knots when submerged. Range was out to 11,000 nautical miles and the boat could stay underwater for up to two days consecutively and manage up to 75 total days out on patrol. Operating depths could reach as deep as 400 feet.

This gave the Balao, and her sisters, excellent range and generally good performance when surfaced or submerged. As submersible technology of the time was what it was, the boat was still required to surface to recharge its battery packs and expel dangerous CO2 gasses that had been built up. As such, the submarines of the period generally spent most of their time surfaced or at periscope depths.©MilitaryFactory.com

Internally, the crew numbered about 80 personnel and included 10 officers. Armament was 10 x 21" (533mm) torpedo tubes with six facing the bow and four facing astern and 24 x torpedo reloads were carried. This allowed the boat to engage targets both ahead and behind the vessel without the need to completely turn the boat around. When surfaced, the submarine could attack less-lethal surface ships with its 1 x 4" (100mm) /50 caliber deck gun. 1 x 40mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft (AA) weapon was also carried to protect the surfaced boat from air attack. For last-line-of-defense, there were 2 x 0.50 caliber heavy machine guns used.

During World War 2, USS Balao conducted ten total war patrols ranging from July 1943 until August 1945. The Balao-class and Gato-class boats represented the bulk of the underwater force of the American Navy in the conflict and had a considerable impact in the Pacific Theater against the Japanese Empire - though losses were notable.

In the immediate post-war period the Balao was relocated from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to Staten Island, New York. An overhaul was given to the boat and, having survived all of World War 2, she was decommissioned for the first time on August 20th, 1946 during the massive American military drawdown.

USS Balao was recommissioned for service once again on March 4th, 1952 by which time the American Navy was committed to war in the Korean War (1950-1953). She was used as a training platform for anti-submarine operations in and around Key West, Florida and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Unlike other wartime Gato-, Tench- and Balao-class submarines in the post-war period, USS Balao was not selected for the GUPPY modernization program. Beyond additional tours, training and general exercises (as well as an active deterrent stint during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962), the boat was retired in 1963 with her fighting days firmly behind her. On August 1st, 1963, she was formally decommissioned from service and, on September 6th, 1963, USS Balao was sunk as a target and became an artificial reef off the coast of Florida.

Only her conning tower survived this action and is displayed at the Washington Navy Yard today.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

1943

Origin

United States

Complement

80
PERSONNEL

Class

Balao-class

Number-in-Class

120
VESSELS

Ships-in-Class

USS Balao (SS 285); USS Billfish (SS 286); USS Bowfin (SS 287); USS Cabrilla (SS 288); USS Capelin (SS 289); USS Cisco (SS 290); USS Crevalle (SS 291); USS Devilfish (SS 292); USS Dragonet (SS 293); USS Escolar (SS 294); USS Hackleback (SS 295); USS Lancetfish (SS 296); USS Ling (SS 297); USS Lionfish (SS 298); USS Manta (SS 299); USS Moray (SS 300); USS Roncador (SS 301); USS Sabalo (SS 302); USS Sablefish (SS 303); USS Seahorse (SS 304); USS Skate (SS 305); USS Tang (SS 306); USS Tilefish (SS 307); USS Apogon (SS 308); USS Aspro (SS 309); USS Batfish (SS 310); USS Archer-Fish (SS 311); USS Burrfish (SS 312); USS Perch (SS 313); USS Shark (SS 314); USS Sealion (SS 315); USS Barbel (SS 316); USS Barbero (SS 317); USS Baya (SS 318); USS Becuna (SS 319); USS Bergall (SS 320); USS Besugo (SS 321); USS Blackfin (SS 322); USS Caiman (SS 323); USS Blenny (SS 324); USS Blower (SS 325); USS Blueback (SS 326); USS Boarfish (SS 327); USS Charr (SS 328); USS Chub (SS 329); USS Brill (SS 330); USS Bugara (SS 331); USS Bullhead (SS 332); USS Bumper (SS 333); USS Cabezon (SS 334); USS Dentuda (SS 335); USS Capitaine (SS 336); USS Carbonero (SS 337); USS Carp (SS 338); USS Catfish (SS 339); USS Entemedor (SS 340); USS Chivo (SS 341); USS Chopper (SS 342); USS Clamagore (SS 343); USS Cobbler (SS 344); USS Cochino (SS 345); USS Corporal (SS 346); USS Cubera (SS 347); USS Cusk (SS 348); USS Diodon (SS 349); USS Dogfish (SS 350); USS Greenfish (SS 351); USS Halfbeak (SS 352); USS Dugong (SS 353); USS Eel (SS 354); USS Espada (SS 355); USS Jawfish (SS 356); USS Ono (SS 357); USS Garlopa (SS 358); USS Garrupa (SS 359); USS Goldring (SS 360); USS Hardhead (SS 365); USS Hawkbill (SS 366); USS Icefish (SS 367); USS Jallao (SS 368); USS Kete (SS 369); USS Kraken (SS 370); USS Lagarto (SS 371); USS Lamprey (SS 372); USS Lizardfish (SS 373); USS Loggerhead (SS 374); USS Macabi (SS 375); USS Mapiro (SS 376); USS Menhaden (SS 377); USS Mero (SS 378); USS Needlefish (SS 379); USS Nerka (SS 380); USS Sand Lance (SS 381); USS Picuda (SS 382); USS Pampanito (SS 383); USS Parche (SS 384); USS Bang (SS 385); USS Pilotfish (SS 386); USS Pintado (SS 387); USS Pipefish (SS 388); USS Piranha (SS 389); USS Plaice (SS 390); USS Pomfret (SS 391); USS Sterlet (SS 392); USS Queenfish (SS 393); USS Razorback (SS 394); USS Redfish (SS 395); USS Ronquil (SS 396); USS Scabbardfish (SS 397); USS Segundo (SS 398); USS Sea Cat (SS 399); USS Sea Devil (SS 400); USS Sea Dog (SS 401); USS Sea Fox (SS 402); USS Atule (SS 403); USS Spikefish (SS 404); USS Sea Owl (SS 405); USS Sea Poacher (SS 406); USS Sea Robin (SS 407); USS Sennet (SS 408); USS Piper (SS 409); USS Threadfin (SS 410); USS Spadefish (SS 411); USS Trepang (SS 412); USS Spot (SS 413); USS Springer (SS 414); USS Stickleback (SS 415); USS Tiru (SS 416); USS Trumpetfish (SS 425); USS Tusk (SS 426); USS Turbot (SS 427); USS Ulua (SS 428); USS Unicorn (SS 429); USS Vendace (SS 430); USS Walrus (SS 431); USS Whitefish (SS 432); USS Whiting (SS 433); USS Wolffish (SS 434)

United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Submerged Attack
Traveling under the surface to search, track, and / or engage or reconnoiter areas.

✓ Maritime Patrol
Active patroling of vital waterways and maritime areas; can also serve as local deterrence against airborne and seaborne threats.

✓ Fleet Support
Serving in support (either firepower or material) of the main surface fleet in Blue Water environments.

Length

311.8 ft
95.04 m

Beam

27.2 ft
8.29 m

Draught

16.9 ft
5.15 m

Displacement

1,525
tons

Disp.Submerged

2,415
tons

Installed Power: 4 x General Motors Model 16-278A V16 diesel motors developing 5,400 horsepower; 4 x General Electric electric motors generating 2,740 horsepower; 2 x 126-cell Sargo batteries; 2 x Shafts.

Surface Speed

20.3 kts
(23.3 mph)

Submerged Speed

16.2 kts
(18.6 mph)

Range

11,297 nm
(13,000 mi | 20,921 km)

6 x 533mm (21") torpedo tubes (bow-facing)

4 x 533mm (21") torpedo tubes (stern-facing)

1 x 102mm /50 caliber deck gun

1 x 40mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft (AA) gun

1 x 20mm Oerlikon Anti-Aircraft (AA) gun

2 x 12.7mm (0.50 cal) heavy machine guns

Supported Types

Graphical image of a modern warship turreted deck gun armament

Graphical image of an aircraft medium machine gun

Graphical image of an aircraft heavy machine gun

Graphical image of an aircraft automatic cannon

Graphical image of an aircraft aerial torpedo

(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

None.

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