×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024) Special Forces
HOME
NAVAL WARFARE INDEX
MODERN FLEETS
WARSHIPS BY COUNTRY
SHIPBUILDERS
COMPARE WARSHIPS
SHIPS BY CONFLICT
SHIPS BY TYPE
SHIPS BY DECADE
SHIPS BY CLASS
WWII NAVAL WARFARE
Naval Warfare

USS Grunion (SS-216)


Conventionally-Powered Attack Submarine [ 1942 ]



The final resting place of USS Grunion remained a mystery until recent events unfolded showing the exact location of the submarine.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 06/30/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
The USS Grunion (SS 216) is best known for her mysterious dissappearance. Until recently, little was known of the last whereabouts of the vessel and her 70 crew members. It was known that she had been attacked after experiencing extensive anti-submarine activity off Kiska near the Aleutian Islands but besides her last radio transmission, she was never heard from again - reported lost on August 16, 1942.

The USS Grunion was a Gato-class submarine - one of 77 such submarines produced by the United States of America during World War 2. She sailed away from New London after her shakedown voyage and participated in the rescue of some 16 American sailors in the Caribbean Sea - victims of a German U-boat attack. She would later traverse through Panama and arrive at Pearl Harbor on June 20th before being sent to the Aleutian Islands for combat patrols of enemy shipping.

Grunion operated in these seas throughout the month of July until on July 30th, a transmission was received from her about the high level of anti-submarine activity that was developing. To avoid her falling fate to enemy action, the vessel was ordered back to the relative safety of Dutch Harbor. It is at this time that the Grunion was never heard from again. Rescue searches ensued to no avail.©MilitaryFactory.com
Fast-forward to August of 2007 and a wreckage of a ship was located in the Bering Sea. The Navy officially acknowledged that the vessel was in fact the USS Grunion in October of 2008 though the cause of her sinking remained a mystery. It is believed that - whilst attacking a Japanese troop transport and surfacing to deliver a final blow with her deck gun - the USS Grunion fell victim to the deck guns of the troop transport, which is believed to have delivered a direct hit to the Grunion's conning tower.

The Grunion was armed with 10 x 533mm torpedo tubes with six facing forward and four facing rear. The vessel was supplied with 24 total torpedoes. A 3" deck gun was provided for anti-ship self-defense and close-range work while 4 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns provided anti-aircraft defense. Power was derived from 4 x General Motors V16 diesel engines coupled to electrical generators. 2 x 126-cell Sargo-type batteries were featured as were 4 x General Electric-brand electric motors. This powerplant system operated the twin propeller shafts.

The USS Grunion was laid down by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut in 1941 and launched the same year. She was officially commissioned in 1942 and became part of the 77-strong Gato-class fleet of American submarine. As an aside, the name "Grunion" is actually a species of small fish related to the silversides family and primarily found on the western coast of the United States. The USS Grunion remains the only sea-going vessel to me named as such. For her service in World War 2, the vessel and her crew received a battle star.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



United States
Operators National flag of the United States
1942
Commissioned
United States
National Origin
70
Complement
Gato-class
Hull Class
77
Number-in-Class
USS Gato (SS 212); USS Greenling (SS 213); USS Grouper (SS 214); USS Growler (SS 215); USS Grunion (SS 216); USS Guardfish (SS 217); USS Albacore (SS 218); USS Amberjack (SS 219); USS Barb (SS 220); USS Blackfish (SS 221); USS Bluefish (SS 222); USS Bonefish (SS 223); USS Cod (SS 224); USS Cero (SS 225); USS Corvina (SS 226); USS Darter (SS 227); USS Drum (SS 228); USS Flying Fish (SS 229); USS Finback (SS 230); USS Haddock (SS 231); USS Halibut (SS 232); USS Herring (SS 233); USS Kingfish (SS 234); USS Shad (SS 235); USS Silversides (SS 236); USS Trigger (SS 237); USS Wahoo (SS 238); USS Whale (SS 239); USS Angler (SS 240); USS Bashaw (SS 241); USS Bluegill (SS 242); USS Bream (SS 243); USS Cavalla (SS 244); USS Cobia (SS 245); USS Croaker (SS 246); USS Dace (SS 247); USS Dorado (SS 248); USS Flasher (SS 249); USS Flier (SS 250); USS Flounder (SS 251); USS Gabilan (SS 252); USS Gunnel (SS 253); USS Gurnard (SS 254); USS Haddo (SS 255); USS Hake (SS 256); USS Harder (SS 257); USS Hoe (SS 258); USS Jack (SS 259); USS Lapon (SS 260); USS Mingo (SS 261); USS Muskallunge (SS 262); USS Paddle (SS 263); USS Pargo (SS 264); USS Peto (SS 265); USS Pogy (SS 266); USS Pompon (SS 267); USS Puffer (SS 268); USS Rasher (SS 269); USS Raton (SS 270); USS Ray (SS 271); USS Redfin (SS 272); USS Robalo (SS 273); USS Rock (SS 274); USS Runner (SS 275); USS Sawfish (SS 276); USS Scamp (SS 277); USS Scorpion (SS 278); USS Snook (SS 279); USS Steelhead (SS 280); USS Sunfish (SS 281); USS Tunny (SS 282); USS Tinosa (SS 283); USS Tullibee (SS 284); USS Golet (SS 361); USS Guavina (SS 362); USS Guitarro (SS 363); USS Hammerhead (SS 364)
Ships-in-Class


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.


311.9 feet
(95.07 meters)
Length
27.3 feet
(8.32 meters)
Beam
17.0 feet
(5.18 meters)
Draught
1,525
tons
Displacement


4 x General Motors Model 16-248 V16 diesel engines with electrical generators; 2 x 126-cell Sargo-type batteries; 4 x General Electric electric motors; 2 x propellers.
Propulsion
21.0 knots
(24.2 mph)
Surface Speed
9.0 knots
(10.4 mph)
Submerged Speed
10,999 nm
(12,658 miles | 20,371 km)
Range
1 knot = 1.15 mph; 1 nm = 1.15 mile; 1 nm = 1.85 km


10 x 533mm (21") torpedo tubes (6 forward-facing, 4 rear-facing) with 24 torpedoes.
1 x 76mm (3") deck gun
4 x 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine guns


None.


Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War period
Military lapel ribbon for early warship designs
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Military lapel ribbon for the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Images



1 / 1
Image of the USS Grunion (SS-216)
Image from the Public Domain.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)