USS Tench (SS-417)

History of USS Tench (SS-417)

The United States Navy (USN) relied on three main types of diesel-electric attack submarines during World War II (1939-1945) - the Gatto-class, Barau-class and Tench-class (in that order). Construction of the Gato class began in 1940, before the United States was involved in the conflict, with 77 ships completed to standard. The Balao class added an impressive 120 ships from 1942 to 1946 and proved to be the most numerous in the U.S. Navy submarine fleet.

Born as an improvement over the previous two classes, the Tench class had 29 ships by the end of it - about 51 were cancelled by the end of the war.

The culmination of a year-long process

The

Tench class is able to use years of wartime data in its design and is the direct successor to the Balao class ships. Production officially started in 1944 and continued until 1951. This class features increased range (from 11,000 nautical miles to 16,000 nautical miles) and a hull strength tested to 400 feet (earlier ships were over 300 feet).

Essentially, it's the pinnacle of American wartime boat design, starting with the old P-class ("Dolphin") boats in the mid-1930s.

Drive components

Like the other two classes, the Tench class relies on a diesel-electric propulsion system consisting of a marine diesel unit for surface operation and an electric motor connected to a battery pack for underwater travel. The former uses four diesel engines and the latter uses two low speed direct drive generators (connected to 2 x 126 Sargo battery packs) to power the boat.

This arrangement provides 5,400 hp when surfaced and 2,740 hp when underwater, driving a pair of screws in the stern. Surface speeds can reach just over 20 knots, while underwater travel is limited to 8.75 knots.

The Tench stage improved the machine by using a directly coupled slow motor and worked better in the tight spaces of the ship line. The fuel and ballast zones have also been modified to improve volume and balance, and to reduce the risk of water ingress and detection by enemy anti-submarine warfare (ASW) equipment.

Dive times are also improved over the previous type.

Internal

There was a crew of 81 on board, consisting of officers and soldiers. The ship's shop provides crews with up to seventy-five days of service. The weapon is usually a combination of front and rear torpedo tubes and deck guns. A total of ten 21-inch torpedo tubes were installed, six in the nose and four in the stern.

28 reloads due to modified internal spacing layout - 4 more than the Balao class. On the surface, the ship is armed with the typical 5" (127mm)/25 caliber deck gun mounted on a trainable mount. Use it as needed against surface targets. Close range defense is provided by 40mm Bofors and 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft Guns provide Mastered Guns (AA) - also on trainable mounts.

Tench is equipped with Fire Control (FC) computer system and radar.

Roosters and Bullies

The

Tench class is a force to be reckoned with with its relatively new design, good stamina and great firepower. Outwardly, they closely mimic the lines of the Grunge, and in fact the close relationship between the two types becomes apparent as some of the changes introduced in Tinche's design have also been carried over to some Grunt ships.

Structure and Activation of Services

The lead ship of the group, USS Tench (SS-417), was laid at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on 1 April 1944 and launched for survey on 7 July 1944. It was commissioned on October 6 of the same year.

The court hearing took place outside New London, Connecticut, and in December Tench followed the usual route (via the Panama Canal) to the Pacific Ocean to the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

War Services

Due to its late entry into the war, Tench will serve three war patrols. The lateness of the class meant that only a dozen or so ships were actually available for war servicemany were still under construction, fit-out or testing as the war drew to a close.

However, the results are not lost due to accidents or enemy actions.

Her first patrol, which took her to the East and Yellow Seas, ended in April 1945. An overhaul followed, before a second patrol began in May, using the vessel in Japanese home waters. Mikamiyamamaru was torpedoed in June, and Ryujinmaru followed a few days later.

On June 9, the freighter Kamishika Maru - the Tench's biggest trophy - was sent underwater. One of her own torpedoes entered an uncontrolled circle, threatening the ship, but Dingch was able to dodge until peace was found on Midway.

When she was deployed again, the third war patrol proved to be her last - which was at the end of July. Imperial Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, officially ending World War II. In March 1946, Tench was placed in reserve after returning to the East Coast of the United States (New London).

USS Tench received three Battle Stars for her relatively short combat service in the Grand Conflict.

GUPPY Transformer

The Tench was subsequently modernized through the GUPPY program, which took full advantage of German submarine technology and design concepts associated with the groundbreaking Type XXI series (detailed elsewhere on this site). This work provides a more effective attack platform around their performance, especially underwater. She returned to service with the U.S.

Navy in January 1950.

Post-war career

Under this new guise, the Tench operated for another 20 years while conducting various patrol operations in Atlantic waters and later in the Mediterranean - now the main threat is the Soviet Union. In late 1968, she participated in Operation Silver Tower in Atlantic waters as part of a NATO exercise.

In October 1969, with the advent of newer and more powerful naval attack types, she was reclassified to hull designation AGSS-417, designating it as "General Auxiliary Submarine".

In May 1970, she was placed in reserve status again and remained there until August 1973, when her name was removed from the Naval Register and her hull was stripped of its military value. Then she was sold.

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