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| USN Porpoise-class submarine 1,350 Tons (surfaced) 1,997 Tons (submerged) 300' 6" x 25' x 13' 9" 6 x 21" torpedo tubes (4 forward, 2 aft with 16 torpedoes) 1 x 4"/50 cal deck gun 2 x Twin x .30 cal MGs |
Submarine History Built by Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Laid down July 17, 1935 as a Porpoise-class submarine. Launched July 8, 1936 as USS Plunger (SS-179) sponsored by Miss Edith E. Greenlee, eldest daughter of Captain Halford R. Greenlee, Acting Commandant of the Portsmouth Navy Yard. Commissioned November 19, 1936 in the U.S. Navy (USN) with Lt. George L. Russell in command. Afterwards, to New York then departed for a shakedown cruise south to Guantanamo Bay then transited the Panama Canal to Guayaquil, Ecuador then returned for alterations at Portsmouth then to San Diego. Assigned to SubDiv 14, SubRon 6 (Submarine Division 14, Submarine Squadron 6) and patrolled off the west coast of the United States. On March 15, 1938 joins USS Holland (AS-3) with five Porpoise-class submarine submarines for a training cruise to Dutch Harbor. Afterwards, continues to train off Panama. On November 30, 1941 arrives Pearl Harbor and operates off Hawaii. Wartime History On December 7, 1941 off Diamond Head during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and Oahu. PARTIAL HISTORY During late November 1943 in support of "Operation Galvanic" the invasion of Tarawa, USS Plunger SS-179 performed lifeguard duty off Mili Atoll and rescued one aviator, downed near Knox Island, near Mili. Plunger raced to the spot at four-engine speed. The aviator was clinging to a yellow rubber lifeboat. As the submarine drew near, an enemy Zero dived out of the clouds and skimmed the conning tower with guns blazing. The rescue party was not yet on deck, but there were about a dozen men on the bridge, including the skipper, the exec, the gunnery officer, the quartermaster, an electrician and four lookouts. Six were wounded when a 20mm shell hit the superstructure and exploded, spraying the bridge with shrapnel. The wounded were rushed below, the bridge was cleared, and Captain Bass ordered a quick dive, then planed up to periscope depth. The Zero had disappeared; the American aviator was 50 yards away. Sighting the periscope, he waved cheerfully and dug in with the oars, rowing toward the submarine and rescued Lt(jg) F. G. Schwartz. Afterwards, Plunger departed for Makin, where the wounded were transferred to the transport USS Leonard Wood and all the aviators recovered. Awards USS Plunger earned 14 battle stars for her World War II service. Fate On July 6, 1956 sold to Bethlehem Steel Co., Bethlehem, PA for scrap metal. On April 22, 1957 broken up for scrap. References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - Plunger II (SS-179) NavSource - USS Plunger (SS-179) (photos) Contribute
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