Editing Sargo-class submarine (section)

==Service==
[[File:Sinking Japanese ship.jpg|thumb|left|Periscope photo of a Japanese merchant ship sinking after being torpedoed by ''Seawolf''.]]
From commissioning until late 1941 the first six ''Sargo''s were based first at [[San Diego]], later at [[Pearl Harbor]]. The last four were sent to the [[Philippines]] shortly after commissioning. In October 1941, the remaining ''Sargo''s and most other newer available submarines were transferred to the [[United States Asiatic Fleet|Asiatic Fleet]] in the [[Philippines]] as part of a belated effort to reinforce U.S. and [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] forces in Southeast Asia. The [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] occupation of southern [[Indo-China]] and the August 1941 American-British-Dutch retaliatory oil embargo had raised international tensions.<ref name="Diagram2">[http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/submar/ ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'' online at Hazegray.org]</ref>

After the Japanese [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] on 7 December 1941, the submarines of the Asiatic Fleet were the primary striking force available to [[Admiral]] [[Thomas C. Hart]], the fleet's commander. He was assigned sixteen ''Salmon''s or ''Sargo''s; the entirety of both classes.<ref>Blair, p.82fn.</ref> Seven ''Porpoise''-class and six [[United States S-class submarine|S-boats]] rounded out the force.<ref>[http://www.navsource.org/Naval/usf06.htm US submarine deployment 7 December 1941]</ref> The [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] did not bomb the Philippines until 10 December 1941, so almost all of the submarines were able to get underway before an attack. ''Sealion'' and ''Seadragon'' were the unlucky exceptions. In overhaul at the [[Cavite Navy Yard]], ''Sealion'' was damaged beyond repair and was scuttled on 25 December. ''Seadragon'', assisted by {{USS|Canopus|AS-9|6}} and {{USS|Pigeon|ASR-6|6}}, was able to leave port with emergency repairs and went on to fight for most of the war.

The ''Sargo'' class was very active during the war, sinking 73 ships, including a Japanese submarine. Four were lost, including one to "friendly fire".

{{USS|Sailfish|SS-192|2}} of this class sank the [[Japanese aircraft carrier Chūyō|Japanese aircraft carrier ''Chūyō'']], which was carrying 21 survivors from the submarine {{USS|Sculpin|SS-191|2}}; only one of these prisoners survived the sinking. ''Sculpin'' had been one of the ships assisting in the rescue of 33 men when {{USS|Squalus|SS-192|2}} sank during a test dive in 1939; ''Squalus'' was refloated and recommissioned as {{USS|Sailfish|SS-192|6}}.

In early 1945 the surviving boats of this class were transferred to training roles for the remainder of the war, eventually being scrapped in 1947-48. {{USS|Searaven|SS-196|2}} was used in the [[Bikini Atoll]] atomic weapon tests in 1946. There was negligible damage so she was later expended as a target in 1948. ''Sailfish'' was also due to become a target in the same atomic weapon tests but she was scrapped instead in 1948.