Editing Sargo-class submarine

{{Short description|US Navy submarine class of World War II}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = File:USS Searaven - 19-N-21879.jpg
| Ship caption = USS ''Searaven'' during her sea trials on 13 May 1940
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = ''Sargo'' class
| Builders = [[General Dynamics Electric Boat|Electric Boat Company]], [[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]], [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates">{{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | author-link = Norman Friedman
  | title = U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History
  | publisher = [[United States Naval Institute]]
  | date = 1995
  | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
  | pages = 285–304
  | isbn = 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref>
| Operators = {{navy|United States|1912}}
| Class before = {{sclass|Salmon|submarine|4}}<ref name="Register">{{cite book
  | last = Bauer
  | first = K. Jack
  | author-link = K. Jack Bauer
  |author2=Roberts, Stephen S.
   | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants
  | publisher = Greenwood Press
  | date = 1991
  | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]]
  | pages = 269–270
  | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}</ref>
| Class after = {{sclass|Tambor|submarine|4}}<ref name="Register"/>
| Subclasses = 
| Built range = 1937–1939<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
| In commission range = 1939–1946<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 
| Total ships completed = 10<ref name="Register"/>
| Total ships cancelled = 
| Total ships active = 
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 4<ref name="Register"/>
| Total ships retired = 6<ref name="Register"/>
| Total ships preserved = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = Composite [[direct drive|direct-drive]] and [[diesel-electric]] (first 6) or full [[diesel-electric]] (last 4) [[submarine]]<ref name="Register"/>
| Ship displacement = *1,450&nbsp;[[long ton|tons]] (1473&nbsp;[[tonne|t]]) standard, surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 305–311</ref>
*2,350&nbsp;tons (2,388&nbsp;t) submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship length = {{convert|310|ft|6|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship beam = {{convert|26|ft|10|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship draft = 16&nbsp;ft 7½&nbsp;in – {{convert|16|ft|8|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship propulsion = *4 × [[Hooven-Owens-Rentschler]] (H.O.R.) or [[Electro-Motive Diesel|General Motors]] [[diesel engine]]s (two [[direct drive|direct-drive]], two driving [[electrical generator]]s in early boats, all driving electrical generators in late boats), {{convert|1535|hp|abbr=on}} each<ref name="Register"/><ref name="FriedmanSubs1-composite-drive">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 202–204, 310</ref>
*2 × 126-[[Electrochemical cell|cell]] ''Sargo'' [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 305–311</ref>
*4 × high-speed [[reduction gear|geared]] [[electric motor]]s, {{convert|685|hp|abbr=on}} each<ref name="Register"/>
*2 × auxiliary [[diesel generator]]s, {{convert|258|kW|abbr=on}} each<ref>Friedman, p. 310</ref>
*two shafts <ref name="Register"/>
*Net 5,200–5,500&nbsp;[[Horsepower#Shaft horsepower|shp]] (3,900–4,100 kW) surfaced<ref name="Register"/>
*{{convert|2740|hp|abbr=on}} submerged<ref name="Register"/>
| Ship speed = *{{convert|21|kn|km/h|0}} surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*{{convert|8.75|kn|km/h|0}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship range = {{convert|11000|nmi|km}} at {{convert|10|kn|km/h}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship endurance = 48 hours at {{convert|2|kn|km/h}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship test depth = {{convert|250|ft|abbr=on}} Crush Depth Possible {{convert|450|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship complement = 5 officers, 54 enlisted<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = *8 × [[American 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s (four forward, four aft)
*24 [[torpedo]]es <ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*1 × [[3"/50 caliber gun|3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber]] [[deck gun]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*four [[machine gun]]s
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''''Sargo''-class submarines''' were among the first United States [[submarine]]s to be sent into action after the Japanese [[attack on Pearl Harbor]], starting war patrols the day after the attack, having been deployed to the [[Philippines]] in late 1941.  Similar to the previous {{sclass|Salmon|submarine|4}}, they were built between 1937 and 1939. With a top speed of 21 knots, a range of {{convert|11000|nmi|km}} (allowing patrols in [[Imperial Japan|Japanese]] home waters), and a reliable propulsion plant, along with the ''Salmon''s they were an important step in the development of a true [[fleet submarine]]. In some references, the ''Salmon''s and ''Sargo''s are called the "New S Class", 1st and 2nd Groups.<ref>Silverstone, pp. 190-193</ref>

The ''Sargo''-class submarine {{USS|Swordfish|SS-193}} had the distinction of being the first US Navy submarine to sink a Japanese ship in [[World War II]].

==Design==

In most features the ''Sargo''s were a repeat of the ''Salmon''s, except for the return to full [[diesel-electric]] drive for the last four boats and the adoption of the improved ''Sargo'' [[battery (electricity)|battery]] design. The first six ''Sargo''s were driven by a composite [[direct drive|direct-drive]] and diesel-electric plant (two engines in each mode) in the same manner as the ''Salmon''s.  In this arrangement, two main engines in the forward engine room drove [[electric generator|generators]]. In the after engine room, two side-by-side engines were clutched to [[gear|reduction gears]] which sat forward of the engines, with vibration-isolating hydraulic clutches. Two high-speed [[electric motor]]s, driven by the generating engines or batteries, were also connected to each reduction gear.<ref>Friedman, p. 203</ref> The [[Bureau of Steam Engineering]] (BuEng) and the [[General Board of the United States Navy|General Board]] desired a full diesel-electric plant, but there were some dissenting opinions, notably Admiral [[Thomas C. Hart]], the only experienced submariner on the General Board, who pointed out that a full diesel-electric system could be disabled by flooding.<ref name="Friedman, p. 204">Friedman, p. 204</ref> Technical problems went against the use of two large [[direct drive|direct-drive]] diesels in place of the four-engine composite plant. No engine of suitable power to reach the desired 21-knot speed existed in the US, and the current vibration-isolating hydraulic clutches were not capable of transmitting enough power. It was also not practical to gear two engines to each shaft.<ref name="Friedman, p. 204"/> So a full diesel-electric plant was adopted for the last four ''Sargo''s, and remained standard for all subsequent conventionally-powered US submarines.

Four of the class (''Sargo'', ''Saury'', ''Spearfish'', and ''Seadragon'') were equipped with the troublesome [[Hooven-Owens-Rentschler]] (HOR) [[double-acting cylinder|double-acting]] diesels. An attempt to produce more power from a smaller engine than other contemporary designs, the double-acting system proved unreliable in service. During [[World War II]], all had their engines replaced with [[General Motors|GM]] [[Cleveland Diesel]] 16-278A engines, probably during their overhauls in early 1943.<ref>Friedman, pp. 263, 360-361</ref>

BuEng had designed a new [[lead-acid battery]] to resist battle damage, known as the ''Sargo'' battery because it was first installed on {{USS|Sargo|SS-188|2}} and was based on a suggestion by her commissioning [[commanding officer]], Lieutenant E. E. Yeomans.<ref>Friedman, p. 265</ref> Instead of a single hard rubber case, it had two concentric hard rubber cases with a layer of soft rubber between them. This was to prevent [[sulfuric acid]] leakage in the event one case cracked during [[depth charge|depth-charging]].<ref>[http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/S/a/Sargo_class.htm The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia, ''Sargo''-class article]</ref> This remained the standard battery design until replaced with Sargo II and GUPPY batteries in submarines upgraded under the [[Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program]] after [[World War II]]. Each battery's capacity was slightly increased by installing 126 [[electrochemical cell|cells]] instead of 120; this also raised the nominal voltage from 250 [[volt]]s to 270 volts, which has been standard in US usage ever since, including the backup batteries of [[nuclear submarine]]s.

The original Mark 21 [[3"/50 caliber gun|3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber]] [[deck gun]] proved to be too light in service. It lacked sufficient punch to finish off crippled or small targets quickly enough to suit the crews. It was replaced by the Mark 9 [[4"/50 caliber gun|4-inch (102 mm)/50 caliber gun]] in 1943-44, in most cases removed from an [[United States S-class submarine|S-boat]] being transferred to training duty.<ref>Alden, p.93.</ref>

== Boats in class ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="font-size:97%;"
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Hull no.|Hull number}}
! scope="col" | Builder
! scope="col" | Laid down
! scope="col" | Launched
! scope="col" | Commissioned
! scope="col" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Sargo|SS-188|2}}
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | SS-188
|rowspan=3|[[Electric Boat]], [[Groton, Connecticut]]
|12 May 1937
|6 June 1938
|7 February 1939
|Sold for scrap 19 May 1947 to [[Learner Company]] of [[Oakland, California]]
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Saury|SS-189|2}}
|SS-189
|28 June 1937
|20 August 1938
|3 April 1939
|Sold for scrap 19 May 1947 to Learner Company of Oakland, California
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Spearfish|SS-190|2}}
|SS-190
|9 September 1937
|29 October 1938
|12 July 1939
|Sold for scrap 19 May 1947 to Learner Company of Oakland, California
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Sculpin|SS-191|2}}
|SS-191
|rowspan=2|[[Portsmouth Navy Yard]], [[Kittery, Maine]] 
|7 September 1937 
|27 July 1938
|16 January 1939 
|Damaged by depth charges and gunfire from the {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Yamagumo|1937|2|up=yes}} 19 November 1943; scuttled
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Squalus|SS-192|2}}
|SS-192
|18 October 1937
|{{nowrap|14 September 1938}}
|1 March 1939
|Sank on trials 23 May 1939; raised and recommissioned as {{USS|Sailfish|SS-192|2}} 15 May 1940; sold for scrap 18 June 1948 to [[Luria Brothers and Company]] of [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Swordfish|SS-193|2}}
|SS-193
|[[Mare Island Navy Yard]], [[Vallejo, California]] 
|27 October 1937
|4 January 1939
|22 July 1939
|Lost on or about 12 January 1945 presumed sunk by mine or by depth charge by Japanese anti-submarine vessel
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Seadragon|SS-194|2}}
|SS-194
|rowspan=2|Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut
|18 April 1938
|21 April 1939
|23 October 1939
|Sold for scrap 2 July 1948 to Luria Brothers and Company of Philadelphia
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Sealion|SS-195|2}}
|SS-195
|20 June 1938
|25 May 1939
|27 November 1939
|Bombed by Japanese aircraft at [[Cavite Navy Yard]] 10 December 1941; scuttled 25 December 1941
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Searaven|SS-196|2}}
|SS-196
|rowspan=2|Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine
|9 August 1938
|21 June 1939
|2 October 1939
|Target in [[Operation Crossroads]] atomic bomb test at [[Bikini Atoll]] 1946, later expended as target 11 September 1948
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Seawolf|SS-197|2}}
|SS-197
|27 September 1938
|15 August 1939
|1 December 1939
|Sunk by "[[friendly fire]]" from the destroyer escort {{USS|Richard M. Rowell|DE-403|6}} 3 October 1944
|}

==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.

==See also==
* [[List of most successful American submarines in World War II]]
* [[Allied submarines in the Pacific War]]
* [[List of lost United States submarines]]
* [[Unrestricted submarine warfare]]
* [[Torpedo]]
* [[List of submarine classes of the United States Navy]]
* [[List of submarines of the Second World War]]

==References==
===Notes===
{{reflist|2}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
* Alden, John D., Commander (USN, Ret). ''The Fleet Submarine in the U.S. Navy: A Design and Construction History''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1979. {{ISBN|0-85368-203-8}}.
* {{cite book | last = Bauer | first = K. Jack | author-link = K. Jack Bauer |author2=Roberts, Stephen S.  | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants | publisher = Greenwood Press | year = 1991 | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]] | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}
* Blair, Clay, Jr. ''Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan''. New York: Bantam, 1976. {{ISBN|0-553-01050-6}}.
* Campbell, John ''Naval Weapons of World War Two'' (Naval Institute Press, 1985), {{ISBN|0-87021-459-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Friedman|first=Norman |author-link= Norman Friedman |title=U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History |publisher= [[Naval Institute Press]] |year=1995|location=[[Annapolis, Maryland]] |isbn=1-55750-263-3}}
* Gardiner, Robert and Chesneau, Roger, ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946'', London: Conway Maritime Press, 1980. {{ISBN|0-83170-303-2}}.
* Hutchinson, Robert, ''Jane's Submarines, War Beneath The Waves, From 1776 To The Present Day'', Harper, 2005, {{ISBN|0-060-81900-6}}.
* Lenton, H. T. ''American Submarines (Navies of the Second World War)'' (Doubleday, 1973), {{ISBN|0-38504-761-4}}
* Roscoe, Theodore. ''United States Submarine Operations in World War II''. Annapolis; Naval Institute Press, 1949. {{ISBN|0-87021-731-3}}.
* Silverstone, Paul H., ''U.S. Warships of World War II'' (Ian Allan, 1965), {{ISBN|0-87021-773-9}}
* Stern, Robert C. ''U.S. Subs in Action'', Squadron/Signal Publications, 1979. {{ISBN|0-89747-085-0}}.
*{{DANFS}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Sargo class submarines}}
* [http://oneternalpatrol.com On Eternal Patrol], website for lost US subs
* Johnston, David, [https://pigboats.com/images/3/3e/A_VISUAL_GUIDE_TO_THE_FLEET_SUBMARINES_PART_3_Salmon_class_2024.pdf ''A Visual Guide to the U.S. Fleet Submarines Part Two: Salmon & Sargo Classes 1936-1945''] (2024)  PigBoats.COM 
* https://web.archive.org/web/20140322093118/http://www.fleetsubmarine.com/sublist.html
* [http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/S/a/Sargo_class.htm The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia, ''Sargo''-class article]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/04idx.htm Navsource.org fleet submarines page]
* [https://pigboats.com/index.php?title=Submarine_Classes PigBoats.COM Submarine Classes page]
* [http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_3-50_mk10-22.htm DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com later 3"/50 caliber gun]

{{Sargo class submarine}}
{{WWII US ships}}

[[Category:Submarine classes]]
[[Category:Sargo-class submarines| Sargo class submarine]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of the United States| Sargo class submarine]]