USS Haddo (SS 255)

"Submarine Honor Guard"

USS Haddo (SS 255)

Postal cover to commemorate launching of USS Haddo (SS 255), June 21, 1942.  Courtesy of Jack Treutle.

The Electric Boat Company laid the keel of USS Haddo (SS 255) on October 1, 1941.  This Gato-class submarine was commissioned in the United States Navy over a year later on October 9, 1942.

Artist John Taylor Arms's U.S. Navy Series No. 4: Haddo (SS 255), Portrait of a Submarine-1942.  Photograph from the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. 

After leaving Groton, Connecticut, Haddo began her first war patrol in April of 1943, in the Atlantic Fleet.  She patrolled shipping lanes to Scotland.  Once arriving in Europe, she patrolled off Norway and Iceland for three war patrols.  Since targets were scarce in the Atlantic Ocean, Haddo was assigned to the Pacific Fleet.

Haddo departed from Pearl Harbor on December of 1943.  She patrolled the Philippine, Boreneo, Java, Indochina, and East Indies water.  Her ninth and final patrol consisted of her in the East China and Yellow Seas.  August 10, 1945, Haddo departed Guam for her tenth war patrol, but was terminated due to the surrender of Japan.

Arthur Laughrun (right) and Richard Moyer (left) under USS Haddo's (SS 255) scorecard, circa 1945.  Photograph courtesy of Arthur Laughrun.

September 2, 1945, Haddo was among the twelve submarines present to witness the singing of the surrender of the Empire of Japan.

Haddo arrived in New London, Connecticut, on October 6, 1945.  She was decommissioned on February 16, 1946, but was kept in reserve until her name was stricken from the Naval Register on August 1, 1958.  Luria Brothers and Company from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, bought the submarine for scrap on April 30, 1959.

Haddo served the United States Navy for 3 years, 4 months, and 7 days.  She earned six battle stars out of nine war patrols.

Author: Allison Hiblong