USS Tigrone (SS 419)

"Submarine Honor Guard"

USS Tigrone (SS 419)

USS Tigrone (SS 419) was a Tench-class submarine built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  She was commissioned into the United States navy on October 25, 1944.  The submarine arrived in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on February 16, 1945, ready to serve in the Pacific Fleet.

USS Tigrone (SS 419) launched on July 20, 1944.  United States Navy photograph.

During World War II, the submarine served three war patrols.  She patrolled the South China Sea, Hainan coast, Batan Island, and off of Honshū, Japan.  May 19 to July 3, 1945, Tigrone’s second war patrol, the submarine served lifeguard duty where she rescued a total of 30 aviators.  The final war patrol, she again served lifeguard duty off of Japan’s mainland.  August 15, 1945, orders were received to “Cease Fire.”  August 31, 1945, Tigrone moored in Tokyo Bay to be present during the formal surrender of the Empire of Japan.

October of 1945, after the war ended, Tigrone visited Washington, D.C. for Navy Day.  In December, she was prepared for inactivation.  The submarine was decommissioned on March 30, 1946.  The Navy chose to reclassify Tigrone as a radar picket submarine (SSR 419).  She was then recommissioned on November 1, 1948. 

USS Tigrone (SSR 419) as a Radar Picket Submarine, 1951.  United States Navy photograph.

From 1949 to 1957, Tigrone evaluated new radar equipment and techniques for long range air defense in the Arctic, Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean.  Again, the submarine was decommissioned from service on August 1, 1957.

Tigrone was redesignated back to SS 419 and recommissioned on March 10, 1962.  After refresher training, the submarine operated in the Mediterranean Sea.  She then served for the Submarine School in the United States.

Again the submarine went through a new designation as an auxiliary submarine (AGSS 419) in December of 1963.  The next year, Tigrone was fitted with an experimental sonar unit and operated with the Naval Underwater Sound Laboratory and the Submarine School. 

USS Tigrone (SS 419) underway March 15, 1967.  Photograph courtesy of Carlos Manuel Estrela.

In 1965, Tigrone went through a major overhaul and modification by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.  The submarine’s torpedo tubes were removed, the two forward compartments were sound isolated, and a new experimental sonar system was installed.  The Underwater Sound Laboratory used the submarine for research and development. Tigrone and British submarine HMS Grampus worked together for a joint American-British oceanographic operation in 1972. Tigrone continued in research activities until she was decommissioned on June 27, 1975.   In October of 1976, the submarine was sunk as a target.

Postal Cover to commemorate the joint United States and British sonar operations, April 26, 1972.

When the submarine was decommissioned, she was the oldest submarine still in commission by the United States Navy.  Tigrone actively served the Navy for twenty three years, eight months, and twenty two days.  In 1975, she was the last unit of the submarine force that had taken part in combat action in World War II, where she earned two battle stars. 

Author: Allison Hiblong

USS Runner (SS 476)

"Submarine Honor Guard"

USS Runner (SS 476)

On July 10, 1944, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard laid the keel to the Tench-class submarine USS Runner (SS 476).  Three months later the submarine was launched and on February 6, 1945, she was commissioned into the United States Navy. 

USS Runner (SS 476), March 1945.  United States Navy photograph.

Runner joined the Pacific Fleet on May 21, 1945.  Her first war patrol’s primary mission was to scout for defensive minefields that guarded the Japanese home islands.  When Runner arrived on station at Honshū, Japan, for her second war patrol peace had come. The submarine, Runner, was given the order to participate in the formal surrender ceremony of the Empire of Japan.

After World War II, Runner served out of various ports. 

·         Balboa, Panama: 1946 to 1949

·         Norfolk, Virginia: 1949 to 1957

·         San Juan, Puerto Rico: 1958 to 1959

·         Norfolk, Virginia: 1959 to 1963

In 1957, the submarine participated in North Atlantic NATO exercises visiting ports in France and England.  While Runner served in Puerto Rico, she served as a Regulus missile guidance submarine.

USS Runner (SS 476) docked at Great Lakes Naval Training Station.  Photograph courtesy of Joe Radigan.

Later in life, Runner served as an educational tool. The summer of 1964, Runner arrived in Great Lakes to serve as a training vessel for the Naval Reservists.  In 1967, she served for educational services for future submariners.  Runner provided services for Underwater Demolition Team school at Little Creek, Virginia, in 1968. Runner did complete one last Mediterranean Sea deployment in April through July of 1968. During the deployment the submarine visited European ports and participating in NATO exercises.

USS Runner (SS 476) in Genoa, Italy, June 29, 1968.  Photograph courtesy of Carlo Martinelli.

January 25, 1969, Runner was decommissioned from the United States Navy.  She was still useful to the Navy as a Naval Reserve Training vessel as an auxiliary submarine (AGSS 476).  Runner was finally stricken from the Naval Register on December 15, 1971. The submarine was sold for scrap on June 19, 1973, to Diamond Scrapyards in Waukegan, Illinois for $108,000.00. 

USS Runner (SS 476) towed to Great Lakes Naval Station, August 12, 1969. Photograph courtesy of Ron Reeves. 

Runner served continuously for the United States Navy for twenty-three years, eleven months, and nineteen days.  After being decommissioned she served for almost two more years.  During her service she did earn one battle star for her World War II service.

Author: Allison Hiblong