World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseCachalot was the lead ship of her class of submarines. After her shakedown cruise and post-shakedown overhaul, she arrived at San Diego, California, United States and joined the Submarine Force of the US Navy in late 1934. She operated mostly on the west coast of the United States until 1937, though had made cruises to Hawaii and the Panama Canal Zone during that time. On 16 Jun 1937, she left San Diego for New London, Connecticut via Panama Canal for experimental torpedo firing for the Newport Torpedo Station and sound training for the New London Submarine School until 26 Oct 1937, when she began an overhaul at New York Navy Yard. After participating in practices, she reported to Pearl Harbor on 16 Jun 1939. When the Pacific War began, she was in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard for overhaul; the submarine was not damaged during the Japanese attack, but one of her men was wounded. On 12 Jan 1942, Cachalot departed Pearl Harbor on her first war patrol, collecting intelligence on Wake, Eniwetok, Ponape, Truk, Namonuito, and Hall Island, returning on 18 Mar. Her second patrol took her to the Japanese home islands, where she damaged one tanker. On 23 Sep, she departed on her third and final war patrol to the Bering Sea. She served as a training ship at the Submarine School at New London, Connecticut until 30 Jun 1945, when she was ordered to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was to be decommissioned. She was sold for scrap on 26 Jan 1947.

Photographs

Cachalot (Cachalot-class) Operational Timeline