Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229)

Flying Fish

Country	United States
Ship Class	Gato-class Submarine
Hull Number	SS-229
Builder	Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, United States
Laid Down	6 Dec 1940
Launched	9 Jul 1941
Commissioned	10 Dec 1941
Decommissioned	28 May 1954
Displacement	1,549 tons standard; 2,463 tons submerged
Length	312 feet
Beam	27 feet
Draft	17 feet
Machinery	Four Fairbanks-Morse Model 38D8-1/8 9-cylinder diesel engines (5,400shp), four high-speed Elliott electric motors with reduction gears (2,740shp), two 126-cell Sargo batteries, two propellers
Bunkerage	94,000 gallons of oil
Speed	20 knots
Range	11,000nm at 10 knots surfaced, 48 hours at 2 knots submerged
Crew	60
Armament	6x533mm forward torpedo tubes, 4x533mm aft torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1x76mm 50cal deck gun, 2x 50cal machine guns, 2x 30cal machine guns
Submerged Speed	8.75 knots

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseUSS Flying Fish was commissioned into US naval service three days after the United States declared war on the Axis powers. She embarked on her first war patrol on 17 May 1942 out of Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii in waters west of Midway Atoll in anticipation of the Japanese attack that would result in the Battle of Midway; she did not see action during the battle. On 28 Aug, during her second war patrol off Truk, Caroline Islands, she detected a Japanese fleet centered around battleship Yamato; she made a torpedo attack and dove, surviving three rounds of counterattacks for the remainder of the day; she reported two detonations, but no Japanese warships sustained damage during this attack. On 2 Sep, she attacked a Japanese ship off Truk and for the first time experienced the faulty detonator woe that had haunted other American submariners early in the Pacific War. Her fifth war patrol was among her more successful patrols, during which she sank several Japanese freighters deep in Japanese home island waters. She conducted twelve war patrols during WW2. After the war, USS Flying Fish was shifted to New London, Connecticut, United States and generally served as a training submarine, making cruises in Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound, and off the Virginia Capes on the east coast of the United States. She also served with the Underwater Sound Laboratory for the testing of new sonar systems. In 1952, she became the first American submarine to make 5,000 dives. She was decommissioned from service in 1954 and was sold for scrap in 1959.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Apr 2012

Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) Interactive Map

Photographs

Launching of submarine Flying Fish, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, United States, 9 Jul 1941, photo 1 of 2

Launching of submarine Flying Fish, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, United States, 9 Jul 1941, photo 2 of 2

See all 24 photographs of Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229)

Flying Fish Operational Timeline

6 Dec 1940	The keel of submarine Flying Fish was laid down by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, United States.
9 Jul 1941	Submarine Flying Fish was launched at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, United States, sponsored by the wife of US Navy Admiral Husband Kimmel.
10 Dec 1941	USS Flying Fish was commissioned into service with Lieutenant Commander Glynn Donaho in command.
2 May 1942	USS Flying Fish arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
17 May 1942	USS Flying Fish departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol.
9 Jun 1942	USS Flying Fish arrived at Midway Atoll for refitting.
11 Jun 1942	USS Flying Fish completed refitting at Midway Atoll and departed for Japanese waters.
17 Jun 1942	USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese tanker in the Pacific Ocean with 2 of 7 torpedoes fired.
1 Jul 1942	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese transport off Taiwan; all 3 torpedoes fired missed.
3 Jul 1942	USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese destroyer off Taiwan, hitting her with 1 of 2 torpedoes fired.
25 Jul 1942	USS Flying Fish arrived at Midway Atoll, ending her first war patrol.
15 Aug 1942	USS Flying Fish departed Midway Atoll for her second war patrol.
28 Aug 1942	USS Flying Fish detected Japanese battleship Yamato on the horizon in the Caroline Islands and attacked in failure; she fired 4 torpedoes and recorded 2 hits, but Japanese records revealed that all torpedoes missed. She also fired 3 torpedoes at a destroyer, all of which missed. She endured three rounds of counterattacks for the remainder of the day.
29 Aug 1942	USS Flying Fish successfully escaped Japanese destroyers that had detected her presence on the previous day in Caroline Islands area.
2 Sep 1942	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese ship off Truk, Caroline Islands; both torpedoes fired hit the target, but none detonated. She was damaged during the counterattack.
3 Sep 1942	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese patrol craft off Truk, Caroline Islands, hitting her with 1 of 2 torpedoes fired.
4 Sep 1942	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese patrol craft off Truk, Caroline Islands with a torpedo, which missed; she sustained a depth charge attack.
15 Sep 1942	USS Flying Fish arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her second war patrol.
27 Oct 1942	USS Flying Fish departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her third war patrol.
14 Nov 1942	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese cruiser in the Pacific Ocean; all six torpedoes fired missed.
4 Dec 1942	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese destroyer in the Pacific Ocean, hitting her with 1 of 6 torpedoes fired and claimed a sinking.
8 Dec 1942	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese destroyer in the Pacific Ocean, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired and claimed a sinking.
16 Dec 1942	USS Flying Fish arrived at Brisbane, Australia, ending her third war patrol.
6 Jan 1943	USS Flying Fish departed Brisbane, Australia for her fourth war patrol.
26 Jan 1943	USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese freighter in Apra Harbor, Guam, Mariana Islands, hitting her with 1 of 2 torpedoes fired.
6 Feb 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport in the Sunharon Roadstead off Tinian, Mariana Islands, hitting her with 1 of 3 torpedoes fired. After sundown, she attacked a destroyer in the same area; the 1 torpedo fired missed.
16 Feb 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese freighter in the Mariana Islands, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired.
28 Feb 1943	USS Flying Fish arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her fourth war patrol.
24 Mar 1943	USS Flying Fish departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her fifth war patrol.
12 Apr 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese freighter off the coast of Honshu, Japan, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired.
13 Apr 1943	USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese freighter off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired.
15 Apr 1943	USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese freighter off Japan, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired; the Japanese ship beached to prevent sinking.
17 Apr 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese freighter off Japan, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired.
24 Apr 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese cargo ship in the Tsugaru Strait between Honshu and Hokkaido, Japan, hitting her with 3 of 4 torpedoes fired.
1 May 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese freighter off Japan, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired; she survived a heavy depth charge counterattack.
11 May 1943	USS Flying Fish arrived at Midway Atoll, ending her fifth war patrol.
2 Jun 1943	USS Flying Fish departed for her sixth war patrol with a new commanding officer, Captain Frank Watkins.
10 Jun 1943	USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese transport off Japan, hitting her with 1 of 3 torpedoes fired.
2 Jul 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese cargo ship off Taiwan, hitting her with 3 of 4 torpedoes fired.
11 Jul 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese sailing vessel with gunfire in the Western Pacific.
27 Jul 1943	USS Flying Fish arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her sixth war patrol.
4 Oct 1943	USS Flying Fish departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her seventh war patrol with Lieutenant Commander Glynn Donaho in command.
18 Oct 1943	USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese escort carrier in the Western Pacific, hitting her with 1 of 6 torpedoes fired.
27 Oct 1943	USS Flying Fish sank two Japanese transports east of the Philippine Islands in two separate attacks, hitting them with 3 of 10 torpedoes fired.
28 Oct 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport east of the Philippine Islands, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired; she attacked another transport of the same convoy four hours later in failure, with all 3 torpedoes fired missing.
6 Nov 1943	USS Flying Fish arrived at Midway Atoll, ending her seventh war patrol.
30 Nov 1943	USS Flying Fish departed for her eighth war patrol with Lieutenant Commander R. D. Risser in command.
16 Dec 1943	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese cargo ship off Luzon, Philippine Islands, hitting her with 3 of 3 torpedoes fired.
27 Dec 1943	USS Flying Fish pursued a Japanese tanker west of Luzon, Philippine Islands for about 10 hours, finally sinking her after scoring a total of 6 torpedo hits; a total of 10 torpedoes were expended.
28 Jan 1944	USS Flying Fish ended her eighth war patrol.
22 Feb 1944	USS Flying Fish departed for her ninth war patrol.
12 Mar 1944	American Submarine USS Flying Fish (Lieutenant Commander Robert Dunlap Risser) torpedoed and sank the 1,942-ton Japanese merchant cargo ship Taijin Maru off Daito Jima, Okinawa, Japan, hitting her with both of the two torpedoes fired.
15 Mar 1944	USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese tanker off Okinawa, Japan, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired. She would pursue the tanker into the next day.
16 Mar 1944	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport and damaged a tanker in the East China Sea, hitting them with 3 of 10 torpedoes fired.
30 Mar 1944	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese transport off Okinawa, Japan; all 4 torpedoes fired missed.
31 Mar 1944	USS Flying Fish was attacked by a Japanese submarine; she was able to evade the torpedoes fired at her.
1 Apr 1944	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport off Okinawa, Japan, hitting her with 2 of 2 torpedoes fired.
11 Apr 1944	USS Flying Fish arrived at Majuro, Marshall Islands, ending her ninth war patrol.
4 May 1944	USS Flying Fish departed Majuro, Marshall Islands for her tenth war patrol.
24 May 1944	USS Flying Fish attempted to attack a Japanese convoy; all 4 torpedoes fired missed. She was detected and was subjected to a depth charge counterattack.
25 May 1944	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport and damaged another transport at dawn off the Philippine Islands, hitting them with 4 of 4 torpedoes fired.
15 Jun 1944	USS Flying Fish detected a Japanese carrier force and reported the information to fellow submarines; this would lead to the sinking of carrier Shokaku by USS Cavalla several days later.
23 Jun 1944	USS Flying Fish set sail for Manus, Australian New Guinea.
5 Jul 1944	USS Flying Fish arrived at Brisbane, Australia, ending her tenth war patrol.
1 Aug 1944	USS Flying Fish departed Brisbane, Australia for her eleventh war patrol.
22 Aug 1944	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese transport in the Dutch East Indies; all 3 torpedoes fired missed.
29 Aug 1944	USS Flying Fish arrived at Mios Woendi, Schouten Islands, Dutch East Indies for refueling.
1 Sep 1944	USS Flying Fish departed Mios Woendi, Schouten Islands, Dutch East Indies.
7 Sep 1944	USS Flying Fish reported a new Japanese airfield at Celebes, Dutch East Indies and reported this discovery.
18 Oct 1944	USS Flying Fish arrived at Midway Atoll, ending her eleventh war patrol.
18 May 1945	USS Flying Fish arrived at Guam, Mariana Islands.
29 May 1945	Submarines USS Flying Fish, Bowfin, and Tinosa, the “Bob’s Bobcats” element of “Hydeman’s Hellcats,” departed Guam bound for the Sea of Japan.
29 May 1945	USS Flying Fish departed Guam, Mariana Islands for her twelfth war patrol.
6 Jun 1945	Submarines Flying Fish, Tinosa, and Bowfin, the Bob's Bobcats element of Hydeman's Hellcats, used FM sonar to transit the heavily mined Tsushima Strait to enter the previously inaccessible Sea of Japan.
7 Jun 1945	USS Flying Fish entered the Sea of Japan.
10 Jun 1945	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese cargo ship off the coast of Korea in the Sea of Japan, hitting her with 1 of 3 torpedoes fired.
11 Jun 1945	USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport off the coast of Korea in the Sea of Japan, hitting her with 1 of 3 torpedoes fired.
13 Jun 1945	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese transport in the Sea of Japan; all 6 torpedoes fired missed.
15 Jun 1945	USS Flying Fish sank ten small Japanese sail vessels with gunfire in the Sea of Japan and forced another two to beach to prevent sinking.
20 Jun 1945	USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese transport in the Sea of Japan; all 3 torpedoes fired missed.
24 Jun 1945	Submarines Flying Fish, Tinosa, and Bowfin, the Bob's Bobcats element of Hydeman's Hellcats, exit the Sea of Japan with a daring dash through La Pérouse Strait at the northern end of the Japan.
4 Jul 1945	Five of the eight surviving submarines of Operation Barney's Hydeman's Hellcats arrived safely at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: USS Flying Fish, Spadefish, Tinosa, Bowfin, and Skate. All nine submarine captains from Hydeman's Hellcats received the Navy Cross, or gold star in lieu thereof, for this patrol.
21 Sep 1945	USS Flying Fish arrived at New London, Connecticut, United States to serve as the flagship of Commander, Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet.
29 Nov 1950	USS Flying Fish was reclassified an auxiliary research submarine and her designation changed from SS-229 to AGSS-229.
11 Jan 1951	USS Flying Fish was relieved as the flagship of Commander, Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet.
29 Feb 1952	USS Flying Fish became the first American submarine to make 5,000 dives; Secretary of the Navy Dan Kimball was aboard for this occasion.
31 Dec 1953	USS Flying Fish was placed in reserve.
28 May 1954	USS Flying Fish was decommissioned from service at New London, Connecticut, United States.
1 Aug 1958	Submarine Flying Fish was struck from the US Naval Register.
1 May 1959	Submarine Flying Fish was sold for scrap.

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Ken Stange says:
26 Sep 2012 08:30:08 PM

I'm desperately looking for a copy of a letter that was sent to the members of the SS229 Flying Fish Sub. The letter was from a Japanese prisoner of war who wrote and thanked the members of the flying fish for their decent treatment after he was captured and brought aboard. If anyone knows someone with a copy I would love a copy of it. Thanks Ken

2. ROBERT RAGSDALE-RINGSTAD says:
3 Aug 2016 07:18:45 AM

I'm wondering if you served with my Dad...Earl Ragsdale (Glenn Earl Ragsdale)? I remember him telling a war story about a Japanese prisoner on the boat.

3. Jeff michon says:
19 Jan 2017 11:49:48 PM

My grandfather W.H. "BILLY" Michon was on this sub.

4. TomSoals says:
17 Jul 2018 12:16:40 PM

Do any of you remember our father "Woody" Soals?

5. Mike Henderson says:
3 Mar 2019 06:50:28 AM

My father also told me about a Japanese prisoner they took on board. He also told me they got the 'shit kicked out of them" near Truk. Leaking oil, they were lucky to make it back to Pearl.

6. Rand Christensen says:
16 Sep 2019 08:07:06 PM

I believe my dad volunteered to swim out and pull this survivor aboard. He was on a fishing trawler they sank in the Sea of Japan. He commented later that the water was “damm cold “. The other survivors of the sinking just watched and decided to stay in the water...
The book “Run silent run deep” by Adm. Lockwood has a picture of this prisoner polishing the brass in the torpedo room. He was happy to survive.
My dad was Charles “Chris” Christensen.

7. john woodard says:
4 Oct 2023 03:41:15 PM

anyone remember Russell Morris?

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