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USS Flier file photo [16023]

Flier

CountryUnited States
Ship ClassGato-class Submarine
Hull NumberSS-250
BuilderElectric Boat Company
Laid Down30 Oct 1942
Launched11 Jul 1943
Commissioned18 Oct 1943
Sunk13 Aug 1944
Displacement1,549 tons standard; 2,463 tons submerged
Length312 feet
Beam27 feet
Draft17 feet
MachineryFour General Motors Model 16-248 V16 diesel engines (5,400shp), four high-speed General Electric electric motors (2,740shp), two 126-cell Sargo batteries, two propellers
Bunkerage97,140 gallons of fuel
Speed20 knots
Range11,000nm at 10 knots surfaced, 48 hours at 2 knots submerged
Crew60
Armament6x533mm forward torpedo tubes, 4x533mm aft torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1x76mm 50cal gun, 2x .50cal machine guns, 2x .30cal machine guns
Submerged Speed8.75 knots

Contributor:

ww2dbaseUSS Flier was commissioned into service in Oct 1943. She emarked on her first war patrol in Jan 1944, but it began ignominiously as she ran aground near Midway Atoll four days into the patrol, and her rescue caused another ship to sink in the process. After repairs at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii and at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California, United States, she resumed her war patrol in May 1944. She achieved her first sinking in the following month in the South China Sea, Japanese transport Hakusan Maru. On her second war patrol, at 2200 hours local time on 12 Aug 1944 (13 Aug 1944 in US records), she struck a mine in the Balabac Strait in the Philippine Islands, which caused her to sink in about one minute. Only 13 men were able to climb out before Flier sank beneath the waves, and only 8 of them would survive the ordeal. The survivors would be picked up by USS Redfin from Mantangula Island during the night of 30 to 31 Aug.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Aug 2012

Submarine Flier (SS-250) Interactive Map

Photographs

USS Flier at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States, 20 Apr 1944, photo 1 of 4USS Flier at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States, 20 Apr 1944, photo 2 of 4
See all 6 photographs of Submarine Flier (SS-250)

Flier Operational Timeline

30 Oct 1942 The keel of submarine Flier was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, United States.
11 Jul 1943 Submarine Flier was launched at Groton, Connecticut, United States. sponsored by the wife of A. S. Pierce.
18 Oct 1943 USS Flier was commissioned into service with Lieutenant Commander John D. Crowley in command.
20 Dec 1943 USS Flier arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
12 Jan 1944 USS Flier departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol.
16 Jan 1944 USS Flier ran aground near Midway Atoll. USS Macaw attempted to pull Flier free, but Macaw would also run aground in the process, causing her to sink. She was eventually pulled free and put into Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for repairs.
21 May 1944 USS Flier completed her repairs and resumed her first war patrol.
4 Jun 1944 USS Flier attacked a Japanese convoy in the South China Sea, sinking transport Hakusan Maru and damaging another ship; 6 torpedoes were expended in this attack, 3 of which scored hits.
13 Jun 1944 USS Flier attacked a Japanese convoy in the South China Sea, damaging a tanker with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired; she was subjected to a heavy counterattack.
22 Jun 1944 USS Flier gave pursuit to a large Japanese convoy in the South China Sea, scoring hits with 4 of 6 torpedoes fired.
23 Jun 1944 In the South China Sea, USS Flier continued to attack the same Japanese convoy which she had been pursuing since the previous day, sinking a transport with 3 of 4 torpedoes fired.
5 Jul 1944 USS Flier arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her first war patrol.
2 Aug 1944 USS Flier departed Fremantle, Australia for her second war patrol.
13 Aug 1944 The US submarine Flier struck a naval mine and sank in the Balacbac Strait just off the southern tip of Palawan in the Philippine Islands.
30 Aug 1944 After dark, USS Redfin picked up the 8 survivors of USS Flier from Mantangula Island, Palawan Province, Philippine Islands.
1 Feb 2009 The US Navy announced the discovery of the wreck of USS Flier in the Balabac Strait, Philippine Islands.




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Submarine Flier (SS-250) Photo Gallery
USS Flier at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States, 20 Apr 1944, photo 1 of 4USS Flier at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States, 20 Apr 1944, photo 2 of 4
See all 6 photographs of Submarine Flier (SS-250)


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