USS Nautilus (SS-168)

History

July 1930 was the commissioning date for the USS Nautilus SS-168. She was built as a Narwhal-class submarine. Before World War II, the Nautilus was mainly in the Pacific Ocean. She is stationed in San Diego and Pearl Harbor, California.

She was initially commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas J. Doyle Jr. The Nautilus and her sister ship, the Narwhal, were built for ocean voyages. They are the largest submarines ever built in the United States.

Deployments in World War II

She played a strategic role in the Battle of Midway. During this time, she attacked the Japanese aircraft carrier Soryu (though it is believed that she actually fired on the Kaga). During the same patrol, she successfully sank the Japanese destroyer Yamakaze. The Nautilus then began a new career as a transport submarine.

It's a good role for her because of her size. She also transported the Marines to Makin Island, where they conducted the raid. At Attu, she sent scouts ashore. She also conducted several missions to the Philippines between May 1944 and January 1945. On September 25, she landed at Luisan Shoal.

Here, she had to lighten her load. From mail to freight, everything was brought ashore. The submarine's secret material was burned. During this period, she was also responsible for anti-ship and reconnaissance patrols near Japan. She sank successfully there, damaging many Japanese ships.

Her 14th and final patrol was in Darwin. This ended in January 1945. Then she was ordered to go home.

After the war

She arrived in Philadelphia in May 1945. She retired the following month. She was subsequently removed from the Navy Ship Register on July 25. Six months later, she was sold for scrap and acquired by the North American Smelting Company in Philadelphia. During her career, the Nautilus has received many awards.

One of them is the citation of the presidential unit. She also received 14 battle stars for her service during World War II. Additionally, her commanding officer was awarded the Navy Cross for her performance at the Battle of Midway.

Asbestos in warships

Although submarines are an integral part of naval fleets, especially during the conflicts of the last century, submarines also pose an ongoing health risk to soldiers serving. However, these risks go beyond the inherent dangers of operating a vessel during a military conflict. Unfortunately, products containing asbestos are also common on submarines due to the high heat and fire resistance of the material. Despite its insulator value, ingesting asbestos fibers can lead to several serious health consequences, including mesothelioma, a devastating cancer with no cure.

In addition, the closed environment of submarines puts soldiers at greater risk of exposure. Current and former military personnel who have had contact with or served on submarines should seek immediate medical attention to assess the potential health consequences of exposure to asbestos.

Specification

Basics

Year of Service

1930

Origins

United States

Status

stop service

Destroyed, scrapped.

supplement

89

staff

Class information

Class

V-5 (Narwhal) class

Class Size

2

ships

Class

Narwhal (SS-167); Nautilus (SS-168)

Operators

United States

Roles

Underwater Attack

Travel below the surface to find, track and/or attack or explore areas.

Sea Patrol

Active patrolling of critical waterways and sea areas; also serves as a local deterrent against air and maritime threats.

Fleet Support

Provide support (fire or materiel) to major surface fleets in blue water environments.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

349. 0 feet

106.38m

Ray

33. 3 feet

10.15m

Draft

16. 1 ft

4.91m

Shift

2,770 t

No. submerged

4,000

tons

POWER & PERFORMANCE

Installed Power:

ORIGINAL: 2 x BuEng/MAN Direct-Drive diesel engines developing 2,350 horsepower each; 2 x BuEng/MAN auxiliary diesel generators; 2 x Westinghouse electric motors generatinr 1,600 horsepower each; 2 x 120-cell Exide ULS37 battery packs.

Surface Speed

17. 5 kts

(20. 1 mph)

Submerged Speed

8. 0 kts

(9. 2 mph)

Range

9,381 nm

(10,795 mi | 17,373 km)

kts = knots | mph = miles-per-hour | nm = nautical miles | mi = miles | km = kilometers1 kts = 1. 15 mph | 1 nm = 1. 15 mi | 1 nm = 1. 85 km

ARMAMENT

4 x 21" (533mm) torpedo tubes (bow-facing). 2 x 21" (533mm) torpedo tubes (stern-facing). 2 x 6" (152mm) /53 caliber Mark XII Mod. 2 deck guns. Up to 26 total torpedo reloads. Support for an additional twelve (mounted externally) add in 1941-1942.

AIRCRAFT

None.