USS Cobbler

USS Cobbler (SS-344), a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the cobbler, the killifish of New South Wales.

Cobbler (SS-344), underway, 1968.
History
United States
NameUSS Cobbler
BuilderElectric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut[1]
Laid down3 April 1944[1]
Launched1 April 1945[1]
Commissioned8 August 1945[1]
Decommissioned28 November 1973[1]
Stricken28 November 1973[2]
IdentificationSS-344
FateTransferred to Turkey, 21 November 1973[1]
Turkey
NameTCG Çanakkale
NamesakeCity of Çanakkale
Acquired15 January 1974
Commissioned12 February 1974
Decommissioned22 January 1998
IdentificationS-341
General characteristics (As completed)
Class and typeBalao-class diesel-electric submarine[2]
Displacement
  • 1,526 tons (1,550 t) surfaced[2]
  • 2,424 tons (2,463 t) submerged[2]
Length311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)[2]
Beam27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)[2]
Draft16 ft 10 in (5.13 m) maximum[2]
Propulsion
Speed
  • 20.25 knots (38 km/h) surfaced[3]
  • 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged[3]
Range11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)[3]
Endurance
  • 48 hours at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) submerged[3]
  • 75 days on patrol
Test depth400 ft (120 m)[3]
Complement10 officers, 70–71 enlisted[3]
Armament
General characteristics (Guppy II)
Class and typenone
Displacement
  • 1,870 tons (1,900 t) surfaced[5]
  • 2,440 tons (2,480 t) submerged[5]
Length307 ft (93.6 m)[6]
Beam27 ft 4 in (7.4 m)[6]
Draft17 ft (5.2 m)[6]
Propulsion
  • Snorkel added[5]
  • Batteries upgraded to GUPPY type, capacity expanded to 504 cells (1 × 184 cell, 1 × 68 cell, and 2 × 126 cell batteries)[5]
  • 4 × high-speed electric motors replaced with 2 × low-speed direct drive electric motors[5]
Speed
  • Surfaced:
  • 18.0 knots (20.7 mph; 33.3 km/h) maximum
  • 13.5 knots (15.5 mph; 25.0 km/h) cruising
  • Submerged:
  • 16.0 knots (18.4 mph; 29.6 km/h) for ½ hour
  • 9.0 knots (10.4 mph; 16.7 km/h) snorkeling
  • 3.5 knots (4.0 mph; 6.5 km/h) cruising[5]
Range15,000 nm (28,000 km) surfaced at 11 knots (13 mph; 20 km/h)[6]
Endurance48 hours at 4 knots (5 mph; 7 km/h) submerged[6]
Complement
  • 9–10 officers
  • 5 petty officers
  • 70 enlisted men[6]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • WFA active sonar
  • JT passive sonar
  • Mk 106 torpedo fire control system[6]
Armament
General characteristics (Guppy III)
Class and typenone
Displacement
  • 1,975 tons (2,007 t) surfaced[5]
  • 2,450 tons (2,489 t) submerged[5]
Length321 ft (97.8 m)[6]
Beam27 ft 4 in (7.4 m)[6]
Draft17 ft (5.2 m)[6]
Speed
  • Surfaced:
  • 17.2 knots (19.8 mph; 31.9 km/h) maximum
  • 12.2 knots (14.0 mph; 22.6 km/h) cruising
  • Submerged:
  • 14.5 knots (16.7 mph; 26.9 km/h) for ½ hour
  • 6.2 knots (7.1 mph; 11.5 km/h) snorkeling
  • 3.7 knots (4.3 mph; 6.9 km/h) cruising[5]
Range15,900 nm (29,400 km) surfaced at 8.5 knots (10 mph; 16 km/h)[6]
Endurance36 hours at 3 knots (3 mph; 6 km/h) submerged[6]
Complement
  • 8–10 officers
  • 5 petty officers
  • 70-80 enlisted men[6]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • BQS-4 active search sonar
  • BQR-2B passive search sonar
  • BQG-4 passive attack sonar[6]

Cobbler (SS-344) was launched 1 April 1945 by Electric Boat Co., Groton, Connecticut; sponsored by Mrs. J. B. Rutter; commissioned 8 August 1945.

Cobbler arrived at Key West 11 January 1946, for operations locally and in the Caribbean for exercises and training until 27 November 1948. She then sailed for Groton, arriving 1 December for a GUPPY II modernization being completed on 17 August 1949. She departed Groton 24 August for Norfolk, her home port from the time of her arrival, 27 August.

She conducted operations in Florida and Caribbean waters and along the east coast visiting Quebec 10 to 14 September 1953, and returning to Norfolk 19 September. On 27 March 1954 she cleared Norfolk for 3 weeks of operations under the control of the Operational Development Force, cruising with units of the Canadian navy and air force from Bermuda to Nova Scotia.

Her operations in the Caribbean and off the east coast continued, until 6 January 1958, when she departed Norfolk for a tour of duty in the Mediterranean Sea, returning 18 April. She resumed operations off the east coast, cruising to Bermuda in June 1958, and to Quebec with midshipmen embarked in July 1959. From 9 September 1959 through 1960 she was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet's Antisubmarine Development Force.

In 1962, Cobbler became one of only nine boats to undergo the GUPPY III conversion. She had a 15-foot (4.6 m) hull extension added forward of the control room, a plastic sail and the BQG-4 PUFFS passive ranging sonar, which included the three sharkfin sensors on her deck.

TCG Çanakkale (S 341)

Along with Corporal, Cobbler was transferred to Turkey, under terms of the Security Assistance Program in 1973. Both submarines were handed over on 21 March 1973 in New London. Cobbler was renamed TCG Çanakkale (S 341), the second submarine of that name. She was formally decommissioned, struck from the US Naval Register, and sold, 28 November 1973. Arriving in Turkey on 15 January 1974 she was commissioned on 12 February 1974. She was finally decommissioned on 22 January 1998.

References


  1. Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 285–304. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.
  2. Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 275–280. ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
  3. U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305-311
  4. U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311
  5. Friedman, Norman (1994). U.S. Submarines Since 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 11–43. ISBN 1-55750-260-9.
  6. U.S. Submarines Since 1945 pp. 242


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