USS Gunnel graphic
 
Bow shot of USS GUNNEL _ May 1945
 
SS-253 graphic
 
Statistics Page


Commissioning Officers

Lt.Cmdr. J.S. McCain Commanding
Lt. M.L. Dry Executive Officer & Navigator
Lt. B.A. Strauss Electrical & Engineering Officer
Lt. L.R. Vasey Torpedo & Gunnery Officer
Lt(jg) Keneisel ** Communications Officer
Lt(jg) F.P. Melzar Commissary Officer
TMC "Doggie" Renner Chief of Boat

** Lt. Keneisel was lost on the USS Barbel (SS-316) later in the war.

General Characteristics

Class & Type Gato-class diesel-electric submarine
Displacement 1,525 long tons (1,549 t) surfaced
2,424 long tons (2,463 t) submerged
Length 311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)
Beam 27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)
Draft 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m) maximum
Propulsion 4 × Hooven-Owens-Rentschler (H.O.R.) diesel engines driving electrical generators
2 × 126-cell Sargo batteries
4 × high-speed General Electric electric motors with reduction gears
Two propellers
5,400 shp (4.0 MW) surfaced
2,740 shp (2.0 MW) submerged
Speed 21 kn (39 km/h) surfaced
9 kn (17 km/h) submerged
Range 11,000 nmi (20,000 km) surfaced at 10 kn (19 km/h)
Endurance 48 hours at 2 kn (4 km/h) submerged
75 days on patrol
Test Depth 300 ft (90 m)
Complement 6 officers, 54 enlisted
Armament 10 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
6 forward, 4 aft
24 torpedoes
1 × 3-inch (76 mm) / 50 caliber deck gun
Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
Original page values retained
Maximum Speed 20.25 knots (surfaced)
8.75 knots (submerged)
Complement 8 officers
72 enlisted
Armament (1) 5"/25 gun
(10) 21" torpedos tubes
(24) torpedoes
(2) 20mm Deck Guns
Draft 15'3" (mean)
Length 311'
Safe Diving Depth 300'

Important Dates

Date Event
July 21, 1941 Keel laid by the Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut
May 17, 1942 Launched; sponsored by Mrs. Ben Morell
August 20, 1942 Commissioned; Lt. Cmdr. John S. McCain commanding
July 14, 1944 Change of Command; Lt. Cmdr. Guy E. O'Neil assumed command
May 18, 1946 Decommissioned
August 1, 1958 Stricken
December 1, 1959 Sold for scrap

War Patrol Dates

Patrol #

From

To

1
October 19, 1942 December 7, 1942
2
May 28, 1943 July 3, 1943
3
November 17, 1943 January 7, 1944
4
February 5, 1944 April 6, 1944
5
May 3, 1944 July 4, 1944
6
July 29, 1944 September 22, 1944
7
October 21, 1944 December 28, 1944
8
June 13, 1945 July 24, 1945

Submarine Combat Insignia

For Successful combat operations against the enemy on this patrol, all crew members are authorized to wear the Submarine combat Insignia (all patrols marked in red)



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Copyright © 1997– James M. Lavelle. All rights reserved.