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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch on left courtesy of Cully Middleton & submitted by Gary Carlson, others by Mike Smolinski

Bream (SS-243) (SSK-243) (AGSS-243)

Radio Call Sign: November - Bravo - Alpha - Xray
Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 5 February 1943, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 17 October 1943; Commissioned USS Bream (SS-243), 24 January 1944; Decommissioned, 31 January 1946, at San Francisco, CA.; Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet; Recommissioned, 5 June 1951; Decommissioned, 10 September 1952, for conversion to a Hunter-Killer Submarine; Recommissioned, USS Bream (SSK-243), 20 June 1953; Redesignated (SS-243) on 15 August 1959; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-243), 15 April 1964; Decommissioned, 28 June 1969, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.; Struck from the Naval Register and sunk as a target, 7 November 1969 by Sculpin (SSN 590). Bream was awarded four battle stars for World War II service.
Partial data submitted by Yves Hubert.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,424 t.; Length 311' 9"; Beam 27' 3"; Draft 15' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Complement 6 Officers 54 Enlisted; Operating Depth, 300 ft; Submerged Endurance, 48 hrs at 2 kts; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10 kts; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 3"/50 deck gun, two .50 cal. machine guns, two .30 cal. machine guns; Propulsion, diesel electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator engines, 5,400HP, Fuel Capacity, 97,140 gal., four General Electric main motors, 2,740HP, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin screws.
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Bream 22k Bream Abramis brama. Courtesy of freshwater-fishing-guide.com.
Bream 131k Forward escape hatch for the Bream (SS-243) is inscribed on the open hatch in front of the lady worker with the acetylene torch. Photo from the Photo Essay How To Build A Submarine at Electric Boat Co. New London, Conn.
Photographer: Bernard Hoffman, courtesy of life.time.
Bream 172k Stepping back a few feet to view the work scene on the Bream (SS-243) under construction during the summer of 1943. Photo from the Photo Essay How To Build A Submarine at Electric Boat Co. New London, Conn.
Photographer: Bernard Hoffman, courtesy of life.time.
Bream 3.01k The Bream (SS-243) was sponsored by Mrs. Wreford G. Chapple, wife of the prospective commanding officer. Electric Boat / USN photo courtesy of Wendy S. Gulley, Archivist, Submarine Force Museum, Naval Submarine Base NLON, Groton, CT.
243
0824312		 1.28kBream (SS-243) Insignia, showing a fish nipping at a horned Japanese admiral.
Photographed by Lieutenant Commander Charles Jacobs, USN, on 14 August 1943, at her builders' yard, the Electric Boat Co., Groton, Connecticut.		USN photo 80-G-468313 courtesy of history.navy.mil
Bream 528k Bream (SS-243) sponsors party:
COM. Wreford G. Chapple, Mrs. Wreford G. Chapple, & Master Michael Chapple, 17 October 1943. 		Electric Boat / USN photo courtesy of Wendy S. Gulley, Archivist, Submarine Force Museum, Naval Submarine Base NLON, Groton, CT.
Bream 2.95k Mrs. Wreford G. Chapple is indeed a very striking woman: Christening of the Bream (SS-243), 17 October 1943. Electric Boat / USN photo courtesy of Wendy S. Gulley, Archivist, Submarine Force Museum, Naval Submarine Base NLON, Groton, CT.
Bream 606k The Bream (SS-243) slides down the ways, 17 October 1943.
Note the 3 masted vessel. 		Electric Boat Photo # 80-G-45521 from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
314 & 243
0831443		 NR Twin Submarines Named Shark and Bream
The twin submarines Shark (SS-314) and Bream (SS-243) were christened at the Electric Boat company, Groton, Conn., in the first double launching in the history of the company. They were sponsored by Mrs. Albert Thomas, wife of Congressman Thomas of Texas, and Mrs. W. G. Chapple, wife of Commander Chapple, navy submarine officer.		 Image and text provided by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE.
Photo from The Frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965, 04 November 1943, Image 7, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Bream 382k The Chapple's appear here in their later years. Photo courtesy of billingsgazette.com.
Bream 76k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the launching of the Bream (SS-243) at Electric Boat on 17 October 1943. Courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Bream 21k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the launching of the Bream (SS-243) at Electric Boat on 17 October 1943. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
Bream & Shark 90k Postal cover marking the launching of the Shark (SS-314) from the South Yard of Electric Boat Company and the launching of the Bream (SS-243) at Electric Boat's Victory Yard on 17 October 1943. Courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Bream 17k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the commissioning of the Bream (SS-243) at Electric Boat on 24 January 1944. Courtesy of Ken Zirkle.
Leibold839kBoatswain William R. Leibold was presented the Bronze Star for the period covering 22 January to 3 March 1944 while attached to the Tang (SS-306). Ceremony was held aboard the Pelias (AS-14) at Mare Island on 14 November 1947. Left to right: CDR Richard H. O'Kane (Chief Staff Officer, Mare Island Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet & Commanding Officer of Tang during the period of the award); Capt. H. C. Fish (Commander, Mare Island Group), Boatswain Leibold and CDR J. L. P. McCallum (Planning Officer, Mare Island Group).
BTW CDR J. L. P McCallum was CO of the Bream (SS-243) in late 1944. 		USN photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Bream 291k Bream (SS-243) entering Pearl Harbor after a successful war patrol, 15 June 1945. Photograph # 80-G-325193, by Photographer's Mate First Class L. Strawger, now in the collections of the National Archives, courtesy of National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com.
Bream202kBream (SS-243) proudly sliding into her berth at the submarine base at Pearl Harbor after a successful war patrol, 15 June 1945.
Stern view of the same.
The two large ships directly behind the sub at the center of the photo are both later Baltimore class cruisers. (CA-72 through 75 or 130 through 136, less CA-134 of course.) Each cruiser has a single crane at the stern. The first 4 Baltimore's (CA-68 to 71) had two cranes apiece. 		Text i.d. courtesy of Richard Jensen.
Photograph # 80-G-495339 & 80-G-325196, by Photographer's Mate First Class L. Strawger, now in the collections of the National Archives, courtesy of National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com.
Bream 87k Bream (SS-243) probably entering Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, circa 1944-45. The fairwater is open, and her battle flag and pennants are streaming from her shears. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Bream528kIn true Navy tradition, shipmates of John O. Tibs toss him overboard from Bream (SS-243) at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, on the occasion of his promotion to Chief Machinist's Mate, 15 June 1945. Note the unidentified sub # 24 in the background.
This boat is a Government built Gato with a Mod 4 fairwater. I would place the date around the spring/summer of 1944. I believe the location to be Pearl Harbor or Midway. The two digit number was a temporary number assigned to boats doing local workups prior to departing on patrol. They changed often and were sometimes reused. I have seen it exclusively (so far) on boats in Hawaiian waters. The boat also has a 40mm mount on the aft gun deck and a Mk 10 open mount for a 20mm on the forward gun deck. There appears to be a Mod 3 Gato or a Balao/Tench moored behind it.		Text i.d. courtesy of David Johnston (USN, retired)
Photograph # 80-G-495544, by Photographer's Mate First Class L. Strawger, now in the collections of the National Archives, courtesy of National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com.
Bream155kCrewmen in engine room spaces.Photograph # 80-G-325181, by Photographer's Mate First Class L. Strawger, now in the collections of the National Archives, courtesy of National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com.
Bream10.4k8 page PDF of 20 photos of the Bream (SS-243) from 15 June 1945.Photographs by Photographer's Mate First Class L. Strawger, from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
Bream 358k Bream's (SS-243) battleflag. Photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Who Am I 1.18k The table below lists the location of submarines at Mare Island on 20 September 1945. This information was pulled from microfiche copies of the hand written shipyard journals. I'm surprised that both the clipping and my table show 21 subs at the yard on the date in question. The photo is looking north and berth 3 is at the top of the photo and then the berths run down or south.
Berth 3 - Springer (SS-414) & Spadefish (SS-411)
Berth 4 - Guavina (SS-362) & Barbero (SS-317)
Berth 5 - Hammerhead (SS-364), Tinosa (SS-283), Mapiro (SS-376) & Moray (SS-300)
Berth 6 - Bream (SS-243), Seahorse (SS-304), Batfish (SS-310) & Aspro (SS-309)
Berth 7 - Pomfret (SS-391), Parche (SS-384) & Sunfish (SS-281)
Berth 8 - Queenfish (SS-393)
Berth 9 - Lionfish (SS-298) & Plaice (SS-390)
Dry Dock 1 - Bashaw (SS-241) & Mingo (SS-261)
Berth 12 - Guitarro (SS-363).		 Photo i.d. & text courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Photo courtesy of Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
Mare Island Reserve Fleet137kReserve fleet at Mare Island, circa January 1946. There are 52 submarines and 4 Sub Tenders in this photo. This photo is a Berthing list identifying the ships in the picture. Photo commemorating 50 years, U. S. Submarine Veterans of WW II 1996 calendar, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Mare Island Reserve Fleet453kPhoto of the Reserve fleet at Mare Island, circa January 1946. There are 52 submarines and 4 Sub Tenders in this photo.
From back to front and left to right, first group of 12 boats:
Sand Lance (SS-381)
Tunny (SS-282)
Aspro (SS-309)
Lionfish (SS-298)
Guvania (SS-362)
Sunfish (SS-281)
Macabi (SS-375)
Gurnard (SS-254)
Pampanito (SS-383)
Mingo (SS-261)
Guitarro (SS-363)
Bashaw (SS-241)
From back to front and left to right, second group of 12 boats:
Sealion (SS-315)
Hammerhead (SS-364)
Bream (SS-243)
Seahorse (SS-304)
Tinosa (SS-283)
Pintado (SS-387)
Mapiro (SS-376)
Pipefish (SS-388)
Moray (SS-300)
Batfish (SS-310)
Hackleback (SS-295)
Bluegill (SS-242)
From back to front and left to right, third group of 12 boats:
Hawkbill (SS-366)
Menhaden (SS-377)
Perch (SS-313)
Loggerhead (SS-374)
Barbero (SS-317)
Baya (SS-318)
Hardhead (SS-365)
Spadefish (SS-411)
Springer (SS-414)
Devilfish (SS-292)
Kraken (SS-370)
Dragonet (SS-293)
From back to front and left to right, fourth group of 12 boats:
Lamprey (SS-372)
Piranha (SS-389)
Manta (SS-299)
Pargo (SS-264)
Rancador (SS-301)
Archerfish (SS-311)
Mero (SS-378)
Sawfish (SS-276)
Spot (SS-413)
Lizardfish (SS-373)
Jallao (SS-368)
Icefish (SS-367)
From back to front and left to right, last group of 4 boats:
Steelhead (SS-280)
Puffer (SS-268)
Stickleback (SS-415)
Trepang (SS-412)
From back to front, Submarine Tenders group of 4 ships:
Pelias (AS-14)
Aegir (AS-23)
Euryale (AS-22)
Griffin (AS-13).
Photo commemorating 50 years, U. S. Submarine Veterans of WW II 1996 calendar, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Bream & Shark 125k News clipping from the Vallejo News Chronicle of 1 February 1946 covering the decommissioning of the Bream (SS-243) at Mare Island on 31 January 1946. Courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Mare Island Reserve Fleet 1.93k Aerial view of decommissioned submarine at Mare Island Reserve Fleet taken on 18 March 1946. The majority of the personnel topside are navy personnel. I would say they are still inactivating the subs.
Submarines are from top to bottom: Bashaw (SS-241), Guitarro (SS-363), Mingo (SS-261), Gurnard (SS-254), Pampanito (SS-383), Sand Lance (SS-381), Bream (SS-243), Hammerhead (SS-364) Sealion (SS-315), Tinosa (SS-283) & Pintado (SS-387) plus YC 316.		 USN photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Bream 415k Photo of CDR J. L. P. McCallum dated 5/13/48 at Mare Island. He was assigned to the Mare Island Reserve Fleet staff in 1948. Photo from the files of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Bream 162k Capt. W. A. Lent, Commander of Pacific Reserve Fleet Mare Island, renders a salute during the re-commissioning ceremonies of Bream (SS-243) at Mare Island on 5 June 1951. LCDR R. F. Reilly (not shown) assumed command of the submarine. USN photo # 9476-6-51, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Bream & friends 111k Bashaw (SSK-241), with Bream (SSK-243), Segundo (SS-398), Razorback (SS-394), and Menhaden (SS-377), in San Diego Harbor, circa 1953. Courtesy of Phil Gulick, former 1st Amphib Recon Company member aboard the Perch (SS-313).
Bream120k Broadside & starboard quarter view of the Bream (SSK-243) in 1/192 scale, solid cast resin, circa 1956-59.Model & photo courtesy of Mel Douyette & coldwarsubmarines.com
Bream 115k Bream (SS-243) is seen here on 1 January 1962 off the coast of Hawaii. The fairwater has been streamlined and all guns removed. Also, she has been fitted with an enlarged sonar dome on her bow. USN Archives photo # USN-1039531 courtesy of All Hands magazine by the Naval Historical Center, April 2002, pg. 47 & submitted by Bill Gonyo. Text courtesy of The Floating Drydock, Fleet Subs of WW II" by Thomas F. Walkowiak.
Bluegill 1.80 Sub base Pearl Harbor, 1962. From L to R: Bream (SS-243),Bluegill (SS-242), Bashaw (SS-241), Medregal (SS-480) & Blackfin (SS-322) with Coucal (ASR-8), alongside.
Tunny (AGS-282) and Barbero (SS-317) are possibly the two nearest foreground boats. 		Photo i.d. courtesy of John Hummel & Robert Morgan.
Photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole,K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), lost with the entire crew of 89 on 28 March 1945.
Requin 528k Moored boat off New London at the time of the Thresher's (SSN-593) sinking. From right to left: Bream (SS-243), Hardhead (SS-365), Croaker (SSK-246) & Conger (SS-477). After this, the resolution becomes too fuzzy. Photo i.d. courtesy of David Johnston (USN, retired)
Photo by Paul Slade/Paris Match via Getty Images, courtesy of gettyimages.com.
Bream489kGeneral view of the forward battery compartment aboard the Bream (AGSS-243) at Mare Island on 3 June 1965. Bream was under repairs at Mare Island from 10 February 1965 and 30 June 1965. US Navy Photo # 68472-6-65 courtesy of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Bream & Menhaden 156k Starboard view of the Bream (AGSS-243), with the Menhaden (SS-377) outboard, as they appeared from the cigarette deck of the Archerfish (AGSS-311) in Pearl Harbor in late August 1963. Photo courtesy of Fred Firks and submitted by Ken Henry.
Bream & Shark 80k News clipping from Mare Island's newspaper of 2 July 1965 covering the change of command of the Bream (AGSS-243). Courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Salmon 383k Photo taken 5 July 1967 At Yokosuka…boats are inboard to outboard: Catfish (SS-339), Bashaw (SS-241), Redfish (SS-395), Diodon (SS-349), Salmon (SS-573) and Bream (AGSS-243). Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Bream 246k Port side view of the Bream (AGSS-243), circa 60's. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Bream 1.10k Bream (AGSS-243) underway, circa 60's. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Bream 385k Color photo of Bream (AGSS-243) underway in the Pacific in the late 1960's. Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Who Am I?360kBallast Point: It is circa 1968. Identifiable are the submarine tenders Sperry (AS-12) moored next to Nereus (AS-17), with the 2nd boat outboard of her is the Bream (AGSS-243). In the left foreground is the Menhaden (SS-377). All of the submarines in the photo have had some type of "Guppy" conversion. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
Text i.d. courtesy of Sait Kucuk.
Menhaden1.10kBream (AGSS-243), Tunny (AGS-282) and Charr (AGSS-328), during the decommissioning ceremony at Mare Island on 28 June 1969.Photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Menhaden212kRaton (AGSS-270) and Bluegill (AGSS-242) during the decommissioning ceremony at Mare Island on 28 June 1969. Bream (AGSS-243), Tunny (AGS-282) and Charr (AGSS-328) are forward of Raton and Bluegill. Chara (AE-31) is in the background.Photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Menhaden1.20kCommanding officers of the five decommissioned submarines on the speakers stand at Mare Island on 28 June 1969.Photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
Fremantle 365k This plaque was unveiled 20 March 1995 by His Excellency Major General P.M. Jeffery OA MC, Governor of Western Australia to commemorate the sacrifices made by Allied submarines that operated out of Fremantle, Western Australia during WW II. Photo courtesy of Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
View the Bream (SS / SSK / AGSS-243)
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