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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Cavalla (SS-244) (SSK-244) (AGSS-244)

Radio Call Sign: November - Bravo - Papa - Sierra

Unit Awards, Campaign and Service Medals and Ribbons


Presidential Unit Citation
Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 4 March 1943, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 14 November 1943; Commissioned USS Cavalla (SS-244), 29 February 1944; Decommissioned, 16 March 1946, at New London, CT.; Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, New London Group; Recommissioned, 10 April 1951; Decommissioned, 3 September 1952; Redesignated Hunter-Killer Submarine (SSK-244), 18 February 1953; Recommissioned, 15 July 1953; Redesignated (SS-244), 15 August 1959; Reclassified Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-244) on 1 July 1963; Decommissioned, on 3 June 1968; placed in service in reserve on 30 June 1968 and used as a pierside training ship during 1968 and 1969 at Houston, TX; struck from the Naval Register, 30 December 1969; Final Disposition, donated, 21 January 1971, for display as a permanent submarine museum at Seawolf Park, Galveston, TX.. Cavalla was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation and 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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Tinosa
0824414		464k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the keel laying of the Cavalla (SS-244) on 4 March 1943.Photo courtesy of e.bay.
Tinosa 218k Cavalla (SS-244) was launched 14 November 1943 by Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn. & sponsored by Mrs. M. Comstock, wife of Commodore Merrill Comstock.
As was his tradition, Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, Jr., USN (Commander Submarine Force Pacific) (center) greets the Commanding Officer of Tinosa (SS-283) Commander R. C. Latham, USN (left) upon his homecoming from the 11th War Patrol to the Japanese home waters on 4 July 1945.
Comdr. Latham gives Admiral Lockwood the tally: four Japanese vessels sunk and a fifth severely damaged, as Commodore Merrill Comstock, USN (Chief of Staff) (right) looks on. 		Official USN photo File #336207 from The Office of Public Information, Navy Department, Washington, D.C., courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
244
0824406		1.42k A crane at the shipyard wears a poster of a cartoon of Cavalla (SS-244) nipping Adolf Hitler in the pants. Photo taken in July 1943 while Cavalla was under construction on one of the Yard's building ways.Photo courtesy of history.navy.mil
Barbel 321k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the twin launching of the Barbel (SS-316) & Cavalla (SS-244), 14 November 1943 at Electric Boat Co, Groton, Connecticut, at Electric Boat Co, Groton, Connecticut.Photo courtesy of usmilitariaforum.com.
Cavalla483kThe start of a long journey for the Cavalla (SS-244), as she slides down the lauching ways at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT., 14 November 1943. USN photo # 80G-216384, from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
244
0824402		447k Cavalla's (SS-244) 1st CO, Capt. Herman J. Kossler as Commander Amphibious Squadron 10, 29 October 1960.Photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
Cavalla149kWith her wake streaming behind, the Cavalla (SS-244), heads into Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, circa 1945. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Cavalla117k Cavalla (SS-244), makes her way into port, circa 1945. USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Cavalla821kWar patrol history, flags streaming from Cavalla's (SS-244) mast. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Archerfish 95k Proteus (AS-19) with submarines of Submarine Squadron 20 alongside in Tokyo Bay, on VJ-Day, 2 September 1945. Names of the submarines present, their commanding officers and the commanding officers of SubRon20 and Proteus are printed at the bottom of the image:
Archerfish (SS-311),
Cavalla (SS-244),
Gato (SS-212),
Haddo (SS-255),
Muskallunge (SS-262),
Pilotfish (SS-386),
Razorback (SS-394),
Runner (SS-476),
Segundo (SS-398),
Sea Cat (SS-399),
and Tigrone (SS-419). 		Courtesy of Captain Joseph F. Enright, USN(Retired), 1979. USN photo # NH 95019, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
Cavalla53kCavalla (SS-244), at extreme right of a line of submarines at rest at their base in New London, Connecticut, in 1946. Periscopes and propellers have been removed and stored. The engines preserved, and the electrolyte has been drained from the batteries. dehumidifiers have been set up to keep the interior of the boats tight and dry. Note the familiar light metal ("Igloos") covering the deck 5" deck gun of Cavalla and her sisters.Text i.d. courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
USN photo from The American Submarine, by Norman Polmar, submitted by Robert Hurst.
Archerfish 279k Line up of decommissioned subs at Groton, CT., circa 1947. From left to right:Archerfish (SS-311), Flasher (SS-249), Cobia (SS-245), Croaker (SS-246), Drum (SS-228) & what looks like the Cavalla (SS-244). USN photo courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory). Photo i.d. courtesy of Ric Hedman.
Cavalla788kBow view of the Cavalla (SSK-244) as she appeared on 1 September 1953. USN photo # 80G-199164 from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
Cavalla2.07kSix page Welcome Aboard PDF of the Cavalla (AGSS-244). Photos courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Grouper299kNothing like going on a vacation to Bermuda. The Blenny (SS-324), Grouper (SS-214) & Cavalla (SS-244) appear here sometime after 1953. Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cavalla117kCavalla (SS-244), portside view underway, circa post 50's.Courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Groton 226k Busy piers at lower base in Groton shows a few SSKs, 1957.
From left to right, unidentifed sub,
Toro (SS-422),
Irex (SS-482),
unidentifed sub,
Trout (SS-566),
Bergall (SS-320),
Sea Owl (SS-405),
Cavalla (SS-244),
& Sea Robin (SS-407), & Piper (SS-409).
The rest of the subs are too far away for positive identification. 		Text courtesy of David Johnston (USN, retired)
Photo i.d. courtesy of Mike Brood.
USN photo courtesy of Submarine Force Library, courtesy of Ken Hart.
Cavalla59kCavalla (SS-244), underway in Hampton Roads( Norfolk) for the 1957 fleet review.Courtesy of Lester Palifka.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Chuck Norris ETC(SS) Retired.
Cavalla205kCavalla (SS-244) goes out on an op some time in 1960.USN photo courtesy of ussubvetsofwwii.org.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Chuck Norris ETC(SS), Retired.
Grouper190kCavalla (SS-244) inboard and Cobbler (SS-344) outboard, at New London, CT., during the 1960's. Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Cavalla607kOn 21 January 1971, the U.S. Navy transferred possession of Cavalla (SS-244) to the Texas Submarine Veterans of WW II. The Cavalla was then delivered to her permanent berth in Seawolf Park, Galveston, Texas. Photo courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
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).
Cavalla109kView of the Cavalla (SS-244) in the control room looking from fwd port to aft stbd at an IC switchboard and the high and low pressure air manifolds across the top of the chart table with the gyro compass binacle under it. The ladder to the conning tower can be seen on the right. Text courtesy of Ric Hedman TN(SS), Webmaster. Photo courtesy © Richard Leonhardt, 23 May 2002.
Cavalla47kCavalla (SS-244), on permanent display at Seawolf Park, Galveston, TX.Courtesy of Lester Palifka.
Hurricane Ike359kThe aftermath on Seawolf Park [location of Stewart (DE-238) and Cavalla (SS-244)] from Hurricane Ike. The Stewart was partially refloated from her dry berth by the storm surge and was left in her current, listing position. It also appears that Cavalla was partially refloated out of her dry berth as well (since the waterline is far more exposed than before), and the sail from Tautog (SSN-639) was tipped over.USN photo # N-6575H-603 by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Chris Hoffpauir & submitted by Douglas Brown.
Hurricane Ike26kBow on view of Hurricane Ike's visit.Courtesy of images.chron.com.
Cavalla5.09kNinety one page PDF of the Cavalla (SS-244) as she appears at Seawolf Park, Galveston, TX. Photos courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Seawolf Park891kNight view of the Cavalla (SS-244) & Tautog (SSN-639). Photo courtesy of Kelley Crooks, Executive Director of the American Undersea Warfare Center, Cavalla Historical Foundation, at Seawolf Park, in Galveston TX.
Seawolf Park653kSail away with the Cavalla (SS-244). Photo courtesy of Kelley Crooks, Executive Director of the American Undersea Warfare Center, Cavalla Historical Foundation, at Seawolf Park, in Galveston TX.
Seawolf Park843k Cavalla (SS-244) interior. Photo courtesy of Kelley Crooks, Executive Director of the American Undersea Warfare Center, Cavalla Historical Foundation, at Seawolf Park, in Galveston TX.
Seawolf Park300kCavalla (SS-244) 2016 Reunion ceremony. Photo courtesy of Kelley Crooks, Executive Director of the American Undersea Warfare Center, Cavalla Historical Foundation, at Seawolf Park, in Galveston TX.
Cavalla Commanding Officers, courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler
Kossler, Herman Joseph, CDR 1934 :RADM 1 29.02.1944 18.01.1946 FDC
Eberle, Edward Randolph (Skip), LCDR USNR 2 18.01.1946 16.03.1946 decommissioned: 16.03.1946 - 10.04.1951
Duncan, Max Carson, LCDR 1942 3 10.04.1951 00.07.1952
unknown 4 00.07.1952 03.09.1952 decommissioned: 03.09.1952 - 15.07.1953
Banks, William Ross, CDR 1943 5 15.07.1953 28.07.1955 FDReC
DeLany Jr., Walter Stanley, LCDR 1945 6 28.07.1955 14.09.1956
Hayes, George Mellen, LCDR USN 7 14.09.1956 18.12.1957
Fitch, Lowell Frank, LCDR 1945 8 18.12.1957 09.12.1959
Kaufman, Robert Young (Yogi), LCDR 1946 :VADM 9 09.12.1959 17.03.1961
Kraus, Walter John, LCDR 1949 10 17.03.1961 08.03.1963
Williams, Edwin Earl, LCDR 1949 11 08.03.1963 06.03.1965
Smith, William Frank, LCDR/CDR USN 12 06.03.1965 24.06.1967
Bauman, James Ray, CDR USN 14 24.06.1967 03.07.1968 LDC
View the Cavalla (SS / SSK / AGSS-244)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Navsource Submarine Cavalla (SS-244) Special Feature
American Undersea Warfare Center
American Undersea Warfare Center Facebook page
Historic Naval Ships Visitors Guide - USS Cavalla (SS-244)
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
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