NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski
Becuna (SS-319) (AGSS-319)
Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster
Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.
| Click On Image For Full Size | Size | Image Description | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 21k | Commemorative postal cover marking the keel laying of the Becuna (SS-319), 29 April 1943, at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT. | Photo courtesy of petloveshack.com. | ||
 0831926 | 658k | The Becuna (SS-319) was sponsored by Mrs. George C. Crawford, wife of Commander Crawford. (She was camera shy). He appears here during his Academy days (circa 1917). | Text courtesy of DANFS. Photo courtesy of findagrave.com |
||
 | 216k | The Becuna (SS-319) slides down the ways at her launching, 30 January 1944. | USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com. | ||
 | 75k | Commemorative postal cover marking Becuna's (SS-319) launching, 30 January 1944. | Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory). | ||
 | 24k | Commemorative postal cover marking Becuna's (SS-319) commissioning, 27 May 1944 | Photo courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory). | ||
 | 75k | Becuna (SS-319), after commissioning in May 1944 | USN Archives photo # USN-189867. Courtesy of The Floating Drydock, "Fleet Subs of WW II", by Thomas F. Walkowiak. | ||
 | 200k | Becuna (SS-319), starboard view entering Pearl Harbor, circa 1944. Note the battleship cage mast in the background. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, all the U.S. battleships were subsequently refitted and modernized, their cage masts going to harbor defense and the like. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. | ||
 | 682k | Becuna (SS-319) & Razorback (SS-394) at Pearl Harbor, circa 1944-45. | Photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org. | ||
 | 69k | Becuna (SS-319). The anchor is on the wrong side.
1. This is an EB design Balao class boat as indicated by the limber hole arrangement and the configuration of the shears and masts. Ric rightly pointed out that the anchor SHOULD be on the starboard side, but it isn't in this photo. Having just done a lot of research on the Balao's, I found that EB was very consistent in the placement of the anchor. It was an EB trademark of having the anchor on the starboard side. 2. The real giveaway is the location of the vertical oval shaped opening in the forward end of the conning tower fairwater. This opening led to the hatch for the gun access trunk, which bypassed the conning tower and led directly to the control room. Universally, for both the EB and the Government design this opening was on the PORT side of the fairwater. So, we are actually looking at the port side of this boat, not the starboard. The image or the negative it came from was reversed. In looking at the photo and comparing it with others taken of the Becuna, I can find nothing that is inconsistant with known pictures of the Becuna in the late war/immediate post war period. While I can't be 100% sure, it would be reasonably safe to indeed call this pic the Becuna! | Text courtesy of David Johnston Photo i.d. courtesy of Ric Hedman & David Johnston Photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org |
||
 0836437 | 568k | Photo of Capt. Frank M. Smith taken in May 1962. He was the 3rd CO of the boat, from 20 December 1945 to 27 June 1948. | Image and text courtesy of Darryl L. Baker & Wolfgang Hechler. | ||
 | 103k | Stern view of Becuna (SS-319) departing Mare Island on 25 August 1947. | USN photo # 1603-47, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker. | ||
 | 101k | Broadside view of Becuna (SS-319) departing Mare Island on 25 August 1947. She was in overhaul at the yard from 6 May to 22 September 1947. | USN photo # 1605-47, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker. | ||
 | 239k | Bow on view of Becuna (SS-319) departing Mare Island on 25 August 1947. | USN photo # 1607-47, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker. | ||
 | 116k | Becuna (SS-319) portside view underway, October 1949. | USN photo # 48037 courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org | ||
 | 82k | Becuna (SS-319) on marine railway with hole in sonar chin mount. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. | ||
 | 1.18k | On 27 February 1947, Atule (SS-403) arrived at Philadelphia for overhaul and inactivation. On 8 September 1947, she was placed out of commission, in reserve, with the New London Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. After three years in "mothballs," Atule was towed to the Portsmouth (N.H.) Naval Shipyard for reactivation and conversion to a Guppy 1-A type submarine. Outfitted with a snorkel to permit use of her engines while submerged and a smooth streamlined superstructure for added speed, Atule rejoined the fleet a stronger, more versatile warship. On 8 March 1951, the submarine was recommissioned, Lt. Comdr. Benjamin C. Byrnside, Jr. in command. Assigned to Submarine Squadron 8 in New London, Atule conducted a shakedown cruise in the Caribbean and then participated in Fleet and NATO training exercises in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. On 9 February 1952, she departed New London for a tour of duty in the Mediterranean and participation in NATO Exercise "Grand Slam." During the deployment, she visited Gibraltar, Malta, and Marseilles, before arriving back in the United States on 29 March. Atule & Becuna (SS-319) are pictured together tied up with 2 British Battle Class destroyers. Note the HMS Sluys (D-60) alongside the Becuna. | Text courtesy of DANFS. Photo i.d. courtesy of Barry Gerrard. Photo courtesy of Brian Sullivan via his father, Phil, of blessed memory, who served aboard the Atule in the early 50's. | ||
 | 134k | Becuna (SS-319), starboard view underway, post 1951, location unknown. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. | ||
 | 66k | Becuna (AGSS-319) starboard view underway, at New London, CT. Tender in the background in Fulton (AS-11) with the State Pier in the background, post 1951. | Photo courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org. | ||
 0831923 | 573k | Photo of CDR Harold Edson Shear, He was the 7th CO of the boat, from 1952 to 1954. | Image and text courtesy of Darryl L. Baker & Wolfgang Hechler. | ||
 | 47k | Pierside stern view of the Becuna (SS-319) at the Navy pier at Argentia, Newfoundland, circa 1953-54. | Photo courtesy of James R. Madson. | ||
 | 669k | Becuna (SS-319) and Pompon (SS-267), possibly during September and October 1957, when they participated in the large scale NATO exercise "Strikeback," visiting River Clyde, Scotland; LeHavre, France; and Portland, England. | Text courtesy of DANFS. Photo courtesy of Gil Miller & photo i.d. courtesy of John Hummel. |
||
 | 51k | A watercolor by the artist Richard C. Moore entitled "USS Becuna". The Becuna (SS-319) is pictured in her GUPPY configuration as she exercises with ships of the fleet. | Photo courtesy of ship-paintings.com. Courtesy of the artist Richard C. Moore. | ||
 | 113k | Bow on view of the Becuna (SS-319), circa early 1960's. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. | ||
 | 107k | Sea Owl (SS-405) & Becuna (SS-319) at Genoa, Italy, 11 February 1962. | Photo courtesy of Carlo Martinelli. | ||
 | 681k | The CPO as seen by the eyes of the crew; remasting of artwork in the engine room of the Becuna (SS-319). | Photo courtesy of Yaacov Apelbaum. | ||
 | 80k | Becuna (SS-319) & Cobbler (SS-344) conduct a high line transfer. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. | ||
 | 211k | The Becuna (SS-319) off Sub Base New London CT., 1963. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. | ||
 |
87k | 1960's photo of Howard W. Gilmore (AS-16) with submarines alongside: Triton (SSRN-586), Sea Robin (SS-407), unknown SSK and Becuna (SS-319). | Courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired). | ||
 | 669k | Becuna (SS-319) in April 1963 on a "Northern Run" in the Cabot Straits. | Photo courtesy of Gil Miller. | ||
 | 49k | From left to right, Sea Robin (SS-407) , Tusk (SS-426) , Sea Owl (SS-405), Sablefish (SS-303), Halfbeak (SS-352) , Blenny (SS-324) , & Becuna (SS-319) at New London, CT., in 1968 during change of command. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. | ||
 | 84k | Blenny (SS-324) and Becuna (SS-319) still in commission, but in the Philadelphia Naval Yard to decommission about 1969. Dogfish (SS-350) in background in for over haul. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. | ||
 | 144k | Becuna (SS-319), in drydock with the Tench (SS-417) in Phila., 1970. The Paint Shop X-71, and the Riggers X-72 are getting the boats ready for sandblasting in Drydock # 1. The sailors you see are from the INACSHIPS doing guard duty. You'll note the DH shelters abaft the conning towers painted yellow. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. Text I.d. submitted by Ron Reeves (of blessed memory) | ||
 |
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). | ||
 | 368k | Becuna (SS-319) arrives at Penn's Landing, 21 June 1976. "Mr. and Mrs. Dames Donnelley and their four year old son Thomas James, standing on Penn's Landing as the submarine Becuna is guided to its last berth by a T and A tug." | Photo courtesy of the George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Photographs @ digital.library.temple.edu | ||
 0831915 | 1.07k | 6 photo PDF of the Becuna (SS-319), 2008. | Photos courtesy of Tom Dougherty. | ||
 | 300k | A local delicacy found at the Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, PA., Becuna (SS-319) under glass. | Photo courtesy of John Hummel, (USN) retired. | ||
| Back To The Main Photo Index | Back To the Submarine Index |
| Problems and site related matters, E-mail Webmaster |
| This page is created by Michael Mohl, and maintained by Michael Mohl All Pages © 1996 - 2024 NavSource History All rights reserved. |
