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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive


Patches by Mike Smolinski

Tusk (SS-426)


Tusk served both the US Navy and Taiwanese Navy

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Tango - Lima
Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 23 August 1943, at William Cramp and Co. Shipbuilding Co,, Philadelphia, PA.; Launched, 8 July 1945; Commissioned USS Tusk (SS-426), 11 April 1946. In U.S. Navy service until 18 October 1973, when she was simultaneously decommissioned at New London, Conn., and was struck from the Naval Register, and transferred (sold) via the Security Assistance Program, to Taiwan, 18 October 1973, at Charleston, SC, renamed Hai Pao (S-792); Final Disposition, as of December 1998 still in service with Taiwanese Navy.

As built to the specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,570 t., Submerged: 2,428 t.; Length 311' 8"; Beam 27' 3"; Draft 15' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10kts; Submerged Endurance, 48 hours at 2kts; Operating Depth, 400 ft; Complement 6 Officers 60 Enlisted; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 5"/25 deck gun, one 40mm gun, one 20mm gun, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four main generator engines., Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, HP 5400, Fuel Capacity, 113,000 gal., Elliot Motor Co. electric motors, HP 2740, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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Ulua & Tusk138kUlua (SS-428) & Tusk (SS-426) being built at the Cramp Shipbuilding Co. in Philadelphia on 7/2/45. The Ulua has not received her superstructure main deck or bridge. The Tusk is just about complete.
Diesel intakes (induction) are visible on board the Ulua. They trunk up into the main induction just abaft the conning tower pressure vessel. The starboard branch feeds the forward engines, the port branch, whose 22-in pipe is visible under the flat boards, feeds the after engines. When snorkels were installed postwar, their intakes connected to the main induction visible here. Exhaust piping is also visible.
The bow of the Turbot (SS-427) is just visible behind the stern of the Ulua. 		Photo and partial text courtesy of The Floating Drydock, "Fleet Subs of WW II", by Thomas F. Walkowiak.
Partial text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press, & The Fleet Submarine in the U.S. Navy: A Design and Construction History, by John D. Alden, Commander USN (Retired).
Tusk 1.52k The Tusk (SS-426) was launched on 8 July 1945 & sponsored by Mrs. Carolyn Park Mills.USN photo courtesy of Wendy S. Gulley, Archivist, Submarine Force Museum, Naval Submarine Base NLON, Groton, CT.
Tusk 163k Tusk (SS-426) launching. Plaque on the forward states "Tusk by the war bond purchases of the people of Philadelphia .."Photo courtesy of the George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Photographs @ digital.library.temple.edu.
Tusk 2.28k 5 photo PDF completion of the Tusk (SS-426) at William Cramp and Co. Shipbuilding Co,, Philadelphia, PA., 10 April 1946.USN photos # 80-G-0893/97 from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
Tusk 259k President Harry S. Truman (foreground, second from right, in civilian clothes) is piped aboard the Tusk (SS-426) during his visit to the United States Naval Academy. President Truman gives a salute. On the right is Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch, Superintendent of the Naval Academy. All others unidentified. From the album, Visit of President Truman to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Photo # 63-1381-05 courtesy of trumanlibrary.org.
Tusk40k President Truman aboard the Tusk (SS-426), on 16 November 1946 at the U.S. Naval Academy.Photo courtesy of trumanlibrary.org via Bill Gonyo.
Tusk35k President Truman and Admiral Leahy aboard the Tusk (SS-426), on 16 November 1946 at the U.S. Naval Academy.Photo courtesy of trumanlibrary.org via Bill Gonyo.
Tusk 296k Shown aboard the Tusk (SS-426), a submarine at the Naval Academy, left to right: President Harry S. Truman, Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch, Fleet Admiral William Leahy; and General Harry Vaughan. From the album, Visit of President Truman to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Photo # 63-1381-03 courtesy of trumanlibrary.org.
Tusk103kDamage aboard the Tusk (SS-426) following collision with a surface vessel in February 1947.
During my cruise we were doing maneuvers in the Atlantic near the African coast and collided with the Hospital Ship Consolation (AH-15) while coming up to periscope depth, 60 feet. We suffered extensive damage and could not submerge. Consequently, we had to travel on the surface through a hurricane back to home port in Philadelphia, where the Tusk was repaired and retrofitted to the Guppy class.		Text info courtesy of Richard Gottard, Radioman 3rd Class, (Retired) via John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Corsair 114k Outboard to inboard, the Halfbeak (SS-352), Tusk (SS-426) & Corsair (SS-435) with two unidentified boats, pre October 1947 in New London, CT. Photo courtesy of Gary Parker, webmaster@usstusk.com.
Cochino 74k Google Earth satellite photo of the site where the Cochino (SS-345) & the Tusk (SS-426) crewmen were lost, 71°35' N., 23°35' E. on 26 August 1949.View courtesy of Google Earth.
Cochino
0834513		 NR COCHINO (SS-345) SURVIVOR IN REUNION
Commander Rafael C. Benitez, Groton, Conn., gathers his wife and children into his arms in a joyful reunion at the submarine base in Groton following arrival of submarine Tusk (SS-426) which brought survivors of submarine Cochino home. He was in command of the Cochino when she exploded and sank in Arctic waters recently. The youngsters are Peggy, 1 & 1/2, and Crissie, 3. Six of the crew of the rescue ship Tusk were swept overboard and drowned.
Comdr. Robert K. Worthington, jr„ of Philadelphia, skipper of the Tusk, which rescued the crew of the Cochino, was welcomed by his children, Robin, 4 (right), and Robert, 1. 		Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from Evening Star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 09 September 1949, Image 3, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Tusk352kHer duty with the Submarine School in New London continued until the middle of 1951 when she was assigned once more to Submarine Development Group 2. That assignment, punctuated by regular exercises with the fleet, continued until the summer of 1952 when she returned to an operational unit, Submarine Squadron (SubRon) 10. Normal east coast duty out of New London lasted until late in the year at which time Tusk (SS-426) was deployed to the Mediterranean for a six-month tour with the 6th Fleet.
She is seen here on 1 August 1952.		USN photo # USN 477116, courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
New London 210k Fulton (AS-11) at the state pier New London, CT in March 1953. Submarines present include Entemedor (SS-340), Halfbeak (SS-352), Angler (SS-240), Razorback (SS-394), Tusk (SS-426), and Hardhead (SS-365). SS P&T Leader is across the pier. USNHC photograph # NH-905254 courtesy of aimm.museum.(Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum at North Little Rock). Courtesy of CAPT Joseph A. Enright, USN (Retired).
Tusk253kStarboard view of the Tusk (SS-426), possibly when she returned to the United States early in the summer of 1953, out of New London, CT. Photo courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Text courtesy of DANFS.
Tusk 196k Colorful Tusk (SS-426). Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Tusk 696k Tusk (SS-426), Entemedor (SS-340) & Skate (SSN-578) dusted with snow, circa 1960.Photo courtesy of usstusk.com via John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Dogfish 259k Dogfish (SS-350) on a cold winter day adjacent to the Tusk (SS-426). Photo courtesy of ussdogfish.com via John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Tusk151k60's Tusk (SS-426). Photo courtesy of David Wright.
Tusk49kTusk (SS-426) above the Arctic Circle, 1960. USN photo courtesy of Arctic Submarine Laboratory.
Tusk89kThe Tusk (SS-426), with BQR-4 wrapped around fore part of sail. This photo was taken in Long Island Sound in April 1963. We had the BQR-4 temporary installation in front of the sail installed in Philadelphia in the fall of 1962. We also had the clam-shell after deck installed at the same yard period. We lost one section of the clam-shell around the after engine-room hatch at sea in March 1963. The picture shows the temporary plating while the new section of clam-shell was being fabricated.Text i.d. courtesy of Gary Parker, webmaster@usstusk.com. Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Tusk87kTusk (SS-426) surfaced and underway, circa 1964. Photo from Subron 10 Cruise Book 1964-1965.USN photo courtesy of Fred Willshaw.
Fulton61kHalfbeak (SS-352), (second from right) immediately astern of Fulton (AS-11) at the Connecticut State Pier, New London, CT. Other submarines astern of Fulton, include (far right) Nautilus (SSN-571), (third from right) Bang (SS-385), and outboard of Bang, (fourth from right) is Tusk (SS-426). Moored to Fulton's starboard side are three additional submarines. The outboard boat on the starboard side is the Skipjack (SSN-585) & the other two are unidentified. Photo from Subron 10 Cruise Book for 1964-1965, courtesy of Fred (Doc) Gardner xHM1(SS) / FMF, USS Skipjack SSN 585 - SN(SS) (1964-1965) and Fred Willshaw.
Tusk201kXmas at Tusk (SS-426). Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Halfbeak49kFrom 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.Courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Tusk 3.37k Six page Welcome Aboard the Tusk (SS-426), circa 1969. PDF courtesy of Kerry Roth.
Tusk281kOil on canvas painting by the artist Wayne Scarpaci entitled "Cat and Mouse", showing the Tusk (SS-426) with a VP-11 P2V Neptune. Photo and text courtesy of artbywayne.com..
Tusk 96k A model Tusk (SS-426). Photo courtesy of John Hummel, USN (Retired).
Tusk 395k Tusk (SS-426), circa early 1970's. Photo courtesy of Kerry Roth.
Tusk187kTusk (SS-426) decommissioning cachet, 18 October 1973. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Hai Pao (SS-792)
Tolling The Boats 669k Active duty and veteran submariners stand together at the 29th annual "Tolling The Boats" Memorial Service held at the World War II National Submarine Memorial-West, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Calif. 29 May 2006. The ceremony honored members of the Silent Service who gave their lives during World War II and the Cold War for their country and the cause of freedom.
On 25 August 1949 while steaming through a gale off the coast of Norway, Cochino (SS-345) suffered an explosion in one of her batteries. Tusk (SS-426) rushed to the aid of the stricken submarine, providing medical supplies for Cochino's injured by way of life rafts. One such raft capsized in heavy seas sending a Cochino officer and a civilian employee of the Bureau of Ships into the icy Arctic waters. Both were recovered, but during the administration of artificial respiration on board Tusk, another wave broke over her deck washing away the civilian and 11 Tusk crewmen. 		USN photo # N-1159B-052 by Journalist 1st Class Brian Brannon, courtesy of navy.news.mil.
Partial text courtesy of navysite.de.
Tusk59kBow on view of the docked Hai Pao (SS-792), November 2008. Photo courtesy of Gary Parker, webmaster@usstusk.com.
View the Tusk (SS-426)
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
USS Tusk (SS-426)
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ

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