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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patches contributed by Mike Smolinski

Diablo (SS-479)

Radio Call Sign: November - Yankee - Delta - Whiskey
Diablo served both the US Navy and Pakistani Navy

Tench Class Submarine: Laid down, 11 August 1944, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, on Seavey Island in Kittery, Maine. Launched, 1 December 1944; Commissioned USS Diablo (SS-479), 31 March 1945; Re-designated Auxiliary Research Submarine (AGSS-479) on 1 July 1962; Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register, Transferred (loan) to the Republic of Pakistan under terms of the Security Assistance Program and Commissioned PNS Ghazi, 1 June 1964; Final Disposition, lost with all hands 4 December 1971. (Text courtesy of LCDR Tomme J. Lambertson USN,(Retired), last Commanding Officer of USS Diablo (SS-479) from 10 November 1961 to 1 June 1964 & Yves Hubert.

As built to the specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,570 t., Submerged: 2,414 t.; Length 311' 8"; Beam 27' 4"; 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 7 Officers 69 Enlisted; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 5"/25 deck gun, two 20mm guns, two .30 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four Fairbanks Morse main generator engines, 5,400HP, Fuel Capacity, 113,510 gal., two Elliot Motor Co. main motors with 2,740HP, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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Diablo661kDiablo (SS-479) is launched on 1 December 1944.USN photo # 80-G-448560 from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
Diablo 679k Broadside view of the Diablo (SS-479) off Portsmouth Navy Yard during her shakedown trials off the Atlantic coast, 21 April 1945. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Diablo 613k Broadside view of the Diablo (SS-479), possibly off Portsmouth Navy Yard during her shakedown trials off the Atlantic coast, 21 April 1945. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Diablo 254k Diablo (SS-479) during her shakedown trials off the Atlantic coast, 21 April 1945. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Diablo 130k Diablo (SS-479), 1945 as commissioned, with two 5"/25 and two 40 mm. Courtesy of LCDR Tomme J. Lambertson USN(Retired).
Diablo811kDiablo (SS-479) as seen from the Euryale (AS-22) at Pearl Harbor, summer 1945.
What appears to be the fire control mast of the battleship New York (BB-34) rises up in the background. She left Okinawa 11 June to re gun at Pearl Harbor. The Euryale was at Pearl from 6 May – 16 August 1945. 		Photo i.d. courtesy of Darryl L. Baker., David Johnston (USN, retired) & Robert Morgan.
USN photo # 80-G-0837 from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
Diablo699kDiablo (SS-479) as seen from the Euryale (AS-22) at Pearl Harbor, summer 1945.
The Northampton class cruiser in the rear left of the second photo appears to be Louisville (CA-28), judging from the mast and the aft funnel with a cap {Chester (CA-27) didn't have that feature}.		Photo i.d. courtesy of David Johnston (USN, retired) & Robert Morgan.
USN photo # 80-G-0838 from NARA, College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
Diablo 215k Bang (SS-385) and the Diablo (SS-479) & one unidentified boat tied up in the Panama Canal Zone, 1945-46. Photo courtesy of R. Storm Cilley.
Diablo 56k Diablo (SS-479) at Saboga Anchorage, Perlas Islands, Panama Bay, 1945-46. Photo courtesy of R. Storm Cilley.
Sablefish68kInspection aboard the Sablefish (SS-303) as the Diablo (SS-479) comes alongside, April 1946.Photo courtesy of R. Storm Cilley.
Diablo 63k Peter Gray (S1C) aboard the Diablo (SS-479) on April 1946 during siesta time. Photo courtesy of R. Storm Cilley.
Diablo 37k The local convenience store has sailed to your doorstep: Natives from Saboga Anchorage, Perlas Islands, Panama Bay group call (in Spanish) on the Diablo (SS-479) in April 1946 to support the local economy. Photo courtesy of R. Storm Cilley.
Diablo 54k LCR 1 (Landing Craft Rubber) is used for excursions to the beach and back. Captain Mattheson of the Diablo (SS-479) is in the second row, right, with the oar. Photo courtesy of R. Storm Cilley.
Diablo 72k Saturday morning inspection aboard the Diablo (SS-479). Photo courtesy of R. Storm Cilley.
Diablo 45k Guys from the Diablo (SS-479) going sea-shell hunting and swimming at Saboga Anchorage. Photo courtesy of R. Storm Cilley.
Diablo 66k Guys from the Diablo's (SS-479) electrical gang work on their tan, April 1946. Photo courtesy of R. Storm Cilley.
Diablo 205k Diablo (SS-479) in Valletta Harbour, Malta. Note Royal Navy warships at anchor in background. Photo i.d. courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Photo courtesy of LCDR Tomme J. Lambertson USN(Retired).
Diablo 113k Diablo (SS-479), underway in the Cape Cod Canal, September 1950. Courtesy of Dick Harris.
Diablo 1.24k On 6 September 1951, airplane crash survivors disembarked at Norfolk Naval Base after the sub, Diablo (SS-479), rescued them and brought them back to port in Norfolk, Virginia.
Burrfish (SSR-312) appears to the right.		 Photo from The Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection / SMC Photograph Collection from the Norfolk Public Library (Va.)
Diablo 992k A 6 September 1951 photograph of (left to right) Lt. Commander Harold E. Rice, Commander of the submarine Diablo (SS-479), Lt. (JG) Kermit R. Sutliff, and Airman Alvin Baron abroad the sub docked at Norfolk Naval Base at Norfolk, Virginia. After their torpedo bomber was lost 80 miles off Cape Henry in the Atlantic Ocean, the sub rescued them but was unable to find the third member of the crew. Photo from The Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection / SMC Photograph Collection from the Norfolk Public Library (Va.)
Diablo 83k Circa 1960 photo of the Diablo (SS-479). USN photo.
Diablo 123k Broadside view of the Diablo (SS-479) during the early 60's. USN photo courtesy of David Buell.
Diablo 276k Diablo (AGSS-479) alongside Gyatt (DDG-1), circa early 60's. Photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Diablo 93k Diablo (AGSS-479), 1962 in Thames River, New London, CT. CO Tom Lambertson inset. Courtesy of LCDR Tomme J. Lambertson USN(Retired).
Diablo 74k Sait Kucuk is backdroped from the deck of the ex-Boarfish (SS-327), now the Turkish Sakarya (S-332) at New London, Conn. 10 December 1962. Diablo (AGSS-479) & Sea Robin (SS-407) are in the background. Photo i.d. & text courtesy of Sait Kucuk, CPOS (Retired),Turkish Navy.
Diablo 107k Diablo (AGSS-479), 1964 in Long Island Sound after conversion to Fleet Snorkel at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Courtesy of LCDR Tomme J. Lambertson USN(Retired).
Diablo 269k Diablo (AGSS-479), 1964 June 1, Decommissioning Ceremony with Sarda (AGSS-488) outboard at US Naval Submarine Base, New London, CT. Courtesy of LCDR Tomme J. Lambertson USN(Retired).
M Ghazi (S-130)
Diablo 85k The ex-Diablo (AGSS-479), now the PNS/M Ghazi (S-479) entering Karachi harbor upon arrival from USA in September 1964. Courtesy of pakdef.info.
Diablo 211k Pakistani crew in forward torpedo room. Photo courtesy of ussdiablo.com. via Robert Hurst.
Diablo 109k The Ghazi (S-130) returns to Karachi in 1970 from Golchuk, Turkey, after undergoing an extended refit. Photo & text courtesy of pakdef.info.
Diablo 167k Engines being started for a triumphant return to port in 1965 war. Photo & text courtesy of pakdef.info.
Diablo 433k The wreck of the Ghazi (S-130) and her 82 man crew lie in the Bay of Bengal. Courtesy of bharat-rakshak.com.
Diablo 467k A sketch done by Mr Sandeep Unnithan who wrote an article about the loss of the Ghazi / Diablo in the India Today magazine 1/26/04. It shows Ghazi now resting on the bottom in 32 meters of water. It appears an internal explosion occurred in the FTR. Photo courtesy of ussdiablo.com. via Robert Hurst.
View the Diablo (SS-479)
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
Tench Class Submarines
Ep-21 (1) - Victory At Sea ~ Full Fathom Five - HQ
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