Displacement: 1,526 tons (1550 t) surfaced; 2,424 tons (2460 t) submerged
Length: 311 ft 9 in (95.0 m)
Beam: 27 ft 3 in (8.3 m)
Draft: 15 ft 3 in (4.6 m)
Propulsion: four 5400 hp diesel engines; four 2740 hp (2.0 MW) electric motors; two propellers
Speed: 20.25 knots (37 km/h) surfaced; 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged
Range: 11,000 nm at 10 knots (20,000 km at 20 km/h)
Endurance: 48 hours at 2 knots submerged; 75 days on patrol
Test depth: 400 ft (120 m)
Complement: 6 officers, 60 enlisted
Armament: 10 x 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes, (6 forward, 4 aft), 24 torpedoes; 1 x 5 in (127 mm) / 25 cal deck gun, 2 x .50 cal. machine guns, 2 x .30 cal. machine guns
Commissioned in 1945, USS Clamagore (SS 343) was, in its day, a technological marvel capable of reaching depths of nearly 400 feet. Going below into the cramped, narrow tube visitors can’t help but wonder… how did an 80 man crew fit into this thing?
Clamagore is a Balao Class submarine that was in training when WWII came to an end. Through blockades and torpedo attacks the Gato and then Balao Class submarines played a critical role in winning the WWII Pacific theater.
Pearl Harbor and the war in general had served to underscore the need for stronger American submarine warfare capabilities. Clamagore was part of that construction boom and among the first Cold War silent service warriors. In 1947 Clamagore became a faster, more impressive force following the GUPPY II conversion (Greater Underwater Propulsion Power). The submarine would go through modification once again in 1962 with GUPPY III.
Clamagore was decommissioned in June of 1975.
What's a Clamagore?
Balao class (like Clamagore) and Gato class submarines were named after fish. Commissioned in 1941 USS Gato (SS-212) was the lead ship of her class and named for a type of catshark. A balao is a close relative to the flying fish. And a clamagore is a blue parrot fish found in the waters of the Caribbean.
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Within one hour, USS Laffey was hit by five Japanese Kamikazes and three enemy bombs.
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