Croaker (SS 246) - Naval Cruise Book

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lSS-2461 was built by the Electric Boat Com- and on 21'April 1944 at the U.S-. Naval Submarine was turned o-ver to the Navy and placed in com- n L. LEE, USN,-assumed command. Then followed a training before leaving New London on 28 May for enrouteto Pearl Harbor at'Pearl Harbor on 26 June 1944 and became a part of .After receiving voyage repairs and provisions, CROAKER stood .first war patro-I in July 1944 in the East China Sea and Yellow war p trol was a highly successful excursion into enemy con a . - bagged a light cruiser, a tanker, a freighter and a for a total of 17,600 tons. CROAKER was back at Midway Island for a refit period and , she was underway again headed for the East China Sea. When Oshima, off the coast of Kyushu, it was apparent that the Jap- fleet had invaded the area, making patrol observations more dif- a fishing net from the 'port shaft, CROAKER resumed her pa- a safer distance from the fishing fleet. That night CROAKER fired a minesweeper that was patrolling the area night and day. The one minesweeper short. The next night, CROAKER skirted a single to- pick off one or two ten-thousand ton tankers south-bound off CROAKER gunned two small sampans off the west coast of Ko-rea another freighter as she poked her nose out from between two way out ofthe Yellow Sea CROAKER obtained radar contact on what be a thirteen ship convoy off Quelpart Island. A report was sent the submarines USS PERCH and USS ESCOLAR. touched off the lights by blasting an ammunition ship sky-high hits on two others. The five escorts th-en tossed depth charges all while CROAKER maneuvered in closer. CROAKER fired four of torpedoes only to hear and feel two violent explosions astern as was leaving its tube. These blasts rattled every' deck plate top- off the after torpedo room bulkhead and threw a genuine scare The Captain calmly remarked, Prematures . CROAKER withdrew and PERCH radioed that she was on her way to intercept of the convoy. No word was received from ESCOLAR. November 1944, CROAKER once again put in at Midway Island for Provisions. At this time, Commander W. B. THOMAS relieved Com- LEE as Commanding Offi'cer of CROAKER. I hnsnrho 1- SHIP HISTORY- The third war patrol took CROAKER to a new hunting ground off the north- east coast of Luzon and in the area between Formosa and Luzon. ln company with the submarines ASPRO and SAWFISH, she procee-ded to Saipan for fuel and provisions arriving there on Christmas day 1944. The three submarines then pro- ceeded to their assigned area. This patrol was spe-nt in performing lifeguard duties for the THIRD Fleet carrier air strikes on Formosa and Northern Luzon. CROAKER departed this area in late January 1945 and arrived in Fremantle, W. Australia in mid-February after an unproductive 63 day patrol at sea. The usual two-week refit period was accomplished. The fourth war patrol was conducted in the South China Sea off the Indo-China coast, and terminated in Subic Bay, Philippine Islands. This time the assignment consisted of lifeguard duties coupled with in-shore patrolling for coastal traffic. No worth-while targets presented themselves and no aviators took advantage of CROAKER'S rescue service. CROAKER departed Subic Bay in mid-May 1945 and headed south for an offensive patrol in the Java Sea. Early one evening, co-ntact was made on a con- voy consisting of two small tankers and two escorts. Three attacks were made resulting in the sinking of both ,tankers and one escort. With all her torpedoes expended, CROAKER headed for Fremantle, Australia for a refit period. The sixth and last patrol took CROAKER into the area south of Hong Kong for a last fling at lifeguard duty. The end of this patrol brought CROAKER into Subic Bay with seven prisoners-of-war who had been captured by USS ICEFISH. It also brought the end to hostilities in World War ll. On 14 August 1945, CROAKER left Subic Bay for the United States. The 25th of September brought the submarine to Galveston, Texas. CROAKER was subse- quently placed out of commission in reserve at New London, Conn., as part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. CROAKER was recommissioned on 7 May 1951 with Lieutenant Commander R. I. LANGLOIS in command. From this date until 18 March 1953, CROAKER operated locally out of New London, Connecticut. CROAKER was decommissione-d at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard incident to conversion to an SSK Type ll submarine. On 11 December 1953, CROAKER was again recommissioned with LCDRP E. H. EDWARDS, Jr., as Commanding Officer. CROAKER left the navy yard in February 1954 with the latest in sonar equipment below her decks and the new look in submarine bows. Outfitted with the best in long-range detecting sonar equipment, she par- ticipated extensively in the developme-nt of anti-submarine tactics and fleet op- erations. Her diving operations extended from the ice pack to the equator.

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After serving a tour with the Commander Submarine Development Group TWO and participating in several fleet exercises which included a visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, she was reassigned to Submarine Squadron TEN. S-he subsequently operated locally from New London, Connecticut. LCDR Dean l. AXENE, USN, assumed command of CROAKER on 14 September 1955. In 1956, after participating in fleet operations in the Caribbean area, and visiting Caracas, Venezuela, she was deployed to the Mediterranean where she operated with the SIXTH Fleet. Her overseas itinerary included stops in Gibraltar, Cannes, Monaco, Malta, and Rhodes. In early 1957, she again went south to the Caribbean for a refresher training cruise. St. Thomas, V.I., and Havana, Cuba were among her ports of call. LCDR Walter S. DELANEY, USN relieved as Commanding Officer on 20 Febru- ary 1957. LCDR John R. POTTER, USN relieved him on 7 August 1957. For the remainder of the year CROAKER operated extensively, participating in an ASW exercise, Hunter!KiIler operations, a N'ATO exercise, and local operations. During these exercise-s, she visited Dieppe, France, Portland, England, and Bermuda. In 1958, after several weeks of local operations, CROAKER participated in Operation Springboard in the Virgin Islands operating areas. She visited San Juan, P.R., and St. Thomas, V.I. In April she participated in an AS-W exercise. In July she commenced an extended cruise which took her to Portsmouth, England before returning home in late September. The remainder of the year was devoted to local operations. In the spring of 1959, CROAKER participated in two separate fleet exercises off the Atlantic Coast and had' local operations near Nfew London. After a regular shipyard overhaul, from May to September, she devoted most of her operations to refresher training. LCDR Jack G. GORDON, USN, assumed command of CROAKER on 2 July 1959 during overhaul at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. From 19 January to 4 March 1960, CROAKER participated in an extensive ASW exercise in nothern waters. Before returning home she visited Avonmouth, Englandzln April she participated in a special ASW exercise and a convoy exer- clse. During the summer months she operated locally while making preparations for her Mediterranean deployment. In -IUIY 1960, CROAKER was awarded the Battle Efficiency Award E and the Green Communications C for her outstanding operations in fiscal year 1960. Mefggefrgemztembeh1,9x6c?AlCREJAKER departed New London, Conn., enroute to the . on an I e ast areas. Operating with units of the SIXTH Fleet NATO, and CENTO FORCES, CROAKER visited ports from Rota, Spain to Karachi, Pakistan, including Gibralter, B.C.C.: Aden, Protectorate: Muscat, Oman, Massawa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Naples, Italy. During this trip, CROAKER was commended by the Commander in Chief of the Pakistan Navy for her outstanding performance in MlDLIN'K Ill exercises with the CENTO Forces. On 18 December, CROAKER returned to New London, Conn., having steamed a total of 18,989 miles through the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean and back. With this trip behind her, CROAKER' rested for the last few days of 1960 decked out in festive holiday trim at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut. 1961 found CROAKER completing an extended upkeep period. In February CROAKER began local operations in the New London area with a cruise to Halifax, Nova Scotia the highlight. On June 23 1961, LCDR H.N. -LARCOMBE, Jr., USN assumed command of CROAKER. The period of July to 8 September was spent in Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for battery renewal. In July 1961 CROAKER added a hashmark to her E for the Battle Efficiency Award for fiscal year 1961. The period from September through December was spent in local operations in the New Lo-ndon area rendering services, training future submariners, and testing and evaluating new equipme-nt. January 1962 found' CROAKER enroute to the Caribbean to participate in Operation Springboard 1962, and visiting such ports as San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and Willemstad, Curacao. A brief upkeep period and in April CROAKER proceeded to Philade-lphia Naval Shipyard for a regular over- haul. On 26 June 1962, Lieutenant Commander Edwin A. KUHN, USN assumed com- mand of CROAKER. Upon completion of the yard overhaul CROAKER completed refresher training and then rendered services to submarine school trainees and participated in local exercises. Late December found CROAKER decked out in holiday trim to see the year out. January 1963 found CROAKER proce-eding southward to participate in Spring' board '63. Among the ports visited were San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Frederiksted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands. In May and June CROAKER participated in CANUSf- SLAMEX '63 and visited Halifax, Nova Scotia. On 1 July 1963, CROAKER WGS awarded the Battle Efficiency E for outstanding performance during the pre- ceding twelve months. On 16 July CROAKER departed New London Connecticut enroute for Operations with the SIXTH Fleet in the Mediterranean.