USS Diodon (SS-349) Information and Memorabilia

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Since 09-01-02

Updated 06-03-05

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Radio Call Signs

* Update on Diodon Call Signs from Don Messner
(New 05-22-03)

Call Sign Voice = HERALD in 1946 *

Call Sign CW = NKFH

Call Sign Signal Flag: *
 


 November


Kilo


Foxtrot


Hotel

 

Electric Boat Production Record
Hull Way Name Type/Descr. Owner Delivered Fate or Status Sponsor
119

3-N

 

 Diodon
(SS 349)		 Balao Class Submarine US Navy 18 Mar 1946 Scrapped 1972 Mrs. D. Cullinane
"-N" suffix = ways in the North Yard during WWII

Nut Shell

Keel is laid for the USS Diodon (SS 349) 1-Jun-1944

Diodon was commissioned on 18 March, 1946 and decommissioned on15 January, 1971.

Diodon made her first dive on 22 March, 1946.  After 6616 dives over 25 years, she was decommissioned.

Diodon (SS-349)

Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Foxtrot - Hotel

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Detail
(New 01-27-04)

Can any one help fill in the ??? data under the Guppy IIA conversion?

Balao Class Submarine:

Laid down, 1 June 1944, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 10 September 1945; Commissioned USS Diodon (SS-349), 18 March 1946; Guppy conversion, 1947-48, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.; Decommissioned and simultaneously struck from the Naval Register, 15 January 1971; Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 12 May 1972.

Specifications:

Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,242 t.; Length 311' 9"; 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., General Motors diesel engines, HP 5400, Fuel Capacity 118,000, four General Electric motors, HP 2,740, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.

Guppy IIA conversion:

Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,242 t.; Length 311' 9"; 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, 410 ft; Complement 6 Officers, 60 Enlisted; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with three main generator engines., General Motors diesel engines, HP 5400, Fuel Capacity 118,000, four General Electric motors, HP 2,740, four 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.

As noted above, our beloved Diodon was a Balao Class submarine


Above better resolution cut-away image of USS Balao (SS-285) added 06-03-05

Click above images for larger version

USS Archerfish Log

February 24, 1961
0630-Pomfret underway. 0936-Underway shifting berths. 0950-Moored port side to south side of Naval Supply Center Pier. 1100-U.S.S. Diodon (SS-349) moored alongside to starboard.

March 19, 1966
0800-Tang underway from inboard; moored starboard side to Berth One. 0903-U.S.S. Diodon (SS-349) moored alongside to port. 0932-U.S.S. Baya (AGSS-318) moored outboard Diodon.

June 6, 1966
0906-U.S.S. Pomodon (SS-486) moored outboard to port. 1013-U.S.S. Volador (SS-490) moored outboard Pomodon. 1014-Diodon underway from alongside to starboard; Archerfish moored starboard side to Remora. 1302- Remora underway from alongside to starboard; Archerfish moored starboard side to Berth One.

A painting I have that is as Diodon looked much as when I served on her

Painting by www.windjammer-arts.com

I also have Tom Denton's water color print of Diodon, as she looked coming up from her first dive, her Korean War configuration and her Viet Nam War configuration.  Check out Tom's site:  http://members.tripod.com/TRI-ARTS/diesel.htm  Link noted DEAD on 10-05-04



USS Diodon (SS-349) with Step Sail Model
 

USS Diodon (SS-349) with Atlantic High Sail Model

Available through Cold War Submarines
 http://www.coldwarsubmarines.com/

http://www.coldwarsubmarines.com/SS349Diodin.htm

Note:  The got our Subs name wrong on their site - Diodin, not Diodon

(New 10-08-04)

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Origin of the Diodon Name

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Enlisted Shoulder Patch on Dress Blues and Whites uniforms from Jerry Conklin

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Diodon's Boat Patch

      

SS-349 cigarette lighter circa 1954 from John F. Lachnicht
(New 05-20-03)

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Your Web-Master's Diodon Enlisted Belt Buckle, vintage 1967

Your Web-Master's .50 Cal Machine Gun shells he had fired, vintage 1967

.50 Caliber Machine Gun shells from Web-Master's firing at milk cans on way to WestPac 1967, about mid-way between San Diego, CA and Yokosuka, Japan


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I picked up these shells and retainer rings from the bridge deck after firing the machine gun from the starboard side of the bridge sail and hitting the milk can some distance out in the water.  They made me a loader and not a shooter - go figure!


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Looking down on shells - note free retainer ring on left of photo

Shipmate Herb Edwards, Crew of 1967 - 1968 - one of his motor cycles
(check out the license plate)