View source for USS Snook (SS-279)

{{short description|Submarine of the United States}}
{{Other ships|USS Snook}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Snook (SS-279).jpg
|Ship caption=USS ''Snook'' (SS-279)
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}}
|Ship name=USS ''Snook''
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]], [[Kittery, Maine]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates">{{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | title = U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History
  | publisher = [[United States Naval Institute]]
  | date = 1995
  | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
  | pages = 285–304
  | isbn = 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref>
|Ship laid down=17 April 1942<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship launched=15 August 1942<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=24 October 1942<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate=Missing since 8 April 1945 east of [[Taiwan]]<ref name="Register">{{cite book
  | last = Bauer
  | first = K. Jack
  |author2=Roberts, Stephen S.
   | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants
  | publisher = Greenwood Press
  | date = 1991
  | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]]
  | pages = 271–273
  | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}</ref>
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[Gato class submarine|''Gato''-class]] [[diesel-electric]] [[submarine]]<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1525|long ton|t|lk=on}} surfaced<ref name="Register"/>
*{{convert|2424|long ton|t}} submerged<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship length={{convert|311|ft|9|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|27|ft|3|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship draft={{convert|17|ft|0|in|abbr=on}} maximum<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship propulsion={{Fleet-boat-propulsion-early-FM-4-GE}}
|Ship speed=*{{convert|21|kn|km/h}} surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 305-311</ref>
*{{convert|9|kn|km/h}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship range={{convert|11000|nmi|km|lk=in}} surfaced at {{convert|10|kn|km/h}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship endurance=*48 hours at {{convert|2|kn|km/h|0}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*75 days on patrol
|Ship test depth={{convert|300|ft|m|-1|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship complement=6 officers, 54 enlisted<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament={{Fleet-boat-armament-4-inch}}
}}
|}

'''USS ''Snook'' (SS-279)''', a [[Gato class submarine|''Gato''-class]] [[submarine]], was the first ship of the [[United States Navy]] to be named for the [[common snook]], an Atlantic [[seawater|marine]] fish that is bluish-gray above and silvery below a black lateral line.

==Construction and commissioning==
''Snook''{{'}}s [[keel]] was [[Keel-laying|laid down]] by the [[Portsmouth Navy Yard]] in [[Kittery, Maine|Kittery]], [[Maine]], on 17 April 1942. She was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 15 August 1942, [[Ship sponsor|sponsored]] by Mrs. Audrey Emanuel Dempsey, wife of [[Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant]] James C. Dempsey, who had been awarded the [[Navy Cross (United States)|Navy Cross]] for heroism as [[commanding officer]] of the submarine {{USS|S-27|SS-132}}. ''Snook'' was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 24 October 1942.

==Patrols==

===First patrol===
After shakedown training off the [[New England]] coast, ''Snook'' departed New London on 3 March 1943 and set sail for the Pacific. Following a 12-day stopover at [[Pearl Harbor]], the submarine put to sea on 11 April and headed for the [[Yellow Sea]] and [[East China Sea]] for her first war patrol. Upon completion of [[naval mine|mine planting]] in the [[Shanghai]] area, ''Snook'' continued on up the coast of [[China]] to the [[Yellow Sea]]. On the afternoon of 5 May, she sighted two freighters standing out of [[Dairen]] and took up the chase. She trailed both until after nightfall, then fired a spread of three [[torpedo]]es that quickly sank ''Kinko Maru''. The lead freighter continued, unaware of the attack, until someone on the sinking ship sounded a whistle. At that point, the freighter began a series of frantic maneuvers to dodge two of ''Snook''{{'}}s torpedoes, then opened fire with her guns, forcing the submarine to withdraw out of range, returning shortly after and firing three torpedoes, one of which hit ''Daifuku Maru'' amidships and sank her. ''Snook'' then resumed patrol.

Early on the morning of 7 May, ''Snook'' began quickly closing in on a convoy. Upon overtaking the enemy cargo ships, she launched four torpedoes, followed by three others five minutes later. The 4,363-ton cargo ship ''Hosei Maru'' was destroyed and several other ships possibly damaged. After destroying two [[Naval trawler|armed trawlers]] in actions on 13 May and 16 May, ''Snook'' terminated her first patrol at [[Midway Island]] on 23 May.

===Second patrol===
''Snook'' set sail from [[Midway Island]] for her second war patrol on 9 June and headed for the waters off the [[Ryukyu Islands]]. In the morning twilight of 24 June, the submarine closed on a six-ship [[convoy]] escorted by two [[destroyer]]s, launched two torpedoes at a large [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]], and heard two hits as she went deep and rigged for [[Silent running (submarine)|silent running]] to avoid the patrolling escorts. Coming back up to periscope depth, she found a [[destroyer]] guarding the crippled ship and was prevented from a second try by overhead aircraft.

Shortly before midnight on 3 July ''Snook'' made [[radar]] contact with another enemy convoy. Early the following morning, she fired a spread of six [[torpedo]]es, sinking cargo ships ''Koki Maru'' and ''Liverpool Maru'' and severely damaging ''Atlantic Maru''. ''Snook'' returned to [[Pearl Harbor]] from her second patrol on 18 July.

===Third patrol===
''Snook'' left [[Pearl Harbor]] for her third war patrol on 18 August and arrived off [[Marcus Island]] on 30 August to take reconnaissance photographs and stand lifeguard duty for the carrier air strikes of 1 September. Following the air strikes, the submarine resumed patrol and headed for the [[East China Sea]] where, in the early morning darkness of 13 September, she torpedoed and sank the 9,650-ton transport ''Yamato Maru''. On 22 September, ''Snook'' intercepted and sank 715-ton Japanese cargo ship ''Katsurahama Maru'' departing from [[Dairen]]. On 29 September, the submarine conducted a surface attack on a 500 ton vessel.  The vessel was damaged and as the submarine moved closer to finish it off, returned fire was received.  Four of the submarine's crew members were injured.  The submarine turned away at high speed and the vessel was last seen settling in the water. The submarine terminated her third patrol at [[Pearl Harbor]] on 8 October.

===Fourth patrol===
''Snook'' spent her fourth war patrol in a [[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|coordinated attack group]] with sister ships {{USS|Pargo|SS-264|3}} and {{USS|Harder|SS-257|3}} in the waters off the [[Mariana Islands]]. On 29 November, the submarine sank the passenger-cargo ship {{ship|Japanese transport ship|Yamafuku Maru||2}} with four torpedo hits, and the cargo ship ''Shiganoura Maru'', as well as damaging an escort ship. ''Snook'' returned to [[Midway Island]] on 7 December and was routed on to [[Pearl Harbor]].

===Fifth patrol===
On 6 January 1944, ''Snook'' cleared [[Pearl Harbor]] and headed for the western coast of [[Kyūshū]] and her fifth war patrol. While off the [[Bonin Islands]] on 23 January, the submarine torpedoed and sank the 3,120-ton converted gunboat ''[[Japanese minelayer Magane Maru|Magane Maru]]''. On 8 February, she attacked a 13-ship convoy, firing a spread of four torpedoes for three hits before diving to evade the escort ships. In this action, she sank the troopship [[SS Lima Maru|''Lima Maru'']], with the massive loss of life of 2,765 dead,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jsu.or.jp/siryo/sunk/pdf/mota02.pdf|title=Convoy Mo-Ta-06 (モタ61船団)|publisher=All Japan Seamen's Union|access-date=2011-11-18}}</ref>(the 11th worst loss of life by [[List by death toll of ships sunk by submarines|ship sunk by a submarine]] in history), and heavily damaged the freighter ''Shiranesan Maru''. On 14 February, she quickly sank freighter ''Nittoku Maru'', with one [[torpedo]] hit amidships and, on the following day, sank cargo ship ''Hoshi Maru Number Two''. On 23 February, while returning to [[Midway Island]], she spotted an enemy convoy eight miles away, made a daring approach through a screen of 11 enemy escort ships, and fired five torpedoes, with two hits which sank the passenger-cargo ship, ''Koyo Maru''. The submarine terminated her fifth patrol at [[Pearl Harbor]] on 6 March and continued to [[Hunters Point Navy Yard]] for a major overhaul.

===Sixth patrol===
On her sixth patrol ''Snook'' attacked and missed two freighters on 12 July, but found no other worthwhile targets, and returned to [[Midway Island]] on 14 August.

===Seventh patrol===
''Snook''{{'}}s seventh war patrol was conducted in [[Luzon Strait]] and the [[South China Sea]]. After stopping at [[Saipan]] for repairs from 25 September to 4 October the submarine continued her patrol and contacted an enemy convoy on 23 October. She sank passenger-cargo ship ''Shinsei Maru Number 1'', then evaded two escorts and resumed the chase, sinking the tanker ''Kikusui Maru'' with a torpedo which disintegrated the entire aft end. After again escaping the escorts, ''Snook'' returned and fired five bow torpedoes, sinking cargo ship, or "[[hell ship]]", {{ship||Arisan Maru}},{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seventh War Patrol, USS Snook (SSN-592), September to November 1944, page 9 |url=https://www.fold3.com/image/29131005}}</ref><ref>National Archives Microfiche Publication M1752; "U.S. Submarine War Patrol Reports, 1941 - 1945" RG38; USS Snook (SSN-592); War Patrol Number: Seventh; Dates: Sep - Nov 1944</ref> killing about 1,773 American prisoners of war (the 23rd worst loss of life by [[List by death toll of ships sunk by submarines|ship sunk by a submarine]] in history), one of the greatest losses of life in American maritime history.<ref>Unclear whether Arisan Maru was sunk by USS Snook or USS Shark (SS-314). See https://pows.jiaponline.org/2019/10/75th-anniversary-of-arisan-maru-tragedy.html</ref> After rescuing a downed airman on 3 November, the submarine returned to [[Pearl Harbor]] on 18 November.

===Eighth patrol===
''Snook''{{'}}s eighth war patrol was conducted off the [[Kuril Islands]] from 25 December 1944 to 17 February 1945. Her only sightings during this patrol were two friendly [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] vessels and a momentary contact with a small patrol craft.

===Final patrol===
''Snook'' was lost while conducting her ninth war patrol, in the [[South China Sea]] and [[Luzon Strait]]. On 8 April, she reported her position to submarine {{USS|Tigrone|SS-419|2}} and when she did not acknowledge messages sent from ''Tigrone'' the next day, it was presumed that she had headed toward Luzon Strait. On 12 April, she was ordered to take lifeguard station in the vicinity of [[Sakishima Gunto]] in support of British carrier air strikes. On 20 April, the commander of the British carrier task force reported that he had a plane down in ''Snook''{{'}}s assigned area, and that he could not contact the submarine by radio. ''Snook'' was ordered to search the area and to acknowledge the order. When she failed to make a transmission, submarine {{USS|Bang|SS-385|2}} was sent to make the search and rendezvous with ''Snook''. Although ''Bang'' arrived and rescued the downed aviators, she saw no sign of the missing submarine; on 16 May, ''Snook'' was presumed lost due to unknown causes. It is believed that she was sunk by kaibokans {{ship|Japanese escort ship|Okinawa||2}}, ''CD-8, CD-32'' and ''CD-52''. It has also been suggested that ''Snook'' may have been lost in combat with one of five Japanese submarines which were also lost in April–May 1945.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Base/7660/lost_boats/pages/SNOOK.htm 
 |title=USS SNOOK (SS-279) 
 |author=Royal Weaver 
 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524135740/https://www.webcitation.org/5kmzMFtNR?url=http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Base/7660/lost_boats/pages/SNOOK.htm
 |archive-date=24 May 2024
 |access-date=2008-09-02 
 |url-status=unfit 
}}</ref> One candidate is the Japanese [[Type B submarine|Type B3]] submarine {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-56|1943|2}},<ref>{{cite web
 | url= http://aimm.museum/snook.asp
 | title= USS ''Snook'' (SS 279) Memorial
 | publisher= [[Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum]]
 | access-date= 2008-09-02
 | archive-date= 2009-04-09
 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090409164244/http://www.aimm.museum/snook.asp
 | url-status= dead
 }}</ref> however it remains a hypothesis due to it not being confirmed by a single Japanese source.

''Snook'' was credited with sinking 17 enemy vessels in her two and one-half years of active service. She earned seven [[battle star]]s for [[World War II]] service.

===Possible discovery===
The actual whereabouts of ''Snook'' may have been discovered during a deep-sea dive in 1995. The possibility exists that a U.S. submarine lies in about {{convert|1,148|ft|m}} of water off the coast of [[Iriomote Island]], the far southwest island in the [[Okinawa Islands|Okinawa]] chain. During operations with an Okinawan company using a U.S. made "SCORPIO" ROV in 1995, a group of divers encountered a sonar contact with what appeared to be a metal structure, about {{convert|20|ft|m}} in girth and about {{convert|115|ft|m}} in length (exposed) at roughly an angle of 20-30 degrees. The SONAR image of a large unexpected obstruction to the operations prompted the divers to command evasive maneuvers and avoid the area for the safety of the ROV.<ref name="comsubpac">{{cite web |title=USS Snook (SS 279) |url=https://www.csp.navy.mil/ww2boats/snook.htm |publisher=[[Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet]] |access-date=21 September 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724220126/https://www.csp.navy.mil/ww2boats/snook.htm |archive-date=24 July 2008}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

The divers, thinking they would have another opportunity to work in the area at a later date, left the area and never returned to that site. Their ROV was lost in 1997 off [[Yonaguni|Yonaguni Island]], the last island belonging to the Okinawa chain off the east coast of Taiwan. They were fairly certain that the object was a submarine, and quite possibly the ''Snook''. No further dives in the area were ever attempted.<ref name="comsubpac"/>

==See also==
*[[List of most successful American submarines in World War II]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{DANFS}}

== External links ==
Read the book about the USS Snook submarine "Final Dive" by Rick Cline {{ISBN|0-9663235-3-X}} 
*[http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s14/snook-i.htm history.navy.mil: USS ''Snook''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050213145503/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s14/snook-i.htm |date=2005-02-13 }}
*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08279.htm navsource.org: USS ''Snook'']
*[http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/submar/ss279.txt hazegray.org: USS ''Snook'']
*[http://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-snook-279.htm On Eternal Patrol: USS ''Snook'']
* [http://www.SubmarineBooks.com Submarine books store]
*[http://www.combinedfleet.com/I-56.htm combinedfleet.com: IJN Submarine ''I-56'']

{{Gato_class_submarine}}
{{April 1945 shipwrecks}}
{{coord missing|Pacific Ocean}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Snook (SS-279)}}
[[Category:Gato-class submarines]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Lost submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Missing submarines of World War II]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Philippine Sea]]
[[Category:Ships built in Kittery, Maine]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:Warships lost with all hands]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in April 1945]]
[[Category:Submarines sunk by Japanese warships]]