USS Cochino (SS-345)

USS Cochino (SS-345) was a Balao-class submarine in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1949. She sank after a battery explosion off Norway on 26 August 1949.

USS Cochino leaving Portsmouth, England, for the Barents Sea, c. July 1949.
History
United States
Name: USS Cochino
Builder: Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut[1]
Laid down: 13 April 1944[1]
Launched: 20 April 1945[1]
Commissioned: 25 August 1945[1]
Fate: Sunk by battery explosion and fire off Norway, 26 August 1949[2]
General characteristics (As completed)
Class and type: Balao-class diesel-electric submarine[2]
Displacement:
  • 1,526 long tons (1,550 t) surfaced[2]
  • 2,424 long tons (2,463 t) submerged[2]
Length: 311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)[2]
Beam: 27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)[2]
Draft: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m) maximum[2]
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 20.25 kn (23.30 mph; 37.50 km/h) surfaced[6]
  • 8.75 knots (16.21 km/h) submerged[6]
Range: 11,000 nmi (13,000 mi; 20,000 km) surfaced at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)[6]
Endurance:
  • 48 hours at 2 kn (2.3 mph; 3.7 km/h) submerged[6]
  • 75 days on patrol
Test depth: 400 ft (120 m)[6]
Complement: 10 officers, 70–71 enlisted[6]
Armament:
General characteristics (Guppy II)
Class and type: none
Displacement:
  • 1,870 long tons (1,900 t) surfaced[7]
  • 2,440 long tons (2,480 t) submerged[7]
Length: 307 ft (94 m)[8]
Beam: 27 ft 4 in (8.33 m)[8]
Draft: 17 ft (5.2 m)[8]
Propulsion:
  • Batteries upgraded to GUPPY type, capacity expanded to 504 cells (1 × 184 cell, 1 × 68 cell, and 2 × 126 cell batteries)[7]
  • 4 × high-speed electric motors replaced with 2 × low-speed direct drive electric motors[7]
Speed:
  • Surfaced:
  • 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h) maximum
  • 13.5 kn (15.5 mph; 25.0 km/h) cruising
  • Submerged:
  • 16 kn (18 mph; 30 km/h) for ½ hour
  • 9 kn (10 mph; 17 km/h) snorkeling
  • 3.5 kn (4.0 mph; 6.5 km/h) cruising[7]
Range: 15,000 nmi (17,000 mi; 28,000 km) surfaced at 11 kn (13 mph; 20 km/h)[8]
Endurance: 48 hours at 4 kn (4.6 mph; 7.4 km/h) submerged[8]
Complement:
  • 9–10 officers
  • 5 petty officers
  • 70 enlisted men[8]
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • WFA active sonar
  • JT passive sonar
  • Mk 106 torpedo fire control system[8]
Armament:
Notes: Snorkel added[8]

History

Cochino was named for the cochino, a triggerfish found in the Atlantic. Her keel was laid down by Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 20 April 1945 sponsored by Mrs. M.E. Serat, and commissioned on 25 August 1945 with Commander W.A. Stevenson in command.

Cochino joined the U.S Atlantic Fleet, cruising East Coast and Caribbean Sea waters from her home port of Key West, Florida. In the late 1940s she received a GUPPY II conversion which streamlined her hull and increased her engine power.

On 18 July 1949, Cochino put to sea for a cruise to Britain, and arctic operations. Her group ran through a violent polar gale off Norway, and the joltings received by Cochino played their part on 25 August in causing an electrical fire and battery explosion, followed by the generation of both hydrogen and chlorine gases.[9]

Defying the most unfavorable possible weather conditions, Commander (later Rear Admiral) Rafael Celestino Benítez (1917–1999), commanding officer of Cochino, and his men fought for 14 hours to save the submarine displaying great seamanship and courage. But a second battery explosion on August 26 made "Abandon Ship" the only possible order, and Cochino sank. Tusk's crew rescued all of Cochino's men except for Robert Wellington Philo, a civilian engineer. Six sailors from Tusk were lost during the rescue.[10]

Cochino is one of four United States Navy submarines to be lost since the end of World War II. The others are USS Stickleback, USS Thresher and USS Scorpion.

References
  1. Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 285–304. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.
  2. Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 275–280. ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
  3. Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 275–280. ISBN 978-0-313-26202-9.
  4. U.S. Submarines Through 1945 p. 261
  5. U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305–311
  6. U.S. Submarines Through 1945 pp. 305-311
  7. Friedman, Norman (1994). U.S. Submarines Since 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 11–43. ISBN 1-55750-260-9.
  8. U.S. Submarines Since 1945 pp. 242
  9. "Submarine Casualties Booklet". U.S. Naval Submarine School. 1966. Retrieved 2009-09-08. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. The Loss of USS Cochino (SS-345)

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