USS Barracuda SS-163

The USS Barracuda was the lead ship in her class and the first launched of the “V-boats,” a special class of submarine designed with the ability to operate and connect more closely with surface vessels. They were much faster and more heavily armed than previous U.S. Navy submarines had been.

She was launched on July 17, 1924 and commissioned on October 1, 1924. Her first task was a test of her engines, which involved a surface-only shakedown cruise from the coast of New England to the Caribbean Sea, visiting a large number of ports, including Colon, Republic of Panama, and visited a succession of places in the West Indies – the Perlas Islands; St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; Curacoa, Dutch West Indies; Georgetown, British Guiana; Barbados; Port of Spain, Trinidad; Ponce, Puerto Rico; and Kingston, Jamaica. She cruised between the Caribbean and the Atlantic coast until November 1927.

Following the end of this period the USS Barracuda left for San Diego with Squadron 20, arriving on December 3. Until May 1932, she served with the Squadron on the west coast, the Caribbean, and the Hawaiian Islands. Between 1933 and 1937 she traveled between Pearl Harbor, the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean, voyaging and participating in fleet tactical exercises, engineering tests and crew training, battle torpedo exercises, and sound exercises. During July and August 1934 she visited a number of Alaskan ports, including Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Valdez, Seward, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor.

Following the end of this period, the USS Barracuda left for San Diego with Squadron 20, arriving on December 3. Until May 1932, she served with the Squadron on the west coast, the Caribbean and the Hawaiian Islands. Between 1933 and 1937, she traveled between Pearl Harbor, the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean, voyaging and participating in fleet tactical exercises, engineering tests and crew training, battle torpedo exercises, and sound exercises. During July and August 1934, she visited a number of Alaskan ports, including Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Valdez, Seward, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor.

In 1935, the USS Barracuda was assigned to the BLACK Fleet, which was at the time working on “Fleet Problem XVI,” large scale fleet maneuvers which included antisubmarine tactics. In 1937, she spent time at Pearl Harbor, the Panama Canal, and a number of ports locations, including Port of Spain, Trinidad; Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort de France, Martinique; St. Johns, Antigua; and Bassaterre, St. Kitts.

On May 14, 1937 the USS Barracuda was placed out of commission in Philadelphia. While on reserve she was transported to the Portsmouth Navy Yard, arriving June 18, 1940.

The USS Barracuda During World War II

The USS Barracuda was recommissioned on September 5, 1940. While first assigned to Submarine Division 9, she sailed to Bermuda briefly then returned to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and was reassigned to Submarine Division 71. She remained in New England for more than a full year, before finally joining the Pacific Fleet on November 17, 1941.

She remained in the Pacific Fleet and operated in the Pacific only a short time, as she rejoined the Atlantic Fleet on December 15, 1941. From then until September 7, 1942 she was part of Submarine Division 31. As part of this division she completed a total of six Pacific Ocean war patrols southwest of Panama. Unlike the majority of Navy vessels in wartime, which saw at least some action during their war patrols, the USS Barracuda made no enemy contacts during any of her six patrols.

Following the completion of these activities, the USS Barracuda returned in September 1942 to Coco Solo in the Canal Zone. After undergoing repairs she made her way to Philadelphia for an overhaul, after which she switched her base of operations to New London. Until February 1945, she operated with Submarine Divisions 13 and 31, participating in training exercises with other submarines as well as destroyers in Block Island Sound.

After the War

On February 16, 1945, the USS Barracuda arrived at Philadelphia Naval Yard, where she was decommissioned on March 3 and sold on November 16. Many United States Navy vessels contained large amounts of asbestos as the substance was once used extensively as an insulator and fireproofing material. Those who served on board these vessels or were involved in building, repairing, or outfitting them, may be at risk of developing an asbestos-related disease due to asbestos exposure. If you have developed an asbestos-related disease as a result of involvement with Navy vessels, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a free informational packet.

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