USS Besugo SS-321

Named for a tropical fish member of the porgie family, the USS Besugo SS-321 was an important part of the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War. The USS Besugo SS-321 was launched in 1944 and was an instrumental vessel among its class.

The USS Besugo SS-321 was laid down on May 27, 1943. She was built by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut, a shipbuilding company that was responsible for quite a number of World War II submarines. This submarine was over 300 feet long with a beam width of just over 27 feet. She could travel over 20 knots an hour when surfaced and over 8.5 knots per hour when submerged. This speed was achieved by four General Motors V16 diesel engines, which controlled electrical generators. With 10 mounted torpedoes, as well as deck guns and machines guns, this vessel was a menace for enemies.

The USS Besugo SS-321, which was sponsored by Mrs. P. J. Homer, was launched on February 27, 1944 under the command of Commander T. L. Wogan. After thorough testing, she became a part of the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet on June 19, 1944. She travels to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, her home port, through the Panama Canal, arriving on July 25, 1944. From there, her missions took her to the waters of Asia.

The USS Besugo SS-321, which was sponsored by Mrs. P. J. Homer, was launched on February 27, 1944 under the command of Commander T. L. Wogan. After thorough testing, she became part of the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet on June 19, 1944. She traveled to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, her home port, through the Panama Canal, arriving on July 25, 1944. From there, her missions took her to the waters of Asia.

Between September 26, 1944 and July 25 of the following year, the USS Besugo SS-321 made five war patrols. Her main missions had her sailing to The Bungo Strait, the Makassar Strait, the Java Sea, and the South China Sea. During this time, the USS Besugo SS-321 battled with a number of enemy vessels. She sank one German submarine, one tanker (the Nichei Maru), on LSV, one frigate, and one minesweeper.

One of the most significant battles for the USS Besugo SS-321 during World War II came near the end with the German Unterseeboot (submarine) U-183. This submarine was one the “Monsun boats” that was used to protect Japanese bases in Indonesia, especially around Penang. Over the previous two years, U-183 had sunk four commercial vessels, so this victory was especially sweet. The submarine was taken down just a day before the war ended. There was only one survivor from the crew.

After World War II

After World War II was over, the USS Besugo SS-321 departed from the Asian waters and headed for home. During her time in this area, she was based out of Fremantle, Australia. On August, 29, 1945, she left for San Diego where she arrived on September 26, 1945. After a complete overhaul for repairs and updates, the USS Besugo SS-321 was sent to Guam where she operated for a while before being transferred once again to Pearl Harbor in May of 1946.

During the next eight years, the USS Besugo SS-321 traveled around the Pacific from her base in Hawaii. She completed two tours to Asia during this time – one that lasted from June 10, 1947 to September 21, 1947 and the other that lasted from October 31, 1950 to April 11, 1951. After spending almost a decade in Hawaii, the USS Besugo SS-321 was transferred to San Diego, where she patrolled the west coast of the United States.

In 1958, the USS Besugo SS-321 was decommissioned and became part of the growing U.S. Pacific Reserve Fleet. She was recommissioned in 1965, this time with the classification “Auxiliary Research Submarine, and less than a year later was taken to a shipyard to be converted to a Fleet Snorkel Submarine. In March of 1966, the USS Besugo SS-321 was sent on lease to Italy, where she was renamed “Francesco Morosini.”

The USS Besugo SS-321 was returned to the United States in November of 1975 after the lease with Italy was over. However, she was struck from the United State Navy's Naval Register list that month. By the middle of April the following year, the USS Besugo SS-321 was sold for scrap metal, which has been the fate of most Balao class submarines, although there are still nine preserves, many on display at various Navy museums and facilities.

While in commission, the USS Besugo SS-321 served the Navy well. However, it is important to remember that if you worked on this submarine at any time, you may have been exposed to asbestos, which is a substance that can cause serious medical conditions. If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a free informational packet.

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