USS Plaice SS-390

USS Plaice was United States Navy Balao-class submarine, who earned six Battle Stars for her service in World War II. She was armed with 10 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, one 5-inch (127 mm) 25-caliber deck gun and four machine guns, which protected her complement of 81 sailors. Her propulsion consisted of four 10-cylinder opposed piston diesel engines driving electrical generators, two 126-cell batteries, four high-speed electric motors, and two propellers. Such equipment allowed the Plaice to endure 75 days on patrol, and 48 hours submerged-if traveling at two knots per hour. Otherwise, she could reach top speeds of 20 knots per hour on the surface and nine underwater, at a maximum depth of 400 feet. Her length reached 311 feet.

Outstanding Contributions

After being laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in November 1943, Plaice was commissioned the following February, in 1944. After her shakedown and initial training, she sailed through the Panama Canal Zone on her maiden voyage to Pearl Harbor, arriving in May. Her first war patrol found Plaice in the vicinity of the Bonin Islands, where she sunk the 986-ton ex-gunboat, Hyakufuku Maru, in late June. This was followed by her sinking of the 857-ton ex-net tender Kogi Maru, and the 300-ton Submarine Chaser No. 50, in July.

On her second war patrol the following month, Plaice traveled to the area around Nansei Shoto, where she torpedoed the Kongō Maru, which was a converted auxiliary cruiser. In September, she sank the 800-ton Coastal Defense Vessel No. 10, and set a transport on fire with a strike of three torpedoes. Later that year, Plaice was directed to remain off the coast of Shikoku and Kyūshū for her third patrol, which is where she caused damage to the Japanese destroyer Maki and assisted in additional patrol of the traffic lanes east of Van Diemen Strait.

Returning to Guam for scheduled maintenance and refitting, Plaice's next order sent her to the Luzon Straits and Formosa. As a unit of a coordinated attack group with five other U.S. submarines, she maintained a strong military presence by holding enemy convoys at bay, before being moored back at Midway. USS Plaice then sailed to the Kuril Islands in the Okhotsk Sea area in April 1945. Within a few weeks, she attacked four sea trucks and four small luggers, sinking all but two of the luggers, which she drove away with small arms fire. Soon after, Plaice again proved her strength by damaging two 250-ton fishing boats before retuning to Pearl Harbor. From there, she sped to East China Sea waters and rescued five survivors from an Army B-25 before the war officially ended.

International Retirement

Plaice continued operations in the Pacific until placed out of commission and in reserve in 1947. She was stationed at Mare Island, California until 1963, when she was reactivated and transferred to Brazil under the Military Assistance Program. Once there, she was commissioned as Bahia in the Brazilian Navy under a five year loan. However, her time with them was regularly extended, and she never returned to the United States. The USS Plaice was eventually sold to the Brazilian Museum of Naval Technology, in Santos, Brazil, in 1972, and stricken from the US Navy Register in April, 1973.

The USS Plaice was fortunate in many ways. She was not only victorious in battle; she escaped damage, accidents, collisions, and even minor mishaps. Plus, she continues to serve the public in the role of educator and goodwill ally to another country. In all likelihood, her structure was probably as sound after the war as it was before, which is very encouraging in terms of possible damage to unseen areas. For many ships of this time, it was standard procedure to include additional fire protection onboard in the form of asbestos, which could have been damaged from enemy fire and the resulting impacts. (Since warships wanted to avoid the threat of fires at all cost, utilizing an excellent retardant like asbestos seemed an ideal way to secure control in high-heat areas.)

However, just because a ship did not withstand direct hits did not guarantee that the asbestos sealant remained intact; even regular overhauls would have caused it to become worn. Once sealant was damaged, tiny asbestos fibers could have escaped and drifted anywhere onboard. Any crew member was in danger of inhaling or swallowing them, and thus, placing their health at risk. That is because it is now known that such fibers can remain inside human tissue for decades, and as an irritant, may cause medical conditions for some people. Serious medical conditions, including diseases and a lung lining malignancy termed mesothelioma, among other cancers, have been directly attributed to asbestos procedure. If any sailor from the USS Plaice begins to notice unusual physical symptoms, they should contact their doctor immediately. For additional information, please fill out the form on this page to receive a complimentary packet in the mail.

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