USS Argonaut-SM-1
The USS Argonaut-SM-1 was a launched on November 10th, 1927 from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine and was sponsored by a Mrs. Phillip Mason Sears who was the daughter of Rear Admiral William D. MacDougal. The sub was commissioned on April 2nd, 1928 under the command of Lieutenant Commander W. M. Quigley. The Argonaut was originally a second-generation v-boat which remains to this day the largest non-nuclear submarines ever built by the United States. She was mainly intended to be a mine-layer and her construction all in all cost over six million dollars which even today would be a lot of money let alone the 1920’s. At the time, the Argonaut was the largest submarine that had ever been built in the U. S. and held that title for 30 more years afterwards.
Immediately following her commission, the newly built Argonaut set out for Newport, Rhode Island to join up with the Submarine Division 12. After undergoing many trials and exercises off the coast of Provincetown, Massachusetts she was finally ready for action and set out to the Pacific to operate with the Submarine Division 7 in training near the shores of Hawaii. On February 19th, 1931 she was officially given the hull classification USS Argonaut SM 1. Shortly after that, she was officially appointed as flagship of the Submarine Division 4. She carried out mine-laying operations, patrol duty and other routine work. In April of 1941 she headed to the western seaboard of the U. S. mainland to participate in fleet tactical exercises off the coast of California.
On January 10th, 1943 she set out on her last patrol mission around the waters of the Bismarck Sea. She spotted a large Japanese convoy consisting of five enemy freighters and their escorts. Her crew engaged the group slamming one of their torpedoes successfully against one of the Japanese destroyers, but then the enemy fighters promptly and expectedly countered the attack. It is believed that a depth charge massively damaged the Argonaut and after a long and drawn out fight, the Argonaut slipped into the sea and was never heard from again. One hundred and five men went down with her on that day which turned out to be the worst loss of life from a submarine attack in wartime history. The Argonaut was officially struck from the Naval Vessel Register on February 26th, 1943. She was awarded two battle stars for service in World War II.
The USS Argonaut SM 1 and her crew were honorable and brave throughout conflicts, but asbestos was used frequently for the insulation of piping systems and hull constructions. Therefore, it could be found nearly anywhere in submarine constructions, particularly in naval vessel. If you have worked aboard the USS Argonaut SM 1 and think you may have been exposed to asbestos, it is important you tell your physician about this. Respiratory complications, including the mesothelioma, a rare but very serious form of lung cancer, have been conclusively and directly linked to asbestos exposure.
Last modified: December 09 2009.
