USS Barb SS 220

The USS Barb SS 220 was a Gato-class submarine that was launched on April 2^nd, 1942 from the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut and was sponsored by a Mrs. Charles A. Dunn who was the wife of Rear Admiral Dunn. The sub was commissioned on July 8^th, 1942 under the command of Lieutenant Commander John R. Waterman. The Barb set out on her first of twelve total war patrols on October 20^th where she carried out numerous reconnaissance missions throughout the Atlantic such as just before and directly after the invasion of North Africa. While operating solely out of Roseneath, Scotland until 1943 when she prepared to carry out her next four patrols within European waters against the axis blockade runners. Her fifth and final patrol in the Atlantic theater of operations was finally terminated on July 1^st, 1943 as she came around and back into her home submarine base at New London, Connecticut arriving on July 24^th.

Following a complete overhaul at New London, she finally departed the eastern seaboard and headed south in order to transit the Panama Canal and drive straight for Pearl Harbor where she finally arrived in September of 1943 to officially begin her Pacific presence. In March of 1944 she initiated her first of seven intense war patrols in the Pacific Ocean where upon finishing in August of 1945, she had been credited with sinking 17 Japanese enemy vessels totaling ninety six thousand six hundred and twenty eight tons. The greatest battle of said accomplishments was when the Barb successfully sank a Japanese escort carrier September 16^th, 1944.

Her eleventh patrol took her cruising through the Formosa Straits as well as the East China Sea off the coast of Shanghai where she was able to sink four Japanese ships and numerous small enemy craft. On the days of January 22^nd and 23^rd of 1945 she bravely broke through the blockade at the entrance of Namkwan Harbor and wreaked utter havoc for two days on the 30 enemy ships that were anchored there. She launched all of her torpedoes causing enormous damage to the enemy and was able to escape remarkably unharmed. Commander Eugene B. Fluckey was awarded the Medal of Honor and the USS Barb received the Presidential Unit of Citation. The Barb was decommissioned on December 15^th, 1954 and won eight battle stars for WWII service.

The USS Barb SS 220 and her crew fought brave in their fight for their country’s freedoms, but they were in danger even aboard their submarine, perhaps unknowingly. Asbestos products were used to build the submarine, mainly within the submarines insulation dealing with piping. While at one time asbestos was a commonly used building material, it’s been discovered to be toxic since then. Exposure to asbestos can lead to diseases such as mesothelioma, a form of cancer. For this reason anyone who has been exposed to any materials made from asbestos should seek medical counsel right away and take the proper steps to receive mesothelioma treatment if necessary.

Last modified: December 09 2009.