USS Hammerhead SS 364
The USS Hammerhead SS 364 was a Gato-class submarine that was launched on October 24th, 1943 from the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and was sponsored by a Mrs. R. W. Berry. The newly constructed submarine was officially commissioned on March 1st, 1944 under the leadership of Commander J. C. Martin. Following the completion of a month’s training in Lake Michigan, the Hammerhead was placed into a dry dock and towed down the Mississippi River south towards New Orleans, Louisiana where she arrives on April 8th, 1944. She moved out to sea and through the Panama Canal in order to reach the Pacific Ocean and her final destination of Pearl Harbor.
On June 6th, 1944 the USS Hammerhead SS 364 departed on her first ever war patrol along with fellow submarines the USS Steelhead SS 280 and the USS Parche SS 384 and together the newly formed wolf pack cruised through the seas south of Formosa when she encountered her first enemy vessel contact on the June 9th when she successfully sank a sampan with her mounted guns. At one point on June 30th, she was able to severely damage several ships that were moving as a large enemy convoy. She made it back to port at Fremantle, Australia on August 17th, 1944. The Hammerhead’s second war patrol came when she was ordered to conduct reconnaissance mission throughout the Java and South China Seas. During her patrol on the night of October 1st, 1944 she encountered a convoy consisting of four cargo ships, one oiler and three escorts that were detected off the coast of Borneo.
The Hammerhead engaged her targets firing ten torpedoes, six of which slammed dead on into their intended ships and three of the cargo ships were sent to the bottom of the sea sinking and sunk. From June of 1944 until August of 1945 the USS Hammerhead conducted seven total war patrols as a part of the Pacific Fleet. The USS Hammerhead SS 364 was finally decommissioned on August 21st, 1953 and was officially struck from the Naval Vessel Registry on January 1st, 1972. The Hammerhead was awarded seven battle stars and a Navy Unit Commendation for her service during World War II.
The USS Hammerhead SS 364 and her crew fought bravely for their country. However, they were unwittingly exposed to the hazards of asbestos during their time at sea. She was constructed during an era when the threats involved with asbestos were not well understood, and the material was commonly used as an insulator throughout the vessel. Now we’re aware that veterans are at risk of developing serious respiratory conditions as a result of their time aboard submarines such as the USS Hammerhead SS 364. Diseases including a type of deadly cancer called mesothelioma are a dangerous risk for retired veterans, and any crewmembers who are concerned that they may have been exposed to asbestos while aboard the Hammerhead or any other submarine should consult with a doctor and begin mesothelioma treatment.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
