USS Hardhead SS 365
The USS Hardhead SS 365 was a Balao-class submarine that was launched on December 12th, 1943 from the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and was sponsored by a Mrs. E. F. McDonald. The newly constructed ship was commissioned on April 18th, 1944 under the leadership of Commander Fitzhugh McMaster. Following her shakedown trials and operational training in Lake Michigan, she was placed into a floating dry dock and towed from Lockport, Illinois all the way down south to New Orleans, Louisiana where she arrived on May 16th, 1944. Upon reaching the open ocean, she moved west transiting the Panama Canal, and onward into the waters of the Pacific arriving at her final destination of Pearl Harbor on July 7th, 1944 and while there took part in numerous fleet exercises to prepare for action.
From July of 1944 until August of 1945, the USS Hardhead SS 365 conducted a total of six war patrols throughout the Pacific. Her first war patrol began on July 27th, 1944 where she was ordered to patrol the region of the Philippines Islands and on August 18th she picked up a blip on her radar and her further investigation discovered that she had in fact encountered the Japanese cruiser Natori east of the San Bernardino Strait.
She began evasive maneuvers and prepared for battle, she shot two torpedoes at the enemy cruiser with the first one hitting her target dead on and stopping the ship in her tracks in the water. The second torpedo sunk her target and sent her to the bottom of the sea. She conducted lifeguard duties for the remainder of her patrol and provided reconnaissance during the Palaus operation. She arrived back at Fremantle, Australia on September 26th, 1944.
On October 24th, 1944 she began her second war patrol and while cruising in the Sulu Sea she rescued a life raft with a Commander Bakutis inside. He was the Fighter Squadron Commander of the Enterprise CV6 who’d just been shot down. The USS Hardhead SS 365 was officially decommissioned on July 26th, 1972 and then struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same day. She was then transferred to the government of Greece and appointed as the newest edition to the Hellenic Navy. The USS Hardhead SS 365 was awarded six battle stars for her service in World War II.
The honorable crew who served on the USS Hardhead SS 365 endured many dangerous moments. Unfortunately, they were also exposed to a danger they were unaware of while going about their duties. The USS Hardhead SS 365 and other submarines were built with asbestos as insulation in and around pipes and most of the crewmen were exposed to a dangerous chemical which put them at risk for acquiring many respiratory problems. Any crewmembers who served aboard the USS Hardhead SS 365 should be evaluated by a medical specialist if they have symptoms of any respiratory health problems and if so, then you may need to consider possibly beginning mesothelioma treatment.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
