COMBAT HERITAGE
USS GREENLING (SS 213) at Commissioning
USS GREENLING (SSN 614) is the second ship of the fleet to bear the name, in commemoration of the submarine GREENLING (SS 213). The first GREENLING distinguished herself in the Pacific theater of operations by sending over 59,000 tons of Japanese shipping to the bottom. Her skippers, during twelve war patrols earned two Navy Crosses, one Silver Star, one Legion of Merit, and the Presidential Unit Citation. Although official Navy records only credit GREENLING with fifteen definite kills, her logs relate the sinking of twenty-two Japanese vessels for a total of 102,500 tons plus damage to an aircraft carrier and two large tankers.
Her history begins at the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Conn., where her keel was laid on 12 November 1940 and she was launched 20 September 1941 under the sponsorship of Mrs. Ralston S. Holmes, wife of Rear Admiral Holmes, USN. GREENLING officially joined the U.S. Navy when she was commissioned on 21 January 1942 with LCDR H.C. Bruton, USN, as her first commanding officer.
Mrs. Ralston H. Holmes sponsor for USS GREENLING (SS 213)
SS 213 was a GATO class fleet-type submarine of the latest all-welded design, displacing 1500 tons at a length of 307 feet and a beam of 27 feet and was equipped with ten torpedo tubes. With its 6400 horsepower diesel all electric drive, it could cruise the ocean at 20 knots on the surface.
After an intensive training program, GREENLING transited the Panama Canal and raced into the combat theater. She left Pearl Harbor on 20 April 1942 for her first war patrol, the highlight of which was the sinking with a single torpedo of an armed 5,800-ton ship.
At Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal and the Marshall Islands GREENLING was immediately thrust into the thick of the battle for the Pacific.
The Second, third, and fourth patrols were highly successful. Her war patrol reports claim nine enemy vessels sunk plus the destruction of two sampans the Japanese were employing as pickets. GREENLING continued wreaking havoc upon the Japanese merchant marine through 1942, 1943, and 1944.
Battle Flag of SS 213
Her 12th and last war patrol began on the 26th of December 1944. Leaving Pearl Harbor early in the morning after a night of Christmas festivities, GREENLING turned her bow toward the coast of Japan. While cruising on station during the early morning of 25 January 1945, GREENLING made contact with a nine-ship convoy. Attempting to maneuver into favorable attack position, GREENLING was detected by the convoy escorts. Four Chidori torpedo boat escorts immediately brought her under the most severe and intensive depth charge attack of her combat life. After three hours of concerted effort, the Japanese broke off the attack to rejoin their convoy, undoubtedly confident they had made a kill. Battered and leaking badly through many hull fittings, GREENLING surfaced after nightfall to set a course toward Saipan for emergency repairs.
At Saipan the pressure hull and operating machinery damage was assessed and found to be quite severe. GREENLING returned to Portsmouth, New Hampshire via Pearl Harbor and San Francisco for a major overhaul on 23 February 1945 to repair her battle damage. She never again returned to the Pacific combat theater.
After the war, GREENLING returned to New London for deactivation. She joined the reserve fleet in September 1946 and began her last mission as a training submarine for Submarine reservists in the Boston area. She was sold 16 June 1960 to Minichiello Brothers, Chelesa, Massachusetts. The wife of the SS 213 commissioning commanding officer, Mrs. Henry C. Bruton is the sponsor of USS GREENLING (SSN 614).
USS GREENLING (SS 213) at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard San Francisco August, 1944
USS GREENLING (SS 213)
Keel Laid 12 November 1940
Launched 20 September 1941
Commissioned 21 January 1942
Ship Sponsor – Mrs. Ralston S. Holmes
USS GREENLING (SS 213) COMMANDING OFFICERS
Lieutenant Commander Henry Chester Bruton, USN 21 Jan 1942 – 1 Feb 1943
Lieutenant Commander James Don Grant, USN 1 Feb 1943 – 17 Jun 1944
Lieutenant Commander John Day Gerwick, USN 17 Jun 1944 – 19 Jun 1945
Lieutenant Commander William H. McClaskey, USNR 19 Jun 1945 – 6 Feb 1946
Lieutenant Commander Francis T. Cooper, USN 6 Feb 1946 – 30 Apr 1946
Lieutenant Commander Robert N. Carroll, USNR 30 Apr 1946 – 18 Jun 1946
Lieutenant Francis M. Oakley, USN 18 Jun 1946 – 16 Oct 1946
UNIT AWARDS
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION: First, Second, and Third War Patrols.
TEN BATTLE STARS for operations:
1 Star/Battle of Midway: 3 Jun – 6 Jun 1942
1 Star/Second War Patrol – Pacific: 10 Jul – 1 Sep 1942
1 Star/Third War Patrol – Pacific: 23 Sep – 1 Nov 1942
1 Star/Capture and Defense of Guadalcanal: 9 Dec 1942 – 31 Jan 1943
1 Star/Sixth War Patrol – Pacific: 17 May – 8 Jul 1943
1 Star/Seventh War Patrol – Pacific: 28 Jul – 17 Sep 1943
1 Star/Marshall Islands Operation: 1 Jan 1944
1 Star/Ninth War Patrol – Pacific: 20 Mar – 12 May 1944
1 Star/Tenth War Patrol – Pacific: 9 Jul – 12 Sep 1944
1 Star/Eleventh War Patrol – Pacific: 5 Oct – 23 Nov 1944
SS 213 CHARACTERISTICS
Length 311 feet, 9 inches
Beam 27 feet, 3 inches
Displacement 1,526 tons (surfaced)
2,424 tons (submerged)
Speed 20.25 knots (surfaced)
8.75 knots (submerged)
Diving Depth 300 feet
Crew Complement 6 officers
54 enlisted
Armament 10 21-inch torpedo tubes
1 3-inch .50 caliber gun
2 .50 caliber machine guns
2 .30 caliber machine guns