Specifications for SS 174 and SS 175
Displacement: 1,316/1,968 tons
Length: 298’ 1”
Beam: 25’ 1”
Draft: 13’ 10”
Power (diesel) 4,300hp (Winton engine Corp.)
Power (electric) 2,085hp (Elliot Motor Corp. - 240 cells)
Speed (diesel) 19 1/2 knots (electric) 8 1/4 knots
Bunkers: 86,675 gallons
Tubes: (fwd) four 21 inch tubes
Tubes: (deck) two 21-inch tubes (carried 16 torpedoes total)
Deck gun: single 3”/50
AA guns: two .50 cal and two .30 cal
Officers: 5
Enlisted men: 45
Depth of dive: 250 feet

USS PICKEREL (SS 177)

Built by: Electric Boat
Design: EB 200A
Keel laid: 25 February 1935
Launched: 7 July 1936
Sponsor: Miss E. Standley
Commissioned: 26 January 1937
First Skipper: LCDR Leon J. Huffman

“YOU WILL SINK OR DESTROY ENEMY SHIPPING WHEREVER ENCOUNTERED”

That was the message given to all the submarines in the Philippines on 8 December 1941, and PICKEREL headed for her assigned patrol station off the Indo-China coast by Camrahn Bay. It was futile however, as LCDR Bacon sighted a Japanese patrol craft, fired five torpedoes at it - and had five failures.

The second war patrol however, saw PICKEREL score her first victory. Making a night submerged attack on what he thought was a 5,000 merchantman, Bacon fired two torpedoes and the gunboat KANKO MARU blew sky-high. During her fifth war patrol, PICKEREL was attacked vigorously by a Japanese escort while she was running at 230 feet down. Tubes in the No. 1 and No. 2 main engine heat exchangers were ruptures. The cooling hose to No. 2 main engine outboard exhaust valve was lost. The hull stop valve for hose line was burst and before it could be secured, spray had contaminated the No. 2 main generator and soaked the field windings. After a fresh water rinse and slow drying by heating eventually restored the generator to service. USS PICKEREL remained on patrol.

It was worse during the seventh war patrol. PICKEREL departed Midway and was never heard from again. Japanese information indicates that PICKEREL was possibly sunk by depth charge attack off the Shiramuka Lighthouse on 3 April 1943. No confirmation.

No one really knows what happened to PICKEREL but she departed Pearl on 18 March 1943 for her seventh war patrol. She stopped off at Midway for fuel and left for her assigned patrol area off the east coast of northern Honshu. These waters were heavily mined and vigorously patrolled. USS PICKEREL was the first American submarine lost in the Central Pacific area. 74 men are still on Eternal Patrol.

War patrols of USS PICKEREL
WP#	FROM	TO	DURATION	SINKINGS
1	CV S China	CV	21 days	None
2	CV transit	JA	30 days	KANKO MARU 2,672-ton gunboat
3	JA Malaya	JA	40 days	None
4	JA Phil.	BA	52 days	None
5	BA transit	PH	47 days	None
6	PH Kuriles	PH	40 days	TATEYAMA MARU 1,990-ton cargo
7	PH empire	----	----	CH 13 460-ton sub chaser FUKUEI MARU 1,113-ton cargo

It is possible PICKEREL did not sink FUKUEI MARU and that she herself was sunk on 3 April 1943 by the minelayer SHIRAKAMI and the auxiliary sub chaser BUNZAN MARU off Shiramuka, Honshu.

B. E. Bacon was Commanding Officer for patrols 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. A. H. Alston was Commanding Officer for patrols 6 and 7.

USS PICKEREL was awarded three Battle Stars.