Built by: Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Design: Government
Keel laid: 23 July 1936
Launched: 24 August 1937
Sponsor: Mrs. Harold R. Stark
Commissioned: 15 December 1937
First Skipper: LCDR Franklin O. Johnson

An interesting note here - the first USS SNAPPER (SS 16), also known as C-5 had as her first Skipper, a young Ensign named Chester Nimitz who, on 31 December 1941, became Commander in Chief of the American Pacific Fleet and went down in history as an outstanding military genius, and a great man.

As the Japanese began the attack on the Philippine Islands, USS SNAPPER was one of the American submarines hurrying into the fray. She relieved USS PIKE in the Hainan Gulf area.

In the middle of December 1941, USS SNAPPER, under LCDR H. L. Stone, launched two torpedoes in a submerged attack - no hits.

On 9 April 1942, USS SNAPPER was used in support of the personnel in the embattled Philippines. Still under command of LCDR Stone, she had arrived from Cebu with 46 tons of food. They delivered another 20 tons to the rescue vessel PIGEON. When this was accomplished, she cruised to ‘the Rock’ and took aboard seven US Navy officers and 20 enlisted men. She made her way through Japanese held waters to Fremantle.

One of the ‘temporary’ boats from Pearl, USS SNAPPER spent the fall of 1942 as part of the new Brisbane Force, patrolling the south Pacific. Many of the newer Fleet boats were rushed to this area to relieve the antiquated ‘Sugar’ boats (the S-Boats) which were an old design and not able to keep up in the battle.

On 26 January of 1943, USS SNAPPER with USS FLYINGFISH sank the 8,358 ton Japanese transport TOKAI MARU. This was during the time the Japanese transport system was beginning to take a terrible beating at the hands of the American submarines.

Late in 1943, USS SNAPPER, under LCDR M. K. Clemenson, sank the 4,575 ton Japanese cargo ship KEURYU MARU off the Japanese island of Honshu.

During her time in the war, USS SNAPPER was not overlooked by the enemy. On 24 November 1942, her fifth war patrol, SNAPPER received one large and two small bombs from an unidentified Japanese aircraft while she was running at periscope depth. SNAPPER quickly went deeper and, while running at 200 feet, received 18 depth charges from a Japanese destroyer. Bow buoyancy and MBT number 2B and 2D vent valve gaskets were blown out. Low pressure blow line to FBT number 5 and 6 ruptured. Light bulbs were broken throughout the submarine & miscellaneous other damage occurred. SNAPPER remained on patrol.

War patrols of USS SNAPPER
WP#	FROM	TO	DURATION	SINKINGS
1	CV Davao	SJ	53 days	None
2	FA Davao	FA	50 days	See note A
3	FA Celebes	FA	49 days	None
4	FA S. China S.	FA	79 days	None
5	BA Solomons	BA	64 days	None
6	BA Transit	PH	46 days	None
7	FA Marianas	PH	54 days	See note B
8	PH Empire	PH	56 days	See note C
9	PH Bonins	MI	46 days	None
10	MI Truk	PH	56 days	See note D
11	PH Bonins	MI	52 days	See note E

NOTE A - Special mission to the Philippines

NOTE B - on her 7th war patrol, USS SNAPPER sank:
8,359 ton transport TOKAI MARU;
870 ton escort MITSURE

NOTE C - on her 8th war patrol, USS SNAPPER sank:
4,575 ton transport KENRYU MARU

NOTE D - USS SNAPPER performed Lifeguard duty

NOTE E - on her 11th war patrol, USS SNAPPER sank:
1,990 ton transport SEIAN MARU;
720 ton minesweeper AJIRO

H. L. Stone was her Skipper for patrols 1 and 2; H. E. Baker for patrols 3 and 4; S. St. Angelo for patrols 5 & 6; M. K. Clemenson for patrols 7 and 8; W. W. Walker for patrols 9, 10 and 11.

USS SNAPPER was awarded 6 Battle Stars for World War II.

USS SNAPPER was decommissioned 15 November 1945 and stricken from the Navy Ship List on 30 April 1948. She was delivered to Interstate Metals for scrapping on 18 May 1948.