Built by: Electric Boat
Design: EB 212C
Keel laid: 9 September 1937
Launched: 29 October 1938
Sponsor: Mrs. L. Y. Spear
Commissioned: 17 July 1939
First Skipper: Lt. Charles E. Tolman, Jr.

“From Commander Asiatic Fleet to Asiatic Fleet – URGENT Japan has commenced hostilities Govern yourselves accordingly”

This message flashed to all the American submarine commands in the Pacific, and USS SPEARFISH was immediately dispatched to the patrol the waters off the Indo-China coast between the areas covered by USS PICKEREL and USS SARGO.

“You will sink or destroy enemy shipping wherever encountered.” was the command that went to these submarines; and off they went.

On 20 December, USS SPEARFISH under Lt. Pryce, spotted a Japanese submarine. Lt. Pryce directed a submerged approach and fired four torpedoes – all missed!

10 January, Japanese forces approached Tarawa to effect a landing and three American submarines, USS SPEARFISH, S-37 and S-41 were directed to intercept the enemy invasion force. Even though they raced for their patrol areas at top speed, they were not quick enough and the landings were taking place.

Some days after the tender USS HOLLAND arrived in Fremantle, Captain Wilkes and his Operational Staff arrived aboard USS SPEARFISH, USS STURGEON, USS SARGO and USS SEADRAGON. The Staff quickly relocated to Albany and Perth.

USS SPEARISH, under LCDR J. C. Dempsey, was the last submarine to reach Corregidor. On 3 May, she evacuated twelve Army and Navy officers, eleven Army nurses, one Navy nurse and a civilian woman – an odd cargo for a submarine. They were the last Americans to be pulled off ‘the Rock’.

17 April, USS SPEARFISH fired four torpedoes at a Japanese ship and two struck home. 25 April in another daytime submerged attack, they torpedoed another freighter – TOBA MARU.

USS SPEARFISH joined USS SEAL and USS PLUNGER for their part in Operation Galvanic, patrolling off the Marshall Islands. Later in the war prior to Operation ‘Flintlock’, USS SPEARFISH was one of several American submarines engaged in photo-recon patrols around the Marshall Islands.

Obviously, photo recon agreed with USS SPEARFISH as she was dispatched again to take photos from 28 November until 2 December 1944 all along Iwo Jima and Minami Jima.

When the first of the B-29 crews were saved with lifeguard duty, again the name of USS SPEARFISH is on the books. 19 Dec. 1944, they plucked seven airmen out of the water near Bonin.

Damage report of 19 January 1943

Bombed by unidentified aircraft at 04º 44’N x 175º 28’E off the Gilbert Islands, while passing 140 feet. Several main motor brushes and spring assemblies were dislodged from their holders. No. 2 periscope upper limit switch derangement caused 230 volt ground. Steam-tight lamps in conning tower shattered. Water closet porcelain bowl was broken. Main engine outboard exhaust valves, which had previously been leaking excessively, were effectively seated. Gaskets for safety tank and MBT No. 4 main vent valves were blown out. Miscellaneous other minor damage occurred. Ship was en route Pearl Harbor from patrol.

Commanding officers were:
R. F. Pryce (patrols 1 and 2)
J. C. Dempsey (patrols 3, 4, 5 and 6)
G. A. Sharp (patrol 7)
J. E. Williams (patrols 8, 9 and 10)
C. C. Doyle (patrol 12)

USS SPEARFISH received 10 Battle Stars for her time in WW II.

She was decommissioned 22 June 1946 and stricken from the Navy List on 19 July 1946. On 19 May 1947, she was delivered to Learner in Oakland, California to be broken up for scrap. The selling price for this warrior of the deep was a mere $21,793.

War Patrols of USS SPEARFISH
WP#	FROM	TO	DURATION	SINKINGS
1	CV S. China S	SJ	52 days	None
2	SJ Java S	FA	27 days	None
3	FA Sulu S	FA	54 days	see note A
4	FA S. China S	FA	52 DAYS	None
5	BA Luzon	BA	64 days	None
6	BA Transit	PH	54 days	None
7	PH Truk	MI	57 days	see note B
8	MI Empire	PH	47 days	None
9	PH Marshalls	PH	42 days	see note B
10	PH Formosa	PH	43 days	see note C
11	PH E. China S	PH	58 days	see note D
12	PH Empire	PH	64 days	see note E

A – on 3rd patrol, sank unknown cargo ship, approx. 4,000 tons and the 6,995 ton transport TOBA MARU
B – on 7th and 9th patrols, special missions
C – on 10th patrol, sank 3,560 ton transport TAMASHIMA MARU
D – on 11th patrol, sank the 2,510 ton freighter TOYOURA MARU
E – on 12th patrol, sank one small unnamed vessel and the 1,092 ton freighter SHOHEI MARU