View source for Mackerel-class submarine

{{Short description|Submarine class}}
{{About|the U.S. Navy ''Mackerel''-class submarines built in 1939–1941|the class of U.S. Navy submarines built in 1952–1953, the lead ship of which later was renamed ''Mackerel''|T-1 class submarine}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:Mackerel (SS204). Port bow, 03-22-1941 - NARA - 513037.jpg|300px|USS Mackerel (SS-204)]]
|Ship caption={{USS|Mackerel|SS-204}}
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Mackerel'' class
|Builders=*[[General Dynamics Electric Boat|Electric Boat Company]]
*[[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]]
|Operators=[[File:Flag of the United States.svg|20px]][[United States Navy]]
|Class before={{sclass|Tambor|submarine|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|Gato|submarine|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Built range=1939–1941
|In commission range=1941–1945
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=2
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=2
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(''Mackerel'')
|Ship type=[[Diesel engine|Diesel]] and [[electric motor|electric]] [[submarine]]<ref name="Register">{{cite book
  | last = Bauer
  | first = K. Jack
  |author2=Roberts, Stephen S.
  | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants
  | publisher = Greenwood Press
  | year = 1991
  | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]]
  | isbn = 0-313-26202-0
  | page = 271 }}</ref>
|Ship displacement=*825&nbsp;[[long ton|tons]] (838&nbsp;[[tonne|t]]) surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs">{{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | title = U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History
  | publisher = [[United States Naval Institute]]
  | date = 1995
  | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
  | pages = 305–311
  | isbn = 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref>
*1,190&nbsp;tons (1,209&nbsp;t) submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship length={{convert|243|ft|1|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|22|ft|1|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship draft={{convert|13|ft|0+1/4|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[Electric Boat]] [[direct drive]] [[diesel engine]]s<ref name="Register"/>
*2 × 60-[[Electrochemical cell|cell]] {{USS|Sargo|SS-188|2}} [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*2 × [[Electro Dynamic]] [[electric motor]]s<ref name="Register"/>
*2 shafts<ref name="Register"/>
*{{convert|1680|bhp|abbr=on}} surfaced<ref name="Register"/>
*{{convert|1500|bhp|abbr=on}} submerged<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship speed=*{{convert|16|kn|km/h}} surfaced<ref name="Register"/>
*{{convert|11|kn|km/h}} submerged<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship range={{convert|6500|nmi|km}} at {{convert|10|kn|km/h}} (service)<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth={{convert|250|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship complement=4 officers, 33 enlisted<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*6 × {{convert|21|in|0|adj=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
*&nbsp;(four forward, two aft)
*&nbsp;12&nbsp;[[torpedo]]es<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*1 × [[3"/50 caliber gun|3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber]] [[deck gun]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(''Marlin'')
|Ship type=[[Diesel-electric]] submarine<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship displacement=*800&nbsp;[[long ton|tons]] (813&nbsp;[[tonne|t]]) standard, surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*1165&nbsp;tons (1184&nbsp;t) submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship length={{convert|238|ft|11|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|21|ft|7+1/4|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship draft={{convert|13|ft|0+1/4|in|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[American Locomotive Company|ALCO]] [[diesel engine]]s driving [[electrical generator]]s<ref name="Register"/>
*2 × 60-[[Electrochemical cell|cell]] [[USS Sargo (SS-188)|''Sargo'']] [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*2 × [[General Electric]] [[electric motor]]s<ref name="Register"/>
*2 shafts<ref name="Register"/>
*{{convert|1700|bhp|abbr=on}} surfaced<ref name="Register"/>
*{{convert|1500|bhp|abbr=on}} submerged<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship speed=*{{convert|14.5|kn|km/h|0}} surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*{{convert|9|kn|km/h}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship range={{convert|7400|nmi|km}} at {{convert|10|kn|km/h}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth={{convert|250|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship complement=4 officers, 34 enlisted<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*6 × {{convert|21|in|0|adj=on}} torpedo tubes
*&nbsp;(four forward, two aft)
*&nbsp;12&nbsp;torpedoes<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*1 × 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber deck gun<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''''Mackerel''-class submarines''' were a pair of experimental prototype [[submarine]]s built just prior to [[World War II]] and launched in 1940 and 1941. The two submarines were similar in size and capability to the [[United States S-class submarine|S-class submarines]] built at the end of [[World War I]], and had been ordered to test the feasibility of using mass production techniques to build small submarines. Until at least 1940 it was thought that mass production of [[fleet submarine]]s would be impractical, and in any case small submarines could provide [[area defense]] for submarine bases.<ref>Friedman, pp. 221–222, 227</ref> Once it became apparent that there would be sufficient production of the more capable {{sclass|Gato|submarine|1}}s, interest in the design waned and no additional small submarines were ordered. Submarine production standardized during the war on the ''Gato'' class and its successors, the {{sclass|Balao|submarine|5}} and {{sclass|Tench|submarine|0}} submarines. In some references, the ''Mackerel''s are called the "M class".<ref>Silverstone, p. 195</ref>

==Design==

The ''Mackerel''s stemmed from design studies ordered by the Navy's [[General Board of the United States Navy|General Board]] beginning in 1936, when Admiral [[Thomas C. Hart]] joined the Board and spearheaded the small submarine effort.<ref>Friedman, pp. 221-223</ref> At the time it was felt that mass production of large [[fleet submarine]]s would be impractical.<ref>Friedman, pp. 221-222</ref> It was also felt necessary to replace the aging S, [[United States R-class submarine|R]], and [[United States O-class submarine|O-class]] submarines, to provide area defense for submarine bases and operate in restricted waters.<ref>Friedman, pp. 227-228</ref> For the ''Mackerel''s, two somewhat different designs were produced by the [[Electric Boat Company]] and [[Portsmouth Navy Yard]].<ref name="Friedman, pp. 224-227">Friedman, pp. 224-227</ref> As prototypes, ''Mackerel'' and ''Marlin'' were near-sisters rather than sisters. References agree that ''Mackerel'' used a [[direct drive]] propulsion arrangement, but differ as to whether ''Marlin'' had direct drive or [[diesel-electric]] drive.<ref>Friedman, p. 227</ref><ref>Gardiner and Chesneau, pp. 144-145</ref> Both had engine designs not used in other US Navy submarines; ''Mackerel'' an in-house Electric Boat design, ''Marlin'' an [[American Locomotive Company|ALCO]] locomotive design.<ref name="Friedman, pp. 224-227"/> By late 1941 it became apparent that fleet submarines could be mass-produced, and interest in small submarines began to wane. Interest in them was revived with the examination of the German [[HMS Graph|''U-570'']], a [[German Type VII submarine|Type VII U-boat]] captured by the [[Royal Navy|British]] and loaned to the US. Also, Admiral Hart returned to the General Board in late 1942, following a courageous part in the ultimately futile defense of the [[Philippines campaign (1941–1942)|Philippines]] and [[ABDA|Indonesia]] in 1941-42. He pointed out that no other navy had abandoned small submarines. However, Admiral [[Frederick J. Horne]], [[Vice Chief of Naval Operations]], felt that small submarines should only be built if there was no interference with fleet submarine production. With all submarine yards capable of building fleet submarines, there was no easy way to avoid impacting their production, so the small submarine was abandoned as a concept.<ref>Friedman, pp. 228-231</ref>

==Service==

Both submarines spent their entire careers operating from [[Submarine Base New London]], [[Connecticut]] and [[Portsmouth Navy Yard]] in training and research roles, contributing to the development of both submarine and [[antisubmarine warfare]] in [[World War II]]. On 12 April 1942 ''Mackerel'' was attacked by a [[Kriegsmarine|German]] [[U-boat]] while transiting to [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk]], [[Virginia]], but the torpedoes missed and ''Mackerel'''s counter-attack was unsuccessful. ''Marlin'' appeared as the fictional ''Corsair'' in the 1943 movie ''[[Crash Dive]]'', filmed at Submarine Base New London. After the war, both boats were decommissioned in November 1945 and scrapped in 1946-47.

{{clear}}

==Boats in class==

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:97%;"
|+ Construction data
|-
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | Hull number
! scope="col" | Builder
! scope="col" | Laid down
! scope="col" | Launched
! scope="col" | Commissioned
! scope="col" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Mackerel|SS-204|2}}
|SS-204
|[[Electric Boat]], [[Groton, Connecticut]]
|6 October 1939
|28 September 1940
|31 March 1941
|Scrapped 1947
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Marlin|SS-205|2}}
|SS-205
|[[Portsmouth Navy Yard]], [[Kittery, Maine]]
|28 May 1940
|29 January 1941
|1 August 1941
|Scrapped 1946
|}

==See also==
* [[Unrestricted submarine warfare]]
* [[Torpedo]]
* [[List of submarine classes of the United States Navy]]
* [[List of lost United States submarines]]
* [[List of submarines of the Second World War]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|2}}

===Sources===
* Alden, John D., Commander (USN, Ret). ''The Fleet Submarine in the U.S. Navy: A Design and Construction History''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1979. {{ISBN|0-85368-203-8}}.
* Lenton, H. T. ''American Submarines (Navies of the Second World War)'' (Doubleday, 1973), {{ISBN|0-38504-761-4}}.
* Silverstone, Paul H., ''U.S. Warships of World War II'' (Ian Allan, 1965), {{ISBN|0-87021-773-9}}.
* Gardiner, Robert and Chesneau, Roger, ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946'', Conway Maritime Press, 1980. {{ISBN|0-83170-303-2}}.
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m1/mackerel-i.htm|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m5/marlin-i.htm}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Mackerel class submarines}}
* https://web.archive.org/web/20140322093118/http://www.fleetsubmarine.com/sublist.html
* [http://www.navsource.net/archives/08/04idx.htm NavSource fleet submarines page]
* [http://pigboats.com/subs/204.html Pigboats.com USS ''Mackerel'' photo page]
* [http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_3-50_mk10-22.htm DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com later 3"/50 caliber gun]

{{Mackerel class submarine}}
{{WWII US ships}}

[[Category:Submarine classes|Mackerel]]
[[Category:Mackerel-class submarines| ]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of the United States| Mackerel]]