USS Ray file photo [16013]

Ray

CountryUnited States
Ship ClassGato-class Submarine
Hull NumberSS-271
BuilderManitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States
Laid Down20 Jul 1942
Launched28 Feb 1943
Commissioned27 Jul 1943
Decommissioned12 Feb 1947
Displacement1,549 tons standard; 2,424 tons submerged
Length312 feet
Beam27 feet
Draft17 feet
MachineryFour Fairbanks-Morse Model 38D8-1/8 9-cyl opposed piston diesel engines (5,400shp), four General Electric electric motors (2,740shp), two 126-cell Sargo batteries, two propellers
Bunkerage116,000 gallons of fuel
Speed20 knots
Range11,000nm at 10 knots surfaced, 48 hours at 2 knots submerged
Crew60
Armament6x533mm forward torpedo tubes, 4x533mm aft torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1x76mm 50cal gun, 2x .50cal machine guns
Submerged Speed8.75 knots
Recommission13 Aug 1952
Final Decommission30 Sep 1958

Contributor:

ww2dbaseUSS Ray was commissioned into service in Jul 1943 and, after shakedown and training, arrived in Australia in Oct 1943. She conducted eight war patrols during the Pacific War, most of which successful, sinking many Japanese transports and tankers and damaging heavy cruiser Kumano, forcing her to enter a period of extensive repairs (she would be sunk by aircraft while undergoing repair, thus never saw action again). Beyond her US decorations, she was also awarded the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation for her WW2 service. She was decommissioned from service in 1947 and was laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, New London Group in Connecticut, United States. In Dec 1950, she was towed to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States where she was to be converted into a radar picket submarine. In this new role, she conducted several training exercises and served two tours of duty with the United States Navy 6th Fleet. She was decommissioned for the second and final time at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina, United States in 1958 and was sold for scrap in 1960.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Aug 2012

Submarine Ray (SS-271) Interactive Map

Photographs

USS Ray underway, circa 1943-1945USS Ray underway, circa 1945USS Tambor, USS Ray, USS Greenling, USS Cero (barely visible), and USS Raton (barely visible) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States, 24 Feb 1945Bow view of USS Ray, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States, 9 Mar 1945
See all 9 photographs of Submarine Ray (SS-271)

Ray Operational Timeline

20 Jul 1942 The keel of US submarine Ray was laid down by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States.
28 Feb 1943 Submarine Ray was launched at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States, sponsored by the wife of S. C. Loomis.
27 Jul 1943 USS Ray was commissioned into service with Lieutenant Commander B. J. Harral in command.
15 Aug 1943 USS Ray completed its training in Lake Michigan in northern United States.
31 Aug 1943 USS Ray arrived at the submarine base of Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone.
5 Oct 1943 USS Ray departed the Panama Canal Zone.
30 Oct 1943 USS Ray arrived at Brisbane, Australia.
13 Nov 1943 USS Ray departed Milne Bay, British Territory of Papua for her first war patrol.
26 Nov 1943 USS Ray sank a Japanese transport north of New Guinea, hitting her with 3 of 4 torpedoes fired. Several hours later, she struck again, sinking another ship with 4 of 6 torpedoes fired.
1 Dec 1943 USS Ray attacked a Japanese ship with her deck gun north of New Guinea, causing no damage.
11 Dec 1943 USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia for her second war patrol.
26 Dec 1943 USS Ray sank Japanese tanker Kyoko Maru in the Tioro Strait in the Dutch East Indies, hitting her with 5 of 6 torpedoes fired.
1 Jan 1944 USS Ray sank Japanese converted gunboat Okuyo Maru in the mouth of Ambon Bay, Dutch East Indies, hitting her with 3 of 6 torpedoes fired.
4 Jan 1944 USS Ray attacked two Japanese cargo ships in the Savu Sea just off the coast of Timor Barat (West Timor), Dutch East Indies, damaging one of them with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired.
12 Jan 1944 USS Ray arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her second war patrol.
6 Feb 1944 USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia for her third war patrol.
22 Feb 1944 USS Ray laid naval mines off Saigon, French Indochina.
2 Mar 1944 USS Ray began pursuing a nine-ship Japanese convoy in the South China Sea.
3 Mar 1944 USS Ray fired four torpedoes at a nine-ship Japanese convoy in the South China Sea, damaging one tanker with one torpedo hit.
18 Mar 1944 USS Ray fired six torpedoes at two Japanese destroyers and one patrol craft in the South China Sea; her crew reported hearing one explosion, but could not confirm it as the submarine dove in expectation of counterattacks.
27 Mar 1944 USS Ray arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her third war patrol.
23 Apr 1944 USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia for her fourth war patrol.
21 May 1944 USS Ray began pursuing a nine-ship Japanese convoy south of the Philippine Islands.
22 May 1944 USS Ray attacked a nine-ship Japanese convoy south of the Philippine Islands with seven torpedoes, scoring five hits; Tempei Maru was sunk and two other ships were damaged. A short moment later, she fired another torpedo from a stern tube, damaging another ship.
23 May 1944 USS Ray fired ten torpedoes at two radar contacts south of the Philippine Islands, sinking one ship and damaging another with six torpedo hits.
14 Jun 1944 USS Ray arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fourth war patrol.
9 Jul 1944 USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia for her fifth war patrol.
18 Jul 1944 USS Ray sank Japanese tanker Janbi Maru in the South China Sea, expending 22 torpedoes during the pursuit, 8 of which hit.
28 Jul 1944 USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia after restocking her store of torpedoes.
4 Aug 1944 USS Ray sank Japanese cargo ship Koshu Maru at the southern opening of the Makassar Strait between Borneo and Celebes in the Dutch East Indies, hitting her with 3 of 4 torpedoes fired.
13 Aug 1944 At the end of the day, USS Ray began pursuing a small Japanese convoy off Borneo, Dutch East Indies, firing 4 torpedoes, all of which missed.
14 Aug 1944 USS Ray continued to attack a small Japanese convoy off Borneo, Dutch East Indies, sinking tanker Zuisho Maru (hitting her with 3 of 3 torpedoes fired) and damaged a transport (hitting her with 1 of 3 torpedoes fired).
18 Aug 1944 USS Ray attacked a Japanese convoy and sank Japanese tanker Nansei Maru (hitting her with 3 of 4 torpedoes fired) and transport Taketoyo Maru (hitting her with 1 of 2 torpedoes fired) north of the Balabac Strait in the Philippine Islands.
21 Aug 1944 USS Ray damaged a Japanese transport in the Philippine Islands, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired.
31 Aug 1944 USS Ray arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fifth war patrol.
23 Sep 1944 USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia for her sixth war patrol.
6 Oct 1944 USS Ray gave chase to a Japanese tanker in the South China Sea, damaging her with 1 torpedo hit (of 6 torpedoes fired) but did not sink her.
7 Oct 1944 USS Ray attacked the same Japanese tanker she had been chasing since the previous day in the Southe China Sea, hitting her with another 3 torpedo hits (of 6 torpedoes fired), but could not determine whether she had been sunk.
12 Oct 1944 USS Ray sank Japanese cargo ship Toko Maru in the South China Sea, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired.
14 Oct 1944 USS Ray's conning tower suffered flooding while she dove to escape an approaching Japanese patrol aircraft in the South China Sea; she would sail to Mios Woendi near Biak, Dutch East Indies for repairs.
1 Nov 1944 USS Ray attacked a five-ship Japanese convoy, sinking cargo ship Horai Maru No. 7 and damaging a small tanker; all 3 torpedoes fired in this attack found their targets.
4 Nov 1944 USS Ray spotted Japanese cargo ship Kagu Maru, already burning from an attack by USS Bream, in the Philippine Islands; Ray fired two torpedoes at Kagu Maru, hitting her with one of them, blowing off her bow and sinking her.
6 Nov 1944 Kumano’s convoy was attacked by a wolfpack of four United States submarines Guitarro, Bream, Raton, and Ray off Cape Bolinao, Luzon, Philippines. Kumano was struck by two torpedoes that blew off her replacement bow section and flooded her engine rooms. Doryo Maru towed Kumano to Dasol Bay, Luzon.
6 Nov 1944 USS Ray attacked a Japanese convoy escorted by two cruiser, escorting vessels, and aircraft in the Philippine Islands; she fired four torpedoes, one damaging cruiser Kumano. When diving to escape the counterattack, she hit ground, causing flooding in the torpedo room. When she rose to periscope depth and observed Kumano being towed away.
14 Nov 1944 USS Ray attacked a three-ship Japanese convoy in the Philippine Islands with a spread of 6 torpedoes; one hit a transport and another hit escort vessel. She claimed that both were sunk.
16 Nov 1944 USS Ray fired two torpedoes at a grounded Japanese transport in the Philippine Islands; both torpedoes missed.
19 Nov 1944 USS Ray rescued a downed pilot from USS Cowpens.
8 Dec 1944 USS Ray arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her sixth war patrol.
16 Dec 1944 USS Ray arrived at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States.
26 Mar 1945 USS Ray departed San Francisco, California, United States.
29 Apr 1945 USS Ray arrived at Apra Harbor, Guam, Mariana Islands.
30 Apr 1945 USS Ray departed Apra Harbor, Guam, Mariana Islands for her seventh war patrol.
7 May 1945 USS Ray rescued 10 airmen of a downed B-29 bomber south of Kyushu, Japan.
15 May 1945 USS Ray rescued 10 airmen of a foundering PBM Mariner aircraft south of Kyushu, Japan.
19 May 1945 USS Ray attacked a three-ship Japanese convoy west of Japan, missing with all three torpedoes fired. The Japanese freighters, actually armed Q-ships, fought back with depth charges, forcing Ray to surface. Ray was able to escape on the surface, deck gun firing to discourage pursuit. She claimed that one of the Q-ships were sunk by gunfire.
20 May 1945 USS Ray sank a Japanese patrol vessel west of Japan with her deck gun.
23 May 1945 USS Ray sank 4 small Japanese vessels west of Japan with her deck gun.
24 May 1945 USS Ray sank 2 small Japanese vessels west of Japan with her deck gun.
25 May 1945 USS Ray sank 2 small Japanese vessels west of Japan with her deck gun.
26 May 1945 USS Ray sank 3 small Japanese vessels west of Japan with her deck gun.
27 May 1945 USS Ray sank 3 small Japanese vessels west of Japan with her deck gun.
28 May 1945 USS Ray sank 3 small Japanese vessels west of Japan with her deck gun.
30 May 1945 USS Ray sank a small Japanese patrol vessel west of Japan with her deck gun.
2 Jun 1945 USS Ray attacked a Japanese transport west of Japan; all 5 torpedoes missed.
4 Jun 1945 USS Ray attacked a Japanese transport west of Japan; all 6 torpedoes missed.
16 Jun 1945 USS Ray arrived at Midway Atoll, ending her seventh war patrol.
11 Jul 1945 USS Ray departed for her eighth and final war patrol.
2 Aug 1945 USS Ray sank a small Japanese vessel in the Gulf of Thailand with her deck gun.
3 Aug 1945 USS Ray sank 3 small Japanese vessels in the Gulf of Thailand with her deck gun.
4 Aug 1945 USS Ray sank 3 small Japanese vessels in the Gulf of Thailand and 2 small Japanese vessels in the South China Sea with her deck gun.
5 Aug 1945 USS Ray sank 2 small Japanese vessels in the South China Sea with her deck gun.
7 Aug 1945 USS Ray sank 17 small craft with her deck gun off Saponnoi, Thailand; several hours later, she dispatched boarding parties to scuttle seven junks north of Lem Chong Pra, Thailand by fire.
13 Aug 1945 USS Ray arrived at US Naval Base Subic Bay, Philippine Islands to replenish her stock of ammunition; her patrol was called off while in port.
14 Aug 1945 USS Ray departed US Naval Base Subic Bay, Philippine Islands.
5 Oct 1945 USS Ray arrived at New London, Connecticut, United States.
12 Feb 1947 USS Ray was decommissioned from service at New London, Connecticut, United States.
3 Jan 1951 Upon ccompletion of submarine Ray's conversion into a radar picket submarine at Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, she was resignated SSR-271.
13 Aug 1952 USS Ray was recommissioned into service with Lieutenant Commander A. C. Burley in command.
27 Mar 1953 USS Ray departed Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States for a training cruise off eastern United States and in the Caribbean Sea.
1 Mar 1954 USS Ray was assigned to the US Navy 6th Fleet.
26 May 1954 USS Ray arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States and was detached from the US Navy 6th Fleet.
5 Mar 1956 USS Ray was assigned to the US Navy 6th Fleet.
4 Jun 1956 USS Ray was detached from the US Navy 6th Fleet.
30 Jun 1958 USS Ray arrived at Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina, United States.
30 Sep 1958 USS Ray was decommissioned from service at Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, South Carolina, United States.
1 Apr 1960 Submarine Ray was struck from the US Naval Register.
18 Dec 1960 Submarine Ray was sold to the Commercial Metals Company for scrap.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Anonymous says:
19 Sep 2016 10:06:47 PM

Looking for any ship mate/submariners that served on the USS RAY WW2 with my dad John A. Boyle. He went by the name of Jack and passed away in 2008 at the age of 82 in Los Angeles, CA. Thank you!
2. Anonymous says:
29 Aug 2022 03:33:14 PM

My dad is looking for anyone who might have served on the USS Ray 271 between 1955 and 1959.

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Submarine Ray (SS-271) Photo Gallery
USS Ray underway, circa 1943-1945
See all 9 photographs of Submarine Ray (SS-271)


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