USS Mero file photo [15972]

Mero

CountryUnited States
Ship ClassBalao-class Submarine
Hull NumberSS-378
BuilderManitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States
Laid Down22 Jul 1944
Launched17 Jan 1945
Commissioned17 Aug 1945
Decommissioned15 Jun 1946
Displacement1,550 tons standard; 2,463 tons submerged
Length312 feet
Beam27 feet
Draft17 feet
MachineryFour General Motors Model 16-278A V16 diesel engines (5,400 shp), four General Electric electric motors (2,740 shp), two 126-cell Sargo batteries, two propellers
Bunkerage116,000 gallons fuel
Speed20 knots
Range11,000nm at 10 knots surfaced, 48 hours at 2 knots submerged
Crew81
Armament6x533mm forward torpedo tubes, 4x533mm aft torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1x127mm 25cal gun, 1x40mm Bofors gun, 1x20mm Oerlikon cannon, 2x .50cal machine guns
Submerged Speed8.75 knots

Contributor:

ww2dbaseUSS Mero was launched in Jan 1945 as the last submarine built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company of Wisconsin, United States. Having been commissioned two days after Emperor Showa announced his intention to surrender and thus missing WW2, her shakedown cruise on Lake Michigan, during which she visited Detroit, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; and Chicago, Illinois, was a fairly leisurely one compared to war time shakedown cruises; at Chicago, she was even docked at the Michigan Avenue Bridge (now DuSable Bridge) for public tours. In 1960, after conversion into a fleet snorkel submarine, she was leased to Turkey under the Military Assistance Program. She served with Turkey under the name Hizirreis (S 344). In 1973, she was sold to Turkey as she neared the end of her service life. Starting in 1977, she was cannibalized for parts, and was finally sold for scrap in 1980.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Aug 2012

Submarine Mero (SS-378) Interactive Map

Photographs

USS Mero in Lake Michigan, northern United States, Sep 194552 submarines and 4 submarine tenders of the US Navy Reserve Fleet, Mare Island Navy Yard, California, United States, circa Jan 1946

Mero Operational Timeline

22 Jul 1944 The keel of submarine Mero was laid down by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States.
17 Jan 1945 Submarine Mero was launched at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States, sponsored by the wife of Henry G. Taylor.
17 Aug 1945 USS Mero was commissioned into service with Commander John H. Turner in command.
25 Aug 1945 USS Mero departed from port and prepared for her shakedown cruise.
6 Sep 1945 USS Mero began her shakedown cruise on Lake Michigan in northern United States.
2 Nov 1945 USS Mero completed her shakedown cruise and was placed in a floating drydock for transit down the Mississippi River.
29 Nov 1945 USS Mero arrived at New Orleans, Louisiana, United States via a floating drydock down the Mississippi River.
6 Dec 1945 USS Mero departed New Orleans, Louisiana, United States for the Panama Canal Zone.
19 Jan 1946 USS Mero departed the Panama Canal Zone.
5 Feb 1946 USS Mero arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
22 Feb 1946 USS Mero departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
1 Mar 1946 USS Mero arrived at San Francisco Bay, California, United States.
14 Mar 1946 USS Mero arrived at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States and was assigned to the 19th Fleet.
15 Jun 1946 USS Mero was decommissioned from service at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States and was assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet.
20 Apr 1960 USS Mero was decommissioned from US Navy service at San Francisco, California, United States and was leased to Turkey.
23 Aug 1960 Submarine Hizirreis (S 344) was commissioned into Turkish Navy service at Gölcük Naval Shipyard, Turkey.
1 Aug 1973 Submarine Mero was struck from the US Navy Register and Mero/Hizirreis was sold to Turkey.
9 Oct 1980 Submarine Hizirreis was sold for scrap.




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Submarine Mero (SS-378) Photo Gallery
USS Mero in Lake Michigan, northern United States, Sep 1945
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