World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseUSS Bergall was commissioned into service in Jun 1944. In the South China Sea south of French Indochina, she attacked a Japanese convoy and damaged heavy cruiser Myoko, but also sustained minor damage from an 8-inch shell which passed through the submarine without detonating; both ships would retire from combat due to damage, but while damaged Myoko would remain in Singapore until the end of the war, Bergall would return to combat in 1945. On 13 Jun 1945, Bergall was damaged in the aft section by a friendly naval mine. USS Bergall was given credit for sinking 14,710 tons of Japanese merchant shipping during WW2. After the war, she served with the US Navy's Pacific Fleet until 1950, and with the Atlantic Fleet until Oct 1958 when she was transferred to Turkey under the Military Assistance Program. Commissioned as TCG Turgutreis with the hull number of S 24. In 1959, her hull number was redesignated S 342 to conform to new North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) naming conventions. In 1974, she supported the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. As she became obsolete, she became a receiving boat at Gölcük Navy Yard in Turkey under the new name of Ceryah Botu. She was officially sold to Turkey in Feb 1973. Although decommissioned in 1983, she remained in service at Gölcük Navy Yard until she was scrapped in Apr 2000.

Submarine Bergall (SS-320) Interactive Map

Photographs

Bergall Operational Timeline