Caiman file photo [11871]

Caiman

CountryUnited States
Ship ClassBalao-class Submarine
Hull NumberSS-323
BuilderElectric Boat Company
Laid Down24 Jun 1943
Launched30 Mar 1944
Commissioned17 Jul 1944
Decommissioned30 Jun 1972
Displacement1,526 tons standard; 2,424 tons submerged
Length312 feet
Beam27 feet
Draft17 feet
MachineryFour General Motors Model 16-278A V16 diesel engines (5,400shp), four high-speed General Electric electric motors with reduction gears (2,740shp), two 126-cell Sargo batteries
Speed20 knots
Range11,000 nautical miles at 10 knots on surface, 48 hours at 2 knots submerged
Crew80
Armament6x533mm forward torpedo tubes, 4x533mm aft torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1x127mm 25cal deck gun
Submerged Speed8.75 knots

Contributor:

ww2dbaseUSS Caiman was commissioned into service in mid-1944 with Commander J. B. Azer in command. Upon joining the US Navy Pacific Fleet, she departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, United States on 13 Nov 1944 for her first war patrol. During the trip, Commander Azer became severely ill, thus she stopped by Saipan, Mariana Islands, disembarking the skipper so he could receive proper medical attention; Commander W. L. Fey, Jr. was embarked as Azer's replacement. Sailing on into the South China Sea, she performed air-sea rescue operations for downed American airmen. Her second war patrol began on 18 Feb 1945; she made no contacts in the South China Sea and off the Gulf of Siam, returning to Fremantle, Australia empty handed in early Apr. During her third war patrol, however, she sank two small schooners. Her fourth war patrol, which began in Jul 1945, took her to southern South China Sea north of Borneo and in the Dutch East Indies; she delivered and picked up agents at Java and sank a schooner during this patrol. In 1946 and 1947, she successively operated out of San Diego, California, United States; Guam, Mariana Islands; Pearl Harbor; and Seattle, Washington, United States. In 1947, she made an Arctic familiarization cruise. Upon completion of her mission as a reserve training ship in 1951, she underwent a GUPPY modernization at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California. In the 1950s, she operated out of San Diego, Pearl Harbor, and various ports in Asia. In 1957, she visited Brisbane, Australia.

ww2dbaseUpon decommissioning on 30 Jun 1972, USS Caiman was transferred to Turkey under terms of the Security Assistance Program, arriving at Gölcük, Turkey on 23 Aug 1942. Renamed Dumlupinar, she collided with Soviet freighter Szik Vovilov in the Dardanelles strait. To prevent sinking, her crew grounded her on a nearby bank. She was repaired and remained in service until 1983. She was then renamed Ceryan Botu and served as a charging ship at Gölcük Navy Yard until she was scrapped in 1986.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Jan 2011

Submarine Caiman (SS-323) Interactive Map

Photographs

Launching of submarine Caiman, Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut, United States, 30 Mar 1944USS Caiman underway off Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, United States, spring 1951USS Caiman at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, United States, 25 Sep 1951; note USS Charr and USS Baya in backgroundUSS Caiman departing Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, United States, 25 Sep 1951, photo 1 of 2
See all 9 photographs of Submarine Caiman (SS-323)

Caiman Operational Timeline

24 Sep 1942 The planned submarine Blanquillo was renamed Caiman.
24 Jun 1943 Submarine Caiman was laid down by the Electric Boat Company at Groton, Connecticut, United States.
30 Mar 1944 Submarine Caiman was launched, sponsored by sponsored by Mrs. R. C. Bonjour.
17 Jul 1944 USS Caiman was commissioned into service with Commander J. B. Azer in command.
13 Nov 1944 USS Caiman departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol.
27 Dec 1944 USS Caiman detected a small Japanese armed ship in the South China Sea and fired 3 torpedoes; they failed to hit the target.
22 Jan 1945 USS Caiman arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her first war patrol.
18 Feb 1945 USS Caiman departed Fremantle, Australia for her second war patrol.
27 Mar 1945 USS Caiman detected a Japanese cargo ship in the southern South China Sea and fired 4 torpedoes; they failed to hit the target.
6 Apr 1945 USS Caiman arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending second war patrol.
11 Jun 1945 USS Caiman sank two Japanese schooners by gunfire in the southern South China Sea.
27 Jun 1945 USS Caiman arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending third war patrol.
22 Jul 1945 USS Caiman departed Fremantle, Australia for her fourth war patrol.
10 Aug 1945 USS Caiman sank a Japanese schooner by gunfire in the southern South China Sea.
19 Aug 1945 USS Caiman arrived at Subic Bay, Zambales, Philippine Islands, ending her fourth war patrol.
23 Apr 1951 USS Caiman ceased her duty as a reserve training ship.
14 Dec 1966 USS Caiman entered Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, United States for overhaul.
20 Dec 1966 USS Caiman entered drydock at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, United States.
21 Mar 1967 USS Caiman exited drydock at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, United States.
29 May 1967 USS Caiman completed overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California, United States.
30 Jun 1972 USS Caiman was decommissioned and struck from the US Naval Register. She was transferred to Turkey.
24 Aug 1972 USS Caiman arrived at Gölcük, Turkey and was commissioned into Turkish service as the submarine Dumlupinar.
6 Feb 1983 Dumlupinar was decommissioned from Turkish Navy service.
15 Sep 1986 Ceryan Botu was scrapped.




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Submarine Caiman (SS-323) Photo Gallery
Launching of submarine Caiman, Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut, United States, 30 Mar 1944
See all 9 photographs of Submarine Caiman (SS-323)


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