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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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Photo # 19-N-83952:  USS Barb off the Mare Island Navy Yard, 3 May 1945

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Barb (SS-220), 1942-1954

USS Barb, a 1525-ton Gato class submarine built at Groton, Connecticut, was commissioned in July 1942. That fall she was sent to operate in European waters, taking part in the Morocco invasion in November. Four more war patrols in the first half of 1943 took her to the Bay of Biscay, the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea but produced no damage to the enemy.

In mid-1943 Barb went to the Pacific. That fall her sixth war patrol took her off China, where she damaged two enemy ships. Following a West Coast overhaul, Barb operated in the central and western Pacific during March and April 1944, sinking one ship and bombarding an enemy shore facility. After that, under Commander Eugene B. Fluckey (her skipper for the rest of the war), her combat record became remarkably successful. Barb's eighth war patrol, off northern Japan in May-July, deprived the enemy of five ships and saw the first of many gunfire actions that ultimately destroyed some twenty small vessels.

On her ninth war patrol, operating with two other submarines between the Philippines and China in August and September 1944, Barb sank three more Japanese ships, among them the escort carrier Unyo. In addition, she rescued fourteen Allied prisoners of war. Her next two cruises, in the East China Sea during October 1944 - February 1945, were also made in close cooperation with other U.S. submarines. Barb sank two ships on her tenth patrol and four more on her eleventh, with a partial credit for another. For a daring late January attack into an enemy inshore anchorage Barb received a Presidential Unit Citation (her fourth) and Commander Fluckey was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Another Mare Island overhaul gave Barb a larger deck gun and a rocket launcher. Returning to northern Japan in June 1945 for her twelfth war patrol, both of these weapons were used to sink small craft and bombard shore facilities. Her torpedoes sank two more ships, a freighter and the escort Kaibokan No. 112, and some of her crew made raid ashore that destroyed a railroad train. Barb ended World War II among the dozen top-scoring U.S. submarines in terms of ships sunk, and third in terms of tonnage. If a disputed credit for another ship is counted, Barb would have ranked first in the latter category.

After returning to the U.S. East Coast in September 1945, Barb was generally inactive until formally decommissioned in February 1947. The intensified Cold War brought her back into commission in December 1951, and she performed training service until mid-January 1954. Barb then underwent conversion to the streamlined "GUPPY" configuration and operated briefly on trials and training from August until December 1954, when she was loaned to Italy and renamed Enrico Tazzoli. The submarine served actively with the Italian Navy until 1972 and was sold for scrapping in April 1975.

This page features all the views we have concerning USS Barb (SS-220).


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: 19-N-83952

USS Barb
(SS-220)

In San Francisco Bay, near the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 3 May 1945.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 52KB; 740 x 620 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 103521

USS Barb
(SS-220)

Underway on 21 July 1951.

Collection of Melvin C. Keehner.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 620 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-649677

USS Barb
(SS-220)

Underway in November 1954, following modernization and during preparations for transfer to Italy.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 129KB; 740 x 590 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 79758

USS Barb
(SS-220)

Photographed circa 1954, after she was modernized for transfer to Italy.

Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1974.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 575 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 103534

Commander Eugene B. Fluckey, USN
,
Commanding Officer, USS Barb (SS-220)

Wearing the Navy Cross on board Barb after receiving the medal from Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, 6 December 1944.
Note Barb's insignia painted on her fairwater, behind Commander Fluckey.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 66KB; 585 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 63789-KN (color)

USS Barb (SS-220)

Battle flag used while Barb was commanded by Commander Eugene B. Fluckey, circa 1945.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 105KB; 740 x 585 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 103570

USS Barb
(SS-220)

Members of the submarine's demolition squad pose with her battle flag at the conclusion of her 12th war patrol. Taken at Pearl Harbor, August 1945.
During the night of 22-23 July 1945 these men went ashore at Karafuto, Japan, and planted an explosive charge that subsequently wrecked a train. They are (from left to right):
Chief Gunners Mate Paul G. Saunders, USN;
Electricians Mate 3rd Class Billy R. Hatfield, USNR;
Signalman 2nd Class Francis N. Sevei, USNR;
Ships Cook 1st Class Lawrence W. Newland, USN;
Torpedomans Mate 3rd Class Edward W. Klingesmith, USNR;
Motor Machinists Mate 2nd Class James E. Richard, USN;
Motor Machinists Mate 1st Class John Markuson, USN; and
Lieutenant William M. Walker, USNR.
This raid is represented by the train symbol in the middle bottom of the battle flag.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 116KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 58267

USS Barb weathervane


Presented to Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz by his former aide, Rear Admiral Eugene B. Fluckey, USN, circa the later 1950s or early 1960s. Fluckey had commanded the submarine during World War II.
The weathervane features submariners' "dolphins" at its top, with the five stars of a Fleet Admiral immediately below, and a model of USS Barb (SS-220) as she appeared following her 1954 conversion to "GUPPY" configuration. It was erected in Nimitz' garden at 728 Santa Barbara Road, Berkeley, California.

Collection of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 54KB; 585 x 765 pixels

 


In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views related to USS Barb (SS-220). The following list features some of these images:

The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".



  • Photo #: 19-N-30780
    Barb (SS-220) off Groton, Connecticut, 20 June 1942. Photographed by the Electric Boat Company.
    Port bow surface view. Barb has a 3"/50 deck gun (on a low-angle mounting) located aft. Her fairwater has not yet been cut down to reduce its silhouette.

  • Photo #: 19-N-30781
    As 19-N-30780, but port quarter surface view.

  • Photo #: 19-N-30782
    As 19-N-30780, but port broadside surface view.


  • Photo #: 19-N-61888
    Barb (SS-220) underway off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 29 January 1944.
    Starboard bow surface view. Barb's 4"/50 deck gun is mounted forward of her fairwater.

  • Photo #: 19-N-61892
    Barb (SS-220) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 1 February 1944.
    Plan view amidships, looking forward from off the port side. Provides a detail view of most of Barb's fairwater.

  • Photo #: 19-N-61893
    As 19-N-61892, but plan view amidships, looking aft from off the port side. Provides a detail view of Barb's fairwater, seen from ahead, and of the breech of her 4"/50 deck gun.


  • Photo #: 19-N-83951
    Barb (SS-220) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 3 May 1945.
    Port broadside (a little toward the bow) surface view. Barb's new 5"/25 deck gun is mounted aft of her fairwater.

  • Photo #: 19-N-83953
    As 19-N-83951, but port quarter surface view.

  • Photo #: 19-N-83956
    Barb (SS-220) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 7 May 1945.
    Plan view amidships and forward, looking forward from just aft of the fairwater and somewhat to port. Provides a detailed view of the submarine's fairwater, seen from astern.

  • Photo #: 19-N-83957
    As 19-N-83956, but plan view amidships and aft, looking aft from just ahead of the fairwater and somewhat to starboard. Provides a detail view of Barb's fairwater, seen from ahead, with a 40mm single gun mounted on her forward machine gun platform.


  • Photo #: 80-G-308966
    Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, Jr., presents the Navy Cross to Commander Eugene B. Fluckey, Commanding Officer of USS Barb (SS-220), in ceremonies on board Barb at Pearl Harbor, 6 December 1944.
    View shows VAdm. Lockwood pinning the medal onto Fluckey's shirt. Both men are seen essentially in profile.

  • Photo #: 80-G-308965
    As 80-G-308966, but seen from behind and above VAdm. Lockwood, looking aft along Barb's deck.
    Cdr. Fluckey is largely obscured by VAdm. Lockwood. A junior officer, three Chief Petty Officers and a Second Class Gunner's Mate are lined up across the deck, behind Cdr. Fluckey, in preparation for also receiving awards. The rest of Barb's complement is lined up on both sides of her deck beyond the award group.

  • Photo #: 80-G-308964
    Commander Eugene B. Fluckey (at left), a junior officer, three Chief Petty Officers and a Second Class Gunner's Mate lined across Barb's after deck, after being presented with awards at Pearl Harbor on 6 December 1944.
    All are wearing the medals or ribbons they have just received, and are holding their citations. The rest of Barb's complement is lined up on both sides of her deck beyond the award group.


    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 27 February 2006