The USS Batfish (SS-310), a Balao-class submarine, accomplished an extraordinary feat by sinking three enemy ships in just three days, a record in the history of the US Navy. Following her service, the submarine was retired and acquired by a group of veterans in Oklahoma. They undertook the task of transforming her into a memorial and museum.
The USS Batfish enters the Second World War
Two years after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Batfish undertook her first patrol. On January 19, 1944, the vessel experienced her first naval engagement, encountering an enemy convoy consisting of six ships. Batfish distinguished herself by sinking two of the larger vessels, initiating a battle record that earned her the moniker, “Sub Killer.”
Equipped with 10 torpedo tubes and numerous on-deck guns, Batfish proved to be a formidable submarine. During her fourth war patrol, she inflicted severe damage on the Japanese destroyer Samidare, rendering her unsalvageable. Consequently, the enemy opted to destroy the ship using demolition charges.
In total, Batfish launched 71 torpedoes during combat, with 24 successfully hitting their intended targets.
The USS Batfish sets a US Navy record
On her sixth patrol, the USS Batfish achieved a historic naval record. On February 10, 1944, she successfully sank the Japanese submarine Ro-55, just minutes after midnight. The following day, Cmdr. John Kerr Fyfe detected another enemy vessel on the radar and launched four torpedoes, three of which struck and sunk the Ro-112. Not even 24 hours later, Batfish sank the Ro-113 using three more torpedoes.
To this day, Batfish stands as the only submarine in US history to sink three enemy ships within 76 hours. Between 1943-45, her crew of 80 sunk 14 Japanese vessels and damaged an additional three. Following the Japanese surrender, the submarine was decommissioned and repurposed as a training vessel. Reactivated and later deactivated during the Korean War, she was struck from the Naval Vessel Registry in 1969.
In recognition of their extraordinary efforts, Batfish‘s crew was honored with 10 Bronze Star Medals, nine Battle Stars, four Silver Stars, one Navy Cross and one Presidential Unit Citation.
Veterans search for the right submarine
As early as 1962, the Oklahoma chapter of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. were in search of a submarine they could preserve and transform into a memorial. They had many candidates in mind. The USS Piranha (SS-389) proudly boasted five battle stars and six combat patrols, while the USS Sea Dog (SS-401) sailed five. They even considered the USS Cavalla (SS-244), known for sinking the Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku, which was involved in the attack on Pearl Habor.
The veterans chose the USS Batfish for her incredible battle record and the condition she was in at the time. Piranha and Sea Dog wound up scrapped, while Cavalla was turned into a museum at Seawolf Park in Galveston, Texas. Once they’d announced she would serve as their memorial, US Congress quickly approved the transfer of the submarine from the Navy to Oklahoma.
Moving the USS Batfish to a soybean field
The Muskogee City-County Trust Port Authority generously provided approximately five acres of what was previously a riverfront soybean field to serve as the USS Batfish‘s display area. The next challenge was to transport the submarine from her New Orleans port to the Port of Muskogee.
This endeavor proved to be a formidable task, taking nearly seven weeks to transfer Batfish from New Orleans to Oklahoma. The submarine was towed up the Mississippi River, and during this journey, the river’s water levels had to be lowered by three feet to allow the vessel to pass beneath a bridge. Upon reaching the Arkansas River, she was moored near her intended location, where she would remain until a flood incident led to her repositioning.
Once the floodwaters receded, Batfish was officially stationed and prepared to open her doors to the public.
The USS Batfish becomes a museum
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On Memorial Day 1973, the USS Batfish memorial and a neighboring museum were opened to the public. The submarine was restored by the veterans and volunteers, who reinstalled as much as they could, down to the last detail. They even hung pin-up girl posters on the walls for full authenticity.
By the end of the 20th century, Batfish was one of 20 World War II-era submarines on public display in the United States.