Allied Warships

Tunny (SS-282)

Submarine of the Gato class

USS Tunny as Guided Missile Submarine after the war.

Navy	The US Navy
Type	Submarine
Class	Gato
Pennant	282
Built by	Mare Island Navy Yard (Vallejo, California, U.S.A.)
Ordered	9 Sep 1940
Laid down	10 Nov 1941
Launched	30 Jun 1942
Commissioned	1 Sep 1942
End service	28 Jun 1969
History	Decommissioned 13 December 1945. Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Recommissioned 28 February 1952. Decommissioned in April 1952. Recommissioned 6 March 1953 and converted to Guided Missile Submarine. Converted to a Troop-carrying Submarine in 1966. Decommissioned 28 June 1969. Stricken 30 June 1969. Sunk as a target by USS Volador (SS 490) on 19 June 1970.

Commands listed for USS Tunny (282)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

	Commander	From	To
1	T/Cdr. Elton Watters Grenfell, USN	1 Sep 1942	14 Dec 1942
2	Lt.Cdr. John Addison Scott, USN	14 Dec 1942	10 Jul 1944
3	T/Cdr. George Ellis Pierce, USN	10 Jul 1944	1 Dec 1945

You can help improve our commands section
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this vessel.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve this ships page.

Notable events involving Tunny include:

12 Dec 1942
With her trials and initial training completed USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Grenfell) arrived at Pearl Harbor.

12 Jan 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Formosa.

3 Feb 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese army transport Shinto Maru No.1 (1933 GRT) in the South China Sea in position 22°03'N, 114°23'E.

4 Feb 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese army transport Tatsuwa Maru (6345 GRT) in the South China Sea in position 21°30'N, 113°42'E.

8 Feb 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and sank the Japanese merchant cargo ship Kusuyama Maru (5306 GRT) off the southwest coast of Formosa about 55 nautical miles west of Takao in position 22°40'N, 119°12'E.

15 Feb 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) sank a Japanese sampan with gunfire east of the Bonin Islands in approximate position 25°00'N, 147°00'E.

24 Feb 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) ended her 1st war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

18 Mar 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Caroline Islands area.

24 Mar 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Midway after topping off with fuel and replacing one of her periscopes.

28 Mar 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese troopship Suwa Maru (10672 GRT) off Wake Island in position 19°13'N, 166°34'E. The Suwa Maru is beached to prevent her from sinking.

2 Apr 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Toyo Maru No.2 (4162 GRT) west of Truk in position 07°23'N, 149°13'E.

7 Apr 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and sank the Japanese victualling stores ship Kosei Maru (8237 GRT) about 250 nautical miles northwest of Truk in position 08°50'N, 147°06'E.

23 Apr 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) ended her 2nd war patrol at Midway.

25 May 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Caroline Islands area.

27 May 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) topped up with fuel at Johnson Island.

28 Jun 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and sank the Japanese auxiliary gunboat Shotoku Maru (1964 GRT) off the west coast of Rota, Mariana Islands in position 14°10'N, 145°03'E.

11 Jul 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) takes on board additional fuel at Johnson Island.

14 Jul 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) ended her 3rd war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

5 Aug 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Palau.

9 Aug 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) arrived at Midway.

10 Aug 1943
After topping off with fuel USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Midway.

26 Aug 1943
While attacking a Japanese convoy escorted by submarine chaser Ch-4 (offsite link), off Palau in position 07°30'N, 134°20'E USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) is damaged by depth charges and is forced to terminate her patrol.

8 Sep 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) ended her 4th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

11 Sep 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Pearl Harbor for the Hunters Point Navy Yard to make repairs and a major overhaul.

17 Sep 1943
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) arrived at the Hunters Point Navy Yard.

2 Feb 1944
With her repairs completed USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from the Hunters Point Navy Yard bound for Pearl Harbor.

27 Feb 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Palau.

2 Mar 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) arrived at Midway.

3 Mar 1944
After topping off with fuel USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Midway.

22 Mar 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese fleet tanker Iro (14050 GRT, offsite link) west of the Palaus in position 07°22'N, 132°08'E.

23 Mar 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and sank the Japanese submarine I-42 (2230 tons, offsite link) 6 nautical miles south-west of Angaur, Palaus in position 06°40'N, 134°03'E.

29 Mar 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese battleship Musashi (offsite link) off Palau in position 07°30'N, 134°30'E.

30 Mar 1944
While on lifeguard duty off the Palaus USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) is accidentally attacked by a TBF from the US aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in position 07°40'N, 134°00'E. Due to the damage suffered in this friendly fire incident Tunny had to terminate her patrol.

7 Apr 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) called at Milne Bay, New Guinea.

11 Apr 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) ended her 5th war patrol at Brisbane, Australia.

29 Apr 1944
After repairs USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) departed from Brisbane for her 6th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Mariana Islands area.

17 May 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Nichiwa Maru (4955 GRT) west of the Marianas in position 14°49'N, 142°39'E.

16 Jun 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) sank a Japanese trawler with gunfire north of Luzon, Philippines in position 20°10'N, 121°18'E.

29 Jun 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) called at Midway to take on board additional fuel.

2 Jul 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. J.A. Scott) ended her 6th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

4 Aug 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. G.E. Pierce) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the south China Sea.

1 Sep 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. G.E. Pierce) is damaged by aerial bombs east of Luzon Strait, south-east of Formosa in position 21°50'N, 119°18'E and is forced to terminate her patrol.

17 Sep 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. G.E. Pierce) ended her 7th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

20 Sep 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. G.E. Pierce) departed from Pearl Harbor bound for the Hunters Point Navy Yard for repairs and a major overhaul.

26 Sep 1944
USS Tunny (Lt.Cdr. G.E. Pierce) arrived at the Hunters Point Navy Yard.

3 Feb 1945
With her overhaul completed USS Tunny (Cdr. G.E. Pierce) departed from Pearl Harbor bound for Saipan.

5 Mar 1945
USS Tunny (Cdr. G.E. Pierce) departed from Saipan for her 8th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol of the Ryukyu Islands.

4 Apr 1945
USS Tunny (Cdr. G.E. Pierce) sank a Japanese sampan with gunfire east of the Bonin Islands in position 29°27'N, 146°42'E.

14 Apr 1945
USS Tunny (Cdr. G.E. Pierce) ended her 8th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

11 May 1945
Around 1330VW/11, USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) and departed from Pearl Harbor for Guam.

They were escorted out until 1930VW/11 by USS PC-780 (Lt. W.E. Tassie, USNR)

22 May 1945
Around 1230K/22, USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) arrived at Guam from Pearl Harbour.

They were escorted in by USS PC-616 (Lt.(jg) C.W. Harris, USNR) which had joined around 0910K/22.

On joining USS PC-616 already had USS Trepang (T/Cdr. A.R. Faust, USN) in company which then also proceeded into Apra Harbor, Guam ending her fourth war patrol.

USS Tunny and USS Skate were then taken in hand for voyage repairs by USS Holland (Capt. C.Q. Wright, Jr., USNR).

USS Trepang was taken in hand for post patrol repairs / refit by USS Apollo (T/Capt. J.C. McCutchen, USN).

23 May 1945
USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN), USS Bonefish (T/Cdr. L.L. Edge, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) conducted exercises off Guam.

24 May 1945
USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN), USS Bonefish (T/Cdr. L.L. Edge, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) conducted exercises off Guam.

In the evening of the 24th, USS Tunny is docked for some minor repairs. She is undocked later that night.

25 May 1945
USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN), USS Bonefish (T/Cdr. L.L. Edge, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) conducted exercises off Guam.

26 May 1945
USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN), USS Bonefish (T/Cdr. L.L. Edge, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) conducted exercises off Guam.

27 May 1945
USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN), USS Bonefish (T/Cdr. L.L. Edge, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) conducted exercises off Guam.

28 May 1945
Around 1500I/28, USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN), USS Bonefish (T/Cdr. L.L. Edge, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) departed Guam for their 9th, 8th and 7th war patrols respectively.

They were to operate as a tactical group (wolfpack) in the Sea of Japan. T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce on board USS Tunny was in command of the group.

They were escorted out until 1840L/28 by USS SC-536 (Lt.(jg) R.M. Heilman, USNR).

The submarines remained in company until 1400I/2, then they parted company to the north-east of Amami Oshima, Ryukyu Islands, to proceed independently.

4 Jun 1945
Around 2300I/4, USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN), USS Bonefish (T/Cdr. L.L. Edge, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) made rendezvous to the south of the Tsushima Strait. They then set course to the position in which they were to dive for submerged passage of the Strait after which they were to proceed independently.

23 Jun 1945
At 2015I/23, USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN) and USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) made rendezvous.

The following evening also USS Crevalle (T/Cdr. E.H. Steinmetz, USN) and USS Sea Dog (T/Cdr. E.T. Hydeman, USN). The four submarines then proceeded in company to exit the Sea of Japan through the La Pérouse Strait.

They remained in company until around 0500I/25.

6 Jul 1945
USS Tunny (Cdr. G.E. Pierce) ended her 9th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

31 Jul 1945
During 31 July / 1 August 1945, USS Skate (T/Cdr. R.B. Lynch, USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbor.

These included night exercises together with USS Tunny (T/Cdr. G.E. Pierce, USN), USS Pruitt (Lt. D.B. Harby, USNR) and USS Peterson (Lt.Cdr. S.M. Hay, USCG).

On 31 July 1945, USS Tunny, USS Bowfin (Cdr. A.K. Tyree, USN), USS Skate and USS Sea Cat (T/Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bowers, USN) carried out gunnery exercises on a target that was being towed by USS Trever (Lt. H.L. Phillips, USNR).