Allied Warships

Dentuda (SS-335)

Submarine of the Balao class

Navy	The US Navy
Type	Submarine
Class	Balao
Pennant	335
Built by	Electric Boat Co. (Groton, Connecticut, U.S.A.)
Ordered	6 Jun 1942
Laid down	18 Nov 1943
Launched	10 Sep 1944
Commissioned	30 Dec 1944
End service	30 Jun 1967
History	Decommissioned 11 December 1946. Served as a Reserve Training Vessel in the 12th Naval District at Hunters Point Navy Shipyard from 11 December 1946 untill 30 June 1967. Stricken 12 February 1969. Sold 12 February 1969 to be broken up for scrap.

Commands listed for USS Dentuda (335)

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. John Sidney McCain, Jr., USN	30 Dec 1944	15 Aug 1945
2	T/Lt.Cdr. Edward Everett Conrad, USN	15 Aug 1945

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Notable events involving Dentuda include:

The history of USS Dentuda as compiled on this page is extracted from her patrol reports.

This page was last updated in March 2017.

17 Jan 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) arrived at Newport, Rhode Island from New London, Connecticut for torpedo trials.

20 Jan 1945
Having completed her torpedo trials, USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN), arrived at New London, Connecticut.

22 Jan 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises in Long Island Sound together with USS Semmes (Lt.Cdr. F.L. Fullaway, USNR).

23 Jan 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises in Long Island Sound together with USS Semmes (Lt.Cdr. F.L. Fullaway, USNR).

24 Jan 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises in Long Island Sound together with USS Semmes (Lt.Cdr. F.L. Fullaway, USNR).

28 Jan 1945
Having been assigned to special trials as test ship, USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) departed New London, Connecticut for Bar Harbour, Maine.

31 Jan 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) returned to New London, Connecticut.

5 Apr 1945
Having completed her duty as test ship, USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) departed New London, Connecticut for Key West, Florida.

10 Apr 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) arrived at Key West.

11 Apr 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Key West together with USS PC-451 (Lt.(jg) H.D. Bemiss, Jr., USNR).

12 Apr 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) departed Key West for the Panama Canal Zone.

16 Apr 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) arrived at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone.

19 Apr 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises in Panama Bay together with USS Bulmer (Lt. T.C. Farrell, USNR) and USS McCormick (Lt. T.J. Moriarty, USNR).

21 Apr 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises in Panama Bay together with USS Bulmer (Lt. T.C. Farrell, USNR) and USS McCormick (Lt. T.J. Moriarty, USNR).

25 Apr 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) departed Balboa, Panama Canal Zone for Pearl Harbour.

10 May 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) arrived at Pearl Harbor.

17 May 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour.

18 May 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour together with USS Harmon (Lt. R.W. Steel, USNR).

21 May 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour together with USS Pruitt (Lt. D.B. Harby, USNR), USS Wileman (Lt.Cdr. R.M. Tanner, Jr., USNR), USS PC-599, USS Whale (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Carde, 3rd., USN) and USS Carbonero (Cdr. C.L. Murphy, Jr., USN).

22 May 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour together with USS Pruitt (Lt. D.B. Harby, USNR), USS Wileman (Lt.Cdr. R.M. Tanner, Jr., USNR), USS PC-599, USS Whale (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Carde, 3rd., USN) and USS Carbonero (Cdr. C.L. Murphy, Jr., USN).

24 May 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour together with USS Pruitt (Lt. D.B. Harby, USNR).

29 May 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the East China Sea and Formosa strait.

For daily positions (though incomplete) of USS Dentuda during this patrol see the map below.

10 Jun 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) arrived at Saipan.

11 Jun 1945
After topping off with fuel, USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN), departed Saipan for her patrol area.

18 Jun 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) sank (or damaged) the Japanese guard boats Reiko Maru (88 GRT) and Heiwa Maru (88 GRT) with gunfire in the East China Sea in position 31°55'N, 126°48'E.

(All times are zone I, -9)
0936 hours - ST radar surface sweep and lookouts simultanously sighted two Japanese guard boats bearing 183°(T), range 7600 yards.

0940 hours - Turned away to look over the situation.

0945 hours - Decided to attack on the surface with 5" and 40mm. All ahead flank to close to attack.

1010 hours - The guard boats opened fire with .50 cal machine guns and something larger, possibly 40mm.

1016 hours - In position 32°01'N, 126°54'E opened fire from 3800 yards. The targets were zigging radically.

1028 hours - After about 50 rounds fired the 5" gun malfunctioned. Two hits had been obtained on one of the targets. Retired to repair the gun.

1040 hours - The gun was repaired now. Went in again.

1105 hours - Opened fire again from 4200 yards. One solid hit on either target was obtained.

1114 hours - Broke off the attack. Only 25 rounds of 5" were now left on board. Total ammunition expended; 70 rounds of 5", 280 rounds of 40mm. Both targets were smoking, damage unknown.

26 Jun 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) attacked but missed a Japanese submarine with four torpedoes just north of the Formosa Strait in position 25°53'N, 120°22'E. This was most likely the Japanese transport submarine I-351 that had departed Sasebo for Singapore on 22 June.

(All times are zone H, -8)
1725 hours - While at 90 feet and preparing to go to 58 feet for a periscope observation sound picked up fast screws bearing 310°(T). Went to battle stations.

1727 hours - Periscope observation revealed a Japanese I-class submarine on a course of 170°(T). Range by ST radar was 2000 yards. Enemy speed was estimated at 16 knots.

1729 hours - Final periscope observation.

1730 hours - In position 25°53'N, 120°22'E Fired four stern torpedoes from 3500 yards. All missed.

1732 hours - The target appeared to be unaware of the attack. Continued tracking. THe enemy was stearing a base course of 210°(T) zigzagging at intaervals of about three minutes.

1813 hours - Surfaced and regained sight contact through high periscope at a range of 25000 yards.

1814 hours - Night was falling. Decided to close to ST radar range and commence an end around.

2030 hours - ST radar did not pick up the target until the range was 9900 yards.

2031 hours - The enemy was using his radar. Opened out to the west.

2310 hours - Sighted the target at a range of 9800 yards bearing 115°(T).

2312 hours - Changed course and dived.

2340 hours - Surfaced. Unable to obtained contact on the enemy. A search was started but the enemy did not show up again.

4 Jul 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) claims to have either sunk or heavily damaged a three-island freighter off Matsu Island in position 26°09'7"N, 119°54'7"E.

(All times are zone H, -8)
0230 hours - Sighted a three-island freighter close into the beach in position 26°09'7"N, 119°54'7"E. Made ready the stern tubes.

0235 hours - Fired no.7 tube. The torpedo missed astern.

0236 hours - Fired no.8 and 9 tubes. Both torpedoes were observed to hit. One forward of the center Island and the second one aft.

0237 hours - Cleared the area at flank speed.

12 Jul 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) attacked the now beached wreck of the same freighter attacked on 4 July off Matsu Island. Three torpedoes were fired of which two hit the target.

(All times are zone H, -8)
0135 hours - While exploring the western side of Matsu Island in the vicinity of the contact of 4 July, sighted a freighter to the north and very close to the beach. This was the same target as the one attacked on 4 July but now she was beached.

0159 hours - Fired no.1 tube from 1050 yards. The torpedo missed astern.

0200 hours - Fired no.2 tube. This torpedo hit with considerable smoke and flame.

0201 hours - Fired no.4 tube. This torpedo also hit creating considerable smoke and white flashes.

0204 hours - Closed the target and examined it with the searchlight.

0210 hours - Cleared the area.

23 Jul 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) departed her patrol area for Guam.

29 Jul 1945
USS Dentuda (Cdr. J.S. McCain, Jr., USN) ended her 1st war patrol at Guam.

1 Sep 1945
The submarine tender USS Fulton (T/Capt. A.R. St. Angelo, USN) and the submarines USS Manta (T/Lt.Cdr. E.P. Madley, USN), USS Dentuda (T/Lt.Cdr. E.E. Conrad, USN), USS Argonaut (T/Cdr. J.S. Schmidt, USN) and USS Diablo (T/Cdr. G.G. Matheson, USN) departed Guam for Pearl Harbour where they arrived on 10 September 1945.