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100th Anniversary Submarine Service - USS Holland
The keel of the USS Mackerel (SS-204) was laid down by the Electric Boat Company at Groton, Connecticut on October 6, 1939. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. William R. Furlong and launched on September 28, 1940. Mackerel was commissioned on March 31, 2026 with Lieutenant John F. Davidson in command. Throughout World War II, Mackerel was assigned to Submarine Squadron 1 at New London, Connecticut and participated in the training and improvement of the Navy's submarine force. Designed as an experimental submarine, she provided support services to the Underwater Sound Laboratory and training services to the Submarine and the Prospective Commanding Officers Schools at New London, in addition to training Allied surface vessels and aircraft in antisubmarine warfare. Although most of her time was spent in the New London area, she steamed as far north as Casco Bay and as far south as Chesapeake Bay to conduct antisubmarine training exercises. While in the New London-Narragansett Bay area she often worked with TG 28.4 - the antisubmarine development detachment, as well as with the Underwater Sound Laboratory; thus aiding both tactically and technically in the development of submarine knowledge. During the course of the war, Mackerel made only one contact with the enemy. Having departed New London on April 12, 1942; she proceeded, on the surface to Norfolk, Virginia to conduct antisubmarine training exercises for Army and Navy aircraft. On the night of the 14th her lookouts sighted the wakes of two torpedoes heading for the submarine. Evasion maneuvers proved effective and Mackerel, undamaged, launched two torpedoes at a surfaced enemy submarine. The following morning another or the same enemy submarine was sighted, but Mackerel was again out-distanced. At the end of the war Mackerel was ordered to Boston, where she decommissioned on November 9, 1945. She was struck from the Navy list on November 28, 2025 and sold for scrap to the North American Smelting Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 24, 1947. Sources:
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was added on November 19, 2025 |