PigBoats.COM - USS Tambor (SS)198

US Submarines ~ Pre WWI Submarines ~ WWI Submarines ~ Post WWI Submarines ~ 1920's Submarines ~ 1930's Submarines ~ Submarines in 1940

Warning! QuickMenu may have been blocked by IE-SP2's active content option. This browser feature blocks JavaScript from running locally on your computer.

This warning will not display once the menu is on-line. To enable the menu locally, click the yellow bar above, and select "Allow Blocked Content".

To permanently enable active content locally...

1: Select 'Tools' --> 'Internet Options' from the IE menu.
2: Click the 'Advanced' tab.
3: Check the 2nd option under 'Security' in the tree (Allow active content to run in files on my computer.)

A - Boats B - Boats C - Boats D - Boats E - Boats F - Boats

F - Boats F-4 salvage

G - Boats H - Boats K - Boats L - Boats M - Boats N - Boats O - Boats

R-1 thru R-13 R-14 thru R-27

S - Boats pg 1 S - Boats pg 2 S - Boats pg 3 S - Boats pg 4 T - Boats V - Boats

V-1 thru V-3 V-4 V-5 & V-6 V-7 Exterior V-7 Interior V-8 & V-9

Home ~ * means Sunk USS Porpoise SS 172 USS Pike SS 173 USS Shark SS 174 * USS Tarpon SS 175 USS Perch SS 176 * USS Pickerel SS 177 * USS Permit SS 178 USS Plunger SS 179 USS Pollack SS 180 USS Pompano SS 181 * USS Salmon SS 182 USS Seal SS 183 USS Skipjack SS 184 USS Snapper SS 185 USS Stingray SS 186 USS Sturgeon SS 187 USS Sargo SS 188 USS Saury SS 189 USS Spearfish SS 190 USS Sculpin SS 191 * USS Squalus SS 192 USS Sailfish SS 192 USS Swordfish SS 193 * USS Seadragon SS 194 USS Sealion SS 195 * USS Searaven SS 196 USS Seawolf SS 197 * USS Tambor SS 198 USS Tautog SS 199 USS Thresher SS 200 USS Triton SS 201 * USS Trout SS 202 * USS Tuna SS 203 USS Mackerel SS 204 USS Gar SS 206 USS Grampus SS 207 * USS Grayling SS 209 * USS Grenadier SS 210 *

Lost Boats USS Holland Photo Features Simon Lake Subs WW I War Patrols Submarine Poems Henry Breault TM/2 The USS S-4 Story The USS S-4 Salvage The Allied Signal Bell WW I German UB-88 The Lean Submariner Poetry in ships' names Diesel Engine Principles William Henry Delamain SN/1 Honolulu Harbor Light Station USS S-51 Salvage Operations The Wilkins-Ellsworth Submarine Expedition Tonnage Sunk or Damaged by US Submarines List Of All Known Submarine Crew Lost by Date Boomerang, a WW I fiction by Norman McKinnon

PigBoats.COM™

PigBoats.COM Photo Features David Tinkle FCS1(SS) Family Album USS R-20 Photo Album ~~~~~~~~ Help Support This Page Buy A Bumper Sticker Support Us Through PATREON

Research Papers

Under Construction

'... The Navy's best are found upon; The pigboats black and trim; For men must be of sturdy stuff; To sink and still to swim ...'

USS Tambor SS 198

USS Tambor SS 198

USS Tambor SS 198

USS Tambor SS 198 Launch

USS Tambor SS 198 Launch Ceremony.
Miss Lucia Long Ellis, Sponsor for the Tambor,
breaks a bottle of champagne on Tambor's bow.
The date was December 20, 1939 at 4:15PM.
Electric Boat Photo

Hold Mouse Over Image
To Scroll the Image Use Mouse Wheel

The conning tower of the USS Tambor as seen most likely in the summer of 1940. The exact location of this photo can not be determined due to lack of background information.

The Tambor was commissioned on 3 June 1940 with Lieutenant Commander John M. Murphy, Jr. (Class of 1925),[7] in command.

After fitting out at New London, Tambor got underway on 6 August 1940 for her shakedown cruise which took her to New York City, Washington, D.C., Morehead City, North Carolina, and Houston, Texas. Following further training off Colón, Panama

In this photo the topside watch is talking with onlookers on the pier, so this might be a city dock someplace. The people are in summer type clothing and men and women are both seen in the photo. The topside watch is wearing a dark web belt that held a .45 caliber pistol in a holster on his right side.

The cigarette deck at the top back part of the conning tower superstructure is covered with a canvas awning. A few sailors and what look to be a civilian are standing on the back deck. The little that can be seen in the background, fore and aft of the conning tower, looks to be a harbor scene but little else is evident.

The configuration of the whole conning tower structure is how submarines were built pre WW II. Once the war started it was noted how these large structures made the submarine more visible on the surface and skippers began having yards cut them down and remove all unnecessary parts and build places for extra guns like 20MM and 40MM for surface and antiaircraft use.

Photo in the Private Collection of Ric Hedman.

USS Tambor SS 198

USS Tambor SS 198 heading up the Thames River, Groton, Connecticut is in the background.
The Fort Griswold Monument can be seen in the center of the picture above the tree line.

Rescue of Japanese sailors

The picture caption say it all.
US Navy photo

Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c.
Doyal rode Tambor for her 11 & 12 th War Patrols
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

Chief Torpedoman Murry Cherry

Tambor's Chief Torpedoman and C.O.B. (Chief of the Boat), Murry Cherry standing in front of the "Christmas Tree"
The shiny can on the pole is most likely a "butt kit" or better known as an ash tray to the land bound.
Below the "christmas Tree" are the main ballast tank group vent actuators.
On the left of the photo is the bow planes control wheel
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c is third from the left

Tambor's crew on deck for an awards ceremony.
Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c is 3rd from the left in the back row.
The ceremony was to present a Letter of Commendation to the
Executive Officer, Lt A. H. Peterson, for excellant service on Tambor's 12th Patrol.
He was also presented with a ribbon for this. The Captain, LCdr William J. Germershausen,
(or possibly LCdr Maurice Ferrara who assumed command in some time after the 12th patrol),
read the letter of Commendation the XO's wife pinned the ribbon on him.
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

XO get ribbon pinned on

Executive Officer, Lt A. H. Peterson is presented with a Letter of Commendation
for excellant service on Tambor's 12th Patrol.
He was also presented with a ribbon which his wife is pinning on him.
The Captain is pointing out the spot to put it as he holds the Letter
of Commendation in his left hand.
Chief of the Boat, Murry Cherry TMC can be seen just above the XOs' wifes head
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

The Wardroom and Goat Locker

Executive Officer, Lt A. H. Peterson is standing second from the laft.
The Commanding Officer, which could be either LCdr William J. Germershausen,
or possibly LCdr Maurice Ferrara, is in the center.
Chief of the Boat, Murry Cherry TMC is standing to the Capatins left
According the picture source, there is an Officer and one Chief missing from this photo.
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

Crewsmess on Tambor

Some of the crew of Tambor sitting in the crewsmess waiting for chow.
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

Dive Bomber making a run

Late in the war Tambor hit a log with her propeller and went to Bremerton for repairs
She was then stationed at Port Angeles, Washington to act as a training ship for
dive-bombers needing to make runs on ships and subs. When she entered Port Angles
for the first time, she was flying her battle flag and all her kill flags.
The folks greeting her were surprise that so small a vessel could sink so many ships.
Here is a dive-bomber making a run on Tambor as she trys evasive tactics.
Port Angeles and the Olympic Mountains can be seen in the background.
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

Damn, it's cold outside!!!

On 17 September, Tambor departed the west coast for Portsmouth, N.H. Tambor
was decommissioned there on 10 December 1945 and placed in reserve. In
April 1947, the submarine was assigned to the 9th Naval District to train
naval reservists; and she reported to the Naval Reserve Training Center,
Detroit, Mich., on 8 December. Tambor remained on duty as a reserve training
ship until 1959 when a Board of Inspection and Survey found her unfit for
further naval service. She was struck from the Navy list on 1 September and subsequently sold for scrap.
Tambor sits in a snow storm at Portsmouth waiting decommissioning. Looks pretty cold.
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

Damn, it's cold outside!!!

It's still snowing!!!
The topside watch, Bill Raymond, who made 4 war patrols on Tambor, is probably
wondering where his relief is and can he get a hot cup of coffee.
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c
Photo ID made by Tom Raymond, son of Bill Raymond.

Damn, it's cold outside!!!

Will you hurry up and take the picture,! It's cold out here.!!!
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

Damn, it's cold outside!!!

View is looking aft and several other subs and ships can be seen through the snow.
Photo provided by Lance Dean in memory of his grandfather Shelton Doyle Blalock, EM3c

Tambor main motors

This is one of the four main motors from the USS Tambor.
It has found a second life after the sub was decommissioned
and scrapped in commercial industry.
*********
The motor with the B is the double ended driver.
The motor with the E is the single ended driver.
We had all four motors. There are only two left.
The small black half horse motor is the tack motor
used for speed control. Each motor has a speed
increaser to drive the compressors at 3600 rpm.
Thanks to Frank Todaro for sending this photo taken at his company.

Tambor main motors

This is one of the four main motors from the USS Tambor.
It has found a second life after the sub was decommissioned
and scrapped in commercial industry.
Thanks to Frank Todaro for sending this photo taken at his company.

Tambor main motors

This is another of the four main motors from the USS Tambor.
It has found a second life after the sub was decommissioned
and scrapped in commercial industry.
Thanks to Frank Todaro for sending this photo taken at his company.

Tambor main motors

Manufactures plaque that was attached to the motors.
Thanks to Frank Todaro for sending this photo taken at his company.

Read / Sign our Deck Log

Tambor Class Cutaway and Specifications

Holland | A-Boats | B-Boats | C-Boats | D-Boats | E-Boats | F-Boats |
| G-Boats | H-Boats | K-Boats | L-Boats | M-Boats | N-Boats | O-Boats |
| R-Boats | S-Boats | T-Boats | V-Boats|Simon Lake Subs| The Fleet Boats |
| Wilkins-Ellsworth Expedition | Home |

Page created by:
Ric Hedman
1999 - 2009©
PigBoats.COM™
Mountlake Terrace, WA
webmaster at pigboats dot com
The author is a Member of The HTML Writers Guild