Allied Warships

Cochino (SS-345)

Submarine of the Balao class

NavyThe US Navy
TypeSubmarine
ClassBalao 
Pennant345 
Built byElectric Boat Co. (Groton, Connecticut, U.S.A.) 
Ordered6 Jun 1942 
Laid down13 Apr 1944 
Launched20 Apr 1945 
Commissioned25 Aug 1945 
Lost26 Aug 1949 
Loss position71° 35'N, 23° 35'E
History

On 18 July 1949 USS Cochino put to sea for a cruise to Britain, and Arctic operations. Her group ran through a violent polar gale off Norway, and the joltings received by Cochino played their part in causing an electrical fire and battery explosion, followed by the generation of deadly hydrogen [chlorine] on 25 August. Defying the most unfavorable possible weather conditions, men of Cochino and USS Tusk (SS 426) fought to save the submarine for 14 hours, performing acts of skillful seamanship and high courage.

A second battery explosion on 26 August made "Abandon Ship" the only possible order, and Cochino sank north of Norway in position 71.35N. 23.35E. All Cochino's men were rescued by the valiant Tusk who had lost seven of her own men in the attempt to save Cochino.

 

Commands listed for USS Cochino (345)

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.

CommanderFromTo
1T/Cdr. William Alfred Stevenson, USN25 Aug 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 Cochino include:


8 Sep 1945
USS Cohino (Cdr. W.A. Stevenson, USN) conducted deep submergence trails in the New London area.

12 Sep 1945
USS Cohino (Cdr. W.A. Stevenson, USN) shifted from New London, Connecticut to Newport, Rhode Island for her torpedo firing trials.

15 Sep 1945
Having completed her torpedo firing trials, USS Cohino (Cdr. W.A. Stevenson, USN), shifted from Newport, Rhode Island to New London, Connecticut.

26 Aug 1949
While on clandestine operations USS Tusk (SS 426) and USS Cochino (SS 345) ran through a violent polar gale off Norway, and the jolting received by Cochino played their part in causing an electrical fire and battery explosion, followed by the generation of deadly hydrogen [chlorine] on 25 August. Defying the most unfavorable possible weather conditions, men of Cochino and USS Tusk fought to save the submarine for 14 hours, performing acts of skillful seamanship and high courage. A second battery explosion on 26 August made "Abandon Ship" the only possible order, and Cochino sank north of Norway in position 71.35N. 23.35E. All Cochino's men were rescued by the valiant Tusk who had lost seven of her own men in the attempt to save Cochino. (1)

Media links


Blind Man's Bluff

Sherry Sontag


U. S. Submarines in World War II

Kimmett, Larry and Regis, Margaret


U.S. Submarines Through 1945

Friedman, Norman


amazon.co.uk
(£ 56.95)

Sources

  1. Sherry Sontag (1998). Blind Man's Bluff, PublicAffairs

Return to the Allied Warships section



As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.