USS Sealion (SS-195)

USS Sealion in October 1939
Overview
Keel laying	June 20, 1938
Launch	May 25, 1939
Namesake	Genus Zalophus (sea lion)
1. Period of service
Commissioning	November 27, 1939
Whereabouts	abandoned and self-sunk on December 25, 1941
Technical specifications
displacement	1450 ts (surfaced) 2350 ts (immersed)
length	94.6 m
width	8.2 m
Draft	5.1 m
Diving depth	76 m
crew	59
drive	4 × General Motors Model 16-248 V16 Diesel (5500 PS) 4 × General Electric electric motors (2740 PS) 2 waves
speed	21 kn (surfaced) 8.75 kn (submerged)
Range	11,000 nm at 11 kn
Armament	8 × 21-inch (533-mm) torpedo tubes (4 at bow, 4 aft) 24 torpedoes 1 × 3-inch (76-mm) / L50 deck gun 4 machine guns

The USS Sealion (SS-195) was a submarine of Sargo class of the United States Navy .

history

The Sealion was laid down on June 20, 1938 by the Electric Boat Company , launched on May 25, 1939 and was handed over to the US Navy on May 25, 1939. She was the 131st submarine the Electric Boat built for the Navy. The boat was 91 meters long and could reach a top speed of 20 knots above water and 9 knots under water.

After the first test drives, the boat was relocated to the Philippines together with the Submarine Division (SubDiv) 17 in the spring, where it operated as part of the Asian fleet from autumn 1940 .

The Sealion was badly damaged on December 10, 1941 by a Japanese air raid in the Cavite Navy Dock in Manila Bay in the Philippines. There were five dead. With the advancing Japanese about to take the port, there was no time for repairs. All usable parts were removed and the submarine was sunk in the port with the hatches open.

Web links

• History of Sealion in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (English)
• Pictures of the Sealion in the Naval Historical Center