USS GRAYLING (SSN 646)

USS Grayling (1909 - 1911) SS-18
 

The first Grayling (SS-18) was a D-Class submarine of the U.S. Navy.  She was launched on 16 June 1909 and commissioned on 23 November 1909.

USS Grayling (SS-18) was renamed D-2 on 17 November 1911.

USS Grayling (1915 - 1918) SP-1259

 

The second Grayling (SP-1259) was built by Boyden of Amesburg, Mass., in 1915 and acquired by the Navy from her owner, E. E. Gray, 7 May 1917. She commissioned 22 May 1917 and was used by the 1st Naval District as a patrol craft in Boston harbor until returned to her owner 30 November 1918.

USS Grayling (1917 - 1919) SP-289
 

The third Grayling (SP-289) was built by Peterson, Hudson River, N.Y.; acquired by the Navy from her owner, Myer Resebush, 22 May 1917; and commissioned the same day, Boatswain Robert L. Kemp, USNRF, in command. She served as a patrol boat on local and coastal waters around Norfolk, Va., during the remainder of World War I. She decommissioned 15 January 1919 and was returned to her owner the same day.

USS Grayling (1941 - 1943) SS-209
 

The fourth Grayling (SS-209) was laid down at the Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N.H., 15 December 1939; launched 4 September 1940; sponsored by Mrs. Herbert F. Leary; and commissioned 1 March 1941, Lt. Comdr. E. Olson in command. 

After conducting tests and sea trials, she was called upon 20 June 1941 to assist in the search for submarine 0-9, which had failed to surface after a practice dive off Isle of Shoals. 0-9 was subsequently discovered on the bottom, but rescue efforts failed; Grayling participated 22 June in the memorial services for those lost. 

Joining the Atlantic Fleet, Grayling sailed on shakedown cruise 4 August to Morehead City, N.C., and St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, returning to Portsmouth 29 August. After final acceptance, she departed 17 November, armed at Newport, B.I., and sailed for duty with the Pacific Fleet. Grayling transited the Panama Canal 3 December and moored at San Diego 10 December. 

Grayling sailed for Pearl Harbor 17 December, arrived 24 December, and had the honor of being chosen for the Pacific Fleet change of command ceremony 31 December" 1941. On that day Admiral C. W. Nimitz hoisted his flag aboard Grayling as Commander Pacific Fleet and began the Navy's long fighting road back in the Pacific. 

After the ceremonies, Grayling stood out of Pearl Harbor on her first war patrol 5 January 1942. Cruising the Northern Gilbert Islands, Grayling failed to register a kill, but gained much in training and readiness, returning to Pearl Harbor 7 March. 

Her second patrol, beginning 27 March, was more successful. Cruising off the coast of Japan itself, Grayling sank her first ship 13 April, sending the cargo freighter Ryujin Maru to the bottom. She returned to Hawaii 16 May. 

Grayling returned to action in June as all available ships were pressed into service to oppose the Japanese advance on Midway. As part of Task Group 7.1, Grayling and her sister submarines were arranged in a fan-like reconnaissance deployment west of Midway, helping to provide knowledge of Japanese movements. 

As Naval planners established a submarine blockade of Truk in connection with the offensive in the Solomons, Grayling began her third war patrol 14 July 1942 around the Japanese stronghold. She damaged a Japanese submarine tender 13 August, but was forced to return to Pearl Harbor 26 August by fuel leaks.

At Pearl Harbor Grayling repaired and was fitted with surface radar, after which she began her fourth patrol 19 October. Although attacked by gunfire and six separate depth charge runs by Japanese destroyers, Grayling succeeded 10 November in sinking a 4,000-ton cargo ship southwest of Truk. She also destroyed an enemy schooner 4 December before putting into Fremantle, Australia, 13 December.

Changing her base of operations to Australia, Grayling stood out of Fremantle 7 January 1943 on her fifth patrol, this time in Philippine waters. She sank cargo ship Ushio Maru west of Luzon 26 January and damaged another Japanese ship the next day. After sinking a schooner 24 February, Grayling returned to Fremantle.

Grayling left Australian waters 18 March on her sixth war patrol and cruised in the Tarakan area and the Verde Island Passage. There she attacked and sunk cargo ship Shanghai Maru 9 April and damaged four other ships before returning to Fremantle 25 April.

Her seventh war patrol, commencing 18 May, took Grayling into the waters off northwest Borneo, where she damaged a freighter and two smaller ships before returning to her base 6 July.

Grayling began her eighth and last war patrol in July from Fremantle. She made two visits to the coast of the Philippines delivering supplies and equipment to guerrillas at Pucio Point, Pandan Bay, Panay, 31 July and 23 August 1943. Cruising in the Philippines area, Grayling recorded her last kill, the passenger-cargo Meizan Maru 27 August in the Tablas Strait, but was not heard from again after 9 September. Grayling was officially reported "lost with all hands" 30 September 1943, after having recorded five major kills totalling 20,575 tons. All but the first of Grayling's eight war patrols were declared "successful."

Grayling received six battle stars for World War II service.

The name Grayling was assigned to SS-492 on 29 August 1944, but was cancelled 12 August 1945 prior to construction.

USS Grayling (1969 - 1997) SSN-646
 

The fifth Grayling was laid down at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, N.H., 12 May 1964; launched 22 June 1967; sponsored by Miss Lori Brinker, daughter of Lt. Comdr. Robert Brinker, who commanded Grayling OSS-209) when she was lost in action; and is to commission in the spring of 1968. Once commissioned, she will become a key element in the under-water deterrent force of the Navy and will contribute to the vital, continuing task of "keeping the peace" over the vast reaches of global waters.

Designed to attack and destroy all types of enemy ships, she can operate for long periods at great depths and at high submerged speeds, making her a potent and effective challenge to enemy submarines. Operating under nuclear power, she can conduct long-range reconnaissance patrols and surveillance missions without risking detection by surface ships. Moreover, she is designed to carry out extensive ASW operations, either alone or with other fleet submarines and destroyer-type surface ships.

Keel Layed:  12 May 1964
Christening Date:  22 June 1967
Commissioning Date:  11 October 1969
Decommissioned Date:  18 July 1997

USS GRAYLING PHOTOGRAPHS

USS GRAYLING (SSN-646)

USS GRAYLING (SSN-646)

USS GRAYLING (SS-18)

USS GRAYLING (SS-209)