78 NO. 0 Mile OPERATOR “7 “"" Wiz si, Da LLEZZ THIS MICROFILM IS THE PROPERTY OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MICROFILMED BY NPPSO—NAVAL DISTRICT WASHINGTON MICROFILM SECTIONILS BURRFISH CssR 312)NAVY DEPARTHGNT OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS DIVISION CF NAVAL HISTORY (oP 0989) SHIPS" HISTORIES SECTION HISTORY OF USS BURRFISH (SSR 312) WSS BURRFIGH is named for a species of fish, known in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atiantic coast from Massachusetts to Floriea under” the sclentific nane of chileny-terus schoeofi, The Surrfith ts $0. named Because of the nunerous short stiff epinns Jn the stin. The fishy shen disturbed, inflates by taking air and water through its mouth until the spines inthe skin stant out Like the needles in a pin-cushion or the spines on a burr. They have mouths which resemble the beak of a parrot, and the Jaws of this fish exe so powarful that it can snap a small rope in two or crush crabs or shelifishe Tne species has no comercial value ‘and the flesh of this type of fish ie said to be poisonous. BURRFISH (SS 312) was built by the Portenouth Navy Yard, New Hampshire, Hier keel wes laid 24 February 1943 and she was launched on 18 June 1943, under tho sponsorship of Mise Jane Elizabeth Davis, daughter of ‘the Honorable Janes J. Davis, United States Senator fren Pennaylvantas ‘The fleet. subsarine vas placed in commiseion on 14 Septenber 1943) Lieutenant Connander William 8. Perkins, USN, in conmande BURRFISH cleared the submarine base at New London, Connecticut, on 21 Novenbex 1943 for seventeen days of training from the Fleet Sound School at Key Veet. She then transited the Fanana Canel on hex wey. to Pearl Harbor vhere she srrived on 6 January 1944 for final training in the Hawatlen areas PURRFISH was underway from Pearl Harbor on 29 January 1944 to conduct her first war patrol. She topped off with fuel at Mdway on 2 February and dived from an eneny bonber on 10 Fehsuary before she entered her assigned ares at dam of the 13th, off the Vest Caroline Islands. Hear high noon of 14 Februsry she closed a convoy of a fleet oller and two large cargo ships but four torpedoes missed their ark. Three escorts Joined in a hunt to hold her dow and the fighting subtarine becese heavy aft as her engine air induction lecked & full stream through the drain, She went down to 450 feet with an up-angle of ten deyress and atterpt “to Pusp trim wes without success by the tine eightnen depth charges rained don £0 explede in the sea nearby. Vater in he: forword eneine room bilges was about three feet deep at the after end, and at one timy she was down as far as 500 feet with 9 fourteen desree up-angle. She increased speed which brought her up to 375 fest and could hear the eacorts pinging in the distance as she made hor way clear. BUTFISH secured st nightfall fron silent running to ropair the leaky engine air induction. This task Kept her men occupied throughout the next day a5 she sped toa station celeulated to put her in position to intercept any enemy warships which