START OF oa PRNED 77 2 ow operator °7/& 1 Les ie pate 247-77 THIS MICROFILM IS THE PROPERTY OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MICROFILMED BY NPPSO-NAVAL DISTRICT WASHINGTON MICROFILM SECTIONUSS SEADRAGONNavy oeraRrveN GFFICE. OF THE GHIEF OF AVAL OPERATIONS DIVISION OF NAVAL HISTORY (CP 0959) SHIPS? HustonY stoTICN HISTORY OF SHIFS NAMED SEADRAGON ruclear~povered subnarine SEADRAGO!! (SS(N)-584) is the second ship of the Fleet +0 be naned for ths besuti‘ully colored Australian ftshos intermesiate Betreen the pipeftshes and the Seahorses af the genera Mryllepteryx sed Phycodurus, especially Phycodurus Esques. They have many large lesflike appendages oi the plates of the body whieh ‘nitate the sesneed snong snich they Liver ‘The first SEADRAGON: (55-194) was built by the Electric Beet, Company of Groton, Connecticut, Her keel wae Laid 10 2p2i1 1938. Lausching ceremonies wore held Ii April 1939 under the soensorship of Hrs, Jones 0: Richardson, wife of Roar Adaizal Pieherdecn, USN, Chief ci the Bureau of Navigation, washington, De C. A r's>ap preverio# SEADRAGCR from sliding completely doun the ways A nev “cadte wes sta led under her aad che gracefully completed her slice into the oe of the Thanes River on 21 April 1939, The fleet subcarine was piove! in comission at Now London on 23 Gcteber 1939, "-leutenant John Gs Jotnsy Us, In command, (On 11 Decenber 1939 SEADRAGON cleared Kew London for shakedown training eruise wich included vieite to Annapolisy Hew Crleansy Coco Solo, Cane Zone; Guantanano 88): and Newport. She retmned te the Portsmouth Navy Yard on 28 January 1900 fer final alterations and get underway from tlw London on 23 vay for the west coast. She Visited ashington, D.C. (25-30 June) and transited the Panana Canel to reach San Diego’ on’ 20" June 1940, SEADRAGON was assigned to the Subsarine Force, U. S. Fleets (on 12 August 1940, with Conmander Subnarine Division 1? aboard, she sailed for Pearl Harbor.” She trained in the Hawaiian ares until 16 Novenber, ‘then arlived in ianila Bay on the oth to serve in Philippine waters ith units of the Asiatic Fleat until the outbreak of orld Var Gn 22 March 1941, Lieutensnt Johns nas relieved by Lieutenant '~ Es Ferrall, Whe then the Japanese struck Pearl Harbors SEADRAGO hed commenced overhaul in the Cavite Navy Yard, She was” slongsige SEALION at iachina Wharf when enemy boabers Tatded tania Harber on 10 Decesber 1941. Two boabs Ht SEALION almost at the sine tine. Flying fragnents ripped way a part of SEADRAGON's bridge and punctured her tanks. A fragment of one bonb penetrated her conning tower, Killing her conmunications officer, Ensign Samuel H. Hunter, USM, and wounded two other officers fod three mans The flanes witch swept the vharf scorched her hully fand, not far fron the wharf, torpedo warheads detonsted on board 8 torpedo ship which had been’ struck, 2dding to the inferoo. The rescue ship PIGEON defied this danger to nove in and pacsed a tovina iine #6 men from SEALION clanbered on SEADRAGOM"s deck, Uhile under tow to 2 position where she could back out into the channel, a big olt tank ‘exploded to send a wave of fixe which blistered the hull of both ships. Cree