View source for USS Amberjack (SS-522)

{{short description|Submarine of the United States}}
{{other ships|USS Amberjack}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=File:Ceara (S14) sail on display.jpg
|Ship caption=''Ceará'''s sail preserved in Fortaleza.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1973}}
|Ship name=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Boston Navy Yard]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates">{{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | title = U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History
  | publisher = [[United States Naval Institute]]
  | year = 1995
  | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
  | pages = 285–304
  | isbn = 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref>
|Ship laid down=8 February 1944<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship launched=15 December 1944<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=4 March 1946<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship decommissioned=17 October 1973<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=17 October 1973<ref name="Register">{{cite book
  | last = Bauer
  | first = K. Jack
  |author2=Roberts, Stephen S.
   | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants
  | publisher = Greenwood Press
  | year = 1991
  | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]]
  | pages = 280–282
  | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}</ref>
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate=Transferred to [[Brazil]], 17 October 1973<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>

}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Ship country=Brazil
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Brazil|1968}}
|Ship name=''Ceará'' (S-14)
|Ship namesake=
|Ship acquired= 17 October 1973
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship decommissioned= 21 September 1987
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate=Scrapped; sail preserved in [[Fortaleza]], [[Ceará]].
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(As completed)
|Ship class=[[Tench class submarine|''Tench''-class]] [[diesel-electric]] [[submarine]]<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship displacement=*1,570&nbsp;[[long ton|ton]]s (1,595&nbsp;[[tonne|t]]) surfaced<ref name="Register"/>
*2,428&nbsp;tons (2,467&nbsp;t) submerged<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship length={{convert|311|ft|8|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|27|ft|3|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship draft={{convert|17|ft|0|in|abbr=on}} maximum<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship propulsion={{Fleet-boat-propulsion-late-FM-2-W}}
|Ship speed=*{{convert|20.25|kn|km/h|0|lk=in}} surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 305–311</ref>
*{{convert|8.75|kn|km/h|0}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship range={{convert|11000|nmi|km}} surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship endurance=*48 hours at {{convert|2|kn|km/h}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*75 days on patrol
|Ship test depth={{convert|400|ft|m|-1|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship complement=10 officers, 71 enlisted<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*10 × [[American 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] torpedo tubes
*(six forward, four aft)
*28 torpedoes
*2 × [[5"/25 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}]] caliber deck guns
*Bofors [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm]] and Oerlikon [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] cannon
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(Guppy II)
|Ship class=
|Ship displacement=*1,870&nbsp;tons (1,900&nbsp;t) surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-chap2">{{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | title = U.S. Submarines Since 1945: An Illustrated Design History
  | publisher = [[United States Naval Institute]]
  | year = 1994
  | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
  | pages = 11–43
  | isbn = 1-55750-260-9 }}</ref>
*2,440&nbsp;tons (2,480&nbsp;t) submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-chap2"/>
|Ship length=307&nbsp;ft (93.6&nbsp;m)<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-specs">''U.S. Submarines Since 1945'' pp. 242</ref>
|Ship beam=27&nbsp;ft 4&nbsp;in (7.4&nbsp;m)<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-specs"/>
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft=17&nbsp;ft (5.2&nbsp;m)<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-specs"/>
|Ship propulsion=*[[Submarine snorkel|Snorkel]] added<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-chap2"/>
*Batteries upgraded to [[Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program|GUPPY]] type, capacity expanded to 504&nbsp;cells (1 × 184&nbsp;cell, 1 × 68&nbsp;cell, and 2 × 126&nbsp;cell batteries)<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-chap2"/>
|Ship speed=*Surfaced:
*{{convert|18.0|kn|km/h|1}} maximum
*{{convert|13.5|kn|km/h|1}} cruising
*Submerged:
*{{convert|16.0|kn|km/h|1}} for ½ hour
*{{convert|9.0|kn|km/h|1}} snorkeling
*{{convert|3.5|kn|km/h|1}} cruising<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-chap2"/>
|Ship range=15,000&nbsp;nm (28,000&nbsp;km) surfaced at 11 knots (20 km/h)<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-specs"/>
|Ship endurance=48 hours at {{convert|4|kn|km/h|0}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-specs"/>
|Ship test depth=
|Ship complement=*9–10 officers
*5 senior petty officers
*70 enlisted men<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-specs"/>
|Ship sensors=*WFA active sonar
*JT passive sonar
*Mk&nbsp;106 torpedo fire control system<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-specs"/>
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*10 × {{convert|21|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
*&nbsp;(six forward, four aft)<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-specs"/>
*all guns removed<ref name="FriedmanSubs2-chap2"/>
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''USS ''Amberjack'' (SS-522)''', a WWII-era [[Tench class submarine|''Tench''-class]] [[submarine]], was the second submarine of the [[United States Navy]] named for the [[amberjack]], a vigorous sport fish found in the western Atlantic from [[New England]] to [[Brazil]].

== Commissioning ==
Her keel was laid down by the [[Boston Naval Shipyard]] of [[Boston]], Massachusetts, on 8 February 1944. She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 15 December 1944 sponsored by Mrs. Walter E. Lang Jr., and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 4 March 1946.

== Shakedown and first conversion ==
Following shakedown training in the [[West Indies]] and in the [[Gulf of Mexico]], ''Amberjack'' reported on 17 June for duty with SubRon8. Operating out of the Submarine Base, [[New London, Connecticut]], she conducted training missions in the North Atlantic, and, in November 1946, made a cruise above the [[Arctic Circle]]. In January 1947, the submarine entered the [[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]] for extensive modifications and thereafter spent about a year undergoing a [[Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program]] (GUPPY) conversion during which her hull and sail were streamlined and additional batteries and a [[Submarine snorkel|snorkel]] were installed to increase her submerged speed endurance, and maneuverability. In January 1948, she reported for duty with SubRon4 based at [[Key West, Florida]]. She operated along the east coast and in the West Indies for a little more than 11 years. Her schedule included the development of tactics and independent ship exercises, type training, periodic overhauls, and fleet exercises. During this period, she also visited numerous [[Caribbean Sea]] ports. In July 1952, ''Amberjack'' was transferred to the newly established SubRon12, though she remained based at Key West and her employment continued as before.

== European and NATO exercises ==
Early in August 1959, after more than 11 years of operations out of Key West, the submarine's home port was changed to [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. She arrived there on 8 August and reported for duty with her former squadron, SubRon4. While working out of her new home port, ''Amberjack'''s operations remained much as they had been before with one significant difference: she began making deployments to [[Europe]]an waters. In August, September and October 1960, the submarine participated in a [[NATO]] exercise before making a week-long port visit to [[Portsmouth, England]]. She returned to Charleston late in October and resumed her normal duties. Between May and September 1961, the warship deployed to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] for duty in the Sixth Fleet.  After a three-year interlude operating along the east coast and in the [[West Indies]], ''Amberjack'' made another Mediterranean cruise between 7 July and 1 November 1964. She spent the ensuing 29 months working out of Charleston. In 1967, the submarine made a three-month deployment to the Mediterranean between 23 April and 24 July. On 2 September 1969, following another 25 months of operations along the US east coast and in the West Indies, she embarked upon her last deployment from Charleston in European waters during which she participated in another NATO exercise with units of the [[United Kingdom|British]], [[Canada|Canadian]], and [[Netherlands|Dutch]] navies. At the conclusion of the exercise, ''Amberjack'' visited a number of ports in northern Europe before returning to Charleston on 12 December 1969.

===USS ''Liberty'' incident===

There is speculation amongst survivors of the [[USS Liberty incident|1967 Israeli attack on the USS ''Liberty'']] and their supporters that a U.S. Navy submarine observed and filmed the attack through their periscope.<ref name="wrmea.org">{{cite web | url=https://www.wrmea.org/1997-june-july/anniversary-of-a-30-year-investigation-uss-liberty-periscope-photography-may-finally-reveal-truth.html | title=Anniversary of a 30-Year Investigation: USS Liberty: Periscope Photography May Finally Reveal Truth | date=26 June 1997 }}</ref> The working theory is that the submarine was either the ''Amberjack'' or the [[USS Andrew Jackson|USS ''Andrew Jackson'']]. Seeing how the ''Amberjack'' was on a 3-month deployment to the eastern Mediterranean Sea to reconnoiter Egypt,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/amberjack-ii.html | title=Amberjack II (SS-522) }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hullnumber.com/SS-522 | title=USS AMBERJACK (SS-522) Deployments & History }}</ref> this would mean she could, in theory, have been in the vicinity of the attack when it occurred. There is no confirmation of this theory and it remains speculative.

In 1988, the [[LBJ Presidential Library]] declassified and released a document from the ''Liberty'' archive with the “[[Top Secret]]—Eyes Only” security caveat (Document #12C sanitized and released 21DEC88 under review case 86–199).<ref name="wrmea.org"/> This “Memorandum for the Record” dated April 10, 1967 reported a briefing of the “[[Oversight of United States covert operations|303 Committee]]” by General Ralph D. Steakley. According to the memo, General Steakley “briefed the committee on a sensitive [[Department of Defense|DOD]] project known as FRONTLET 615,” which is identified in a handwritten note on the original memorandum as “submarine within [[United Arab Republic|U.A.R.]] waters.” Further [[Freedom of Information Act (United States)|Freedom of Information Act]] requests returned no information on any project called “FRONTLET 615.” This has lent credence to the theory that a U.S. Navy submarine was present during the attack.

In February 1997, a senior member of the crew of the ''Amberjack'' told ''Liberty'' survivor James Ennes that he had watched the attack through the periscope and took pictures.<ref name="wrmea.org"/> When contacted, 4 crewmen stated that they were so close to the ''Liberty'' when it came under attack that some of the crew believed that the ''Amberjack'' herself was under attack by depth charges.<ref name="wrmea.org"/> Captain August Hubal, the commanding officer of the ''Amberjack'' at the time of the attack, insisted that the vessel was 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the ''Liberty''. When told the crew believed they were closer, he replied “They must be mistaken.” On July 2, 2003, the [[National Security Agency]] stated that there had been “no radio intercepts made by the U.S. submarine ''Amberjack''.”<ref name="wrmea.org"/> James Ennes believes that if the submarine photography does exist, it should show that the ''Liberty's'' flag was clearly visible to the attacking aircraft and torpedo boats, which would directly contradict the Israeli narrative of the attack.

== End of Service ==
On 9 July 1970, ''Amberjack'' arrived in her new home port, [[Key West, Florida]], her base for the remainder of her service in the [[United States Navy]].  She made her last deployment to the Mediterranean between 27 November 1972, and 30 March 1973.  On 17 October 1973, ''Amberjack'' was decommissioned at Key West, her name was struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]], was transferred to the [[Brazil]]ian Navy, and was commissioned as '''''Ceará'' (S-14)'''.

== References ==
{{reflist}}
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/amberjack-ii.html}}

{{Tench class submarine|others}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Amberjack (Ss-522)}}
[[Category:Tench-class submarines]]
[[Category:Ships built in Boston]]
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of the United States]]<!-- built during -->
[[Category:Cold War submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Tench-class submarines of the Brazilian Navy]]