The first HADDOCK (SS-231) was launched by Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N.H., 

20 October 1941-sponsored by Mrs. William H. Allen; and commissioned 14 

March 192, Lt. Cmdr. Arthur H. Taylor in command.

After shakedown and training cruises of New England, HADDOCK sailed for 

the Pacific 19 June 1942 and arrived Pearl Harbor 16 July. She departed 

on her first war patrol 28 July, the first submarine to do so with the 

new SJ-type submarine surface radar. This equipment added greatly to her 

power in seeking out and destroying enemy ships in darkness or reduced 

visibility. Penetrating into the Bonin Island-East China Sea area, 

HADDOCK attacked a freighter on the surface 12 August, damaged her, and 

next day sank an unidentified transport of about 4,000 tons. In the 

Formosa Straits 26 August she missed with four stern shots at TEINSHUM 

MARU but sent the target to the bottom by swinging around hard for a 

shot from the bow tubes. HADDOCK patrolled off Okinawa before returning 

to Midway 19 September 1942.

HADDOCK's second war patrol, commencing 11 October from Midway, was 

carried out in the Yellow Sea. After two attacks without hits, the 

submarine torpedoed TEKKAI MARU amidships 3 November, breaking her in 

two. She was forced to break off another attack 6 November because of 

destroyers and search aircraft, but during the night of 11 November blew 

off the stern of cargo ship VENICE MARU east of the island of Honshu. 

HADDOCK damaged another ship 13 November, only to be prevented from 

finishing her of by escort craft, and expended her last torpedo on an 

empty tanker 1 November. After a brief gunfire duel with her victim, the 

submarine headed for Pearl Harbor, arriving 4 December.

On her third war patrol, HADDOCK operated south of Japan, departing 28 

December from Pearl Harbor. She was attacked by two destroyers raining 

depth charges, and when she finally surfaced to clear the area, HADDOCK 

found herself surrounded by Japanese patrol craft. The submarine sped 

out of the trap just in time to avoid destruction.                         

A few days later, 17 January, she sank an unidentified freighter of 

4,000 tons, and 19 January HADDOCK detected six cargo vessels steaming 

in double column. Gaining attack position on the last ship, she scored 

two hits and sent her to the bottom. Aerial attack and depth charge kept 

her from bagging the other members of the convoy

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and bad weather forced HADDOCK to return to Midway 17 February 1943.

HADDOCK departed Midway 11 March for her fourth war patrol, and saw her 

first action 3 April off Palau, when she encountered a transport 

protected by a corvette. Launching two "fish" at the corvette, which 

apparently ran under without exploding, HADDOCK then turned to the 

transport and succeeded in sinking her with a spread of torpedoes. 

Following torpedo tracks, the persistent corvette dropped 24 depth 

charges, many directly over HADDOCK, that caused some damage to her 

conning tower and radar. After spending some time patrolling off Saipan, 

she returned to Pearl Harbor 19 April 1943.

Departing Pearl Harbor again 30 June HADDOCK set course for the 

Carolines on her fifth war patrol. Detecting a group of four escorted 

transports north of Palau 21 July, she maneuvered into position and sank 

SAIPAN MARU, The depth charge attacks of the accompanying ships were 

ineffective. That same day she came upon two unescorted tankers. Her 

first attack failed to sink the two ship but she followed them and made 

two more attacks before finally breaking off the action for lack of 

torpedoes. HADDOCK arrived at Midway 6 August and at Pearl Harbor 10 

August 1943.

HADDOCK's sixth war patrol was conducted in waters off Truk, the vital 

Japanese base in the Carolines. Departing Pearl Harbor 2 September, she 

torpedoed SAMSEI MARU on the 15th but failed to sink her and the victim 

turned to ram the submarine. Haddock damaged seaplane tender NOTORO 20 

September and then spent a harrowing day eluding the attacks of Japanese 

escort vessels alerted by the explosions. She returned to Midway 28 

September with all torpedoes expended.

The veteran submarine departed on her seventh war patrol 20 October 1943 

and headed again for the waters off Truk. Late 1 November HADDOCK 

damaged two transports, barely surviving the attacks of a hunter-killer 

group a few hours later. She made one additional attack 2 November, 

heavily damaging HOYO MARU, before returning to Pearl Harbor 15 November 

1943.

For her eighth war patrol HADDOCK joined a coordinated attack group with 

TULLIBEE and HALIBUT. She departed Pearl Harbor 14 December and 

rendezvoused 17 December. Encountering a group of warships 19 January, 

HADDOCK attacked escort carrier UNYO and damaged her severely before 

being driven off by screening vessels. The submarine returned to Pearl 

Harbor 5 February 1944.

HADDOCK departed for her ninth war patrol 10 March. Under the Navy's 

relentless attack, spearheaded by the submarine, Japan's sea lifelines 

had shrunk to a trickle and targets were scarce-but she succeeded in 

sinking a small escort vessel 24 April, before returning to Pearl Harbor 

10 May 1944. Her 10th war patrol was eventful as the Pacific war drew 

close to its climax. With Commander Roach in HADDOCK commanding, she 

formed an attack group with HALIBUT and TUNA, departing Pearl Harbor 8 

October. Moving to support the invasion of the Philippines, the 

submarines were present during the battle off Cape Engano, part of the 

epochal Battle for Leyte Gulf 25 October and unsuccessfully pursued some 

of the retiring Japanese units. Bothered by a malfunctioning periscope, 

Haddock scored no hits on the rest of her patrol and returned to Pearl 

Harbor 10 December.

Fitted out with extra deck guns for her 11th war patrol, HADDOCK sailed, 

in company with submarines SENNETT and LAGARTO for the seas east of 

Japan. The boats made a diversionary sweep designed to pull early 

warning craft away from the intended track of the carrier group en route 

for air strikes against Tokyo. Gaining their objective with complete 

success, the submarines attacked the picket boats with gunfire, allowed 

them to send contact reports, and then sunk several, diverting Japanese 

efforts away from the undetected carrier group. HADDOCK returned to Guam 

14 March.

HADDOCK spent her 12th and 13th war patrols on lifeguard station near 

Tokyo, standing by to rescue downed airmen after raids on Japanese 

cities. This duty occupied her from April until her return to Pearl 

Harbor 22 August 1945. The hard fought victory, to which she had 

contributed so much, was won. So HADDOCK departed for the United States 

7 September and after transiting the Panama Canal and visiting various 

ports on the East Coast, arrived at New London, Conn., 29 March 1946. 

nearly 4 years after she had sailed from the North Atlantic to victory. 

She was placed in reserve in commission 20 April and decommissioned 12 

February 1947. In August 1948 HADDOCK was assigned duty as a reserve 

training ship for 6th Naval District, and served in that capacity until 

being again placed out of service at New London May 1952. She was again 

assigned to reserve training, this time at Portsmouth, N.H., June 1956, 

and finally was struck from the Navy List and sold for scrap to Jacob 

Checkoway 23 August 1960.

HADDOCK received 11 battle stars for her service in World War II. All of 

her war patrols except the 12th were designated successful and she 

received the Presidential Unit Citation for her outstanding performance 

on the second, fifth, sixth, and seventh war patrols.