USS Croaker is a WWII Gato class diesel-electric submarine. Commissioned in April, 1944 as SS-246, she served in the Pacific, making 6 patrols. Decommissioned in June of 1946, she was placed into storage.
December of 1953 saw her recommissioned as SSK-246, a hunter-killer submarine. A new sail had been fitted, along with a snorkel and a long range sonar in a bulb on the bow. This cost her two of her six bow torpedo tubes, but increased her underwater listening capability immensely. Much of her equipment was given special silencing treatment to reduce her noise underwater.
Transferred to the Naval Reserve to use as a trainer in 1968, she spent the next three years, until 1971, in this capacity. In 1976 Croaker was transferred to the Submarine Memorial Association in Groton, Connecticut. In 1988 she was moved to Buffalo to become a part of the Buffalo Naval and Servicemen's Park. She is now in the company of USS Little Rock (CLG-4), and USS The Sullivans (DD-537).
USS Croaker from the bow of USS Little Rock.
Some statistics.
Length: 306'6"
Width: 27'2"
Displacement: 2070 tons surface
2400 tons submerged
Speed: 17 knots surface, 9 knots submerged
Crew: 7 officers, 74 crew (varied by mission)
Armament: 4 bow, 4 stern 21" torpedo tubes