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USS Guitarro (SS-363) 

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Guitarro (SS-363) 

USS Guitarro (SS-363) was launched 26 September 1943 by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. of Manitowoc, Wis.; sponsored by Mrs. Ross T. McIntire, wife of the Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery; and commissioned at Manitowoc 26 January 1944, Lt. Comdr. E. D. Haskins in command.

USS Guitarro (SS-363) departed Manitowoc for Chicago 13 February, and there she was place in a floating drydock. Steamer Minnesota towed the drydock to New Orleans, arriving 22 February, and there USS Guitarro (SS-363) prepared for sea. Steaming from New Orleans 1 March, she operated out of Balboa, Canal Zone, for several weeks and departed for Pearl Harbor 2 April 1944. Arriving at Pearl Harbor 17 April, USS Guitarro (SS-363) prepared for her first war patrol off Formosa. She got underway on this duty 7 May 1944. On the night of 30 May the submarine encountered heavily escorted cargo vessel Shisen Man, and scoring two hits sent her to the bottom.

Departing on her second war patrol 21 July 1944, USS Guitarro (SS-363) set course for the South China Sea off the west coast of Luzon. She commenced her approach to the lead escorts of a large convoy 7 August and after missing the first target scored three hits on frigate Kusakaki, blowing off her bow and sinking her in a spectacular explosion. USS Guitarro (SS-363) detected a convoy along the coastline 10 August, maneuvered from beachside, and fired four torpedoes. Tanker Shinei Man exploded and burned furiously as USS Guitarro (SS-363) dived to avoid depth charges. The submarine suffered considerable outside damage but no serious injury, and she departed for the vicinity of Cape Calavite with Raton. 

USS Guitarro (SS-363) departed Fremantle 11 December 1944 on her fourth war patrol, transiting Lombok Strait 17 December to patrol the South China Sea. After putting in at Mios Woendi 17 January 1945 for repairs, she made an attack with undetermined results on a convoy off Cape Batagan. Finding targets scarce, she returned to Fremantle 15 March. The hard-working submarine again put out to sea 9 April on her fifth war patrol, and was unsuccessfully attacked by aircraft and a patrol boat in Lombok Strait. She then made her way to the northeast coast of Sumatra, where she engaged in a new mission, the laying of mines, oft Berhala Island. After an uneventful patrol astride the shipping lanes between Borneo and Singapore, USS Guitarro (SS-363) anchored off Saipan 27 May 1945. Next day she departed for Pearl Harbor, where she arrived 8 June.

Arriving at San Francisco 18 June 1945, USS Guitarro (SS-363) decommissioned at Mare Island 6 December and was placed in reserve. The veteran submarine recommissioned 6 February 1952, and after overhaul at San Diego engaged in a series of training exercises off the coast until 10 September 1953. She again decommissioned 22 September 1953 and underwent conversion to snorkel equipment at Mare Island Shipyard. USS Guitarro (SS-363) subsequently recommissioned 15 May 1954 and commenced the training of Turkish sailors prior to transfer to Turkey under the Military Defense Assistance Program. USS Guitarro (SS-363) decommissioned and was loaned to Turkey 7 August 1954 where she now serves as Prevese (S-22).

For a complete history of USS Guitarro (SS-363) please see its DANFS page.