| Navy | The US Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | Gato |
| Pennant | 236 |
| Built by | Mare Island Navy Yard (Vallejo, California, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | 28 Jun 1940 |
| Laid down | 4 Nov 1940 |
| Launched | 26 Aug 1941 |
| Commissioned | 15 Dec 1941 |
| End service | 30 Jun 1969 |
| History | USS Silversides was commissioned into the U.S. Navy eight days after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. During World War II, the submarine served in the Pacific Fleet along Japan's coasts, in the East China Sea, and through key enemy shipping routes around the Marianas, Carolines, Bismarck Archipelago, and along the Solomons to Guadacanal. Its mission was to stop raw materials and supplies -- oil, bauxite, rubber, coal, food, and iron ore -- from reaching Japan. Silversides completed 14 war patrols and sank 23 ships, the third highest total of enemy ships sunk by a U.S. submarine during the war. Decommissioned 17 April 1946. Virtually unmodified since her last refitting at Pearl Harbor in 1945, Silversides is on display in Pere Marquette Park along the Muskegon Lake Channel. For more info see this website (offsite link). |
Commands listed for USS Silversides (236)
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt.Cdr. Creed Caldwell Burlingame, USN | 15 Dec 1941 | 20 Jul 1943 |
| 2 | T/Lt.Cdr. John Starr Coye, Jr., USN | 20 Jul 1943 | 29 Nov 1944 |
| 3 | T/Cdr. John Culver Nichols, USN | 29 Nov 1944 |
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Notable events involving Silversides include:
4 Apr 1942
With her trials and initial training completed USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) arrived at Pearl Harbor.
30 Apr 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Kii Suido in Japanese home waters.
7 May 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) damaged the Japanese guard boat Ebisu Maru No.5 with gunfire about 540 nautical miles north of Marcus Island in position 33°14'N, 150°58'E.
17 May 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese troop transport Tottori Maru (5973 GRT) and the Japanese merchant cargo ship Thames Maru (5871 GRT) off Shionomisaki, southern Honshu, Japan in position 33°28'N, 135°33'E.
22 May 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese transport Asahisan Maru (4551 GRT) at the mouth of Kii Suido, between Ichiyozaki and Shionomizaki, Honshu, Japan in position 33°30'N, 135°27'E.
21 Jun 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) ended her 1st war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
15 Jul 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 2nd war patrol. Once again she was ordered to patrol off Kii Suido in Japanese home waters.
8 Aug 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) torpedoed and sank the Japanese merchant cargo ship Nikkei Maru (5783 GRT) in Kii Suido, near Ichiya Zaki, Japan in position 33°33'N, 135°23'E.
31 Aug 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) sank two Japanese fishing vessels with gunfire in the northern Pacific Ocean in position 33°51'N, 149°39'E.
8 Sep 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) ended her 2nd war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
3 Oct 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Caroline Islands area.
25 Nov 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) ended her 3rd war patrol at Brisbane, Australia.
17 Dec 1942
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) departed from Brisbane for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off New Ireland.
18 Jan 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) torpedoed and sank the Japanese fleet tanker Toei Maru (10022 GRT, offsite link) about 90 nautical miles south-west of Truk in position 06°19'N, 150°15'E.
20 Jan 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transports Meiu Maru (8230 GRT), Surabaya Maru (4391 GRT) and Somedono Maru (5148 GRT) about 290 nautical miles south of Truk in position 03°52'N, 153°26'E.
31 Jan 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) ended her 4th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
17 May 1943
After an overhaul USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Solomon Islands area.
4 Jun 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) lays mines in Steffan Strait between New Hanover and New Ireland.
10 Jun 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) torpedoed and sank the Japanese transport ship Hinode Maru (5256 GRT) north of New Ireland in position 02°43'N, 152°00'E.
15 Jul 1943
The Japanese light cruiser Nagara (offsite link) is damaged by a mine (possibly laid by USS Silversides on 4 June 1943 or by Australian Catalina flying boats) off Kavieng in position 02°36'S, 150°34'E.
16 Jul 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. C.C. Burlingame) ended her 5th war patrol at Brisbane.
21 Jul 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) departed from Brisbane for her 6th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol between the Solomon and Caroline Islands.
5 Aug 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese minelayer Tsugaru (offsite link) north-north-east of Rabaul in position 01°53'N, 153°52'E.
4 Sep 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) ended her 6th war patrol at Brisbane.
16 Sep 1943
The Japanese auxiliary gunboat Seikai Maru (2693 GRT) is sunk by a mine (laid by USS Silversides on 4 June 1943) off Kavieng in position 02°36'S, 150°34'E.
2 Oct 1943
The Japanese minesweeper W-28 (offsite link) is damaged by a mine (laid by USS Silversides on 4 June 1943) off Kavieng in position 02°36'S, 150°34'E.
5 Oct 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) departed from Brisbane for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Solomon Islands / New Guinea area.
18 Oct 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Tairin Maru (1915 GRT) north of Wewak, New Guinea in position 01°00'N, 143°16'E.
23 Oct 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) torpedoed and sank the Japanese fleet tanker Tennan Maru (5407 GRT) and the Japanese army cargo ships Johore Maru (6187 GRT) and Kazan Maru (1893 GRT) north-west of the Bismarck Archipelago in position 02°30'N, 144°45'E.
4 Nov 1943
The Japanese army cargo ship Ryosan Maru (2455 GRT), the Japanese surveying ship Tsukushi (1400 tons) are sunk by mines (laid by USS Silversides on 4 June 1943) off Kavieng in position 02°36'S, 150°34'E. Also the Japanese light cruiser Isuzu and Japanese destroyer Isokaze (both offsite links) are damaged.
8 Nov 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) ended her 7th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
5 Dec 1943
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 8th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Palau.
29 Dec 1943
During an attack on a Japanese convoy off Palau USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Tenposan Maru (1970 GRT) in position 08°09'N, 133°51'E, the Japanese army cargo ship Shichisei Maru (1911 GRT) in position 08°00'N, 133°51'E and the Japanese merchant cargo ship Ryuto Maru (3311 GRT) in position 08°03'N, 134°04'E. Also the Japanese army cargo ship Bichu Maru (4667 GRT) is damaged.
15 Jan 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) ended her 8th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
15 Feb 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 9th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol west of the Mariana Islands.
22 Feb 1944
The Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha-29 (130 tons) is sunk by a mine (laid by USS Silversides on 4 June 1943) off Kavieng in position 02°36'S, 150°34'E.
16 Mar 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Kofuku Maru (1919 GRT) about 225 nautical miles south-east of Palau in position 00°28'N, 136°56'E.
28 Mar 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) torpedoed and sank the Japanese landing ship SS-3 (948 tons) off Manokawani, New Guinea
8 Apr 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) ended her 9th war patrol at Fremantle, Australia.
25 Apr 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) departed from Fremantle for her 10th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the Mariana Islands.
10 May 1944
During an attack on a Japanese convoy about 120 nautical miles south-south-west of Guam USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) torpedoed and sank the Japanese auxiliary cable ship Okinawa Maru (2221 GRT) the Japanese auxiliary gunboat Choan Maru No.2 (2632 GRT) and the Japanese collier Mikage Maru No.18 (4319 GRT) in position 11°26'N, 143°46'E.
20 May 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) torpedoed and sank the Japanese auxiliary gunboat Shosei Maru (998 GRT) off Saipan in position 13°32'N, 144°36'E.
29 May 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transports Horaisan Maru (1998 GRT) and Shoken Maru (1942 GRT) about 100 nautical miles north-north-west of Saipan in position 16°23'N, 144°59'E.
11 Jun 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) ended her very successful 10th war patrol at Pearl Harbor. She is sent to the Mare Islands Navy Yard for an overhaul.
12 Sep 1944
With her overhaul completed USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) returns to Pearl Harbor.
24 Sep 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 11th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Kyushu, Japan.
15 Nov 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) and USS Sterlet damage the Japanese guard vessel Nachiryu Maru No.12 (97 GRT) with gunfire north-west of Ogasawara-Gunto in position 30°10'N, 137°23'E.
Although the Japanese ship is heavily damaged she is able to reach port.
23 Nov 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Coye) ended her 11th war patrol at Midway.
22 Dec 1944
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Nichols) departed from Midway for her 12th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the East China Sea.
25 Jan 1945
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Nichols) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Malay Maru (4556 GRT) south of Kyusyu, Japan in position 31°18'N, 130°08'E.
12 Feb 1945
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Nichols) ended her 12th war patrol at Midway.
11 Mar 1945
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Nichols) departed from Midway for her 13th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Kyusyu in Japanese home waters.
31 Mar 1945
In the evening, USS Silversides (T/Cdr. J.C. Nichols, USN), USS Hackleback (T/Lt.Cdr. F.E. Janney, USN) and USS Threadfin (T/Cdr. J.J. Foote, USN) are ordered to form a coordinated attack group under the command of T/Cdr. J.C. Nichols, USN, the Commanding Officer of USS Silversides.
12 Apr 1945
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Nichols) torpedoed and sank the Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Shiratori Maru (269 GRT) east of Tanega Jima, Japan in position 30°45'N, 131°57'E.
19 Apr 1945
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Nichols) sank the Japanese guard boat Kairyu Maru (180 GRT) with gunfire east of the Bonin Islands in position 32°57'N, 145°03'E.
29 Apr 1945
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Nichols) ended her 13th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
30 May 1945
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Nichols) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 14th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Honshu, Japan.
30 Jul 1945
USS Silversides (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Nichols) ended her 14th war patrol at Guam.
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