Allied Warships

Cochino (SS-345)

Submarine of the Balao class

Navy	The US Navy
Type	Submarine
Class	Balao
Pennant	345
Built by	Electric Boat Co. (Groton, Connecticut, U.S.A.)
Ordered	6 Jun 1942
Laid down	13 Apr 1944
Launched	20 Apr 1945
Commissioned	25 Aug 1945
Lost	26 Aug 1949
Loss position	71° 35'N, 23° 35'E

History	On 18 July 1949 USS Cochino put to sea for a cruise to Britain, and Arctic operations. Her group ran through a violent polar gale off Norway, and the joltings received by Cochino played their part in causing an electrical fire and battery explosion, followed by the generation of deadly hydrogen [chlorine] on 25 August. Defying the most unfavorable possible weather conditions, men of Cochino and USS Tusk (SS 426) fought to save the submarine for 14 hours, performing acts of skillful seamanship and high courage. A second battery explosion on 26 August made "Abandon Ship" the only possible order, and Cochino sank north of Norway in position 71.35N. 23.35E. All Cochino's men were rescued by the valiant Tusk who had lost seven of her own men in the attempt to save Cochino.

Commands listed for USS Cochino (345)

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and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

	Commander	From	To
1	T/Cdr. William Alfred Stevenson, USN	25 Aug 1945

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Notable events involving Cochino include:

8 Sep 1945
USS Cohino (Cdr. W.A. Stevenson, USN) conducted deep submergence trails in the New London area.

12 Sep 1945
USS Cohino (Cdr. W.A. Stevenson, USN) shifted from New London, Connecticut to Newport, Rhode Island for her torpedo firing trials.

15 Sep 1945
Having completed her torpedo firing trials, USS Cohino (Cdr. W.A. Stevenson, USN), shifted from Newport, Rhode Island to New London, Connecticut.

26 Aug 1949
While on clandestine operations USS Tusk (SS 426) and USS Cochino (SS 345) ran through a violent polar gale off Norway, and the jolting received by Cochino played their part in causing an electrical fire and battery explosion, followed by the generation of deadly hydrogen [chlorine] on 25 August. Defying the most unfavorable possible weather conditions, men of Cochino and USS Tusk fought to save the submarine for 14 hours, performing acts of skillful seamanship and high courage. A second battery explosion on 26 August made "Abandon Ship" the only possible order, and Cochino sank north of Norway in position 71.35N. 23.35E. All Cochino's men were rescued by the valiant Tusk who had lost seven of her own men in the attempt to save Cochino. (1)