Lead ship and namesake of the class. Completed thirteen war patrols from Pearl Harbor and Australia, surviving depth charge attacks, friendly fire from a U.S. blimp, and nearly three years of continuous combat. Her name became synonymous with the American submarine fleet that strangled Japan.

Early-war veteran who completed twelve patrols across the Pacific. Operated from Pearl Harbor and Australia, patrolling waters from Truk to the Japanese home islands. Survived the war and served as a training vessel before scrapping.

Completed ten war patrols in the Pacific. Converted postwar to a hunter-killer submarine (SSK-214) for anti-submarine warfare, then served as a cargo submarine. One of the last Gatos in U.S. Navy service, not decommissioned until 1968.

One of the most successful Gato-class boats with 14 confirmed kills. Sank the Japanese submarine I-176 — the same boat that had sunk Corvina. A prolific hunter who operated from Pearl Harbor and Fremantle across twelve combat patrols.

Under CDR Eugene Fluckey, Barb became one of the most decorated submarines in history. Third-highest tonnage sunk in the war. Landed a shore party on Karafuto that blew up a Japanese train — the only enemy train 'sunk' by a submarine. Fired the first submarine-launched rockets at Japan. Fluckey earned the Medal of Honor and Barb received the Presidential Unit Citation.

Served with SubRon 50 in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, patrolling the Bay of Biscay and supporting Operation Torch before transferring to the Pacific. No confirmed kills despite seven war patrols — a reminder that not every boat found targets in the vast ocean.

Completed the only international submarine-to-submarine rescue in history when she saved the crew of the grounded Dutch submarine O-19 in the South China Sea. Now preserved as a National Historic Landmark in Cleveland, Ohio — one of the finest surviving examples of a WWII fleet submarine.

Completed eight war patrols in the Pacific, operating from Australia and Pearl Harbor. Served in wolf packs alongside other fleet boats. Postwar converted to a GUPPY configuration before decommissioning in the 1960s.

First Gato-class keel laid and first to commission — the only boat of her class in service when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Completed thirteen war patrols with fifteen confirmed kills. Sank the seaplane tender Mizuho, one of the first major Japanese warships lost to submarines. Now preserved alongside USS Alabama in Mobile.

Twelve-patrol veteran who played a critical reconnaissance role before the Battle of the Philippine Sea, reporting the sortie of the Japanese Mobile Fleet from Tawi-Tawi. This intelligence helped Admiral Spruance prepare for what became the 'Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.'

Famous for rescuing future President George H.W. Bush on September 2, 1944, after his TBM Avenger was shot down over Chichi Jima. Bush spent a month aboard during Finback's patrol, watching torpedo attacks from the conning tower. Completed eleven patrols with thirteen confirmed kills.

Ten-patrol veteran operating from Pearl Harbor and Fremantle. Hunted Japanese shipping from the Carolines to the South China Sea. Postwar served as a reserve training vessel before being scrapped in 1960.

Severely damaged during her eighth patrol and returned to the United States. Considered a constructive total loss — too badly damaged to repair economically. Effectively the 21st Gato lost to the war, though she technically survived. Scrapped in 1946.

Completed nine war patrols operating from Pearl Harbor and Australia. Patrolled the dangerous waters of the East China Sea and Philippine shipping lanes. Survived the war and served as a pierside trainer before scrapping.

Served with SubRon 50 in the Atlantic before transferring to the Pacific — one of six Gatos that patrolled European waters. Supported Operation Torch landings in North Africa. Completed nine total patrols across both theaters.

Third-most ships sunk by any U.S. submarine in the war with 23 confirmed kills. Fourteen war patrols across the Pacific — from the Solomons to the Sea of Japan. Survived the war to become a museum ship in Muskegon, Michigan. A National Historic Landmark and one of the most decorated submarines in U.S. Navy history.

Mare Island-built boat that completed eleven war patrols across the Pacific. Hunted Japanese shipping from the Carolines to the Philippines, racking up nine confirmed kills. Survived the war and served in the reserve fleet.

Evacuated 58 refugees from Japanese-occupied Panay in the Philippines during her second war patrol — a daring rescue mission deep behind enemy lines. Completed eight patrols total. Postwar converted to an amphibious transport submarine (LPSS-240).

One of the final two Gato-class boats in active U.S. Navy service, decommissioned on September 13, 1969. Completed eight war patrols during WWII and served for decades in the Cold War fleet as a radar picket submarine (SSR-241).

Completed eight war patrols in the South China Sea and Philippine waters. Survived a near-fatal circular torpedo run during one engagement. Postwar served in the Pacific Fleet before decommissioning.

Torpedoed and heavily damaged the Japanese heavy cruiser Aoba during the Battle of Leyte Gulf approaches. Completed seven patrols operating from Fremantle and Pearl Harbor across the western Pacific.

Sank the aircraft carrier Shōkaku on her maiden war patrol during the Battle of the Philippine Sea — one of the six Japanese carriers that attacked Pearl Harbor. Three torpedoes into the veteran flattop avenged December 7th. Now preserved at Seawolf Park in Galveston, Texas.

Sank a transport carrying Japanese tank reinforcements bound for Iwo Jima. Completed six war patrols in the South China Sea and Western Pacific. Now preserved at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc — fittingly, the city where many of her sister ships were built.

Last Gato keel laid and one of the last commissioned. Packed eleven confirmed kills into just six war patrols — an exceptional kill ratio. Sank the cruiser Nagara in August 1944. Now preserved at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park alongside destroyer USS The Sullivans.

Partnered with Darter in the Palawan Passage action that opened the Battle of Leyte Gulf, sinking the heavy cruiser Maya in a devastating torpedo spread. Later rescued Darter's entire crew after her sister ran aground. Transferred to Italy postwar.

The highest-scoring U.S. submarine by tonnage in WWII — 100,231 tons sunk in just six patrols. Also fourth in total ships sunk. Earned the Presidential Unit Citation for her devastating campaign through the South China Sea in 1944. The deadliest American submarine of the war, bar none.

Completed six war patrols operating from Fremantle and Pearl Harbor. Hunted in the South China Sea and Philippine waters. Returned stateside and served in the reserve fleet before being scrapped.

Seven-patrol Pacific veteran. Operated in the South China Sea and along Japanese shipping lanes. Survived the war and was placed in the reserve fleet before disposal.

Served with SubRon 50 supporting the North Africa landings before transferring to the Pacific. One of six Gatos to serve in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. Five confirmed kills across eight total war patrols.

Highly effective hunter with ten confirmed kills across nine patrols. Operated extensively from Fremantle and Pearl Harbor, prowling the Celebes Sea, Philippine waters, and East China Sea shipping lanes.

Under CDR Chester Nimitz Jr. — son of the fleet commander — Haddo compiled an aggressive record with ten confirmed kills in seven patrols. Operated primarily from Fremantle, hunting in the Philippine and South China Sea.

Nine-patrol veteran who served in the Philippine Sea and Japanese home waters. Postwar converted to a Fleet Snorkel submarine, extending her Cold War service through the 1960s.

Completed ten war patrols — one of the higher patrol counts in the class. Operated across the Pacific from the Marshalls to the Japanese home islands. Steady and reliable, if not headline-making.

One of the top-scoring boats of the war with 15 confirmed kills. Known for aggressive attacks on Japanese convoys in the South China Sea and Philippine waters. On one patrol alone, she sank four ships in a single night engagement. Transferred to Greece postwar.

Seven-patrol veteran with seven confirmed kills. Operated from Fremantle and Pearl Harbor, hunting across the Philippine Sea and South China Sea. Transferred to Greece postwar as Poseidon.

Completed six patrols in the Pacific before transferring to postwar service. Sold to Japan in 1955 as Kuroshio — a former enemy operating an American-built boat. A powerful symbol of the postwar alliance.

Seven-patrol Pacific veteran. Operated in the South China Sea and Philippine waters. Transferred to Brazil postwar as Humaitá, extending her service life in South American waters.

Completed seven patrols operating from Pearl Harbor and Australia. Survived the war and transferred to Brazil postwar as Riachuelo, continuing service in the Brazilian Navy.

Eight-patrol veteran who operated across the Pacific. Hunted Japanese shipping in the Caroline Islands, Philippine Sea, and East China Sea. Six confirmed kills before returning stateside.

First submarine built by Manitowoc Shipbuilding in Wisconsin — launched sideways into the Manitowoc River, then barged down the Mississippi to reach the ocean. Completed eight war patrols in the Pacific.

Manitowoc-built boat that compiled a strong record of seven confirmed kills across eight patrols. Operated in the East China Sea, Yellow Sea, and Sea of Japan. Barged down the Mississippi to reach open water for sea trials.

Another Manitowoc product that made the Mississippi River journey to reach the war. Completed seven patrols in the Pacific with four confirmed kills in the South China Sea and Philippine waters.

Survived one of the longest depth charge attacks of the war — pounded for 38 hours by Japanese escorts in the Makassar Strait. Completed ten patrols with six kills, proving the resilience of the Gato hull.

Second-highest tonnage sunk by any U.S. submarine — 99,901 tons across eight war patrols. Specialized in targeting high-value tankers and oilers in the South China Sea and Philippine waters. Also sank the escort carrier Un'yō. Served into the Cold War era before decommissioning in 1967.

Nine-patrol veteran from Manitowoc. Served in the Pacific and postwar converted for Cold War duties. One of the longer-serving Gatos, not scrapped until 1971.

Effective hunter with nine confirmed kills across eight patrols from Fremantle and Pearl Harbor. Operated through the South China Sea and Philippine shipping lanes, intercepting Japanese convoys bound for the Southern Resource Area.

Conducted covert reconnaissance of Borneo beaches ahead of Allied landings and inserted special operations teams behind Japanese lines. Eight war patrols combining combat and clandestine missions. Postwar converted for Cold War service.

Along with Bashaw, one of the final two Gato-class submarines decommissioned by the U.S. Navy on September 13, 1969 — 28 years after the first Gato commissioned. Seven wartime patrols, then decades of Cold War service as a radar picket (SSR) and amphibious transport (LPSS).

Rescued British and Australian POWs from a sinking Japanese transport — prisoners from the infamous Burma Railway. Eight patrols with six kills before returning stateside after the war.

Seven-patrol veteran from Portsmouth. Operated from Pearl Harbor and Fremantle with six confirmed kills. Participated in wolf pack operations coordinating attacks on Japanese convoys.

One of the top-scoring boats with 16 confirmed kills across eleven patrols. Built at Mare Island and operated extensively from Pearl Harbor, hunting throughout the Pacific from the Carolines to the Sea of Japan.

Sank the Japanese submarine I-42 after an hour-long duel and damaged the battleship Musashi, forcing her to drydock. Postwar converted to carry Regulus nuclear cruise missiles (SSG-282) — one of the first submarine-based nuclear deterrent platforms, predating the Polaris program.

Famous for one of the most frustrating torpedo failures of the war — fired 15 Mark 14 torpedoes at the tanker Tonan Maru No. 3, and only two detonated. The incident became a key piece of evidence proving the defective torpedo exploder. Recovered to compile 16 kills across ten patrols.

One of four Manitowoc boats with Balao hull numbers completed as Gatos. Postwar converted to the Navy's only submarine oiler (AOSS), experimenting with refueling seaplanes at sea to support nuclear-capable P6M Seamaster flying boats. A Cold War oddity.

Last Gato-class submarine to leave foreign naval service — decommissioned by the Turkish Navy in 1972 as TCG Preveze. Six war patrols in the Pacific before transfer to Turkey under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. The longest-serving Gato hull in any navy.

Last of the four Manitowoc Balao-numbered Gatos. Completed six war patrols in the Pacific before transferring to the Turkish Navy postwar. Served as a Cold War NATO asset in the Mediterranean.