Who named a sub at commission?

[Skweetis]

So who got to name the fleet boats, did the commissioning skipper get to pick the name, or was this determined by command? I know that they were mostly named after aquatic denizen's, but was there any option for choice in the matter?

What about the S boats? they get fun official names like s-23... did the crews ever take to unofficially naming their S boats? Would the next crew keep the same name, or change it to their own liking.

Curiosity is getting the better of me.

Cheers.

[TheSatyr]

I believe the Sub names for each class were picked basically right after the design phase. Which is why you'll see names for some of the Balao and Tench class subs that were never actually built on the lists that include all of the subs of those respective classes.

S Boats never had any names...they were always refered to by number.

[Hitman]

The US used hull numbers at first, naming each new class with a letter, until the realized when getting to the "U" that they were about to name the subs same as the german ones. Thus the fleet boat classes P1, P2, P3 etc and T1, T2, T3 were renamed with fishes names that started by that letter (Perch, Pickerel, Permit, Pompano...) (Tambor, Tautog, Thresher....). Later that was also discontinued and simply fish names were given, the main reason being the huge amount of subs of each class being built (Not enough fish names starting with that letter). In all cases, the decission seemed to come from the high staff at the moment of ordering and comissioning the boats. AFAIK no sub commander or even squadron or division commander (Admirals already) had the power to change the ship names or choose it. They were already ordered and built with a name, which stayed normally through all its life.

It is also a widespread naval tradition all around the world in many navies to keep the name of a ship unless it changes the nation it belongs to (Sometimes not even so). In the age of sail, it was usually considered that because ships were christened like persons, changing their name would bring bad luck.

AFAIK the only US submarine that changed name during her life was USS Squalus (SS-192), Salmon class, after it went down during trials due to the faulty air-induction valve. When repaired and recomissioned, the name was changed to USS Sailfish, though it kept the hull number (192).

EDIT: Found the correct answer, its is the Secretary of the Navy. Read it here: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq63-1.htm

[Skweetis]

Thanks man! That has successfully quelled my curiosity. I'll be able to sleep tonight.

[Packerton]

I woulda Named my Submarine "Tube'O'Death" :rotfl:

[SteamWake]

I was amused when I was given the command of the "Perch".

Firstly its a fresh water fish and I used to throw them back when I caught them.

[TheSatyr]

If you knew the short war history of the Perch I think you'd be wanting a transfer real quick...:rotfl:

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by TheSatyr

If you knew the short war history of the Perch I think you'd be wanting a transfer real quick...:rotfl:

Enemy depth charges had caused three of PERCH's torpedoes to run in their tubes, and the heat, exhaust gases and mounting nervous tension aggravated already extremely difficult conditions

Actually I just got through reading it... uhhh.... Im going to transfer to desk duty.