USS Cabezon SS-334 (1944-1953)
The USS Cabezon was named after a saltwater fish from the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans from the sculpin family. The USS Cabezon SS-334 was built in Groton, Connecticut, by the Electric Boat Company. She was launched on August 27th, 1944. She was sponsored by Mrs. T. R. Cooley, and put into commission on December 30th, 1944. Commander G. W. Lautrup was chosen to captain the sub.
The USS Cabezon originally sailed out on the 19th of February in 1945 from New London, Connecticut. Her first stop was in Key West. She trained there for three weeks, and then joined the Fleet Sound School, and helped them out. She then made her way to Pearl Harbor, taking the Panama Canal. She got to Pearl Harbor on the 15th of March, 1945.
Action in World War II
The USS Cabezon took part in her first patrol from May 25th to July 11th of 1945. This patrol took place in the Sea of Okhotsk, and was very successful. She ended up sinking a 2631-ton cargo vessel from Japan on the 19th of June. She underwent an overhaul after this, staying at Midway until August 4th. Her next deployment was in Saipan, where she acted as a target ship for surface force training exercises. After this, she participated in training and local operations at Subic Bay in the Philippines. This lasted from September 7th of 1945 until January 12th of 1946.
After the War
The Cabezon then set sail for San Diego. She was based there until being re-deployed to Pearl Harbor. Before getting to Pearl Harbor on November 20th 1946, she made cruises to the Arctic Circle, the North Pacific and the South Pacific. She also was utilized in training cruises for submariners of the Naval Reserve. There were also two more cruises; these were to the Far East for the 18th of March to the 29th of July 1950 and the 21st of April to the 16th of October 1952. The second of these cruises consisted of a reconnaissance patrol near La Perouse Strait, in between Sakhalin, U.S.S.R. and Hokkaido, Japan.
On the 21st of April 1953, she was to start the inactivation process at Mare Island. She was de-commissioned and put in reserve on October 24th 1953. The USS Cabezon was awarded one battle star for her one war patrol, which was designated “successful.” In her career, she sunk 2,631 tons of shipping.
Asbestos in Navy Ships
Although an essential component of the naval fleet, especially throughout conflicts of the last century, submarines also pose a lasting health risk to soldiers serving on them. However, these risks extend beyond the inherent dangers that existed while operating the vessels during military conflicts. Unfortunately, products containing asbestos were also common aboard submarines because of the material’s high resistance to heat and fire. Despite its value as an insulator, asbestos fiber intake can lead to several serious health consequences, including mesothelioma, a devastating cancer without cure. Furthermore, the enclosed environment of submarines put servicemen at an even higher risk of exposure. Current and former military personnel who came into contact with or served on submarines should seek immediate medical attention in order to detect possible health consequences associated with asbestos exposure.
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