>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1976) Vol. 6, p.584.





SPINAX



		Spinax:  One of the spiny sharks (dogfish sharks) 

scientifically known as Squalidal.





SS-489



Displacement:

	Surfaced:  1,570 t.

	Submerged:  2,415 t.

Length:  311’8”

Beam:  27’3”

Draft:  15’5”

Speed:  

	Surfaced:  20 k.

	Submerged:  8.75 k.

Complement:  81

Armament:  1 5”; 1 40mm; 10 21” torpedo tubes

Class:  TENCH



	SPINAX (SS-489) was laid down on 14 May 1945 by the 

Portsmouth (N.H.) Navy Yard; launched on 25 November 1945; 

sponsored by Mrs. Tom C. Clark; and commissioned on 20 

September 1946, Comdr. A. R. Faust in command.



	SPINAX moved to New London, Conn., on 15 November and 

was assigned to Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet.  On 15 

December 1946, she sailed for the Caribbean to begin her 

shakedown cruise which lasted until 28 January 1947.  She 

returned to New London and participated in local operations 

until November when a fleet exercise took her north of the 

Arctic Circle near Labrador.  In January 1948, designated a 

radar picket submarine, her classification was changed from 

SS to SSR.  After conducting operations in the Caribbean 

during the first part of the year, she returned to her home 

yard, Portsmouth (N.H.) Naval Shipyard, in May for an 

overhaul which lasted until the end of October.  In addition 

to the installation of much radar and communication 

equipment, the work included the removal of her aft torpedo 

tubes, demilitarization of two forward tubes, installation 

of a snorkel system, and conversion of the after room into a 

combat information center.  When she emerged from the yard, 

SPINAX possessed the capabilities of a radar picket 

destroyer.



	SPINAX deployed to the Mediterranean from 3 January to 

3 March 1949, as the first postwar submarine unit of the 6th 

Fleet.  Upon her return to New London, she was assigned to 

Submarine Squadron (SubRon) 6 based at Norfolk--this was the 

first time since World War I that submarines had been 

scheduled to operate from that base.  She conducted 

operations along the east coast until again being deployed 

to the 6th Fleet from 6 January to 23 May 1950.  She 

returned to Norfolk until 12 June when she was transferred 

to the west coast.



	The submarine arrived at San Diego on 29 June and 

proceeded up the coast to the San Francisco Naval Shipyard 

for an overhaul.  She made a cruise to Pearl Harbor from 17 

August to 16 October 1951 and returned to San Diego.  She 

became a unit of Submarine Division 53 on 1 January 1952 and 

resumed her routine duties.  SPINAX was overhauled at Mare 

Island from April through early August and returned to San 

Diego on 7 August 1952.



	SPINAX operated out of that port until 1 November 1954 

when she sailed for an extended tour in the Far East.  The 

submarine operated with the 7th Fleet and then visited the 

Philippines, Hong Kong, Formosa, and Japan before returning 

to San Diego on 7 May 1955.  Overhaul at Mare Island from 

June through October 1956 was followed by refresher training 

in the San Diego area.  She was deployed to the western 

Pacific from 4 January to 1 July 1957 and again from 3 July 

to 16 December 1958.



	Emphasis in antisubmarine warfare resulted in SPINAX's 

being converted to a fleet snorkel submarine.  This was 

accomplished at Mare Island from 13 April to 11 September 

1959.  All radar except search and fire control were 

removed, the communication facility was reduced to that of a 

regular submarine; and the combat information center was 

converted into living quarters.  The ship received improved 

sonar and fire control equipment, and modifications were 

made to her hull.  On 15 August, she resumed the designation 

SS-489.  When the conversion was completed, the submarine 

conducted refresher training and local operations until 

early 1960.



	SPINAX departed San Diego on 3 May 1960 for a tour in 

the western Pacific with the 7th Fleet which lasted until 3 

November when she returned to her home port.  Thereafter, 

except for four deployments in the Far East, her west coast 

operations were interrupted only by yard overhauls.  SPINAX 

was deployed from 27 June to 17 December 1962; from 18 

August 1965 to 15 March 1966; from 6 January to 25 June 

1967; and from February to 13 August 1969 when she last 

returned to Mare Island.



	In September 1969, SPINAX was declared unfit for 

further Naval service.  She was decommissioned and struck 

from the Navy list on 11 October 1969.  Her hulk was sold to 

Zidell Explorations, Inc., on 13 June 1972 and scrapped.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com