USS Hardhead (SS-365)

History
United States
Name:	USS Hardhead
Builder:	Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Laid down:	7 July 1943
Launched:	12 December 1943
Commissioned:	18 April 1944
Decommissioned:	10 May 1946
Recommissioned:	6 February 1952
Decommissioned:	22 May 1952
Recommissioned:	24 March 1953
Decommissioned:	26 July 1972
Struck:	26 July 1972
Identification:	SS-365
Fate:	Transferred to Greece, 26 July 1972
Greece
Name:	Papanikolis
Acquired:	26 July 1972
Struck:	1993
Identification:	S114
Fate:	scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type:	Balao-class diesel-electric submarine
Displacement:	1,526 tons (1,550 t) surfaced 2,424 tons (2,463 t) submerged
Length:	311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)
Beam:	27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)
Draft:	16 ft 10 in (5.13 m) maximum
Propulsion:	4 × Fairbanks-Morse Model 38D8-⅛ 10-cylinder opposed piston diesel engines driving electrical generators 2 × 126-cell Sargo batteries 4 × high-speed Elliott electric motors with reduction gears two propellers 5,400 shp (4.0 MW) surfaced 2,740 shp (2.0 MW) submerged
Speed:	20.25 knots (38 km/h) surfaced 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged
Range:	11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)
Endurance:	48 hours at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) submerged 75 days on patrol
Test depth:	400 ft (120 m)
Complement:	10 officers, 70–71 enlisted
Armament:	10 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes 6 forward, 4 aft 24 torpedoes 1 × 5-inch (127 mm) / 25 caliber deck gun Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
General characteristics (Guppy IIA)
Class and type:	none
Displacement:	1,848 tons (1,878 t) surfaced 2,440 tons (2,479 t) submerged
Length:	307 ft (93.6 m)
Beam:	27 ft 4 in (8.3 m)
Draft:	17 ft (5.2 m)
Propulsion:	Snorkel added One diesel engine and generator removed Batteries upgraded to Sargo II
Speed:	Surfaced: 17.0 knots (19.6 mph; 31.5 km/h) maximum 13.5 knots (15.5 mph; 25.0 km/h) cruising Submerged: 14.1 knots (16.2 mph; 26.1 km/h) for ½ hour 8.0 knots (9.2 mph; 14.8 km/h) snorkeling 3.0 knots (3.5 mph; 5.6 km/h) cruising
Armament:	10 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes  (six forward, four aft) all guns removed

USS Hardhead (SS-365), a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the hardhead, a fish of the croaker family. Hardhead received six battle stars for World War II service. All six of her combat patrols were "successful".

Hardhead was launched by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wisconsin, 12 December 1943; sponsored by Mrs. E. F. McDonald; and commissioned 18 April 1944, Commander Fitzhugh McMaster in command.

Following shakedown training in Lake Michigan the submarine entered a floating dry dock at Lockport, Illinois, and was towed to New Orleans, where she arrived 16 May 1944. Hardhead got underway from Algiers, Louisiana, 22 May, and arrived Balboa, Canal Zone, 5 days later. There she took part in additional training exercises before her arrival at Pearl Harbor 7 July 1944.

Hardhead, departed on her first war patrol 27 July and proceeded to her patrol area off the Philippines. Early 18 August she detected the Japanese cruiser Natori east of San Bernardino Strait, and closed for a surface attack. The first well-directed salvo stopped the cruiser dead in the water; a second sent her to the bottom.

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