History of

The U.S.S. CUTLASS (SS-478)

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The Cutlass - a long, thin, fish belonging to the family Trichiurdae; found widely along the coast of the United States and the West Indies.

Building Specifications:

SS-478. Length - 312' 6 3/8". Beam 27' 4", Displ. surfaced -1570 tons, Displ. submerged - 2414 tons, Draft 15' 3", Class -TENCH, Speed -20 Knots, Armament - 2-5" guns, and 10-21" torpedo tubes, Engines Fairbanks - Morse (4) (FM 38D 8 1/8 x 10), Horsepower -5400 (shaft), Battery cells - (2) 126 cell Sargo Type.

Guppy Conversion Specifications:

SS-478. Length - 306' 6", Beam 27'4", Displ. surfaced - 2040 tons, Displ. submerged - 2420 tons, Draft 15' 3", Class -TENCH, Speed -20 Knots, Armament - 10 - 21" torpedo tubes. Engines Fairbanks Morse (4) (FM 38D 8 1/8 x 10), Horsepower -5400 (shaft), Battery cells - (4) 126 cell Guppy Type.

Authorized as wartime naval construction on 17 June, 1943, the submarine, U.S.S. CUTLASS (SS-478), was launched 5 November, 1944, by Portsmouth Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. R.E. Kintner and commissioned 17 March, 1945, Commander H.L. Jukes in command. Departing Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 25 April, 1945, CUTLASS arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 15 July, 1945, and put out on her maiden war patrol two days later. Assigned to patrol in the vicinity of the Kurile Islands, CUTLASS arrived on station (seven miles off the coast) on 15 August, 1945, on the surface. Everyone was at his station when the Chief Radioman yelled up the open hatch from the control room, 'Sir, they are celebrating, in New York; the war is over". (It was 14 August, 1945, in New York and due to the date line 15 August, 1945, off the coast of Japan). No one had time to think about what was just said or time to ask any questions, before one of the lookouts yelled down from the periscope shears, 'Mine dead ahead'. Quick decisions and maneuvers were made to avoid hitting this mine while watching out for possibly others. An hour was spent shooting at the mine until it was sunk.

Orders were slow in coming with official instructions; however, they did come ordering CUTLASS to proceed to Midway Island and then to Pearl Harbor. At Pearl Harbor the Captain read the orders saying that five days were to be spent at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel before preening to Staten Island, New York. This news was passed throughout the boat in record time. CUTLASS sailed on 2 September, 1945, for New York City. After a brief stop in Havana, Cuba, to take on much needed liquid refreshment for the planned ship's party, CUTLASS- arrived in New York City, on 24 September, 1945, to received visitors through Navy Day. CUTLASS cruised on the East Coast until November, 1945, when she departed for the Canal Zone along with four other submarines. Tie five submarines made up Submarine Squadron SIX. The Squadron Commander was embarked on board U.S.S. AGRONAUT SS-475, and the rest of the Squadron was made up of; U.S.S. CONGER SS-477, U.S.S. CUTLASS SS-478, U.S.S. DIABLO SS-479, and U.S.S. RUNNER SS-476. All were in a formation two abreast with ARGONAUT in the lead. A short way down the New Jersey coast, the cruiser U.S.S. SAN DIEGO, cut the formation and the ARGONAUT rammed the cruiser in her port side. The ARGONAUT was ordered back to Brooklyn Navy Yard to check the alignment of her torpedo tubes. The rest of the formation made the transit to the Canal Zone. While based in the Canal Zone, CUTLASS made several ventures through the Panama Canal. The first trip was a good will cruise where CUTLASS tied up in La Guaira, Venezuela, and the crew was bused up into the mountains to the Capitol City of Caracus, where they were treated to a banquet. The second trip was designed for CUTLASS to take part in exercises which landed Marines one night after dark undetected by rubber raft on a "enemy held island". CUTLASS then picked them up the following night. The third trip was also designed for CUTLASS to take part in War Games exercises in the Caribbean. The Fleet was sailing a zig-zag pattern when it was picked up in the scope. While CUTLASS was tracking the Fleet, the Fleet zigged in CUTLASS's direction so as to put a battleship and an aircraft carrier on either end of CUTLASS - a real Submarine Skipper's dream, (take one with the bow tubes and the other with the stem tubes). CUTLASS fired flares galore and then surfaced between the two capital ships. This was a real plus for submariners and an embarrassment for the Fleet.

While in the Canal Zone, the crew of CUTLASS acquired a mascot, a Panamanian dog by the name of 'Bow Planes'. (Bow Planes, Signalman Third Class, has his picture in the Submarine Force Library at Groton). During the fall of 1946, a three - month Navy yard availability in Philadelphia brought relief from the Panama heat.

With the exception of three months operations in Delaware Bay, CUTLASS remained in the Caribbean, based at Cristobal, Canal Zone, as a unit of Submarine Squadron SIX. In the spring of 1947, while operating with surface craft and conducting escape exercises. Bow Planes had the distinction of becoming the first dog to make a free ascent in a rescue chamber. His picture was placed in "Our Navy" magazine for this feat. From 23 August, 1947, to 2 October, 1947, CUTLASS, CONGER, and DIABLO, made a cruise down the West Coast of South America, passing Juan Fernandez Island, the famous Robinson Crusoe (Alexander Selkrik) Island. CUTLASS traveled around Cape Horn, then up to the Straits of Magellan, and then through the Straits, anchoring for a short time at the southern most city in the world, Punta Arena. She then proceeded on through the Straits back into the Pacific. Upon re-entering the Pacific Ocean, CUTLASS sailed north stopping in Valpariso, Chile, for several days of R&R. While in Valpariso, the American Navy was honored with a goose-stepping parade and a banquet at a Grand Hotel. This cruise made CUTLASS the first U.S. Navy submarine to go through the Straits of Magellan and the second U.S. Navy submarine to go around Cape Horn.

Bow Planes made the trip crossing the Equator and around Cape Horn. He also was a "Pollywog" and had to undergo the fearsome "Shellback" initiation in order to enter the Royal Domain of Neptunus Rex. CUTLASS left the Canal Zone on 6 January, 1948, for local operations at Key West. She then entered Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in March, 1948, for overhaul and modernization. CUTLASS was converted to a GUPPY II by streamlining the hull, (note that this shortened the length by 6' 3/8ths"), installing a snorkel system, and (2) extra batteries. During this same period, the Dinky engine was removed. After leaving the yard, she arrived at Key West on 7 January, 1949. She was selected to serve as a test submarine for "Operation Rainbow", the evaluation of color schemes to enhance livability. This had proved a serious problem in newer submarines with long submergence capability. CUTLASS continued to sail out of Key West as a member of Submarine Squadron FOUR. She was assigned to the Operational Development Force for extensive trials and tests of her new design. In September, 1949, CUTLASS made a Gulf of Mexico cruise which included brief stops in Panama City and Pensacola, Florida. During January, 1950, CUTLASS operated in the Bermuda area and enjoyed two short visits to the port of Hamilton, Bermuda, for R&R.

During February and March of 1950, CUTLASS participated in the joint Army-Navy-Airforce operation known as PORTREX. In this exercise, CUTLASS was a unit of the Defense Force and was credited with sinking a large part of the opposing force's surface ships. In May of 1950 CUTLASS made her first return to Portsmouth since her commissioning. She went through a regular Navy Yard overhaul and at this time all the latest technology was installed making her one of the most capable and up-to-date submarines in the fleet. CUTLASS returned to Key West in the fall of 1950 to resume her normal duties. A brief trip to Pensacola and several week-end cruises to Havana, Cuba served to lend variety to the standard routine.

A pleasant duty came in April, 1951, when CUTLASS, in company with U.S.S. TORSK SS 423, journeyed to Pensacola to participate in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference and played host to a representative section of America's industrialists. This pleasure was repeated in October, 1951, with U.S.S. CUBERA SS 347, when a group of the Nation's mayors were her guests. During February and March of 1952, CUTLASS participated in fleet exercises, "CONVEX THREE" and "CONVEX THREE-BAKER", testing, submarine and anti-submarine potentialities of our latest equipment.

A normal shipyard overhaul was made on CUTLASS at Portsmouth, New Hampshire in the summer of 1952, during which time many new improvements were made correlating the technical advances made in the last two years. Upon completion of this overhaul CUTLASS was once again among the most advanced submarines in the United States Navy. After -leaving the yard at Portsmouth, CUTLASS gave up her old home in Key West and her homeport was changed to Norfolk, Virginia. At this time she once again became part of Submarine Squadron SIX.

In 1953 CUTLASS cruised to the Mediterranean, visiting France, Greece, Turkey, North Africa, Gibraltar, Malta, and Spain. The highlight of this cruise was a visit from the King and Queen of Greece, accompanied by John E. Puerifly, the Ambassador to Greece, while the boat was moored at Phaleron Bay. After returning to Norfolk, CUTLASS then sailed for operations in Cuban waters to act as a target for destroyers and aircraft engaged in anti-submarine warfare training in the Caribbean. CUTLASS made one more trip to Guantanamo Bay.

CUTLASS was then invited as guest of the Naval Academy's Homecoming in 1953 and again in 1954. She then went through an overhaul in Philadelphia in 1954 after which she resumed normal operation out of Norfolk, Virginia. In March of 1956, CUTLASS participated in the annual 'Operation Springboard" and visited St. Thomas, the Virgin Islands; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Havana, Cuba; and French, Martinique. While operating off the Florida coast, the weld on the external pressure hull for #1 MBT broke; therefore, the vent would not open because there was no fulcrum for it to work against. When CUTLASS dove, the Xmas tree indicated that all was normal, all vents open; yet, CUTLASS surfaced by the bow. The trim was good, so obviously something was wrong. Further investigation revealed the problem. CUTLASS was at the time furnishing services to aircraft and did not want to cancel the operation. Emergency repairs were accomplished by wedging #1 MBT in the open position outside the pressure hull, thereby leaving the tank constantly flooded. This caused a slight down angle while surfaced, but CUTLASS continued the exercise without further problems.

In the early summer of 1956, CUTLASS was backing out of the SUBRON SIX nest into the channel one morning and lost the Port Propeller. It had unscrewed itself from the shaft. The propeller had been recently replaced after being damaged by an ASW exercise torpedo. When replacing the propeller, the repair activity failed to install the propeller retaining nut properly. The propeller had buried itself in the mud and was not found until some six years later when the channel was being dredged.

In late summer of 1956, CUTLASS again departed for the Mediterranean for operation with NATO forces. She operated close to the Suez Crisis of 1956. CUTLASS operated on the surface flying the Colors by day and operated with lights on at night while all tubes were loaded with War Shots. During this cruise the hydraulic steering pump failed, and the rest of the deployment was carried out using the emergency steering system. (The emergency steering system is not as responsive as the normal steering system.) She visited Italy, Greece, Crete, Majorca, Portugal, and Portsmouth, England. When departing Portsmouth on a very cold, windy, dark night, and with the Harbor Pilot warned of the slow steering response, the Pilot almost put the CUTLASS on the rocks. The Pilot failed to anticipate the slower rudder response. The Pilot's orders were quickly counter manned by the Captain. Needless to say, the Pilot was very angry, but at least the CUTLASS was one piece. Before returning home to Norfolk in December of 1956, while operating off the Virginia Capes, CUTLASS hit the bottom destroying her Sonar gear.

CUTLASS went into overhaul at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in May, 1957, where she was fitted with a new fiberglass high sail (referred to as a North Atlantic sail). Upon leaving the yard, she ran into heavy seas which caved in the front third of the fiberglass sail. During this storm she also took a bad roll, forcing water into the main induction, resulting in CUTLASS being dead in the water for three hours. She returned to the yard and the fiberglass Sail was repaired and reinforced. She spent the rest of 1957 was spent off the East Coast doing local operations.

CUTLASS again sailed for the Caribbean in January and February of 1958, operating out of St. Thomas, the Virgin Islands, and a visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico. In the summer of 1958 she sailed on a U.S. Navy only combined air and submarine barrier exercise by Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. En route she again encountered heavy seas off of Greenland. The sea state was so bad that the cooks had to fill each man's plate, (food could not be set out on the tables), and then the men had to eat with one hand holding their plates and the other hand holding your fork. One particularly heavy roll cast CUTLASS on beams-end where the tall fiberglass sail flooded, holding her down for several minutes. The OOD, Lt. William Thompson, USN, Chief Engineer, was lost overboard.

During the barrier exercise, the snorkel latching mechanism failed. In order to continue the exercise, CUTLASS put into Reykjavik, Iceland, where a replacement part, was flown in and she rejoined the exercise. When the exercise concluded, she put into Rosyth, Scotland, for ten days upkeep at the Royal Navy dockyard and some well deserved R&R. After providing ASW services to the Royal Navy, CUTLASS proceeded to Copenhagen, Denmark, and participated.-in another NATO defense exercise while transiting the Denmark Straits. During the transit she made several passages of the narrow and winding "Great Belts" channel, including an unprecedented submerged transit. She then proceeded home to Norfolk via the Kiel Canal. Upon CUTLASS's return to Norfolk, her sail and that of the boats with high fiberglass Sails, were re-designed to improve overall seaworthiness.

In the first half of 1959, CUTLASS joined in the anti-submarine warfare development known as Task Force ALFA, off the Virginia Capes. In August, 1959, CUTLASS again sailed for the Mediterranean for a scheduled tour with Sixth Fleet Forces. In November, while still deployed with the Sixth Fleet and enroute to Palma, Majorca, (the last scheduled liberty port) before leaving the Med and returning to homeport, Norfolk, Virginia; CUTLASS intercepted a radio message stating that the U.S.S. THREADFIN SS 410 had been rammed in the Suez Canal. Anticipating new orders from Corn Sixth Fleet, CUTLASS reversed course and headed for Port Said. Ten hours later, CUTLASS received orders to replace the THREADFIN. After transiting the Suez Canal, she joined other Naval forces to participate in exercise MIDLINK II. CUTLASS operated with units from the Great Britain, Italy, India, Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan, in the water around Karachi, Pakistan. Upon completion of the exercise CUTLASS headed for home, Nor-folk, Virginia, arriving 30 December 1959. After local operations again with Task Force ALFA, CUTLASS again entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in February, 1960, for overhaul until August 1960. Returning to Norfolk, CUTLASS operated locally for the duration of the year.

On 28 June, 1961, CUTLASS was given the task of testing War Shot Torpedoes, by torpedoing and sinking the Liberty Ship (tar.-et) Melville W. Fuller, Hull No. 504. This task was accomplished by firing four Mark 16 War Shots into the Fuller, sending her to the bottom. While firing the weapons, the third torpedo hit the vessel before the second torpedo which ran slower for reasons unknown. The thought of a possible circular run by the second torpedo entered the minds of all on board so that the Captain ordered the CUTLASS deep with a large down-angle as a safety precaution. The act of sinking the Fuller established a record for the highest peacetime tonnage ever sunk by a submarine (10,000 tons). In July of 1961, the CUTLASS was awarded the Battle Efficiency "E" and the Communications Green "C", for communication excellence. On 20 September, 1961, CUTLASS scored another first by surfacing, in the eye of Hurricane Ester off the Virginia Capes.

In early 1962, CUTLASS was operating in the Atlantic, when she took water in the after Engine room. She was snorkeling in heavy seas, and the snorkel induction valve (head valve) kept cycling. The Conning Officer had the Diving Officer open the head valve by hand. As soon as this was done, the after Engine room reported water coming through the induction. The boat was at sixty feet with no loss of depth control and was operating normally. The generators were sprayed with salt water and had low ground readings, and there was water in the after battery passageway. The water was cleaned up on the spot, and the readings on the generators were repaired to normal during the next upkeep. In July CUTLASS was awarded her 2nd successive Battle Efficiency "E".

In October of 1962, CUTLASS had been at sea for two weeks when she was ordered to return. to Norfolk to load stores, take on torpedoes, and fuel, and commence surveillance patrol, due to the Cuban Missile Crisis. CUTLASS was in Norfolk for only 48 hours taking on fuel, weapons, and stores. Food was stacked in the passageways, CUTLASS left Norfolk, on 25 October, bound for her patrol station south of 50 degrees, north latitude, south of the Greenland/Iceland and United Kingdom Gap (GI-UK Gap). She returned to Norfolk on 21 November, having been under-way for 28 days, twelve of which she was submerged on the snorkel or the battery. On the return trip CUTLASS was ordered to look for the crew of a Greek Merchant ship which had a fire on board and whose crew had abandon her. While looking for the crew, steerage way was hard on the helm and CUTLASS was taking thirty degree rolls. When submerged it was said that CUTLASS was making good only a quarter of a knot. The turbulence from the storm could be felt at 200 feet.

At the end of the Christmas holiday period, the ship began an extensive seven month overhaul period at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. On sea trials, out of the yard period in 1963, the sea buoy Romeo Bravo had not yet been reached, when a piston in Number Three Main Engine blew with a resounding noise. Everyone on board thought that the CUTLASS had been rammed by another ship. The collision alarm was sounded until it was determined that the problem originated from Number Three Engine. CUTLASS returned to the yard and the Number three Engine was replaced with an engine from the mothballed U.S.S. SPIKEFISH SS 404, which had to be sent down from New London, CT.

In September, 1963, fresh out of the shipyard, found CUTLASS was operating as an aggressor submarine in an Anti-Submarine Warfare exercise with aircraft. The CUTLASS out-smarted the aircraft by using six empty five-gallon cans and two radar reflectors from a life raft. Small holes were punched in the cans so that they would float all night and then sink at daylight. Each radar reflector was attached to the three cans. The first set of cans was set adrift in the current, while the CUTLASS moved off to a different location, and then- the second set was cast adrift. The cans gave the aircraft the impression of a submarine's head valve when snorkeling on their radar. The sets in concert gave the impression that the CUTLASS was snorkeling in a zig-zag pattern. The aircraft made the mistake of waiting for daylight to make their "KILL" on the phantom submarine because when the cans sank at daylight, their contact had vanished. Meanwhile, CUTLASS had moved off into 'a different area completely undetected. Under the command of Commander J.D. Reilly, CUTLASS was authorized by the Chief of Naval Operations to establish a Ham Radio Station on board. The operator was none other than the CO himself. The call sign was W4NMK "Submerged Maritime Mobile".

Also occurring in 1963, while firing an exercise weapon, the Sonar operator reported, 'The fish is running hot, straight, and normal. When the microphone clicked off, the torpedo could be heard throughout the boat, just before the weapon hit the CUTLASS in the collecting tank on the port side. Needless to say the Captain gave the Sonarman a severe reprimand and afterwards he found himself one pay grade lower.

In the summers of both 1964 and 1965, CUTLASS made Mediterranean cruises. While in transit to the Med in 1964, CUTLASS had her Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI), with the Division Commander embarked. During the ORI one of the tasks to be performed was a hand dive with the Hydraulic accumulator down. A new stem planesman put the stem planes into down stops. At this time all the vents were open and the boat started taking a BIG down angle. The controllerman in the maneuvering room started backing full when the screws came out of the water. The auxiliaryman of the watch blew the forward group, while hanging from the overhead and put on all the air banks. With people falling forward, the crew somehow managed to close the vents. Then the boat acquired a LARGE up angle, and people were now began sliding aft. CUTLASS came up as fast as she had gone down, seesawing back and forth, and leveling out on the surface. It was said that the CUTLASS broke a record for "Botching up a Submarine ORI". The Division Commander stopped the rest of the ORI and left the boat that same day by Air!!

While in the Mediterranean, CUTLASS operated both as a target and attacker for the Nuclear Task Force, consisting of the carrier ENTERPRISE and the cruisers LONG BEACH and BAINBRIDGE. During both Med cruises (1964 and 1965), CUTLASS visited the ports of Lisbon, Portugal; Rota, Spain; Nice, Toulon, and Marseilles, France; Catania, Sicily; and Palma, Majorca. During September of 1964, CUTLASS made a brief visit to New York City for the World's Fair.

On 2 June, 1966, while enroute to Norfolk from the Virginia Capes Op areas, CUTLASS was one of the last ships to sight the ill-fated PUFFIN, a rowboat enroute to Great Britain. It was found some time later capsized in the North Atlantic. It is presumed that both crew members were lost at sea.

CUTLASS entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from late June, 1966, until November, 1966. After the yard-period, she returned to Norfolk to operate locally for the remainder of the year. CUTLASS again sailed south in April, 1967, until returning to Norfolk in June, 1967. On this cruise she operated out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, providing target services for sonar calibrations for the U.S.S. POLLACK SSN 603, U.S.S. HADDO SSN 604, and U.S.S. TINOSA SSN 606. She also acted as the target for a SUBROC exercise. During this same period she was awarded the Fire Control "E". From June, 1967, CUTLASS operated locally conducting weapons tests, conducted a successful mine plant, and landed a special operations group (SEALS) in an exercise. While operating again off the Virginia Capes, CUTLASS took another BIG down-angle during a hand dive. Quick action by the starboard controllerman, who started backing full astern before he ever got the bell, saved the boat. Again, the crew acted promptly by blowing all the tanks which brought her to the surface. This time also a lot of the crew required an underwear change. While conducting local ops, CUTLASS made port visits to Hamilton, Bermuda and Savannah, Georgia.

In early 1968, CUTLASS again visited Hamilton, Bermuda. In April, 1968, CUTLASS, again went to the Mediterranean to operate with the Sixth Fleet. On 10 May, 1968, while on the surface for a mail drop, the CUTLASS saw the soon to be ill-fated U.S.S. SCORPION SSN 589 and was probably one of the last ships to see her before her loss later that month. CUTLASS visited Portugal, Spain, Sardinia, Italy; Malta, and Palma, Majorca; before returning to Norfolk in August. During the deployment CUTLASS participated in the Twentieth Anniversary Parade of the Sixth Fleet. In September, 1968, CUTLASS traveled to Groton, CT., for interim dry-docking in the Floating Drydock located there. From July of 1969, until April of 1970, CUTLASS underwent a yard period at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul. After the yard period, CUTLASS did local operations off the coast of Virginia and the North Carolina.

In November of 1970, CUTLASS returned to the Mediterranean to operate with the Sixth Fleet During this trip she visited Spain, Majorca, Italy, Greece, and spent sixteen days in Monaco. During these sixteen days, CUTLASS was honored with a visit by Princess Grace of Monaco. CUTLASS returned to Norfolk in March of 1971.

CUTLASS operated out of Norfolk on local operations until April of 1971, when she again traveled to Groton, CT, for another interim dry-docking and work on her ballast tanks. Again CUTLASS returned to Norfolk to operate locally. In June CUTLASS was carrying UDT personnel and awaiting rendezvous with another ship, when the weather got so rough that one of the two-man submersibles was lost. Also during the rough weather half of the North Atlantic fiberglass-sail was ripped off.

CUTLASS returned to Norfolk for repairs to the damaged sail. After repairs were completed, CUTLASS was assigned a new homeport back in old Key West as part of the aging Submarine Squadron TWELVE. During the stay in Key West, CUTLASS operated locally on daily operations. CUTLASS made a run to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the months of September and October of 1971. While on these operations, CUTLASS was a target for destroyers going through Refresher Training. During the week CUTLASS would outwit the destroyers by firing beer cans from the signal gun, so as to give the destroyers a false target for their Sonar while the CUTLASS evaded them. Then on Saturday CUTLASS went out to get "Sunk" so as to allow the destroyers to pass their exercise.

In January of 1972, CUTLASS again set her bow east for what would turn-out to be her last Mediterranean cruise. While this cruise wasn't scheduled, the boat slated for it had had some problems with her fresh water tanks and CUTLASS answered the call. During the cruise CUTLASS visited Spain, Crete, Greece, Italy, and Majorca. While operating in the Mediterranean at this time, CUTLASS encountered part of the Russian Fleet, a rarity for 1972. CUTLASS closed the LENINGRAD, Russia's only helicopter carrier, for a look see. Other operations included being the aggressor against the carrier U.S.S. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT CV 42. In one mock attack CUTLASS closed to close range and fired a flare from the signal gun. The carrier could not believe that a twenty-seven year old diesel-electric submarine could get that close undetected, but CUTLASS did it. CUTLASS returned to Key West in May of 1972 and continued to operate locally.

As it was inevitable, time caught up with the CUTLASS, and she was de-commissioned on 12 April, 1973. Under the Military Assistance Pro-ram she was sold to one of our Allies (Taiwan) alone, with the U.S.S. TUSK SS 426. She now bears the name HAI SHIH S-91 or SS 791. The HAI SHIH was commissioned in the Republic of China (Taiwan) and is continuing to play an important role in safeguarding Taiwan and its off shore islands against any attempts of armed invasion by the Chinese Communists. Since her service with the Republic of China's Navy, HAI SHIH has scored a meritorious record and contributed significantly to the defense of the Republic of China's sea area's.

Now you have read the summarized history of CUTLASS. Her history continues under a different flag and does only what she was built to do, serve. Advancing age will slowly creep up on her, and she will go gently into history, no longer of use. The finality, and the humiliating fate of the scrappers torch is all there is left. Fear not, CUTLASS will live on as long as each one of her crew has that one thought of her, she will live in the Memories of all that served her, hence the rallying cry: "DIESEL BOATS FOREVER"-- even if only in Memory.