The USS Grouper (SS-214) was a Gato-class submarine that played vital roles in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The vessel later revolutionized underwater acoustic research. Unfortunately, like many military assets of her era, the ship was built with asbestos-containing materials, creating significant health risks for her crew members that could lead to mesothelioma and other serious illnesses.
About the Gato-Class Submarines
The USS Grouper was one of 77 Gato-class submarines built during World War II, which formed the backbone of the U.S. submarine fleet during World War II. The first model to be mass-produced, this class of submarines represented a significant advancement in American submarine design, featuring improved range, reliability, and combat effectiveness compared to earlier classes. The Gato class was specifically designed for long-range patrols in the vast Pacific Ocean, with much more fuel capacity and better living conditions for crew members sent on extended deployments.[1]
The class incorporated advanced welding techniques and construction methods that created more reliable operation in challenging conditions. Still, they were designed to be “thin-skinned” submarines with only limited depth capabilities compared to later designs. This restricted their operational diving depth to approximately 300 feet under normal conditions.
About the USS Grouper (SS-214)
As was true of many Navy submarines during the period surrounding World War II, the USS Grouper was named after a fish. She was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, and launched in October 1941. She was sponsored by Mrs. Albert F. Church and commissioned in February 1942, under the command of Lieutenant Commander C. E. Duke.[2]
The Grouper measured 311 feet 9 inches in length with a beam of 27 feet 2 inches and a draft of 16 feet 10 inches. With a surface displacement of 1,525 tons, she carried a complement of 80 officers and enlisted men and could achieve speeds of 20.9 knots. The submarine was armed with one 3-inch gun and ten 21-inch torpedo tubes, which was the standard configuration for Gato-class vessels.[1]
World War II Service
After completing shakedown trials in Long Island Sound, the Grouper sailed for Pearl Harbor in March 1942, to join the Pacific Submarine Force blocking Japanese shipping. Her first combat experience came during the pivotal Battle of Midway, where she was part of the submarine screen that protected American troops. In June 1942, during the height of the battle, the Grouper’s crew spotted two burning Japanese carriers, but heavy air cover kept the vessel from attacking. Later that day, was strafed by fighter planes and survived depth charge attacks from enemy aircraft and destroyers, with over 170 depth charges and bombs dropped during the incident.
War Patrol Operations
The Grouper’s first war patrol began that same month, taking her to the China Sea. While there, she torpedoed and damaged two Japanese merchant vessels before returning to Pearl Harbor at the end of July. Her success continued during subsequent patrols, with notable achievements including:
- Second Patrol (August – October 1942): Sank two freighters, Tone Maru and Lisbon Maru
- Third Patrol (November – December 1942): Sank Bandoeng Maru, a passenger-freighter carrying troop reinforcements to the Solomons.
- Fourth Patrol (January – March 1943): Rescued a stranded aviator from Rengi Island and identified important Japanese radar installations in the Solomon Islands.
- During her fifth through eighth patrols, there were no additional sinkings. Instead, Grouper conducted guerrilla support operations, landing 50 men and 3,000 pounds of equipment on New Britain Island while, at the same time, rescuing an American aviator who had been stranded there for nearly three months.
- Ninth Patrol (May 1944): Sank the Kumanoyama Maru in a night surface attack.
By the time the Grouper was sent for her final war patrols, the American submarine campaign had been so successful that there weren’t many targets to be pursued. Instead, she served as a lifeguard during air strikes, rescuing seven downed aviators during raids on the Palaus in September 1944.
The USS Grouper received 10 battle stars for her World War II service, marking her as one of the most decorated submarines of the war.
Post-War: Innovation and Development
When World War II ended, the Grouper returned to New London for four years of coastal operations and training exercises that sent her between Florida and the Caribbean. During this period, she achieved two significant firsts: She became the first submarine equipped with a Combat Information Center in 1946, and in 1947, she accomplished the first successful discharge and recovery of personnel from a submerged and underway submarine.
In March 1950, she entered Mare Island Shipyard for conversion to the Navy’s first dedicated “killer” submarine. The extensive modification included the installation of snorkel equipment and sophisticated sonar and radar systems, transforming her into a specialized anti-submarine warfare platform. The work was completed in late June 1951, after which Grouper pioneered research in submarine-versus-submarine warfare as part of Submarine Development Group 2. For eight years, she developed and tested hunter-killer concepts, operating along the East Coast from Nova Scotia to Florida and participating in Caribbean exercises. International operations included Atlantic crossings to Rothesay, Scotland, via Iceland in 1953 and 1955, and NATO maneuvers in 1957.[2]
Transformation to Research Vessel
By the late 1950s, Grouper’s age and “thin skin” construction had limited her depth capabilities for modern military requirements. Unlike many others in her class, she was preserved to undergo a revolutionary conversion in 1958: She was redesigned as an auxiliary submarine (AGSS) dedicated to underwater acoustic research under joint control of the Naval Research Laboratory and the Underwater Sound Laboratory.[3]
The conversion was completed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in June 1960, and included the installation of integrated electronic signal recording and processing equipment in a specially designed laboratory compartment. The forward torpedo room was replaced by a comprehensive seagoing laboratory that included experimental electronic equipment, an acoustically insulated sonar console room, workbenches, storage areas, and sleeping quarters for six scientists.
Research Equipment and Capabilities
After the conversion, the Grouper had a completely different look, with numerous specialized installations, including a trainable transducer protruding from her bow, three streamlined “shark fins” mounted on her deck, a long line of baffled-line hydrophones on her port side, and a “Colossus” billboard array on her after deck. Additional equipment included receiving arrays, a Fathometer, trainable deck hydrophones, and underwater communication systems.
These acoustic devices were powerful and required special sound-dampening measures to protect crew quarters during operation. The submarine’s research abilities were so advanced that many of her installations remained classified: Her crew’s findings had a direct impact on the development of next-generation sonar equipment.
Final Years and Legacy
With New London as her home port, the Grouper conducted extensive research operations throughout the Caribbean and Bermuda and extended all the way to Nova Scotia in the north, focusing on sound propagation research in underwater environments.
In May 1965, the Grouper achieved the distinction of becoming the longest-serving submarine in U.S. Navy history. Overhauls in 1962 and 1965 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard further enhanced her research capabilities, allowing her to continue contributing valuable scientific knowledge until her decommissioning.
The USS Grouper was decommissioned and stricken in December 1968, after 26 years of distinguished service. She was sold for scrapping in 1970.
Naval Reliance on Asbestos Components
During the war years, the U.S. Navy did not know the danger that asbestos posed. They mandated the use of the mineral in all its shipbuilding specifications because it met the challenges posed by the maritime environment and the hazards inherent in combat. Naval architects had to protect against oceanic corrosion, fire risks associated with fuel systems, ammunition storage, complex machinery operations, and damage inflicted by the enemy. Until the mid-1970s, when knowledge of the material’s dangers became public, this naturally occurring substance appeared to offer all the characteristics that were needed, including:
• Outstanding heat resistance • Fire-suppression properties
• Superior insulation characteristics • Resistance to chemical corrosion • Durability and structural integrity • Cost-effectiveness and widespread availability
As a result, asbestos was integrated into numerous materials and systems across all naval vessels until decades later, when the full extent of its health risks became apparent.
Asbestos Applications in Submarine Construction
The specialized operating conditions of submarines resulted in even greater dependence on asbestos materials, increasing the exposure risks for submarine crews. Contributing factors to this heightened danger included:
Confined Spaces: Even with its larger size, the Grouper and other Gato-class submarines had a compressed layout that made fire prevention and thermal management even more important. This led to increased use of asbestos-based protective materials throughout the vessel.
Nuclear Power Plants: The introduction of nuclear-powered submarines in the 1950s created additional demands for protection from radiation and insulation from the high temperature that surrounded reactor compartments and steam generation systems. Asbestos excelled in both these applications.
Atmospheric Recycling: Submarine ventilation systems continuously recirculated interior air throughout the sealed environments, prolonging the periods that any airborne asbestos fibers could be breathed in.
Torpedo Compartments: Submarine weapons storage areas routinely incorporated asbestos-based materials in sealing mechanisms, insulation applications, and safety equipment.
Acoustic Dampening: The Grouper and other submarines were designed for stealth operations, and relied heavily on sound reduction technologies. Later, when the submarine was conducting its research, additional sound dampening was needed to protect the crew from the noise its equipment generated. Much of this was achieved through increased application of asbestos insulation materials.
Health Risks and Medical Consequences
While asbestos presents no immediate threat when properly contained and undisturbed, the material breaks down easily and creates a significant health risk when its fibers become airborne and are inhaled or ingested into the respiratory or digestive systems. This typically occurs when asbestos-containing materials are:
• Damaged during routine maintenance operations or emergency repairs • Compromised by operational vibration, impact, or normal deterioration • Mechanically disturbed through cutting, drilling, or similar activities
• Degraded due to environmental conditions or aging processes
There is a direct link between asbestos exposure and several serious and deadly health conditions, with the most common including:
Mesothelioma: A highly aggressive and fatal cancer affecting the mesothelium, the protective membrane surrounding the lungs, abdominal cavity, and heart. Diagnosed in approximately 3,500 Americans each year, it is almost exclusively linked to asbestos exposure. The condition’s severity is made worse by the fact that it takes 20 to 50 years after exposure for symptoms to appear, and because those symptoms so closely resemble less serious conditions like the flu or bronchitis, it often takes months to get a correct diagnosis. This delays treatment as the tumors continue to grow, minimizing the options for effective intervention. Veterans are most frequently diagnosed with the type that develops in the chest cavity (pleural mesothelioma), though some are affected in the abdominal area (peritoneal mesothelioma). It can also appear in the cavity that holds the heart (pericardial mesothelioma), though this is extremely rare.
Lung Cancer: Typically associated with the cigarette smoking that was so prevalent in the years that the Grouper operated, asbestos exposure poses a lung cancer risk that dramatically increases when combined with tobacco use.
Asbestosis: Progressive, chronic lung tissue scarring caused by inhaling asbestos fibers and characterized by having trouble breathing and diminished pulmonary function.
Other Cancers: Physicians and researchers believe there are also links between asbestos exposure and malignancies affecting the throat, reproductive system, and other organs.
Assistance for USS Grouper Veterans with Mesothelioma Diagnoses
Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs supports service members who’ve been sickened by asbestos exposure that occurred during their military duty. Available benefits include:
• Disability Compensation: Service members who develop health conditions associated with military asbestos exposure may qualify for monthly compensation payments determined by disability ratings.
• Healthcare Services: The VA health system provides specialized medical care for veterans, including expert treatment for asbestos-related diseases.
• Family Assistance Programs: The VA offers eligible veterans and their families access to comprehensive support services, including counseling programs and home healthcare assistance.
To qualify, veterans need to demonstrate a service connection between their asbestos-related condition and their military service. Required documentation includes:
• Medical evidence confirming an asbestos-related diagnosis • Documentation of asbestos exposure during military service • Medical professional assessment connecting the condition to military exposure
VA Medical Centers with Specialized Care
Multiple VA medical centers maintain departments specializing in the treatment and management of asbestos-related diseases. These include the Boston VA Medical Center, which has highly regarded comprehensive mesothelioma and lung cancer treatment programs, and the Los Angeles VA Medical Center, which is staffed by renowned specialists experienced in asbestos-related disease care.
Additionally, most major VA medical facilities operate oncology and pulmonary medicine departments with expertise in treating asbestos-related conditions and various cancer types, and veterans can also seek treatment at specialty cancer centers.
Legal Options
Veterans who served aboard the USS Grouper and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease have options for compensation that go beyond VA-provided benefits. Legal opportunities include:
• Personal Injury Lawsuits: Veterans may be eligible to pursue civil litigation against the manufacturers and suppliers of the asbestos-containing products used in the naval construction and equipment they were exposed to. These claims focus on product manufacturers rather than the government, which is immune from liability beyond providing VA services and benefits. Families of veterans who have died from asbestos-related diseases may also pursue wrongful death claims.
• Asbestos Trust Funds: Many asbestos product manufacturers have established victim compensation trusts. These funds often resulted from bankruptcy settlements and negotiations, though some companies have voluntarily created these compensation programs.
The best way for Navy veterans to learn more about these options is to contact an experienced asbestos attorney who can explain available compensation options and legal procedures. These legal professionals specialize in working with people with asbestos claims. They can answer your questions, gather information specific to your service so they can identify all your potential exposure sources and responsible parties, and provide comprehensive assistance and representation throughout the claim process.
Essential information that mesothelioma attorneys use to develop a strong case includes:
• Ship assignments and service dates • Detailed job duties, responsibilities, and work locations • Any maintenance, repair, or construction work performed or observed • Testimony from fellow service members • Complete medical records documenting diagnosis and treatment history
It’s understandable to want to let news of your diagnosis sink in, but getting started on a legal evaluation promptly is crucial, both so you’ll be free later to focus on your health and to preserve your legal rights. Each state maintains time restrictions called statutes of limitations that specify the timeframe you have to file a claim. An attorney can explain all of this, provide details about the process, help you set realistic expectations, and ensure that there’s minimal burden on you and your family while the work to maximize the compensation you receive.
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