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USS Snook (SS 279) Memorial

The Snook Memorial, at the entrance to the North Shore Maritime Center, on Riverfront Drive in North Little Rock, AR

USS Snook (SS 279) was declared overdue and presumed lost with all hands on 16 May 1945, while on her ninth war patrol. The last contact with Snook was on 08 April. The cause of her loss is unknown to this day, but was probably due to an attack by the Japanese submarine I-56, under the command of K. Masada. I-56 was herself sunk by US forces a few days later in the same area.

(Medium Resolution - 255Kb JPG)
Photo Caption: USS Snook (SS 279) Operating near shore, cira 1943
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center, Washington, DC
USNH Photo # NH93280

Before her loss, Snook was responsible for sinking as many as 22 Japanese vessels, totaling 123,600 tons. She damaged another 10 Japanese vessels for 63,200 tons.

52 American submarines were lost during WWII. After the war, each state was assigned a submarine for commemorative and memorial purposes (California and New York were each assigned two submarines).

USS Snook is Arkansas' adopted submarine.

High Resolution Photograph (4.5 MB JPG)

A replica of Snook's battle flag hangs in the Snook Memorial theater in the Museum.

Replica of USS Snook's Battle Flag, on display in the Snook Memorial Theater, inside the Museum

Sources: Jentschura (pg 177), Rohwer Axis (pg 289, pg 308)