  {|    |} , a gato-class submarine, was the second ship of the united states navy to be named for a whale, an extremely large, aquatic mammal that is fishlike in form. the uss cachalot (ss-170)(cachalot, another name for a sperm whale)commissioned on 1 december 1933 preceded the whale. her keel was laid down on 28 june 1941 by the mare island naval shipyard of vallejo, california. she was launched on 14 march 1942 (sponsored by mrs. a. d. denny, wife of captain a. d. denny, the commanding officer of the shipyard), and commissioned on 1 june 1942, with lieutenant commander (lt. cmdr.) [[john b
1942_ships Gato-class_submarines Ships_built_in_Vallejo,_California World_War_II_submarines_of_the_United_States