USS Grampus ( SS - 207 ) USS " Grampus " ( SS - 207 ) , a " Tambor " - class submarine , was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for a member of the dolphin family ( Delphinidae ) : " Grampus griseus " , also known as Risso ' s dolphin . Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company of Groton , Connecticut . She was launched on 23 December 1940 ( sponsored by Mrs . Clark H . Woodward ) and commissioned on 23 May 1941 at New London , Connecticut , with Lieutenant Commander Edward S . Hutchinson in command . " Grampus " received three battle stars for World War II service . Her first , fourth , and fifth war patrols were designated successful . Operational history . Pacific . After shakedown in Long Island Sound , " Grampus " sailed to the Caribbean Sea with on 8 September to conduct a modified war patrol , returning to New London , Connecticut , on 28 September . The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor found " Grampus " undergoing post - shakedown overhaul at Portsmouth , New Hampshire , but soon ready for war on 22 December , she sailed for the Pacific , reaching Pearl Harbor on 1 February 1942 , via the Panama Canal and Mare Island . On her first war patrol , from 8 February to 4 April 1942 , " Grampus " sank an 8636 - ton tanker , the only kill of her short career , and reconnoitered Kwajalein and Wotje atolls , later the scene of bloody but successful landings . " Grampus " ' second and third patrols were marred by a heavy number of antisubmarine patrol craft off Truk Lagoon and poor visibility as heavy rains haunted her path along the Luzon and Mindoro coasts . Both patrols terminated at Fremantle , Australia . Taking aboard four coast watchers , " Grampus " sailed on 2 October 1942 for her fourth war patrol . Despite the presence of Japanese destroyer s , she landed the coast watchers on Vella Lavella and Choiseul islands while conducting her patrol . This patrol , during the height of the Guadalcanal campaign , took " Grampus " into waters teeming with Japanese men - of - war . She sighted a total of four enemy cruiser s and 79 destroyers in five different convoys . Although she conducted a series of aggressive attacks on the Japanese ships , receiving 104 depth charges for her work , " Grampus " was not credited with sinking any ships . On 18 October 1942 " Grampus " even scored a direct hit on the " Yura " , but the torpedo failed to explode . She returned to Australia on 23 November . " Grampus " ' fifth war patrol , from 14 December 1942 to 19 January 1943 , took her across access lanes frequented by Japanese submarines and other ships . Air and water patrol in this area was extremely heavy and although she conducted several daring attacks on the 41 contacts she sighted , " Grampus " again was denied a kill . Sinking . In company with " Grayback " , " Grampus " departed Brisbane on 11 February 1943 , for her sixth war patrol from which she failed to return ; the manner of her loss still remains a mystery . Japanese seaplanes reported sinking a submarine on 18 February in " Grampus " ' patrol area , but " Grayback " reported seeing " Grampus " in that same area 4 March . On 5 March 1943 , the Japanese destroyers " Minegumo " and " Murasame " conducted an attack preceding the Battle of Blackett Strait , near Kolombangara island . A heavy oil slick was sighted there the following day , indicating that " Grampus " may have been lost there in a night attack or gun battle against the destroyers . The Japanese destroyers had by then already been sunk in a night action with U . S . cruisers and destroyers . When repeated attempts failed to contact " Grampus " , the submarine was declared missing and presumed lost with all hands . Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 21 June 1943 .