, a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bluefish. Between 9 September 1943 and 29 July 1945 she completed nine war patrols. Her operating area extended from the Netherlands East Indies to the waters south of Honshū. According to the notoriously unreliable JANAC accounting, Bluefish sank 12 Japanese ships totaling 50,839 tons. Construction and training Bluefish was laid down 5 June 1942 by Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT. She was launched 21 February 1943 (sponsored by Mrs. Robert Y. Menzie), and commissioned 24 May 1943. Bluefish departed New London 21 July and reported to Task Force 72 (TF 72) at Brisbane, Australia on 21 August 1943. On 8 September 1943, a Royal Australian Air Force Catalina flying boat mistakenly strafed Bluefish in the Timor Sea north of Melville Island. First war patrol Bluefish departed Brisbane on 9 September 1943 to patrol the South China Sea for 25 days. On 25 September Bluefish torpedoed the Japanese merchantman Akashi Maru (3228 GRT) south-east of Celebes, Netherlands East Indies, in the Flores Sea. While following the damaged Akashi Maru, Bluefish torpedoed and sank the Japanese torpedo boat Kasasagi (595 tons) on 27 September about south of Celebes. On 29 September Bluefish found and sank the damaged Akashi Maru north of Wetar. Second war patrol Bluefish departed Fremantle in October 1943 for a 32-day patrol of the South China Sea. On 8 November Bluefish torpedoed and sank the Japanese tanker Kyokuei Maru (10570 GRT) in the South China Sea. On 18 November Bluefish torpedoed and sank the old escorting destroyer IJN Sanae and damaged the Japanese fleet oiler Ondo (14050 GRT) in the Celebes Sea about south of Basilan Island. Third war patrol Bluefish departed Fremantle in December 1943 for a 27-day patrol of the South China Sea. On 30 December, she sank the Japanese oiler Ichiyu Maru (5061 GRT) in the Java Sea. After laying mines off the eastern Malayan coast on 3 January 1944, Bluefish attacked a Japanese convoy off Indo-China together with Rasher. Bluefish torpedoed and sank the Japanese tanker Hakko Maru (6046 GRT) on 4 January. Fourth war patrol Bluefish departed Fremantle in February 1944 under the command of Charles M. Henderson for a 58-day patrol of the South China Sea. on 4 March Bluefish torpedoed and sank the Japanese oiler Ominesan Maru (10536 GRT) in the South China Sea