, a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the gurnard. Construction and commissioning Gurnard′s keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company at Groton, Connecticut, on 2 September 1941. She was launched on 1 June 1942, sponsored by Miss Suzanne Slingluff, and commissioned on 18 September 1942. Atlantic Patrol Following shakedown from New London, Connecticut, Gurnard sailed for Rosneath, Scotland, 2 November 1942 and reached that port 13 days later. Her first war patrol, 28 November to 27 December 1942, brought her to the Bay of Biscay where she lay off the Spanish coast awaiting German blockade runners bound for Spanish ports. The patrol was uneventful; no enemy ships were sighted and subsequently Gurnard returned to New London 9 February 1943 for repairs and alterations. Pacific Patrols Second, third, and fourth war patrols, May 1943 – January 1944 After reaching Pearl Harbor 26 May, the submarine got underway 12 June for her second war patrol. She patrolled off Toagel Mlungui Passage and on 29 June saw action for the first time, damaging two Japanese merchantmen and surviving 24 depth charges thrown by an enemy destroyer. Varied damage was inflicted on other ships in these waters before Gurnard made her first kill, sinking cargo ship Taiko Maru at . on 11 June 1943. Having expended all torpedoes, the submarine returned via Midway Island to Pearl Harbor, arriving 26 July for refit. Underway again 6 September, she sailed to the South China Sea to begin her third war patrol. A five-ship convoy was sighted near midnight 7 October and Gurnard began stalking, closing at 01:39 on 8 October and sending to the bottom cargo ship Taian Maru and passenger-cargo ship Dainichi Maru west of Luzon. This successful patrol terminated at Pearl Harbor 28 October. One month later she sailed on her fourth patrol to prowl off the southeast coast of Honshū and soon found good hunting. A convoy was sighted 24 December and at 07:10 Gurnard attacked. Two minutes later cargo ship Seizan Maru No. 2 had broken in two and sunk; she was soon joined by cargo ship Tofuku Maru. Japanese destroyers attacked the submarine with over 80 depth charges without success. After damaging another merchantman on 27 December, Gurnard returned to Pearl Harbor 7 January 1944. From there she was sent Stateside for overhaul. Fifth, sixth, and seventh war patrols,