USS Springer (SS-414) was a Balao-class submarine of the United States Navy, named after the springer, a Grampus. Springer was laid down on 3 October 1943 at Vallejo, Calif., by the Mare Island Navy Yard; launched on 3 August 1944, sponsored by Mrs. M. S. Tisdale; and commissioned on 18 October 1944. Springer sailed for San Diego on 3 December to conduct sea trials and shakedown training. After availability, she departed Mare Island for Hawaii on 8 January 1945 and arrived at Pearl Harbor the following week. On 4 February, she steamed to Guam; topped off her stores and oil; and, on 17 February, sailed for the Ryukyu Islands to begin her first war patrol. First patrol, February – March 1945 Springer rode out several heavy storms and was driven down many times by enemy aircraft, but she finally spotted two Japanese warships on 11 March. The ships were at a range of 22,000 yards (20 km), steaming at , so the submarine surfaced to give chase. She was forced to submerge immediately by planes, and the pursuit was abandoned. Later in the month, the submarine made radar contact with three ships, and she tracked the largest for three hours. When it was within torpedo range, she made a surface attack with four torpedoes. She scored two hits and the target began to burn. An hour later, Transport No. 18 was still afloat so she sank it with another torpedo. The submarine returned to Guam on 25 March and was refitted by . Second patrol, April – May 1945 Springer, , and sailed on 20 April for the Yellow Sea where they were to operate as a wolfpack. Eight days later, the pack checked Tomei Harbor on Fukue Shima. At 05:15, Springer sighted two ships hugging the coastline, but she found it impossible to close nearer than . She heard 14 explosions at approximately 06:30. Trepang had sunk Transport No. 146 and was being depth charged by the victim's escort. Springer headed out of the harbor, and sighted the escort returning alone. At 08:30, the submarine launched three torpedoes. The target went dead in the water; and, as the crew was abandoning ship, Springer fired another torpedo. It hit under the target's No. 1 turret and blew off her bow. Two planes and two patrol craft approached, so Springer went deep and cleared the area, leaving Japan's Submarine Chaser No.