USS Picuda (SS-382), a , was originally named Obispo, making her the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the obispo, a spotted sting ray. Construction and launching Obispo′s keel was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, on 15 March 1943. She was launched on 12 July 1943 sponsored by Mrs. Robert H. English. On 24 September 1942, she was renamed Picuda, making her the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the picuda, a great barracuda, up to long, of the Caribbean Sea and the tropical western Atlantic Ocean, known for its ferocious voracity. She was commissioned on 16 October 1943. Picuda remained in the Portsmouth Navy Yard to complete fitting out until 18 November 1943, when she commenced underway trials. She completed torpedo tube trials off Newport, Rhode Island from 14 December through 16 December 1943, and she shifted to the submarine base at New London, Connecticut, for final training exercises. She put to sea from New London on 1 January 1944, reported for duty with the United States Pacific Fleet at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone, on 13 January 1944, arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 27 January 1944, and joined the Pacific Fleet Submarine Force as a unit of Submarine Division 201, Submarine Squadron 20. Pacific War Picuda got underway from Pearl Harbor for her first war patrol on 17 February, setting course for waters off the Caroline Islands, and entering her designated patrol area on 29 February. In an area not far from Truk, she sank 2672-ton ex-gunboat Shinyo Maru on 2 March, going deep to evade a string of 15 depth charges dropped by searching corvettes. On 18 March, Picuda changed course to patrol along the Saipan-Palau shipping lanes. She scored hits on a large enemy tanker that afternoon but was held down by two destroyers while the target escaped. She was off Yap Island a few minutes after midnight of 19 March, and sent 1504-ton freighter Hoko Maru to the bottom with two torpedo hits. Eleven days later she closed two freighters under escort of two destroyers off the western coast of Yap Island and let go five torpedoes at the largest merchantman. The first hit stopped the target dead in the water and a second torpedo tore off the port quarter capsized the 5873-ton cargo ship Atlantic Maru. Two destroyers came