The USS Pompano (SS-181) was a United States Porpoise-class submarine, constructed at Mare Island Navy Yard in California. Her keel was laid on 14 January 1936, and she was launched on 11 March 1937, with Mrs. Isaac I. Yates serving as her sponsor. Commissioned on 12 June 1937, Pompano was part of a group of six submarines that utilized different diesel engine designs; she was initially fitted with H.O.R. 8-cylinder double-acting engines. However, these engines proved problematic, failing during trials before her deployment, leading to an eight-month lay-up for replacement. She was later re-engined in 1942 with Fairbanks-Morse opposed piston engines, which proved more reliable. The Pompano's hull was typical of the Porpoise class, designed for reconnaissance and patrol duties. Her operational history includes multiple wartime patrols in the Pacific during World War II, where she engaged in reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, and offensive actions against Japanese shipping. Notably, during her first war patrol, she reconnoitered the Marshall Islands and attempted torpedo attacks against Japanese vessels, claiming hits on targets such as Yawata Maru and Atsuta Maru. She also sank a large sampan and engaged enemy ships with gunfire. Throughout her service, Pompano conducted several patrols, including operations off Japan, the East China Sea, and around the Marshalls. Her patrols involved attacking enemy shipping, damaging tankers, and gathering intelligence. Despite her aggressive efforts, her success was often hampered by technical issues, particularly with torpedoes and her engines. Her final patrol began in August 1943, during which she continued attacking Japanese vessels but was never heard from again after departing Midway for the waters off Hokkaido and Honshu. It is believed that Pompano was likely lost to Japanese mines or an attack by surface vessels and aircraft, with recent evidence suggesting she may have been sunk by depth charges from Japanese forces in the Shiriyasaki Sea around 17 September 1943. She was officially stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 January 1944, marking the end of her service and a notable loss for the U.S. submarine fleet during World War II.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.