The USS Pike (SS-173) was a Porpoise-class submarine constructed for the United States Navy, laid down on December 20, 1933, at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine. She was launched on September 12, 1935, sponsored by Jane Logan Snyder, and officially commissioned on December 2, 1935. As a Porpoise-class vessel, Pike represented an important early class of U.S. submarines designed for fleet operations and reconnaissance. Following her shakedown in the Atlantic, Pike departed Newport, Rhode Island, on February 10, 1937, heading through the Panama Canal to reach Naval Station San Diego. During 1937–1938, she participated in maneuvers near Hawaii, gaining operational experience. By December 1, 1939, she was serving with Submarine Squadron 5 out of Cavite, Philippines. She conducted patrols along the coast of China in 1940, from Shanghai to Tsingtao, returning to Cavite on August 24. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Pike immediately responded, sailing on December 8, 1941, to guard vital sea lanes between Manila and Hong Kong. Her wartime patrols included reconnaissance and engagement with enemy vessels, such as sighting the hospital ship SS Mactan, the Japanese minelayer Shirataka, and possibly the USS Salmon. She reported numerous aircraft sightings and operated in areas around the Alor Islands and Lombok Strait. Pike's notable combat actions include sinking the 2,022-ton Japanese cargo ship Shoju Maru near Marcus Island on August 5, 1943, and damaging a large Japanese aircraft carrier on August 6. During her eighth patrol in August 1943, she engaged a convoy of six cargo vessels, damaging two ships. After extensive wartime service, she arrived at New London, Connecticut, on November 3, 1943, where she transitioned to training duties for the remainder of World War II. Decommissioned on November 15, 1945, Pike became a Naval Reserve training ship in Baltimore in September 1946. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in February 1956 and sold for scrapping in January 1957. Throughout her service, USS Pike contributed notably to U.S. naval operations in the Pacific theater, demonstrating the capabilities of early submarine design and warfare.

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