The USS Corporal (SS-346) is named after the freshwater fish, Semotilus Corporalis.
It inhabits streams, rivers, and lakes in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada (see Smithsonian info).

The USS Corporal was one of 24 Balao Class submarines built at the Victory Yard (above photo) which was a temporary expansion of the General Dynamics Electric Boat facility in Groton, Connecticut. The Victory Yard (see aerial view) was used between 1943 and 1945 to dramatically increase naval submarine construction during World War II. SS-346 was launched June 10, 1945 and commissioned November 9, 1945, which was three months after the war ended. There were 23 other submaines built at this facility (see list).

The ship's patch, which is displayed on the Home page, has red military Corporal chevrons between two dolphins on a blue background, and has the latin slogan "Exartependemus". The slogan means "We depend on skill" which epitomizes the qualifications of a submariner.

After World War II, the Navy obtained two highly advanced German Type XXI boats. These were studied and tested extensively. The lessons learned led to a design that increased the battery capacity, streamlined the boat's structure, added a snorkel, and improved the fire control system. This program was called GUPPY, short for Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program. There were several iterations of this design over the years, and the final design changes made the SS-346 a GUPPY III boat. The program is described here.

On November 21, 1973 the USS Corporal was decommissioned and transferred to the Turkish Navy at the Naval Submarine Base, Groton, CT.