USS Ballard was initially an American destroyer (DD-267), and later an air tender (AVD-10) from the interwar period and World War II. The unit was commissioned in the US Navy in 1919. The total length of the ship was 95.9 meters and a width of 9.7 meters. Full displacement reached approx. 1,600 tons, and maximum speed - up to 27 knots. The armament of the unit included, among others: two 102 mm cannons and four 12.7 mm machine guns.
The USS Ballard was built as part of the US Navy's development program related to the accession of this country to World War I, but the unit entered service after the end of this military conflict. Initially, the unit served in the Atlantic Fleet (1919-1920), but later it was transferred to the Pacific Ocean, to withdraw from service almost completely in 1922! However, in the years 1938-1940, the USS Ballard was converted into a seaplane tender and took part in this role in World War II, operating especially in the Pacific. The unit took a very indirect part in the Battle of Midway (1942) and actively supported operations in the Saipan and Palau region (1944). In December 1944, it was sent to the mother waters, where it remained until the end of the war. It was definitely withdrawn from service and sold for scrap in 1946.
USS Narwhal was an American submarine (so-called submarine cruiser) from the interwar period and World War II. The keel for this unit was laid in 1927, the launch took place in 1929, and the entry into service with the US Navy took place in 1930. The ship was 113 m long, 10.7 m wide, and had a displacement of 3,900 tons. The maximum underwater speed is approx. 8 knots. The main armament was two 152 mm guns and 6 533 mm torpedo tubes with 24-26 torpedoes in reserve.
The USS Narwhal was the leading ship of its class with a total of only two ships. Ships of this class were developed under the influence of observations made on the German U-140, it was also assumed that they would operate primarily in the Pacific, most likely in cooperation with their own surface ships. Therefore, it was assumed that winding must be characterized by a large swimming range and possibly high surface speed in order to reach the area of operation as quickly as possible. USS Narwhal took an active part in the war in the Pacific (1941-1945), and its baptism of fire was passed on December 7, 1941 in the course of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. At the turn of 1942/1943, the ship underwent a thorough modernization, after which it returned to the line in April 1943. However, the unit was withdrawn from service in April 1945, and shortly afterwards sold for scrap.