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0: #1 USS Sealion (SS 195) 12/10/41
USS SEALION (SS 195)
December 10, 1941 - 5 Men Lost
by JOCS(SW/AW) Darrell D. Ames
The first submarine victim of enemy action was USS SEALION (SS 195). The start of the war on December 8, 1941 found her, along with USS SEADRAGON, in the final stages of overhaul at the Navy Yard, Cavite, Philippines. Both ships were scheduled for completion on December 12th.
Despite frequent air raids in the Manila area during the first two days of war, enemy planes waited until the third day to pay a visit to the Navy Yard in Cavite on the afternoon of December 10th. The air raid alarm sounded at approximately 12:30 PM as 54 enemy planes zeroed in on the shipyard.
SEALION, nested at Machina Wharf, had SEADRAGON inboard and the minesweeper BITTERN outboard. All hands, with the exception of the Commanding Officer, LCDR R.G. Voge, the Executive Officer, LT A. Raborn, and three men, were below decks. LCDR Voge saw the first wave of bombs land 100 to 200 yards astern of SEALION and noticed that the planes were too high to reach by machine gun fire. He immediately ordered all hands below. It was a wise decision.
The second wave of bombs hit the ship almost simultaneously, one striking the aft end of the conning tower, completely destroying the machine gun mount that had been vacated just moments before. The bomb exploded outside the hull a few feet above the control room, which was occupied by the majority of the crew who would surely have been killed, had the bomb exploded inside. While the SEALION crew was spared from that initial blast, a fragment of the bomb pierced the conning tower of the inboard SEADRAGON killing ENS Sam Hunter, the first submarine casualty of the war.
Seconds later another bomb passed through the main ballast tank and the main pressure hull and exploded in the after engine room, killing four men working in the compartment – electrician mates Foster, O’Connell and Paul, and machinist mate Ogilvie.
The explosion also flooded the aft engine room causing SEALION to settle in the mud aft while the forward engine room and torpedo room slowly began to flood as well. When the ship had finally settled the remainder of the crew escaped to safety while 40% of the main deck was underwater with a 15-degree list to starboard. All motor controls, reduction gears, and main motors were destroyed, totally immobilizing the ship.
The damage to the ship would normally have been considered non-fatal had there been overhaul facilities available for repair. SEALION wasn’t so lucky. The bombing that wrecked the ship had also destroyed the Navy Yard and the closest repair facility now lay 5,000 miles due east at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Considering the war situation at hand, it was impossible to tow SEALION that distance. On Christmas Day, 1941, after the removal of all gear of value, such as gyro, radio and sound equipment, three depth charges were exploded inside the ship to prevent her from falling into enemy hands.
Sailors Lost On USS SEALION (SS 195) 12-10-1941
Foster EM2
Paul EM1
Oglivie MOMM
Killed onboard USS SEADRAGON
Hunter, S. Ens.
O'Connell EM1
Más sobre #1 USS Sealion (SS 195) 12/10/41
1: #2 USS S 36 (SS 141) 1/20/42
USS S-36 (SS 141)
January 20, 1942 - No Men Lost
On her first patrol, S-36 did not sink any ships. She was lost on her second patrol. These are the details:
She started her patrol on December 30, 1941. During the patrol, she made a daring and successful attack on a small transport displacing 5,000 tons that was moored in Calapan Harbor, Mindoro, P.I. After this attack, she was ordered to proceed to Surabaya, Java, N.E.I., by COMSUBAF. At 0404 on January 20, 1942, she suddenly grounded on Taka Bakang Reef in the Makassar Strait, west of Southern Celebes.
Her forward battery compartment flooded, and the salt water combined with the battery acid, generating chlorine gas. The situation was grave—so grave that her C.O., Lt. J. R. McKnight, sent a plain language message that the boat was aground and sinking. Sargo, nearing Surabaya, got this message and for five hours attempted to relay it without success. She then turned back to help S-36.
When Headquarters at Surabaya became aware of the grounding, a PBY was dispatched to evaluate the situation. By the time the plane arrived McKnight was more optimistic about being able to save his boat, if he could get some assistance. None of the crew were transferred to the plane, and when it departed it flew to Makassar City to request assistance from the Dutch authorities. They complied with the request and the next morning a launch arrived from Makassar. McKnight realized he would not need all the people he had on hand and sent two officers and 28 men into the launch, keeping the remainder behind in hopes that S-36 could be hauled clear.
Work though they might, conditions on the sub worsened, and when Dutch steamer Siberoet arrived in the afternoon of January 21, 1942, the C.O. decided to abandon S-36 and destroy her. All the remaining officers and men were saved, and they arrived at Surabaya on February 25 in Siberoet.
Más sobre #2 USS S 36 (SS 141) 1/20/42
2: #3 USS S 26 (SS 131) 1/24/42
USS S-26 (SS 131)
January 24, 1942 - 46 Men Lost
S-26, led by LCDR E.C. Hawk, was lost on January 24, 1942 in the Gulf of Panama about 14 miles west of San Jose Light in three hundred feet of water. There were three survivors, two officers, one of whom was the Commanding Officer, and one enlisted man. These people were on the bridge at the time of the collision; the fourth person on the bridge, an enlisted man, was lost.
S-26 was proceeding from Balboa, C.Z. to its patrol station in company with S-21, S-29 and S-44 and an escort vessel, PC-460, at the time of the disaster. At 2210 the escort vessel sent a visual message to the submarines that she was leaving the formation and that they could proceed on the duty assigned. S-21 was the only submarine to receive this message. Shortly thereafter PC-460 struck S-26 on the starboard side of the torpedo room and the submarine sank within a few seconds.
Salvage operations were started immediately under Captain T.J. Doyle, USN, Commander Submarine Squadron Three and Submarine Base, Coco Solo, Canal Zone, and attempts at rescue were made, but without success. The submarine was not raised. She had previously made one war patrol, but had inflicted no damage on the enemy.
Sailors Lost On USS S-26 (SS 131) 1-24-1942
Adams, L. W. MM2 Amick, L. A. S2 Anderson, G. W. EM2 Baranick, G. F2 Bauer, C. A. MM1 Baumbach, A. S2 Biebuyck, W. S1 Brown, C. Y1 Burchart, E. B MM1 Burroughs, G. O. F2 Claflin, C. R. F2 Clark, C. C. F1 Clough, R. K. MM2 Crabtree, E. O. S1 Crumbley, B. CEM Dawson, J. D. RM3 Ehrle, E. GM3 Evans, D. B. CMM Freeman, R. A. MM2 Gamble, R. F. MM2 Gill, J. M. CTMA Holt, R. E. QM2 Homic, B. S. MM1 Johnson, N. MATT1 Kasserbaum, J. J. MM1 Lorente, W. C. EM1 Love, L. M. S1 Machlachlan, R. RM1 Mattes, R. C. TM3 Nelson, R. E. AS O'Brien, J. P. SM3 Peters, T. V. LT Peterson, A. B. F1 Plyer, H. B. MM2 Ramsey, C. R. EM2 Rifkin, S. S. F2 Russell, G. G. EM2 Russler, C. E. SM1 Seibert, W. C. TM3 Shattuck, H. F. CTM Shmutz, J. M. CRM Stubbins, J. B. ENS Taylor, H. L. ENS Thompson, T. C. SC3 Tow, P. H. TM3 Vezina, R. D. F2
Más sobre #3 USS S 26 (SS 131) 1/24/42
3: #4 USS Shark (SS 174) 2/11/42
USS SHARK (SS 174)
February 11, 1942 - 59 Men Lost
After having transported Admiral Hart and other officials from Manila to Surabaya on her first patrol, SHARK, commanded by LCDR L. Shane, Jr., departed on January 5, 1942 for her second war patrol. She saw a torpedo, fired at her by an enemy submarine on January 6.
In anticipation of a possible enemy attack at Ambon (Amboina), COMSUBASIATIC told SHARK to contact Dutch submarines at the harbor entrance of that island. On January 25, SHARK was advised that heavy air raids on Ambon might indicate an enemy landing force moving toward the island.
Two days later SHARK was ordered to take station as part of a submarine group reconnoitering a major enemy move south through Molukka passage. On January 29, because another move toward Ambon was indicated, SHARK was ordered to cover the passage to the east of Lifoematola. The next day this was enlarged to include the area to Bangka Passage. On February 2 SHARK reported to Surabaya that she had been depth charged 10 miles off Tifore Island and that she had missed on one torpedo attack.
Five days later SHARK reported an empty enemy cargo ship heading northeast. In answer to these messages, Surabaya pointed out that such transmissions contained little information of use in appraising the situation, and that they might very possibly reveal to the enemy a position to avoid. No further messages were received from SHARK.
She was told on February 8 to proceed to Makassar Strait via the north coast of Celebes, and later was told to report information. Nothing further was heard from SHARK and on March 7 she was reported as presumed lost.
A Japanese report of antisubmarine attacks available now records at least three of which might have been on SHARK. One was east of Menado on northern Celebes on February 11, 1942; the second was north of Kendari on the southeast coast of Celebes on February 17, 1942; the third was east of Kandari on February 21, 1942. Also, in 1944, a Japanese press release claimed that an enemy subchaser rammed a U.S. Submarine in Manipa Strait in February 1942. No mention is made of this attack in official Japanese reports, but their reports were notoriously inaccurate and incomplete, especially during the early part of the war.
Since Dutch and English submarines were operating in the area patrolled by SHARK, it is impossible at this time to determine whether any or all of the above mentioned attacks were survived by submarines operating with our Atlantic Fleet. Loss of SHARK to an enemy minefield is deemed improbable, since the enemy was on the offensive at this time and would naturally hesitate to lay mines in the path of his advance down the Strait of Makassar. Thus indications point to the probability that SHARK was lost through enemy depth charge attack; however, the specific attack responsible for the loss cannot be determined. The one on February 11 off Menado is thought most likely, since SHARK had been ordered to northern Celebes.
Sailors Lost On USS SHARK I (SS 174) 2-11-1942
Bellard, Theodore Allen MM1 Blanchard, Walter Raleigh CTM Bolton, John Alden RM1 Brannan, Thomas Leo S1 Byus, Grady "G", Jr. MM1 Cassidy, Earl LTJG Cooley, John Paul MM2 Crawford, Billy Brant F3 Croft, Albert Edward EM1 Dawson, William Thomas EM2 Denby, Edwin, Jr. LTJG Dillen, Roscoe F., Jr. LTJG Ejaype, Paulino OS1 Estes, Roland Ashby EM1 Evans, Ferdinand Alois MM2 Evans, Truman Floyd TM1 Fabra, Agapito OS3 Farrell, Fred Howell TM1 Fruit, Albert David MM1 Gilman, Merrill Ray MMA Giminez, Pedro SC1 Glass, Lawrence Carlton S1 Iverson, James Andrew F1 Jeffreys, Romie Lloyd CMM Johnston, James Edward F2 Jones, Clifford Earl TM1 Lester, Jesse Augustus PHM2 Lidgerding, William Charles RM2 Loughlin, Thomas TM2 Lund, Arnold Raymond MM1 Markin, Loran Robert F2 MC Elroy, Rex Edgar EM2 MC Kinney, Kenneth Ernest EM2 Miller, Robert Francis F2 Moran, Arthur Patrick CMM Morris, Fred Joseph SM1 Myer, Warren Hasting MM2 Pechacek, Ermin Josep SM2 Perkins, Avery Evande S1 Pettit, Robert Lee CMMA Philabert, Frank Florestine ENS Pilgram, Edward Walte CEMA Polidori, Bennie John EM1 Sandmann, Karl Lother Y2 Shmitt, Henry Louis MM2 Shane, Louis, Jr. LCDR Smith, John Howell CEM Smith, Thayne Charles TM2 Spilman, Thomas Punchard RM3 Stephens, Robert Houston S1 Striegler, Herman Fredrick EM1 Thew, Richard Ridley FC1 Tubre, Henry Oran S2 Turoczy, John Alfred SC1 Warren, Roland Henry MM2 White, James Kenneth GM1 Worsham, John Murry TM3 Yanks, Charles Robert SM2 Zeorlin, Harold TM2
Más sobre #4 USS Shark (SS 174) 2/11/42
4: #5 USS Perch (SS 176) 3/3/42
USS PERCH (SS 176)
March 3, 1942 - Six Men Died as Japanese POW's
Having been serviced at Port Darwin, Australia, PERCH (LCDR D. A. Hurt) departed on February 3, 1942 for her second patrol, in the Java Sea. At this time the Japanese campaign to secure the Netherlands East Indies was at its height. The Philippines had been effectively neutralized by them, and their fall was only a matter of time. The Japanese were forcing their way down the Strait of Makassar, and an invasion of Borneo or Java was imminent.
From February 8 to 23 PERCH was sent several reports concerning enemy concentrations near her area, and was directed to patrol or perform reconnaissance in various positions near the islands of the Java Sea. On February 25 she was directed to go through Salajar Strait and patrol along the 100 fathom curve northeast of the Kangean Islands as part of the force then attempting to defend Java.
On February 25 she reported two previous attacks with negative results, and stated that she had received a shell hit in her conning tower, which, damaging the antenna trunk, made transmissions uncertain, but she could receive. On February 27, she sent a contact report on two cruisers and three destroyers. No further reports were received from her and she failed to arrive in Fremantle where she had been ordered by dispatch.
The following account of what happened to PERCH is taken from a statement made by her surviving Commanding Officer, who was repatriated at the end of hostilities, having been held by the enemy. The last station assignment was given PERCH on February 28, 1942, in the Java Sea. A large enemy convoy had been cruising about for several days, awaiting to land on Java; now the objective had been discovered and submarines were to disregard their areas and attack at the landing point.
Shortly after surfacing on the night of March 1, PERCH sighted two destroyers, and dove. After the destroyers had passed well clear, they came back, one near PERCH. Hurt prepared to attack with torpedoes, but at 800 to 1,000 yards the destroyer turned straight toward him. The Commanding Officer ordered 180 feet. At 90 to 100 feet, the destroyer passed over and dropped a string of depth charges; shortly thereafter PERCH hit bottom at 147 feet.
During the depth charge attacks which followed, the ship lost power on her port screw, but she managed to pull clear of the bottom and surface when depth charging had ceased. Shortly before dawn two Japanese destroyers again were sighted, and once more PERCH went to the bottom, this time at 200 feet. Efforts to move from the bottom were unsuccessful, and the attackers continued depth charging until after daylight.
At dusk on March 2, PERCH again surfaced after an hour of effort. There was no enemy in sight. Reduction gears were in bad shape, there were serious electrical grounds and broken battery jars, and the engine room hatch leaked badly, so arrangements were made to scuttle if necessary.
On trying to dive before sunrise on March 3, 1942, it was found that due to the severe depth charge attacks she had been through, water poured in from conning tower and engine room hatches, the three-inch circulating water line and leaks in the hull. Nothing the crew did seemed to help the leakage and while further attempts were being made to repair the ship, three enemy destroyers came in sight and opened fire. The submarine's gun was inoperative and torpedoes could not be fired. Enemy depth charges had caused three of PERCH's torpedoes to run in their tubes, and the heat, exhaust gases and mounting nervous tension aggravated already extremely difficult conditions. The decision was made to abandon and scuttle her. The entire crew got into the water safely, and all were picked up by Japanese ships. The significant statement of Japanese antisubmarine capabilities is made by LT K. G. Schact, a PERCH survivor, that "loss of air and oil during attacks caused both previous enemy groups to believe their target had been destroyed."
Personnel of PERCH were held for a few days on a Dutch Hospital Ship and transferred on March 10 1942 to a prison camp at Makkasser Clebes, Dutch West Indies until found by Brigadier General Barnes on Sept. 13, 1945. Fifty-three of their crewmembers were handed over to the United States at the end of the war. PERCH was credited with sinking a 5,000-ton enemy freighter on her first patrol, conducted west of the Philippines.
USS PERCH (SS-176) Sailors Who Died In Prison Camp
Brown, C. N. MM2
Dewes, P. J. PHAR
Edwards, H. E. CEM
MC Creary, F. E. MM1
Newsome, A. K. CMMA
Wilson, R. A. FC1
Más sobre #5 USS Perch (SS 176) 3/3/42
5: #6 USS S 27 (SS 132) 6/19/42
USS S-27 (SS 132)
June 19, 1942 - No Men Lost
The Loss of USS S-27 By: George Herold
Since the age of about ten, I can remember passing the little Naval recruiting station on Main St. in Paterson, N.J. on the way to the movies. In the window there were posters of Sailors on warships, and those magic words, "JOIN THE NAVY AND SEE THE WORLD." I started talking to the recruiter about a year before my 17th birthday. As a junior in High School my marks weren't the best, just good enough for me to remain on the varsity baseball team. The recruiter had given me some things for my dad to read and sign. He kept saying that this was a big decision for me, but I really wanted it.
The last game of the 1941 season was on Friday, 23 May. The next day, the 24th of May, Saturday, was my 17th birthday and on Tuesday May 27th I enlisted. I loved it right from the start, for I was 17 and I was going to "see the world." Boot camp in Newport, R.I. went smoothly. At times there would be a submarine anchored out in the bay as the Newport Torpedo Station was nearby. I requested Sub School at New London, Conn. and, after passing a written test and physical, was accepted. While on boot-leave I told my Dad about my choice. He kind of paled a little and reminded me about the sub that sank with all hands about the time I enlisted. It was the USS 0-9. But I wanted it and that was that.
We schooled on the O boats of WWI vintage, 475 tons, 172' long. I loved it. I wish I could remember my first dive, but I can't.
October 1941, Sub School over, I was sent to San Diego to SUBDIV 41, six old S boats, circa 1922. They weren't much bigger, 210' long, 800 tons. I went aboard my first ship, the USS S-27, and before the week was out the Exec told me that we were heading to Hawaii, I had a letter in the mail in about an hour.
After an eleven day cruise in a Liberty ship, peeling spuds and standing lookout watches, I was in Hawaii. School started right away and I dug right in, all types of signaling and navigation.
Thanksgiving dinner at the Sub Base proved interesting. Some local High School kids dined with us and some native Hawaiian girls. I was a 17 year old man of the sea with all of eight months in the Navy. I'm sure you old Sailors recall the old line, "I wrung more salt water out of my socks than---."
Sunday morning, 7 December, like all mornings, saw us out in front of the Sub Barracks in whites getting ready for colors. I was thinking about my beloved NY Giants who would be playing that afternoon in the Polo Grounds. But things got to changing quickly when all these planes came swooping down from over the Receiving Station heading down the channel between the Sub Base and the Navy Yard about a hundred feet high right towards Ford Island.
I'm not going to repeat much about the attack itself. I was not involved in any heroics whatsoever. There were three boats tied up at the Sub Base, TAUTOG, NARWHAL and DOLPHIN, and the CACHALOT was over in the Navy Yard. They were using 30 cal. Lewis guns and later in the week TAUTOG was awarded half a kill so they painted half a plane on the conning tower. I have to mention Pete Chang, CTM, and MAA at the Sub Barracks. He lived in Pearl City or somewhere with his wife and son. He was like a mother hen with us and came racing back at 1100 to see if his little domain was okay. He was also the head man at the Torpedo Shop. He was a Captain Bligh type, and curtailed the school for a week so all of us non-rated men could be available for s--t details wherever needed. I got to know the Navy Yard pretty well during this time.
School started again on December 15 and both instructors, a CQM and SM1/c were all business now. I don't think I got much liberty until after New Years. Big changes now, blackouts, dark shades and gas masks. All letters were to be mailed unsealed. Marines were everywhere it seemed.
Some of the newer boats were arriving now, recently commissioned. Fleet boats, 315' in length, ten tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1600 tons. The USS FINBACK was one of them. I would serve on her later. Christmas dinner at the Sub Base, again with guests of the gold braid, and again we're acting like personal friends of King Neptune.
Fast forward now to March 1942, San Diego, SUBDIV 41, six S Boats, preparing for a move to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. On the way north our propulsion system had problems. The power for each of these boats were two-eight cylinder Nelseco diesels, 14 knots max. on surface and two-60 cell batteries. About 300 miles south of Seattle, an immense ground in both main motor developed and we limped into Bremerton Navy Yard. After a short stay, a couple of liberties and a visit to the USS WEST VIRGINIA which was undergoing repairs for damage received at Pearl Harbor 7 December, we sailed out of there through Puget Sound, very pretty.
Arriving at Dutch, we saw that it had been bombed and the pier we tied up to had taken a direct hit with a small bomb. You had to be careful where you put your feet or into the drink you went. The local town was Unalaska, a small one. Boards for sidewalks and lots of mud. I remember a wooden roller rink and some Aleutian kids skating on it.
After topping off with fuel and more stores, we were underway now for the serious stuff. This was going to be IT now, two or more months at sea. The enemy was on Attu, Aggatu, Kiska and maybe others. We had been patrolling the Kuluk Bay area south of Tanaga Island. This time of the year up here means 19 hour days and five hour nights. Long dives on this old girl. We didn't see any shipping, but did see many enemy aircraft to avoid. I had my 18th birthday on this patrol and standing QM watches. We were in a period of very bad weather-a lot of rain and continual overcast. Occasionally, when visibility permitted, we would pick out an island, correctly we hoped, and try for a decent tangential fix. Sun lines and star sights were put on the shelf.
After surfacing shortly after sunset on 16 June, we received a message directing us to leave our patrol area at Kuluk Bay and proceed to an assigned area at Kiska, via Amchitka Pass. Prior to leaving Dutch Harbor the skipper had received verbal orders from the Division Commander to inspect Constantine Harbor on Amchitka Island for enemy activity. We set course to clear to northward of the islands for five miles and the distance to travel indicated our arrival off Constantine about 0100 (plus 12) on 18 June. We were able to obtain fixes until we rounded Gareloi Island and headed across Amchitka Pass on course 245T. At 2345 the Captain went to the bridge to see if Amchitka Island had been sighted and to be present if a landfall was made. At 2400, when nothing could be seen ahead, we changed course to 270T in order to make certain of landfall in case the current (on which we had not data) had set us to the south and east during the passage. After steaming for one hour at two-thirds speed (8 knots) on this course without sighting anything, the decision was made to circle with ten-degree rudder until light conditions were better. The Captain was concerned about not being able to see land because the Coastal Pilot and confidential chart showed that the entire island was low and we might not see it in time to prevent grounding. This was done even knowing that our 0100 DR position still gave us 7 and a half miles of open water.
At 0204 we steadied on course 090T and dived at 0207. From that time until 0556 we steered various courses until we picked up the island and obtained a fix. We patrolled until 1200, then started rounding the southern end before time to surface and change batteries. It deemed advisable to remain submerged during daylight because periscope observations confirmed enemy air activity.
The decision to round the island to the southward was based on the following factors: First, previous reports indicated the presence of the enemy on the island of Semisopochnoi, a small one. Therefore knowing that they were also at Kiska, it seemed likely that there might be air patrols between two. A northern route might disclose our presence, and we wanted to reach our area from the north of Kiska Harbor undetected if possible. Second, to have entered this area from the north would have hemmed us in by Rat Island, Little Sitka Island, and subsequently the unknown currents of Oglala Pass, where little enemy surface shipping might be expected, whereas a southern approach leaving us free water rounding Amchitka Island to the south, seemed the most logical route.
After rounding East Cape on Amchitka at 1330, numerous tangential fixes were obtained and a set to the north of about 2 knots determined. Currents such as this are known to exist and had been previously encountered in all of the other Aleutian passes. At 1735 we increased speed to about 6 knots and adjusted course in order to round St. Makarius Point and be at least 5 miles from the island prior to 2000. It would be necessary to surface and lie to for a period of at least four hours to conduct a battery charge. This position should remove us from the influence of the currents in the pass (so we thought). No data on currents to be encountered in this area were available.
At 1920 we surfaced the boat, visibility was 2/3 miles and the island was not in sight because of a fog bank. In order to close the line to steer for our area, we came to course 315T at a speed of 8 knots and stopped at 2005 in order to start a battery charge. Our DR position at this time placed the boat 5 miles west of St. Makarius Point or any known enemy position. Also, this position provided the least chance to detection either by radar or visual search because of our blending in with the shore background.
At 2010 the charge was started. Conditions at this time: Visibility 2/3 miles, sea calm, sky overcast and the island not in sight. The bridge watch was ordered to be especially alert for land.
At 2200 the Captain's night order book was written and made available to the OOD. In it were instructions to set course 305T, speed 6 knots, when one engine was released from the charge, to keep a careful watch for land, breakers or any other indication of land as we may be set towards shore. Upon sighting any vessel dive immediately. Call the Captain when the charge is complete.
At 0027, the OOD went ahead 6 knots on the starboard engine and came to course, left, to 305T as per instructions and informed the Captain. About 0043 the OOD reported he was coming left 225T with full left rudder as he thought he had spotted land on the starboard bow. The Captain was on his way to the bridge when the boat went aground with a terrific jolt. I was in my bunk in the forward battery compartment. I was off watch. I had the four to eight watches. About 42 of the crew of 50 slept in the forward battery. Whoever was asleep was surely awake now.
A dark object, believed to be land, suddenly loomed up about one point on the starboard bow and was sighted at the same time by Boatswain Krueger (OOD), Dick Lister (QM) and the starboard lookout, Stan Jorgensen. Krueger immediately ordered, "Left full rudder, come to course 225T and report to the Captain that I think I have sighted land on the starboard bow and am changing course to 225T." Immediately thereafter the OOD saw small breakers about 25 yards dead ahead and rang up "all Back emergency" on both engines and sounded the collision alarm. The boat grounded almost immediately.
The Captain arrived on the bridge at this time, followed by the Exec, Mr. Smith. The Captain relieved the OOD. The port screw was backing and the starboard screw started backing within a few seconds and the boat was reported "rigged for collision." We were bumping violently on the rocks and rolling about 15 or 20 degrees. The motors continued backing emergency, to no avail. Nelly, F1/c, was yelling, "What the hell are we doing on railroad tracks?" He was the ship's comedian. Orders were given to blow the fuel from No.3 MBT, the after fuel group and all variable tanks. We kept trying to back clear as the boat became lighter. However, as we became lighter, the stern began to swing to starboard and bang against the rocks. Then the starboard screw hit the rocks and was disabled. We had to move the boat in order to clear the stern. At this time we found that the boat could be moved only about 20 feet forward or aft before it became held fast. We even sounded with lead line for a possible passage through which the boat might be warped, but found none.
At 0115 we sent out our first message in code: "ANY AND ALL USN SHIPS X AGROUND SOUTHEAST SIDE AMCHITKA ISLAND."
The rocks on the starboard side were high, almost as high as the bridge. If we backed down, the stern would go into a reef and ride up a little, and then shear to starboard. It was starting to get a little light now, and we could see another group of rocks just off the starboard quarter and on several occasions the stern got close against these rocks and we kicked ahead. We didn't do any good with this maneuver with only one screw operational, so we stopped for awhile and took some soundings all around the boat. They were all very shallow except ahead there was one spot 20 or 30 feet deep but there was apparently another reef beyond. The bilge plating in the motor room was buckled in. You could notice it coming in if you were in there while she was pounding. After this had been noticed, we secured the motor room, shut the water-tight door and put air pressure in the compartment.
Lt. Butler, at this time, was busy encoding messages to be sent. This island was only about a mile wide and four miles long. We weren't sure if any enemy were on it. We grounded on the S/E corner and several days ago we noticed a small village of several houses on the N/E corner through periscope observations. It appeared uninhabited, or was there enemy there? At 0145 we sent out our second message, a repeat of the first one. The pounding was increasing and we thought the tanks might give at any moment. Our one rubber life raft was brought topside and made ready. One officer and one enlisted man, both capable swimmers, took the raft with a line to the beach. With fog lifting and dawn coming, this island was starting to look like a calendar picture of a rocky Maine coast. They returned and reported that conditions were favorable, once the raft cleared the first set of rocks close to the boat. A ferry system was set up between the beach and the boat with lines.
At 0440 our third message was sent: "CANCEL MY 191640 X WEDGED SOLIDLY ST. MARKARIUS POINT AMCHITKA X PORT SCREW WORKING ON MOTOR BUT MOTOR ROOM FLOODING X ALL TANKS DRY X UNABLE TO BACK OVER ROCKS X POUNDING IS BAD X AM PREPARING TO ABANDON X HEAVY FOG."
Provisions, dry and warm clothing, guns, medical supplies, food and crew were safely transferred to the beach using the rubber raft and, by 1100, all but the Captain and five men were landed. By this time the breakers had increased so that further trips for provisions were not safe. The Captain and those who remained aboard destroyed the following equipment. 1. ECM- all wheels broken and scattered in deep water, typewrite part destroyed by hammer and thrown into deep water. Nothing remains in the boat but the empty safe. 2. QC-JK- equipment demolished with a hammer. QC head was run out when we grounded. 3. JK in torpedo room demolished. 4. All torpedo approach data and tables burned. 5. Mk. 8 torpedo angle solver thrown overboard as far as possible, seaward. 6. All confidential and secret publications, codes, ciphers, and crypto aids were taken ashore and burned. Unburnable items were smashed and thrown into deep water.
At 1345 another message was sent: "HEAVY POUNDING CONTINUES X HELPLESS X ALL ASHORE EXCEPT SIX X ALL COMPARTMENTS DRY EXCEPT TORPEDO ROOM X WILL STAY UNTIL UNTENABLE X ALL CRYPTO AIDS DESTROYED BUT THIS X WHEN ABANDONED WILL WALK TO CONSTANTINE IF FREE ON ENEMY OF EIGHTEENTH."
At 1330 three of the remaining men came ashore. One Machinist's Mate, one Radioman and the Captain remained onboard. At this time heavy pounding had definitely loosened the side plating, for it could be heard rattling with each jar of the boat. The torpedo room was slowly flooding, though air pressure had been built up in this compartment. An angle of six degrees down by the bow was now noticed. The screws are both now clear of water. At 1513 we sent our last message: "DUE SEA CONDITIONS I AM ABANDONING SHIP X IF POSSIBLE WILL RETURN TOMORROW OTHERWISE CONSTANTINE MY 200145."
At 1550, since nothing further could be done to help the boat, and the torpedo room was half flooded, the two remaining men and the Captain came ashore.
We were in sort of an unsheltered cove with all of our provisions, clothing and a little ammo piled on the beach. I suppose this was the lesser of two evils. Our boat was a goner now, resting on the bottom and generating chlorine gas from both batteries. All of us were wet and the temperature was about 60 degrees, uncomfortable at the very best. Fires were started and wet clothing removed. No injuries were reported and, other than being exhausted, we were OK. A couple of ounces of grog in some coffee picked us up a little.
We all agreed that if there were any enemy on this island, they were probably at the other end, 3 or 4 miles distant. So, at darkness we doused the fires. A cliff about 50 feet high overlooked the cove and we posted a lookout up on top to be relieved every hour. Naturally, the non-rated men got this assignment. I had to relieve Scott Horton at some time and it was dark. I mean DARK. The only noise was the surf and that poor old boat moaning and breaking up. I climbed up on the hill and called, not too loud, "Horton." If there were any enemy nearby I sure didn't want to be heard. I called out again and we got together. He said he heard me the first time and thought in was an enemy trick. He probably saw the same movies I did. After he went below, I didn't move far from that spot. I has a 45 caliber on my hip, but the only time I fired any guns, except BBs, was that little bit of that rifle business in Boots.
The next day it was decided that there were no enemy on this island after all so all 50 of us carried what we could in our arms and on our backs to the other side, a couple of miles distant. The island was all mushy tundra, slow going with a load to carry. We arrived there about dusk, 2030. Right away we saw what it was and what had happened. This had been a Russian fishing settlement of six houses, a few storage bunkers and a church. The inhabitants probably pulled out right after the Pearl Harbor attack. After the Japanese invaded, or before, they dropped a string of bombs and three of the houses were destroyed.
We moved right in. The Russians must have pulled out in a hurry. Utensils of all sorts, kerosene stoves and drums of kerosene were left. Plus school books, all in Russian. We were shipwrecked now, with nothing to do but hope. Of all the messages we sent, only one was received and it didn't give our position. But we didn't know at the time.
Naturally, food rationing started right away, two meals a day, no griping. Fifty seven years ago it was a tough spot to be in and today I realize that we could have all expired there after the food ran out. But in 1942 that never entered our minds.
We had a man stationed on top of the church and if he spotted anything, ship or aircraft, he was to ring that bell and we would all take cover. The idea was not to make any changes that could be noticeable from the air. The weather cleared and it was beautiful for the next week, we caught fish in the bay and they were cleaned and eaten. We would spot aircraft maybe eight or ten miles distant, ours or theirs, we never knew. We held muster every morning and made jokes about it. Who would be AWOL anyway. We were doing OK, maybe a little hungry on 3/4 rations, but really not bad.
Eight days later on 28 June that old church bell rang. All hands ran and took cover inside. A plane was headed straight for our little "retreat." Nelly yells, "He's either going to drop bombs or supplies, take your pick." Closing we saw it was a PBY at about 1500 feet. Everyone in outside waving and some went down to the beach and scratched "S-27" in the sand. We laid out the flag and he is circling eyeing us, now just about 300 feet up. He sends us a message via aldis lamp, "WILL SEND POSIT X WILL LAND." Everyone is ecstatic. He comes down beautifully on the bay. The Russians were nice enough to leave an old dory, all worm eaten, but floatable, which we used to row out and introduce ourselves. He threw a lot of his equipment over the side to lighten up so about 15 of us could become passengers. I'm not one, but who cares now. Three more would be coming back the next day for the rest of us. That night we cooked everything and had Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner all into one. We stuffed ourselves and laid back like fat cats.
The next morning three PBYs landed on the bay and inside two hours they were airborne again with the rest of us. After a seven and a half hour flight, a rough one, we set down in Chernofsky Bay in pitch darkness. After a couple of big bounces we stayed on the water and swore we would never get into another airplane. A couple of launches took us to a converted four-piper, USS HULBERT, AVD6 (seaplane tender) for a medical, bath and a clean bunk.
The next day we were flown back to Dutch Harbor and issued a complete sea bag. We had to leave what ever we got off the boat on Amchitka Island. I left a 30 dollar set of "tailor made's," dress blues, I had bought in San Diego about eight months previous.
Years later at reunions, it was often mentioned that if any of that crew of the PBY that found us was sitting here with us, we could really fete them. Then in 1995 the newspaper had a notice of a get-together of ex-PBY airmen of WW2 and a phone number in Satellite Beach. I called and introduced myself and this man said he would be attending and would make some inquiries. A few weeks later I heard from him, and he had some info,-but it was not good. He said that the plane was in VP-41, the pilot's name was Jules Raven, ENS and the co-pilot was Rock Bannister. Evidently, Banister was covering for someone else that day and said that Raven and his regular crew was lost two weeks later on a routine patrol. A sad note, for I can still see him standing up in his cockpit with the hatch open, waving after landing.
I have to add another odd note. That same week in June 1942, my High School Class of 1942 were holding their prom and graduating exercises.
The war went on another three or more years, five patrols on the USS FINBACK sinking one passenger liner, eight freighters, one gunboat, one passenger/cargo vessel, one submarine chaser and one oil tanker. After a 30 day leave in the fall of 1943, on a newly commissioned boat, USS PICUDA, six more patrols, sinking one gunboat, five freighters, two destroyers and four passenger/cargo vessels. None of this was accomplished without the inevitable depth charge attacks, some lasting twelve/fifteen hours. They'll make a believer out of you. I called on my LORD many times.
In the entire war I only came face to face with the enemy on one occasion. In August 1944, in the Luzon Strait, early one morning we passed through an area of about one square mile of many enemy soldiers clinging to pieces of wreckage. The Captain decided we would pick one up. This was something that was seldom done. He beckoned with megaphone from the bridge, but all refused. However, one gave in and we pulled him aboard. They all had been in the water for quite a while for this guy was full of open sores from the sea water and jelly-fish. We only had him a couple of days, and transferred him to another boat in our pack, USS SPADEFISH, as they were heading back to Pearl.
I was preparing to stay maybe 30 years. I loved the Navy. However, it was not to happen. A severely broken leg and dislocated hip forced an early out for me in 1949. Period, end of it all.
Más sobre #6 USS S 27 (SS 132) 6/19/42
6: #7 USS Grunion (SS 216) 7/31/42
USS GRUNION (SS 216)
July 30, 1942 - 70 Men Lost
The submarine GRUNION arrived at Pearl Harbor on 20 June 1942, reporting for duty from the West Coast. This vessel engaged in the pre-patrol training given to all submarines reporting from new construction yards, and on 30 June, left for patrol.
Lt. Cmdr. Mannert L. Abele, in command, was ordered to proceed to the Aleutian Theater and patrol westward from Attu on routes between the Aleutians and the Japanese Empire. On 10 July GRUNION was reassigned to the area north of Kiska. GRUNION made her first report on 15 July: Dutch Harbor received her message that, attacked by an enemy destroyer, she had fired three torpedoes at it, and missed with all.
Shortly after this message was received GRUNION sent another relating that she had sunk three destroyer-type vessels on 15 July. This message was garbled to the extent that details of the attacks were never learned (Japanese information reveals that GRUNION sank patrol boats 25 and 27 and damaged a third patrol vessel). On 19 July GRUNION, S-32, TRITON and TUNA were assigned areas in the approaches to Kiska, all to be there by daylight 22 July.
There was a strong concentration of enemy vessels at Kiska, this time being only a month and a half after the enemy had taken that island. The vessels patrolling there were told to watch particularly on the afternoon of 22 July 1942 for departing enemy naval vessels, since our own surface forces were scheduled to bombard Kiska that afternoon. The bombardment did not take place in accordance with the original plans, but our forces did stage the operation on 28 July and GRUNION was told to guard the exits from Kiska during darkness on this date. On this day GRUNION reported an attack on unidentified enemy ships six miles southeast of Sirius Point, Kiska. She had fired two torpedoes, made no hits, and been depth charged, but sustained no damage.
GRUNION’s last transmission was received 30 July 1942. She reported heavy antisubmarine activity at the entrance to Kiska, and that she had ten torpedoes remaining. On the same day, GRUNION was directed to return to Dutch Harbor. She was not contacted or sighted after 30 July, despite every effort to do so, and on 16 August was reported lost. Planes observing the approaches to Kiska for indications of enemy salvage operations in connection with GRUNION reported negatively.
Japanese antisubmarine attack data available now record no attack in the Aleutian area at this time, and GRUNION’s fate remains an unsolved mystery. We know of no enemy minefields which were in her area; thus her loss may be presumed to have been operational or as a result of an unrecorded enemy attack.
UPDATE - A gentelman in Japan, Yutaka Iwasaki, posted some interesting information on his website, about sunken Japanese ships during WWII, which includes information about the possible fate of the USS GRUNION.
The Kano Maru was sunk at Kiska Mr. Iwasaki kindly provided some very interesting information about the ship's history and the USS GRUNION. He provided the following on the history of the ship in connection to the loss of the GRUNION (publications S.Komamiya's Wartime ship history (1991 private issue) and JIRO Kimata's Submarine attack" (2000 Kojin-Sya)):
Kano Maru 30 July, 1942 - 08:00 Arrived at 36km north of Kiska. Heavy fog prevented approach, lost contact with the escort, forced drifting. Getting location by astronomical, she restarted approach to Kiska with 15kt.
31 July, 1942 - 05:47 Torpedoed by Submarine Grunion (SS-216). One hit at machinery room starboard, main engine and generator stopped. No more escape nor radio. 05:57 Second torpedo came, but passed below the ship. Kano Maru pretended to launch seaplane without pilot, failed to start propeller. 06:07 Third and fourth torpedo came, hit fore bridge and amidships on the port but both dud. The Grunion intended to surface and sink by gunfire, ripples was seen 400m distance from her. Kano Maru had two old 8cm guns on forecastle and stern. Stern's one malfunction by the torpedo shock, but forecastle gun fired to the periscope. 13mm machine guns on bridge fired as well. Before the sub appear the whole, fourth shot from Kano Maru hit the conning tower of the sub. It is thought the last of Grunion. The attack had ceased. Later rescue came from Kiska, three seaplanes, cable layer Ukishima, and sub chaser No. 26.
Sailors Lost On USS GRUNION (SS-216) 7-30-1942
Abele, M. L. LCDR Alexander, F. E. SM3 Allen, D. E. SM3 Arvan, H. J. Matt2 Banes, P. E. CMOMM Bedard, L. J. I. CMOMM Blinston, W. H. RM3 Bonadies, N. R. F2 Boo, R. F. RM3 Bouvia, C. L. MM1 Caldwell, G. E. CEM Carroll, R. H. S2 Clift, J. S. TM2 Collins, M. F. F2 Cooksey, L. D. MOMM1 Cullinane, D. MM1 Cuthbertson, W. H., Jr. ENS Deaton, L. D. S2 DeStoop, A. E. CTM Devaney, W. P., Jr. S2 Dighton, S. R., Jr. LTJG Doell, L. H., Jr. RM2 Franck, L. H. S1 Graham, M. D. CTM Hall, K. E. S2 Hellensmith, E. G. EM3 Henderson, H. B. MOMM2 Hutchinson, C. R. TM3 Kennedy, S. J., Jr. MOMM2 Knowles, E. E., Jr. S2 Kockler, L. R. TM1 Kornahrens, W. G. LT Ledford, M. J. CY Lehman, W. W. EM1 Loe, S. A. MOMM2 Lunsford, S., Jr. EM2 Lyon, J. W. F1 Martin, C. R. CMOMM Martin, T. E. EM1 Mathison, R. EM1 McCutcheon, R. G. TM3 McMahon, J. M. LT Miller, E. C. F2 Myers, D. O. F1 Nave, F. T. MOMM2 Newcomb, A. G. RM1 Nobles, J. W. MOMM1 Pancoast, J. E. MOMM2 Parziale, C. A. TM3 Paul, C., Jr. MATT2 Pickel, B. J. S1 Post, A. C. S2 Randall, W. H. RM2 Ryan, L., Jr. S2 Sanders, H. A. MOMM1 Schumann, E. T. CQM Sullivan, P. P. PHM1 Surofchek, S. SC1 Swartwood, D. N. S2 Templeton, S. A. GM1 Thomas, M. W. LT Traviss, B. A. S2 Ullmann, A. S1 VanWoggelum, M. F. F3 Walter, M. H. F3 Webster, R. E. EM2 Welch, D. F. FC2 Wells, J. H. TM2 Wilson, J. E., Jr. SC3 Youngman, R. J. F2
Más sobre #7 USS Grunion (SS 216) 7/31/42
7: #8 USS S 39 (SS 144) 8/14/42
USS S-39 (SS 144)
August 13-14, 1942 - No Men Lost
After having started twice for her fifth patrol, and being forced to return to Brisbane because of major breakdowns, S-39 under Lt. F. E. Brown, once more was faced on 7 August 1942 with the necessity for heading toward land. Her Executive Officer had been put on the sick list on 5 August, and two days later his condition warned of the development of pneumonia, so Brown asked for instructions and was directed to proceed to Townsville, on the northeast coast of Australia. On 10 August in the smooth waters of Townsville harbor, the officer was transferred for further medical treatment, and S-39 once more got underway for her patrol area off the southeast coast of New Ireland.
In the night of 13-14 August 1942, S-39 struck a submerged reef off Rossel Island, in the Louisiade Archipelago. The ship took a port list of 30 to 35 degrees, and was jolting heavily due to heavy following seas breaking over the deck. Backing the screws had little effect, even after all possible fuel and ballast tanks had been blown dry. The ship began swinging broadside to the sea and was being washed farther up on the rocks, so all fuel and ballast tanks were again flooded to hold her steady.
At high tide on the morning of 14 August the screws were backed and twisted until the low voltage limit on the batteries was reached. The ship backed about 50 feet, but again listed about 30 degrees to port and pounded heavily on the rocks. Ballast tanks ruptured by the rocks were again flooded in an effort to ease the pounding. In the afternoon word came from Australia that HMAS Katoomba would arrive the following morning to lend aid.
Throughout the day breakers 15 to 20 feet high broke over the ship. Efforts were made to charge the batteries, but several cells had been reversed and only the after battery could be charged. Shortly after dawn on the 15th, the torpedoes were inactivated and fired. Again Brown tried backing on the after battery, but the screws were too high and little effect. With the termination of backing efforts, the ship rapidly rolled over until the list was 60 degrees port. Fearing that the seas would roll the ship entirely over, the Commanding Officer gave permission for anyone who desired to swim to a nearby reef, although he was not ready to abandon ship. No one ventured into the water, but Lt. C.N.G. Hendrix volunteered to swim to the reef with a line and then to haul the two mooring lines to the reef as the riding line for the rest of the crew.
When Hendrix had gained the reef and was having a difficult time with the lines, due to the seas, W.L. Shoenrock, CCStd (PA), offered to swim ashore and help. The two men pulled in the lines and secured them to one of the torpedoes, which was resting on the reef. Thirty-two men reached the reef via the line, and twelve remained aboard when HMAS Katoomba arrived shortly after noon.
By 1000 on 16 August Katoomba’s boats had made three trips to shore and all hands were safely aboard the ship. It was felt that the pounding seas would soon break up S-39, and no attempt was made to shell her from Katoomba. The S-39 crewmembers arrived in Townsville, Australia, on 19 August 1942, and were assigned further duty in submarines.
S-39’s first war patrol was conducted east of the Philippines and resulted in the loss to the enemy of a 5,000-ton freighter. On her second patrol, she reconnoitered Tablas Straight and Verde Island, in the Philippine group, but made no successful attacks. During February and March 1942, S-39 patrolled an area in the South China Sea and sank a 5,000-ton tanker. Her fourth patrol, in the Solomons, resulted in no enemy contacts for S-39.
Más sobre #8 USS S 39 (SS 144) 8/14/42
8: #9 USS Argonaut (SS 166) 1/10/43
USS ARGONAUT (SS 166) January 10, 1943 - 105 Men Lost
While operating in the area southeast of New Britain between 5 degrees and 50 east during her third patrol, ARGONAUT (Lt. Cmdr. J.R. Pierce) intercepted a Japanese convoy returning to Rabaul from Lae, on 10 January 1943. An U.S. Army plane, which was out of bombs, saw one destroyer hit by a torpedo, saw the explosion of two other destroyers, and reported other vessels in the group.
After a severe depth charge attack ARGONAUT was forced to surface and the destroyers, according to the plane’s report, circled and pumped shells into her bow, which was sticking up at a considerable angle. This action took place in 5 degrees to 40 ‘S, 152 degrees to 02 ‘E, and further efforts to contact ARGONAUT by radio were fruitless. It is quite certain, then, that ARGONAUT met her end in this action. Japanese reports made available since the end of the war record a depth charge attack followed by artillery fire, at which time the “destroyed top of the sub floated.”
ARGONAUT’s first patrol near Midway had resulted in no damage to enemy ships, but her second was a most successful one. It was conducted following a complete modernization at Mare Island. Her mission had been to cooperate with NAUTILUS in transporting 252 Marine officers and men to Makin Island for a diversionary raid against enemy shore installations. In the early morning of 17 August 1942, the raiders were debarked in boats. After nearly two days ashore, the Marines returned, and the submarines transported them back to Pearl Harbor, ARGONAUT arriving on 26 August.
On the basis of the report given by the Army flier who witnessed the attack in which ARGONAUT perished, the ship was credited with having damaged one Japanese destroyer on her last patrol.
Sailors Lost On USS ARGONAUT (SS 166) 1-10-1943
Alexander, C. H. Y1 Alexander. R. D QM2 Allen, R. W. LT Baker, C. H. CMOMMA Ball, R. N. S1 Beecham, T. W. CEM Bergado, M. T. MA1 Bodak, J. B. MOMM2 Bowers, F. H. F1 Bowker, G. A. LT Boyt, R. H. CMOMM Brooks, M. M. MOMM2 Brown, M. V. MOMM2 Campbell, C. K. MOMM2 Carlisle, S. H. MOMM1 Cartmell, W. A. CMOMM Cerrinack, C. J. CGM Corbin, I. B. RM1 Cox, A. F2 Davidson, R. C. GM3 Davis, W. W. S2 De Guzman, J. OCC Dischner, D. H. MOMM2 Everett, J. L. LT Facchini, D. F. MOMM2 Ferentz, J. S2 Ferguson, C. V. S1 Finley, G. W. BM2 Fitzgerald, W. D. GM1 Gasko, J. BM2 Gilliland, J. A. S1 Goshorn, R. L. GM2 Hall, V. E. S2 Hansen. E. J. EM2 Harbison, R. N. TM3 Harrison, E. H. SC3 Hartman, D. R. MOMM2 Hogg, F. M. MOMM2 Hudson, B. J. RM1 Hunter, R. S2 Jenkins, G. S. CQM Kaplan, G. S2 Kaylor, F. G. PHM1 Kelley, J. A. MOMM1 Kessinger, H. SC1 Knapp, A. L. QM3 Kocis, G. H. ENS Koller, F, M. TM3 Lauder, G. E. TM2 Lay, G. E. MOMM2 Leaverton, C. C. EM1 Legler, K. R. RM3 Leland, L. D. CRM Lewis, F. H. EM3 Logan, H. L. CMOMM Lokey, G. A. SM2 Losbanes, Z. I. MA1 Maloney, R. M., Jr. TM1 Martin, P. P. MATT2 McClelland, E. EM3 Miller, R. H. EM2 Miller, W. F., Jr. S1 Miltner, B. G. LTJG Morgan, T. M. FC3 Myers, W. H., Jr. S1 Narrow, T. A., Jr. S1 Nichols, R. F. EM3 Olds, P. J. OS2 Parker, B. B. S1 Parker, T. MOMM2 Parsons, R., Jr. RM2 Peevey, J. W. EM3 Pierce, J. R. LCDR Pritchard, W. I. F1 Ramos, M., JR OS1 Rasimas, A. J. CEM Remillard, P. B. SM2 Robertson, R. N. LT Rolland, H. L. CGM Rollins, G. M. S1 Romero, L. CCSTD Roup, M. F. MOMM1 Rule, J. MOMM2 Schempp, F. E. TM3 Seidman, W. F. RM3 Serafini, H. J. MOMM2 Sheeks, D. C. Y2 Sigler, E. W. MOMM1 Simoneau, F. W. LT Smith, T. L. CBM Spaeth, J. R. MOMM2 Stanley, J. GM2 Thomas, W. D. OC2 Tingling, H. J. S1 Vesmas, J. CM1 Vierling, W. E. MOMM1 Wagner, E. J. MOMM2 Wehner, W. G. F1 White, C. C., Jr. TM1 White, T. A. S1 Widener, H. R. CY Williams, R. W. TM3 Winsor, W. G. GM1 Wylie, R. D. F1 Zintz, E. L. SC3
Más sobre #9 USS Argonaut (SS 166) 1/10/43
9: #10 USS Amberjack (SS 219) 2/16/43
USS AMBERJACK (SS 219)
February 16, 1943 - 73 Men Lost
Following her second patrol, AMBERJACK’s period of refit, rest and recuperation was cut to twelve days, due to the urgent necessity of submarines in the operating areas. She starred out on 24 January, but was forced to return to port for the repair of minor leaks experienced during a deep dive.
Again departing Brisbane on 26 January 1943, AMBERJACK, under Lt. Cmdr. J. A. Bole, Jr., started her third war patrol in the Solomons area. On 29 January she was directed to pass close to Tetipari Island and then proceed to the northwest and patrol the approaches to Shortland Basin. Orders were radioed on 1 February for her to move north and patrol the western approaches to Buka Passage. Having complied with these orders, AMBERJACK made her first miles southeast of Treasury Island on 1 February, and of sinking a two-masted schooner by gunfire twenty miles from Buka the afternoon of 3 February 1943. At this time she was ordered to move south along the Buka-Shortland traffic lane and patrol east of Vella Lavella Island.
Making a second radio transmission on 4 February, AMBERJACK reported having sunk a 5,000-ton freighter laden with explosives in a two-hour night surface attack that date in which five torpedoes were fired. During this engagement Chief Pharmacist’s Mate Arthur C. Beeman was killed by machine gun fire, and an officer was slightly wounded in the hand. On 8 February, AMBERJACK was ordered to move to the West Side of Ganongga Island and on the 10th, she was directed to keep south of Latitude 7-30 ‘S, and to cover the traffic routes from Rabaul and Buka to Shortland Basin. On 13 February AMBERJACK was assigned the entire Rabaul- Buka-Shortland Sea area, and told to hunt for traffic.
The last radio transmission received from AMBERJACK was made on 14 February 1943. She related having been forced down the night before by two destroyers, and that she had recovered from the water and taken prisoner an enemy aviator on 13 February. She was ordered north of Latitude 6-30 ‘S, and told to keep hunting for Rabaul traffic.
All further messages to AMBERJACK remained unanswered, and when, by March 10, she had failed to make her routine report estimating the time of her arrival at base, she was ordered to do so. No reply was received, and she was reported as presumed lost on 22 March 1943.
Reports received from the enemy since the end of the war record an attack, which probably sank AMBERJACK. On 16 February 1943, the torpedo boat HIYODORI and sub chaser Number 18 attacked an U.S. submarine with nine depth charges in 5-05 ‘S, 152-37 ‘E. An escorting patrol plane had previously attacked the submarine. A large amount of heavy oil and “parts of the hull” came to the surface. This attack is believed to have sunk AMBERJACK. However, no final conclusions can be drawn, since GRAMPUS was lost in the same area at about the same time. From the evidence available, it is considered most likely that the attack of 16 February sank AMBERJACK, but if she did survive this attack, any one of the attacks and sightings thought to have been made on GRAMPUS might have been made on AMBERJACK.
This vessel was credited with sinking three ships, for a total of 28,600 tons, and damaging two more ships for 14,000 tons damaged. AMBERJACK’s first patrol was made in the Shortland- Rabaul-Buka area, as her last was. During this first patrol conducted during the last half of September and the first half of October 1942, she sank a freighter, a transport and a large tanker of 19,600 tons. In addition she damaged a freighter and a transport, and made a valuable reconnaissance of several islands in her area. The second patrol of this vessel was in the are west of Bougainville. Although several attacks were made, no damage was done to the enemy. On the basis of her radio report, AMBERJACK was credited with having sunk a 5,000-ton freighter on her final patrol. The enlisted men’s recreation center at the Submarine Base, Peal Harbor is named for Chief Pharmacist’s Mate Arthur C. Beeman, who was killed in the gun battle of 4 February.
Sailors Lost On USS AMBERJACK (SS-219) 2-16-43
Allmon, M. W. MOMM1 Baker, W. A., Jr. RM3 Banister, P. S. MOMM2 Barr, L. V. F1 Bartoli, R. S1 Beeman, A. C. CPHM Blauvelt, R. P. LT Bole, J. A., Jr. LCDR Bolze, J. F. FC1 Brant, H. J. SC2 Brossy, H. E. LCDR Brousseau, M. J. S2 Buchan, W. N. EM1 Cacciato, D., Jr TM3 Caldwell, L. J. D. S2 Chaffin, E. E. F2 Cheney, J. F. LT Clark, B. L. TM1 Coleman, J. L. GM2 Coultas, W. E. MOMM2 Davis, W. S. S1 Davis, L. C. EM3 DeGroot, J. F2 Demler, A. M. ENS Ducharme, D. QM1 Eastman, A. G. H. TM2 Everett, F. J. RT1 Gillard, G. H., Jr. F3 Gosciniak, T. MOMM2 Hamilton, J. W. MOMM2 Henderson, L. G. EM2 Hiatt, D. L. EM3 Hill, W. M. O. F2 Jackson, V. T. MOMM2 James, H. E. EM2 Jeter, W. L. SM3 Jewel, T. E. CSM Kingston, F. P. MOMM2 Koreyva, V. J. MOMM1 Lester, R. L. S2 Levesque, R. A. EM2 Lewellyn, J. E. ENS Lord, H. S., Jr. ENS Lucas, J. B., Jr. LTJG Macy, M. R. MOMM2 Massey, A. R. RM2 McDaniel, R. MA2 McLean, R. A. TM1 Montague, W. MA1 Muir, C. R. CTM Ogilvie, H. B. TM2 Ouzts, C. M., Jr. MOMM1 Pavlin, B. F. EM2 Pisarski, H. F1 Ranger, J. A. RM2 Rakyta, J. G. S1 Runkowski, C. L. TM3 Ryall, L. R. MOMM1 Sallee, C. K. SC1 Seidell, D. R. ENS Smorol, P. P. F2 Spierer, E. R. S1 Springsteen, C. A. S1 Stern, R. G., Jr. LTJG St. John, F. T. Y1 Taylor, H. A. EM2 Thurman, I. H. F1 Tobin, W. J. EM2 Trask, P. B. TM2 Ullstrom, J. H. S2 Ward, A. G. EM3 Wilson, E. L. F3 Winquist, H. C. A. MOMM1
Más sobre #10 USS Amberjack (SS 219) 2/16/43
10: #11 USS Grampus (SS 207) 3/5/43
USS GRAMPUS (SS 207)
March 5, 1943 - 71 Men Lost
After starting on the 9th and being ordered to return on the 10th, GRAMPUS (Lt. Cmdr. J. R. Craig) departed Brisbane on 11 February to make her sixth patrol in the Solomon area, having made two successful previous patrols under Craig. After leaving her exercise target on 12 February 1943, she never was heard from again.
She was directed, during the period from 14 February to 20 February, to patrol successively the area west of Shortland and south of latitude 6-30 ‘S, the entire Buka-Shortland-Rabaul Sea area, and to leave the southern part to TRITON, which subsequently was lost in this general area.
On 20 February, GRAMPUS was ordered to patrol north of 4-30 ‘S, until dawn on 21 February, and then to patrol east of Buka and Bouganville. On 2 March she was told to round Cape Henpan, proceed down the west coast of Bouganville, south of Treasury Island, north of Vella Lavella and into Vella Gulf on the afternoon of 5 March. She was to sink enemy ships trying to pass westward through Blackett Strait in attempting to escape our surface ships scheduled to bombard Vila and Stanmore airstrip on 6 March. GRAYBACK was teamed with GRAMPUS in the above operation, and each was informed of the other’s assignment.
The evening of 5 March, GRAYBACK and GRAMPUS were warned that two destroyers were proceeding from Faisi (off southeastern Bouganville) toward Wilson Strait (between Vella Lavella and Ganogga). These destroyers later went through Blackett Strait into Kula Gulf, where they sere sunk by our surface forces, but GRAYBACK did not report having seen or heard them. Shortly after the report concerning these destroyers was sent, GRAYBACK heard and saw a ship in the part of Vella Gulf assigned to GRAMPUS, and, assuming it was she, maneuvered to avoid. She was unable to track it or exchange recognition signals by radar, since her SJ radar was not functioning. When GRAMPUS made no radio transmission up to 67 March, she was ordered by ComTaskFor 72 on 7 March to do so. No transmission was received, and on 8 March she was ordered again to make one, again without results. She was reported lost on 22 March, 1943.
Since the war’s end, the following facts have been culled from enemy sources. On 17 February 1943, the enemy claims to have sighted one of our submarines southeast. During the afternoon of the 18th, a submarine torpedo attack was delivered on enemy ships and a freighter of 6,400 tons was damaged. An enemy counter-attack was made. All of these positions were in GRAMPUS’ area.
On the afternoon of 19 February, enemy seaplanes claim to have sighted and attacked a U. S. submarine somewhere southeast. The next day, two patrol boats found a large amount of oil on the surface in this position, and the enemy believed that the submarine had been sunk. However, another enemy report states that a submarine was sighted on 24 February in the southeast. Since no other U.S. submarine could have been in this position at this time, it may be assumed that GRAMPUS escaped serious injury on 19 February, or that AMBERJACK was the victim of the attack of 19 February.
Whether the ship GRAYBACK saw and heard in Vella Gulf on the night of 5-6 March 1943 was GRAMPUS is impossible to determine, since she was unable to identify it. However, if it was GRAMPUS and she did survive the enemy attack of 19 February, the only other possibility, so far is now known, is that GRAMPUS was sunk by the destroyers passing through Blackett Strait on the night of 5-6 March, 1943. From the information at hand, it appears that GRAMPUS could have been no more than 15 miles from GRAYBACK on that night, yet GRAYBACK reported hearing no depth charges. In view of this, it seems likely that GRAMPUS was caught on the surface by the destroyers and sunk by gunfire. Since the enemy ships were themselves destroyed subsequently, no mention of any attack by them is made in Japanese reports. A large oil slick was reported in Blackett Strait on 6 March.
In the five patrols made before her fatal one, this ship sank six ships, for a total of 45,000 tons, and damaged two more, for 3,000 tons.
On her first patrol, conducted in February and March 1942 in the Caroline Islands, GRAMPUS sand two 10,000-ton tankers and reconnoitered Wotje and Kwajalein atolls. Her second patrol was a passage from Pearl Harbor to Fremantle, Western Australia, and no sinkings were made. Going to the area west of Luzon and Mindoro, P.I., for her third patrol, GRAMPUS was again unsuccessful in her attempts to sink enemy ships. She conducted her fourth patrol in the Solomons. Here she landed coast watchers on Vella Lavella and Choiseul Islands, and was credited with one escort type vessel sunk and another damaged. GRAMPUS’ fifth patrol was made in the Solomons also. She sank a large transport, a medium transport, a freighter and damaged a destroyer.
Sailors Lost On USS GRAMPUS (SS 207) 3-5-1943
Ball, L. D. MOMM2 Basel, J. EM2 Bathgate, W. K. W. TM1 Beley, M., Jr. S2 Benton, J. L. LTJG Berresford, N. T. TM1 Biggy, V. J. MOMM1 Black, G. OS3 Bohler, R. J. TM3 Bowlby, D. W. RM3 Brunner, F. L. GM2 Bruns, W. A., Jr. CRM Burdette, W. E. MM3 Chaffin, K. L. S1 Collins, T. R. QM3 Conley, T. L. EM1 Corder, E. F. S1 Corum, R. E. MOMM2 Craig, J. R. LCDR Dexter, R. L. F1 Dunnavant, J. H. MOMM1 Fanning, O. F. SC3 Fenner, D. H. MA1 Gonzales, E. SC3 Goodrum, H. C. MOMM1 Griffith, A. M. RM1 Guiler, R. P., III LT Handy, W. S1 Haupt, E. P. LT Hendry, W. C. F3 Herrin, H. E. S1 Joyce, M. F1 Kane, S. F1 Kilpatrick, D. J. SM1 Larson, H. R. EM1 Law, V. W. GM3 Mc Clure, W. J. S1 Merrill, W. R. LT Michael, R. G. SC1 Mitchell, G. W. MOMM1 Moeller, W. CEM Nash, J. H. MOMM1 Olexa, D. E. MOMM1 O'Neal, J. W. CPHM Patrick, C. W. CMOMM Phelps, G. F. EM3 Pillsbury, H. C. Y1 Poyner, T. E. F2 Presley, L. E. CGM Purdom, V. M. TM3 Roberts, L. H. TM3 Rudd, C. E. TM3 Sager, R. W. MM1 Sandell, I. J. LT Sbisa, A. F. LT Schmidt, W. B. EM1 Shafranski, F. D. S1 Shepard, M. W. TM2 Tagesen, A. R. S1 Tevis, A. W. SM3 Thomas, G. L. EM2 Thomas, J. H. RM2 Thrasher, R. T. TM1 Townley, M. C. FC1 Trego, R. V. F2 Tremmel, L. E. MM1 Tuttle, M. P. EM2 Vander Reyden, R. EM2 Vedder, G. A. TM1 Walters, W. M. MOMM2 Wilson, N. E. MOMM1
Más sobre #11 USS Grampus (SS 207) 3/5/43
11: #12 USS Triton (SS 201) 3/15/43
USS TRITON (SS 201)
March 15, 1943 - 74 Men Lost
The fourth of our submarines lost in the Solomons-Bismarck area in the early part of 1943, TRITON, commanded by Lt. Cmdr. G. K. MacKenzie, Jr., left Brisbane on 16 February 1943 to begin her sixth patrol in that area. She hunted for traffic between Rabaul and Shortland Basin on her way north, and began to patrol the equator on 23 February.
She reported on 26 February having seen smoke on 22 February, and had obtained evidence of enemy radar on Buka. Moving westward, she patrolled areas Northwest of SNAPPER and southeast of TRIGGER from 26 February to 6 March, when she left her area to attack a convoy in TRIGGER’s area. Her report on 7 March, amended by another 8 March, stated that the convoy had been composed of 5 ships and 1 DD escort.
She reported their speed and course and the fact that she had sunk two AK’s of the convoy and damaged another, claiming 3 hits out of 6 torpedoes fired at noon 6 March. A circular torpedo run forced her deep, where she was depth charged by the destroyer. She had later tried two night attacks, one dawn attack, and one afternoon attack, all without success, and was returning to her area at the time she sent the message. About eight hours after this message came, TRITON transmitted another telling of another night attack on the convoy. She claimed 5 hits of 8 torpedoes fired, and, although she could not observe results due to gunfire and attack by the escorting destroyer, she believed two more freighters to be sunk.
The last word received from TRITON came on 11 March 1943 when she reported, “Two groups of smokes, 5 or more ships each, plus escorts…Am chasing.” She was ordered to stay south of the Equator, and was informed of the area (an adjacent one) assigned to TRIGGER.
On the morning of 13 March TRITON was told that three enemy destroyers had been sighted southeast on a northerly course. She was informed that they were probably on a submarine hunt or were a convoy cover and had missed contact.
TRITON, on 16 March, was ordered to change her area slightly to the east. TUNA and GREENLING were placed in adjacent areas (to the south and west, respectively) on 22 March, and all were to disregard areas when on the chase, and to avoid when encountering a submarine. TRITON was told to clear her area on 25 March 1943, and return to Brisbane. When she failed to make her report of position, new results, and estimated time of arrival when it was expected, she was ordered to do so. No report was received and she was reported as lost on 10 April 1943.
Information available after the war shows that TRITON was, without a doubt, sunk by the enemy destroyers of which she was given information on 13 March. Enemy reports show that these ships made an attack on 15 March. Their position was slightly north and west of TRITON’s area, but she undoubtedly left her area to attack the destroyers or the convoy they were escorting. The report of the attack by the destroyers leaves little doubt as to whether a kill was made, since they saw “a great quantity of oil, pieces of wood, corks and manufactured goods bearing the mark ‘Made in U.S.A’.” In addition, TRIGGER, in whose area this attack occurred, reported that on 15 March she made two attacks on a convoy of five freighters with two escorts. At this time she was depth charged, but not seriously, and she heard distant depth charging for an hour after the escorts had stopped attacking her. Since she was only about ten miles from the reported Japanese attack cited above, it is presumed that she heard the attack which sank TRITON. Apparently by this time the destroyers had joined their convoy.
TRITON was a most active and valuable member of the Submarine Force prior to her loss. In total, she is credited with sinking 16 ships, totaling 64,600 tons, and damaging 4 ships, of 29,200 total tons. Her first patrol, conducted around Wake Island, resulted in no damage to the enemy, but her second, in the northern part of the East China Sea, was very productive. In ten days she sank two freighters and damaged a freighter-transport and another freighter. She went back to the East China Sea for her third patrol, and again was most successful. She sank a trawler, two freighters, a freighter-transport, two sampans, and a submarine. The latter was I- 64, torpedoed south of Kyushu on 17 May 1942. TRITON’s fourth patrol was made in the Aleutians. During it, she is credited with sinking two escort-type vessels.
On her fifth patrol, TRITON went into the Solomon area. She sank a tanker, and two freighters, in addition damaging a tanker of 10,200 tons and a freighter. She was credited with having sunk two medium freighters on her last patrol.
Sailors Lost On USS TRITON (SS 201) 3-15-1943
Aldrich, Ralph Edwin, Jr. F2 Ashton, Thomas Edward, Jr. EM3 Ballou, William Edward CEM Barnes, Frank Kenneth S1 Barton, Edward John CTM Basso, Louis Dominick F1 Booth, Raymond F2 Booth, William Lewis CFC Boyd, Stephen "S" EM2 Bruderer, Werner Larry MOMM1 Bush, Arlyn F1 Christy, Frederic Howard SC2 Clement, Virgil Clifford S1 Coley, Henry Perry MOMM1 Cooper, Jack Wendel S1 Cotton, Clarence CCSTD Crutchfield, Jack R. LT Dabney, John Davis OC3 Dotson, Leonard Dazzo EM1 Eichmann, John H. LT Fedorchak, Joseph MOMM1 Fields, Hoyt Sherlock EM3 Fielitz, Ray Daniel TM2 Ford, George TM3 George, Donald Roger TM3 Grooms, Ben Joe PHM1 Hale, Donald Eugene S1 Hall, Donovan Gilbert CMOMM Harbold, Robert Leslie S1 Harmon, Floyd Ray S1 Herstich, Martin Lewis, Jr. TM1 Hobbs, Lee Henry EM3 Hogg, Jesse "T"., Jr. GM3 Holland, Clyde, Jr. MOMM2 Holquist, Donald Edmond William CMOMM Howie, Gilbert John, Jr. RT1 Isom Lyman Leroy F1 Jones, Marsh CQM Klekotka, Alexander John MOMM1 Klimosewski, Johnny Paul MOMM1 Landers, Charles Wilfred F1 Larkins, Walter Harvey FM1 Lawler, John Wylie F1 Lines, Walter Ellsworth MOMM2 Long, Percy Eugene TM2 Mackenzie, George K. LCDR Martin, William Boyd, Jr S1 Mc Calop, Hermon Thurmon MA1 Mc Clure, Kenneth George S1 Mc Kenzie, Lloyd Charles TM1 Meade, Jack RM2 Nixson, Russell Bedsworth S1 Olvey, Russell Bender Y2 Ottersen, Roy Ottis TM1 O'Sullivan, Cornelius LTJG Page, Robert Eugene RM3 Parks, Edward S., Jr. LTJG Peeler, Willie Lee F1 Petrun, John MOMM2 Poyneer, Charles Francis RM1 Ross, Burnel Cassius S1 Schlabecker, Harry Roland TM1 Schneider, Leonard Mark F2 Severance, Edwin Sr. John CMOMM Shannon, John Francis F2 Sheperd, Laurence F1 Sorenson, Vernon LT Thompson, Thomas Charles EM1 Trowbridge, Raymond Edward EM2 Van Roosen, Hugh C. LTJG Visnich, George SM2 Ward, William Allen MOMM1 White, Ferguson Burnett QM2 Wycoff, Donald Edward MOMM2
Más sobre #12 USS Triton (SS 201) 3/15/43
12: #13 USS Pickerel (SS 177) 4/3/43
USS PICKEREL (SS 177)
April 3, 1943 - 74 Men Lost
PICKEREL commanded by Lt. Cmdr. A. H. Aleton, Jr., the first submarine to be lost in the Central Pacific area, set out from Pearl Harbor on 18 March 1943. After topping off with fuel at Midway on 22 March, PICKEREL began her seventh war patrol off the eastern coast of northern Honshu. She was never heard from after her departure from Midway.
She was ordered to remain in her area until sunset 1 May 1943 and then to return to Midway. Standing orders required her to transmit by radio prior to entering a circle of radius 500 miles from Midway, and this report was expected by 6 May. When it was not received, a message ordering an immediate reply was repeatedly sent. No answer was received, and plane search along her expected course, revealed nothing. As a result, she was reported lost on 12 May 1943.
Antisubmarine attack data submitted by the Japanese at the end of the war list one attack which could conceivably have been on PICKEREL. This attack occurred on 3 April, 1943, off Shiranuka Lighthouse, on the northern tip of Honshu. This position is outside the area assigned to PICKEREL, but no other submarine was there. FLYING FISH was en route to the area between Honshu and Hokkaido and arrived there on 6 April, but PICKEREL might well have moved into the northern area for a few days until FLYING FISH’s arrival if she found hunting poor in her own area. Indeed, unless the Japanese attacked a submarine which was the product of their own imaginations, they must certainly have attacked PICKEREL on 3 April, since no other boat of ours was near the area of the attack.
However, a special notation is made on the Japanese records to the effect that they are inaccurate for the month of April 1943. Thus there is every reason to speculate that, if PICKEREL did survive the attack of 3 April, she may have been attacked later in her own area and the attack may not have been reported. We know that there were Japanese mine plants along the coast of Honshu, but a study of the track chart for PICKEREL’s sixth war patrol, conducted in the same area, shows that the Commanding officer was accustomed to stay outside the 60 fathom curve. Mines are normally ineffective in water that deep.
The probability as to the cause of PICKEREL’s loss is that she was sunk by enemy depth charge attack. Operational casualties for mine explosions represent possibilities, but are not thought to be likely.
During the six patrols before her final one, PICKEREL sank five ships totaling 16,100 tons, and damaged 10, totaling 9,100 tons. On her first patrol she did no damage to the enemy. Her second, conducted between Manila and Surabaya, resulted in the sinking of two freighters. PICKEREL’s third patrol was conducted along the Malay Barrier and again no successful attacks were made. In her fourth patrol, in the Philippines, six attacks were made, but none resulted in damage to the enemy. PICKEREL’s fifth patrol was a passage from Australia to Pearl Harbor for refit, with a short patrol in the Marianas en route. She damaged a freighter on this run. On her sixth patrol this ship went to the Kuriles to patrol the Tokyo-Kiska traffic lanes. In sixteen attacks, she sank a freighter and two sampans, and did damage to another freighter and eight sampans.
Sailors Lost On USS PICKEREL (SS-177) 4-3-1943
Alston, A. H., Jr. LCDR Apsay, D. CK2 Ayer, E. N. COM Baurmeister, K. H. S1 Bays, L. D. EM1 Beauregard, J. "A" MOMM1 Beck, R. G. Y1 Bergman, J. J. BKR2 Blaylock, W. E. S1 Brownell, R. E. FC3 Browning, D. L. S1 Carroll, R. C. CMOMMA Cline, C. A. TM1 Coffey, T. H. F1 Cynewski, P. T. MOMM2 Davis, G. T. TM2 Dowe, H. S., III ENS Eagan, R. E. TM3 Evans, W. E. S2 Evidon, D. S1 Feiock, T. G. TM3 Flanders, E. T. F1 Flowers, J. E. EM1 Frazier, M. B. PHM2 Gaetano, N. F1 Garner, A. L. EM3 Goodin, L. J. S2 Greisiger, W. R. F1 Harget, L. J., Jr. RM3 Harris, C. TM2 Helm, R. L. LT Herda, T. M. QM2 Hery, F. P. MOMM2 Hilbert, H. R. SM1 Hirst, H. J. MM3 Hoge, W. T. ENS Horvath, A. J. S1 Hunt, W. B. F1 Hutchens, F. R. EM3 Isley, R. L. S2 Johnson, J. R. GM3 Karaus, E MOMM1 Kimball, R. F. FC1 Lemke, W. J. SC2 Lindsay, J. C. EM3 Litchfield, R. E. SM1 Littledave, J. B. S2 Markle, C. O., Jr. MOMM2 Mattson, W. T. F2 Mc Cormack, P. H. EM3 Mc Mahon, J. CTMA Meischke, F. L. CEMA Mitchell, H. M. S2 Moore, H. W., Jr. LT Morrison, G. C., Jr. RM3 Mowviock, T. W. EM1 Olaguera, F. ST2 Osborn, B. G. SC3 Peifer, W. A. S1 Pierce, J. W. S2 Polk, D. S1 Pore, J. W. EM1 Powell, C. A. CRMA Rasmussen, S. J. MOMM1 Ray, S. B. LTJG Russell, E. H. S2 Shaffer, W. C., Jr. LT Sharp, T. F. LCDR Shiffer, D. A. MOMM1 Stanton, R. W. MM3 Stevens, W. A. RM3 Stockton, E. C. MOMM1 Taylor, L. M., Jr. RM1 Van Cleve, M. G. TM2
Más sobre #13 USS Pickerel (SS 177) 4/3/43
13: #14 USS Grenadier (SS 210) 4/22/43
USS GRENADIER (SS 210)
April 22, 1943 4 Men Died as Japanese POW's
Contributing writers: Hwa Mei Shen and Gou Kene Loon.
Patrolling in Lem Voalan Strait in the northeast Indian Ocean, on her sixth war patrol, GRENADIER under Lt. Cmdr. J. A. Fitzgerald met her end on 22 April 1943. The following account of her fate is taken from statements made by her Commanding officer and five of her men after they had been recovered from Japanese camps.
On the night of 20 April 1943, having had poor hunting for two or three days in Lem Voalan Strait (northwest of Penang on the Malay Peninsula), GRENADIER ventured out ten miles west of that place to see what she could find. She found two ships, but before she could attack, they turned away. Figuring that they would come back to their original course in an hour and a half, Fitzgerald planned an attack to meet them on their course at that time. About 15 minutes before time to dive and prepare for the attack, a plane came in on GRENADIER, and she dived. As she was passing 120 feet, a violent explosion shook the ship, and all lights and power were lost. She was brought to rest on the bottom at about 270 feet. The hull and hatches were leaking badly aft, and a fire in the control cubicle kept the ship without propulsion. A bucket brigade kept the motors dry, and later a jury rig pump was called into service to perform the task, while the electricians worked all day to restore propulsion. Heat and exertion prostrated several men, but the work went on.
At dusk, GRENADIER surfaced and continued the work of trying to restore herself. Finally, they were able to turn over one shaft very slowly, but everything possible had been done, and no more speed could be expected.
Toward morning what appeared to be a destroyer, but was actually an 1800-ton merchantman and an escort vessel were seen on the horizon, and a plane was driven away by gunfire. The skipper decided to scuttle the ship then, and it was done, with all hands being taken prisoner by the enemy merchant ship. The statements of the men relate the brutal treatment they received at the hands of the Japanese and how their spirit was kept up by their Commanding officer. The enemy gained no information from this gallant crew, despite the worst they could inflict, and all but four members of the crew were recovered from prison camps at the close of the war.
Crewman Thomas R. Courtney described the two-year stay in captivity as a "living hell." The prisoners spent most of their time confined in small classrooms and cells in a convent in Malaysia, facing hunger and extremely harsh treatment. It was during their incarceration that the men scratched their names on two sections of a wall and one of the wooden doors (pictured below). In 1982, surviving crewmembers began sending money to the convent to support its work. Crewmember Robert W. Palmer began writing to the school board chairman, Sister Francis de Sales. Sister Francis replied, "For many years 'the writing on the wall' which we regard with such reverence was, to a certain extent, shrouded in mystery. All we knew was that these brave men were the crew of an American submarine, who suffered cruel torture on our premises at the hands of the Japanese."
These initial contacts sparked an exchange of letters between Sister Francis and the crew, in particular Palmer, as well as their family members. With the march of time, many of the players in the Grenadier saga are now gone. Sister Francis passed away on July 24, 1998. Be that as it may, the etchings and other displays in the classroom will remain a poignant reminder of what went on in the convent grounds during the war and the remarkable good that come out of that episode in the years that followed.
GRENADIER’s record prior to her loss was six ships sunk, for 40,700 tons, and two ships damaged, for 12,000 tons. Her first patrol, beginning in February 1942, was conducted off the coast of Japan, and GRENADIER sank a freighter. Going to the Formosa shipping lanes for her second patrol, GRENADIER sank a large transport and a freighter. On her third patrol, she sank a large tanker. GRENADIER’s fourth patrol was a mining mission in the South China Sea, and she damaged no enemy shipping. On her fifth patrol, this vessel patrolled the Java Sea area, and sank two small freighters and a sampan. In addition she damaged a freighter.
Sailors Who Died In Prison Camp
Following Capture of USS GRENADIER (SS-210) 4-22-43
Doyle, C. MOMM1
Guico, J. G. STM1
Linder, C. F. MM2
Snyder, G. W., Jr. MM3
Más sobre #14 USS Grenadier (SS 210) 4/22/43
14: #15 USS Runner (SS 275) 5/43
USS RUNNER (SS 275)
May 28, 1943 - 78 Men Lost
On 28 May 1943 RUNNER (Lt. Cmdr. J. H. Bourland) left Midway to begin her third patrol. She was to patrol the south and west, until she came into the area south of Hokkaido and east of the northern tip of Honshu, where she was to patrol from about 8 June to 4 July 1943. The submarine was never heard from following her departure from Midway.
She was expected at Midway about 11 July, and not later than 15 July, and should have made a transmission when approximately 500 miles from this base. She was ordered on 112 July to make an immediate transmission, but no reply came. Although a careful, lookout was maintained in the hope that RUNNER was safe but without transmission facilities, results were negative. On 20 July RUNNER was reported as presumed lost.
A summary of Japanese antisubmarine attacks received since the close of hostilities contains no mention of an attack, which could explain the loss of RUNNER. Thus her loss must be ascribed to an enemy minefield, of which there were at least four in the area to which she was assigned, to an operational casualty, or to an unreported enemy attack. Destruction by a mine is considered the most likely of these possibilities.
This ship sank three ships, totaling 19,800 tons, and damaged three more, for 19,000 tons, on her first two patrols. RUNNER patrolled the Palau area on her first war run in February 1943, and all of her sinkings were made here. She sank three medium freighters, and damaged two more. During her second patrol off Hong Kong in the South China Sea, RUNNER damaged a freighter.
Sailors Lost On USS RUNNER (SS 275) 5-28-1943
Anderson, L. D. LTJG Apen, J. F1 Baker, G. O. CGMA Blanchette, W. A. TM3 Blank, W. S. S2 Bobba, P. L. MOMM1 Boone, J. A. OMMM1 Bourland, J. H. LCDR Burns, R. SM3 Caldwell, B. M. TM3 Charters, J. W. MOMM2 Childers, R. TM1 Cleek, H. S. RM2 Day, J. L. EM2 Emig, H. E. S1 Erickson, E. R. Y1 Evans, J. R. MOMM2 Foltz, E. M. MOMM1 Foote, G. H. TM1 Foss, L. E. TM3 Galligani, O. J. MM3 Galvan, B. ST1 Gardner, R. L. CMOMMA Glowski, M. M. MM3 Gluski, H. E. LTJG Golden, M. H. RM3 Gordon, W. N., Jr. MOMM2 Gregg, I. N. CEM Hollar, R. C. S1 Hunter, D. W. S1 James, T. H. TM2 Jennings, C. R. S1 Johnson, C. M. F2 Keefer, R. C. BKR2 King, H. L. TM1 Kiracofe, R. D. MOMM2 Kloster, G. M. H. MOMM1 Kremin, W. H. MOMM2 Lampman, H. G. S1 Laws, C. STM2 Leary, C. E. LT Liggett, C. SC1 Marlowe, O. H., Jr. TM2 Martin, C. M. CEMA Martin, G. S. RM1 McDonald, D., Jr. MOMM1 Meyer, V. A. MOMM2 Nesh, D. J. TM2 Niedwrski, J. MM3 O'Meara, W. A. FC2 Pace, D. N. CTMA Pheifer, R. E. EM3 Price, P. W. EM3 Priefert, I. A. MOMM2 Reynolds, R. L., Jr. MOMM2 Rice, G. R. EM2 Robellaz, C. C. MACH Rogers, J. D. EM1 Ruscoe, J. W. EM3 Sanders, J. D. QM3 Schottler, G. H. LT Seabaugh, "R" "T" SM2 Shelton, A. G. PHM1 Seligman, R. H. LT Selley, G. C. S1 Smother, W. J. EM3 Stevens, R. M. S2 Stumpf, C. W., Jr. MOMM2 Sweatt, R. B. GM2 Updegrove, R. J. EM2 Washburn, R. L. S1 Watt, W. L. MOMM1 Welch, E. O. RM2 White, E. E. RT1 Willinsky, J. F. S1 Wright, A. C. CQM Yoho, J. F., Jr. LCDR Zipp, G. F. SC2
Más sobre #15 USS Runner (SS 275) 5/43
15: #16 USS R-12 (SS 89) 6/12/43
USS R-12 (SS 89)
June 12, 1943 - 42 Men Lost
R-12 (LCDR E. E. Shelby) was lost between 12:20 and 12:25 PM on June 12, 1943 in six hundred feet of water, with the loss of forty two lives. The personnel on the bridge, two officers, including the Commanding Officer, and three enlisted men, were the only survivors. Those missing include four U.S. Naval officers, and thirty-six U.S. Naval enlisted men.
At the time of the accident R-12 was engaged in normal operations off Key West, Florida, being underway to take up her position for a torpedo practice approach. She was rigged for diving (except main induction was open and batteries were ventilating into the engine room) and riding the vents. The Commanding Officer was on the bridge in the act of turning the Officer of the Deck watch over to another officer when the collision alarm was sounded from below and the report that the forward battery compartment was flooding was passed to the bridge. Although the Commanding Officer gave immediate orders to blow main ballast and close the hatches, the ship sank in an estimated fifteen seconds from the time the alarm was sounded until the bridge was completely under water.
It was the opinion of the Court of Inquiry that the cause of the loss of R-12 was unknown, but probably was caused by the rapid flooding of the forward part of the ship through a torpedo tube.
Sailors Lost On USS R-12 (SS 89) 6-12-1943 (including 2 members of the Brazilian Navy *)
* Almeida, A. G. D. LT Bacon, G. W. EM3 Bronson, R. B. F2 Buckley, J. J. SM1 Cashell, F. E. ENS Clayton, H. L. CSMA * DeMoura, J. L. LT Flisher, R. F. F1 Garbulsky, L. E. S2 Graziani, F. P., Jr. GM1 Hall, J. C., Jr. EM3 Harman, E. L., Jr. CRMA Horton, J. U. LTJG Horvath, J. S. TM1 Knapp, H. H. S2 Krigbaum, E. CMOMMA Kymer, L. V. MOMM2 LeVan, C. B. S1 Lobeck, H. P. TM3 Mathis, C. V. TM3 McKibben, P. R. EM1 Moncada, J. MM1 Mullis, A. J. F2 Ness, G. W. S2 Noonan, P. L. S2 Rabbit, J. H. RM3 Rafferty, E. J. MM2 Schnake, L. E. F1 Scott, C. "R" F2 Secor, H. R. RM2 Shellenberger, H. H. F3 Smith, C. S. S2 Starks, R. N. LT Sullivan, D. C. RM3 Thompson, R. A., Jr. S2 Unger, J. D. LTJG Vincent, E. W. MOMM2 Walker, N. W. MOMM1 Walsh, E. F. MOMM2 Wheeler, K. J. SC3 Young, W. D. STM2 Zimmerman, G. A. F3
Más sobre #16 USS R-12 (SS 89) 6/12/43
16: #17 USS Pompano (SS 181) 8/29/43
USS POMPANO (SS 181)
August 29, 1943 - 77 Men Lost
After leaving Midway on 20 August 1943 to start her seventh war patrol, POMPANO, with Lt. Cdr. W.M. Thomas in command, was never heard from again. Her orders were to patrol off the east coast of Honshu from about 29 August to sunset of 27 September 1943, and then to return to Pearl Harbor for refit, stopping at Midway en route for fuel.
When no transmission was received from her, especially just prior to her expected arrival at Midway on 5 October, word was sent from Pearl to keep a sharp lookout for her. By 15 October, all hope was abandoned, and POMPANO was reported as presumed lost in enemy waters.
Japanese information available now shows no attack which could conceivably have been directed towards POMPANO. On 6 September POMPANO was informed by dispatch that the area to the north of her own was open. Since that area was considered more productive for sinkings than the one she was in, it is quite possible that she moved into it. Both the area between Honshu and Hokkaido, and the one east of northern Honshu are known to have been heavily mined by the enemy, with the greatest concentration of mines in the northern area. In view of the evidence given, it is considered probable that POMPANO met her end by an unreported attack.
In the six patrols completed before her loss, POMPANO sank ten enemy ships for a total of 42,000 tons, and damaged four, totaling 55,300 tons. In the first month of the war, POMPANO patrolled near Wake Island, and sank a large freighter-transport of 16,500 tons. On her second patrol, conducted east of Formosa, she sank a large transport, a tanker, a small freighter, and two patrol boats. POMPANO went to the Empire for her third patrol, from mid-August to mid-September 1942, and sank a freighter and a patrol boat. In the Marshalls area on her fourth patrol, she damaged two tankers. Going to the Empire again for her fifth patrol, POMPANO damaged an aircraft carrier. She went to Japan a third time for her sixth patrol, this time along the coast south of Honshu. There she sank a sampan and damaged a freighter.
Sailors Lost On USS POMPANO (SS-181) 8-29-1943
Allen, D. E. MOMM1 Anstine, L. M. MOMM2 Appel, J. L. S1 Bennett, J. J. S1 Bissell, R. D. S1 Blum, C. TM2 Brooks, G. S., Jr. LTJG Buckley, J. J. MOMM2 Carlson, R. W. LT Case, R. F CTMA Caskey, L. E. MOMM1 Christian, W. O. FC3 Cravens, H. Q. QM2 Delbridge, C. A. MOMM2 Dennis, W. W. W. MOMM2 Eaves, G. E. SM1 Feazelle, C. F. EM2 Gaffney, G. A, Jr. SM3 Galloway, E. J. EM2 Ganious, S. STM1 Gipson, V. TM2 Graeflin, J. F. MOMM2 Gray, L. K. MM3 Gross, R. R. EM2 Guess, H. P. CTM Hanson, J. W. Y1 Hanson, D. S. MOMM2 Hastings, W. W. MM3 Helms, T. P. GM2 Jenkes, R. B. MOMM1 Jenkins, J. D. MOMM2 Jennings, G. A. MOMM2 Johnigan, O. P. RM1 Johnson, S. F. EM3 Keesee, M. L. RM2 Kirschbaum, F. J. EM1 Lassiter, J. H. LT Laux, E. G. EM3 Leonard, W. L. STM1 Lorenz, R. LT Madden, C. A. CEMA Mansfield, R. L. MM3 Masucci, D. P. MM3 Matthews, C. L. MOMM1 McGrath, T. P. LT Messerschmidt, W. G. F1 Meyer, R. G. GM3 Mikkelson, W. A. TM2 Moitz, A. M. TM3 Morgan, R. D. TM2 O'Connell, B. J. F1 Owen, J. S. SC1 Page, H. S. S1 Parady, P. D. QM3 Phillips, C. R. CMOMMA Phipps, C. CMOMM Poole, C. C. LT Proctor, W. C. MM3 Pyzow, W. EM2 Rafferty, C. T. PHM1 Reed, G. R. TM2 Revotskie, P. F1 Rice, R. L. RM3 Ritzenhein, V. P. F1 Rodgers, A. D. EM2 Rogers, W. H. SC1 Rokosz, S. F. EKR3 Rubscha, J., Jr. MM3 Scott, F. B. RT1 Shedloski, J. N. F1 Slinden, I. G. MM3 Swanson, V. L. TM1 Thomas, W. M. LCDR Wagner, J. E. TM3 Warwick, M. J. EM3 White, D. W. S1 Wilson, C. A. CMOMMA
Más sobre #17 USS Pompano (SS 181) 8/29/43
17: #18 USS Grayling (SS 209) 9/9/43
USS GRAYLING (SS 209)
September 9, 1943 - 75 Men Lost
Grayling (Lt. Cmdr. R. M. Brinker) departed Fremantle on 30 July 1943, for her eighth patrol, going through Makassar Strait and thence to the Philippine area. On 19 August, she reported having damaged a 6,000-ton freighter near Balikpapan, and the following day told of having sunk a 250-ton Taki Maru-type pocket tanker by gunfire in Sibutu Passage, taking one man prisoner. This was the last report received direct from GRAYLING. On 23 August, she completed a special mission at Pandan Bay, Panay, delivering cargo to guerrillas. Guerrillas reported this mission. Then she departed for Tablas Strait, there to reconnoiter until 2 September, when she would patrol approaches to Manila until 10 September. She was to return to Pearl Harbor for refit, passing from SubSoWesPac to Subpac on 13 September.
She was not heard from after 19 August 1943, and on 30 September 1943, GRAYLING was reported as presumed lost.
Following war’s end, the Japanese have submitted the following reports, which bear on GRAYLING. On 27 August 1943 a torpedo attack was seen by the enemy, and the next day a surfaced submarine was seen northeast. Both of the positions were in the Tablas Strait area. On 9 September a surfaced U. S. submarine was seen inside Lingayen Gulf; this ties with GRAYLING’s orders to patrol the approaches to Manila. It is said that the freighter-transport HOKUAN MARU was engaged in a submarine action on the 9th in the Philippine area, but no additional date were available, and no known enemy attacks could have sunk GRAYLING. Her loss may have been operational or by an unrecorded enemy attack. At any rate, it is certain that GRAYLING was lost between 9 and 12 September 1943 either in Lingayen Gulf or along the approaches to Manila. ComTaskFor 71 requested a transmission from GRAYLING on the latter date, but did not receive one.
GRAYLING’s first patrol, made in January and February 1942, was a reconnaissance of the northern Gilbert Islands. She went to the Japanese homeland for her second patrol, and sank a freighter and damaged a sampan. Truk was the scene of GRAYLING’s third patrol; she sank a large freighter. On her fourth patrol, this boat again went to Truk, and sank a medium tanker, while she damaged an aircraft transport. In January and February 1943, she patrolled the approaches to Manila on her fifth patrol. Here she sank two freighters and a medium freighter-transport and two schooners. Damage was done to a large tanker and two freighters. She went to the area west of Borneo for her seventh patrol, and sank a medium freighter and two sampans. Damage was done to a large tanker. Thus GRAYLING’s total record is 16 ships sunk, totaling 61,400 tons, and six ships damaged, for a total of 36,000 tons.
Sailors Lost On USS GRAYLING (SS-209) 9-12-1943
Arnold, D. E. LT Baker, E. N. TM1 Beavers, A. R. EM2 Booker, J. W. LTJG Boyne, G., Jr. EM1 Brinker, R. M. LCDR Burch, J. M. EM2 Bush, J. W., Jr. MOMM2 Campana, C. J. MOMM2 Chockley, J. E. CMOMMA Clark, B. R. GM1 Corbett, R. A. SM2 Criswell, H. W., Jr. LT Dallaire, W. J. ENS Day, J. E. CTM Dillow, H. E. MOMM2 Donaldson, F. W. COX Ellis, W. EM3 Fontaine, D. I. PHM1 Goodnight, J. C. MOMM1 Grimes, C. A., Jr. S1 Gurasko, T. J. S1 Harbauer, R. E. SC1 Harper, J. K. FC2 Hawkins, C. H. MOMM1 Hickcox, F. J. S1 Hoffman, E. J. CTMA Howard, R. GM1 Howell, J. L. S1 Hunt, C. W. TM3 Johnson, E. S1 Kelley, W. W. S1 Kelly, J. E. MOMM1 Keplinger, D. L. RM3 Kysar, C. R. Y2 Loudon, L. E. GM3 Mabuti, S. P. CK2 Maloy, F. B., Jr. LTJG Marks, J. H. MOMM1 Mathis, M. O. F2 Mulvenna, G. A. CTMA Nichols, C. W. BKR1 Nichols, J. T., Jr. LT Oeldemann, H. C. F1 Oliver, R. G. EM1 Parrino, A. J. GM2 Pawloski, J. T. MOMM1 Quesenberry, M. J. TM Rainault, A. L. MM3 Santos, J. C. ST2 Sawerbrey, A. S. S1 Schmidt, C. E. ELECT Schmidtmeyer, H. A. EM3 Scott, G. L. TM3 Sebourn, L. E., Jr. TM3 Sharrock, D. P. RM2 Shields, W. S. EM3 Simpkins, J. D. TM1 Simpson, R. T. F1 Small, R. E. CMMA Smith, J. C. CRMA Smoak, H. A. EM1 Spencer, D. H. EM2 Stevens, R. F. TM3 Sullivan, E. F, Jr. LTJG Wallace, W. L. SC3 Waller, J. J. QM2 Welch, J. LTJG Welch, F. MOMM1 Wetsel, A. F. MOMM2 Whitcomb, H. O. EM1 Wilson, J. H. TM2 Wolf, M. A. MM3 Young, J. H. RM2 Zabs, R. L. S1
Más sobre #18 USS Grayling (SS 209) 9/9/43
18: #19 USS Cisco (SS 290) 9/28/43
USS CISCO (SS 290)
September 28, 1943 - 76 Men Lost
Venturing out for her first war patrol, CISCO (Lt. Cmdr. J. W. Coe), left Port Darwin, Australia on September 18, 1943. That evening she returned to Darwin due to a derangement of the main hydraulic system which had occurred during the day’s operations. The hydraulic system having been repaired to the satisfaction of the Commanding officer, CISCO once more departed on 19 September.
CISCO’s area was a large rectangular one in the South China Sea between Luzon and the coast of French Indo-China. In order to reach it, she was to pass through the Arafoera Sea area, the Banda Sea, Manipa Strait, Molukka Passage, the Celebes Sea, Sibutu Passage, the Sulu Sea and Mindoro Strait. On 28 September, CISCO should have been due west of Mindanao in the center of the Sulu Sea. On that day a Japanese antisubmarine attack was made slightly north and east of CICSO’s expected position. In reporting the attack the Japanese state “Found a sub tailing oil. Bombing. Ships cooperated with us. The oil continued to gush out even on tenth of October.” The attack would seem to have been made by planes in cooperation with ships. No submarine that returned from patrol reported having been attacked at this time and position.
Nothing had been seen of or heard from CISCO since her departure from Darwin, and on 4 and 5 November 1943, Headquarters Task Force Seventy-One was unable to make radio contact with her. At the time of her loss it was considered very unlikely that a recurrence of trouble with her main hydraulic system could explain her sinking, and the only other possible clue was the fact that a Japanese plane was reported over Darwin at twenty thousand feet on the morning of her second departure. The attack listed above is thought to probably explain this loss. No enemy minefields are known to have been in her area, or en route to it.
Coe had previously made three war patrols as Commanding Officer of S-39, and three as Commanding Officer of Skipjack. He was considered a most able and successful Submarine Officer.
Sailors Lost On USS CISCO (SS-290) 9-28-1943
Abrams, D. B. FC2 Anderson, D. F. CMOMMA Anderson, J. R. D. S2 Argersinger, E. E. S1 Baker, W. M. SC1 Berry, H. B., Jr. LT Besnot, L. R. S1 Briggs, F. M. EM2 Bubp, H. K. MM3 Buck, J. E., Sr. F1 Burattie, A. O. TM1 Cannon, P. J. RM3 Coe, J. W. CDR Coe, W. F. RT1 Cole, L. R. S2 Corkery, C. R. TM2 Diery, R. M. SC2 Dohlus, W. F., Jr. EM1 Dragich, J. CMOMMA Edwards, M. J. S1 Fippen, J. M. EM3 Fisher, R. K. MOMM1 Genoozis, A. M. F1 Gondorchin, G. S2 Gurganus, A. A. TORP Hagedorn, R. J. MM1 Halsten, D. H. F1 Handren, W. J. S1 Hare, E. N. F2 Hergold, W. B. EM2 Hoover, G. P. LTJG Intscher, M., Jr. MOMM1 Johnson, D. W. F1 Jones, W. F., Jr. MM3 Keller, A. MOMM2 Kishbaugh, S. TM3 Kovacs, J. EM2 Kraus, H. J. MOMM1 Lacasse, D. A. TM3 Larouche, R. J. COX Louney, W. H. LT Mairs, C. H. S2 Mazeika, J. B. S2 McCarson, F. B. EM1 Menear, L. K. TM3 Mewbourn, M. T. MM1 Millard, L. C. SM2 Miller, J. D. LCDR Morrissey, R. F. RM3 Nelson, S. ST2 Nicoll, G. L. GM2 Noble, C. F. MM3 Petersen, C. I. ENS Pitman, R. TM2 Rausch, R. J. MOMM1 Ritzler, A. T. SM1 Satterwhite, M. TM2 Sermini, M. E. F1 Sweet, W. W. EM3 Teach, L. E. TM2 Timm, V. C. PHM2 Toebbe, H. E. CTMA Travis, W. W. MM3 Upson, E. R. GM1 Vilandre, R. H. MM3 Vitale, R. J. MOMM1 Waltis, V. EM1 Warren, G. H. EM3 Weinel, A. F. LCDR Wetsky, L. A. MOMM2 Wehr, H. EM3 Williams, A. W. STM2 Winter, J. W. TM2 Zar, C. SC3 Zeis, M. J. MOMM1 Zywicki, F. W. QM1
Más sobre #19 USS Cisco (SS 290) 9/28/43
19: #20 USS S-44 (SS 155) 10/7/43
USS S-44 (SS 155)
October 7, 1943 - 55 Men Lost
On 26 September 1943, S-44 (Lt. Cmdr. F.E. Brown) departed Attu to begin her fifth war patrol in the Kuriles. She was not heard from a gain by the shore bases, but the story given here is taken from statements made by her two surviving crewmen, E.A. Duva, CTM, and W.F. Whitemore, RM3c. One day out of Attu, a plane which dropped several depth charges forced S-44 down. Then nothing was seen until 2030 on the night of 7 October, when radar contact was made on what was thought to be a small merchant ship. S-44 went in very close on the surface and started firing her deck gun, and immediately the destroyer they had underrated opened up with all guns.
The Captain ordered, “Taker her down!” The diving alarm was sounded, but the ship did not submerge, for reasons not made clear in the statements of the survivors. Meanwhile, the destroyer had scored a hit below the water line in the control room, one in the conning tower, and one in the forward battery. The order was given to abandon ship, and a pillowcase was waved from the forward room hatch, in the hope that the enemy would cease firing, but they did not. The destroyer scored several more hits.
About eight men got off the ship and into the water before she sank, but only two were picked up by the destroyer. They were taken to the Island of Paramushiru for several days, and then to the Naval Interrogation Camp at Ofuna for a year. Finally, they were forced to work in the copper mines of Ashio until released by Allied forces at the close of the war.
During her first four patrols, all conducted in the Solomon Islands area, S-44 sank three ships and damaged a fourth. Her first patrol was conducted off the east coast of New Britain, and on 12 May 1942 she sank a small freighter. While covering the area west and south of Florida Island on her second patrol, S-44 sank the 1,051-ton converted gunboat KEIJO MARU on 21 June 1942. Her greatest satisfaction and important contribution to the Allied war cause came during her third war patrol, conducted on New Hanover. On 10 August 1942, S-44 hit the heavy cruiser KAKO with four torpedoes and sank her. This sinking was particularly opportune as KAKO was one of the four Japanese heavy cruisers of Cruiser Division Six, who at the very time were returning from the first battle of Savo Island. The night before in that battle they had sunk four Allied heavy cruisers without losing of themselves or suffering more than moderate damage. On her fourth patrol, off New Georgia, S-44 damaged a destroyer type vessel.
Sailors Lost On USS S-44 (SS-155) 10-7-1943
Beck, B. M. S1 Biller, T. R. S1 Brown, F. E. LCDR Butters. L. E. CCSA Calvert, C. F. MOMM2 Carrier, P. A. EM3 Cleverdon, T. CPHMA Cooper, T. O. S2 Cutright, P. P. MOMM1 Dillow, w. CMOMM Ellis, W. H. RM3 Erhart, W. E. S1 Erico, D. B. CHBOSN Fees, R. R. MOMM1 Ferrell, E. D. Y2 Gander, D. E. MM3 George, F. EM3 Giles, F., Jr. MM3 Glenn, C. CK2 Gillen, F. E., Jr. S2 Godfrey, E. W. MOMM2 Goodin, T. L. F2 Green, L. J. F2 Harasimowicz, A. CEM Howard, H. J. MOMM2 Hugyo, N. A. MOMM1 Jaworski, P. J. GM2 Johnston, C. N. MOMM2 Klink, L. N. MOMM2 Miller, A. L. CMOMMA Mitchell, H. M. STM2 Morris, W. I., Sr. TM3 Moss, C. E. GM1 Nash, B. M. LTJG Parr, T. S., Jr. SM2 Queen, B. M. SC2 Queen, F. L. LTJG Raugh, E. M. EM3 Rodgers, R. G. MOMM2 Rodin, L. J. S2 Rosenberg, H. RM3 Rubits, J. V. MOMM2 Sloan, J. H., Jr. MM3 Smith, A. E. TM3 Smith, C. W. EM1 Smith, G. F. CSMA Stephens, J. R. RM1 Stephenson, J. T., Jr. LT Stromsoe, H. A. CTM Thompson, D. R. MOMM2 Turner, F. A., Jr. QM3 Velebny, J. A. TM1 Warburton, R. L. S1 Watson, F. L. MOMM2 Wester, G. S. S1 Wood, J. C. F1
Survivors
Duva, E. A. CTM Whitmore, W. F. RM3
Más sobre #20 USS S-44 (SS 155) 10/7/43
20: #21 USS Wahoo (SS 238) 10/11/43
USS WAHOO (SS 238)
October 11, 1943 - 79 Men Lost
WAHOO returned to Pearl Harbor from her sixth war patrol on 29 August 1943 with the dejected air peculiar to a highly successful submarine who suddenly could not make her torpedoes run true. In twenty-eight days away from port, seven of them spent in her assigned area in the Sea of Japan, WAHOO had expended ten torpedoes in nine attacks without inflicting any damage on the enemy. Her Skipper, Cmdr. D.W. Morton, returned to port to have the torpedoes changed or checked, and requested that WAHOO be sent back to the Japan Sea for her seventh patrol.
On 9 September, WAHOO again departed Pearl. She topped off with fuel at Midway and left there on 13 September heading for the dangerous but important Japan Sea. Shortly afterwards, SAWFISH left Midway and also headed for this area. WAHOO was to pass through Etorofu Strait, in the Kurile Islands, and La Perouse Strait, between Hokkaido and Karafuto, and enter the Japan Sea about 20 September. She was to head south and remain below 43 degrees north after 23 September, and below 40 degrees north after 26 September. SAWFISH was to follow WAHOO, entering the Japan Sea about 23 September and patrolling the area north of WAHOO.
No transmission was received from WAHOO, either by any shore station or by SAWFISH, nor was she sighted by SAWFISH after she left Midway. She had orders to clear her area not later than sunset 21 October 1943, and to report by radio after passing through Kurile Island chain en route to Midway. This report was expected about 23 October, but Midway waited in vain. By 30 October, apprehension was felt for WAHOO’s safety and an aircraft search along her expected course was arranged. When this revealing nothing, WAHOO was reported missing on 9 November 1943.
Although no transmission was received from WAHOO after her departure on patrol, the results of one of her attacks became known to the world via Tokyo broadcast. Domei was quoted as reporting that on 5 October, a “steamer” was sunk by an American submarine off the west coast of Honshu near the Straits of Tsushima. It was said that the ship sank “after several seconds” with 544 people losing their lives. The submarine could have been none other than WAHOO: none other was operating in that area.
In this reporting broadcast, TIME magazine of 18 October 1943 stated: ”KNOCK AT THE DOOR” “In the rough Tsushima Straits where two-decker, train carrying ferries ply between Japan and Korea, an Allied Submarine upped periscope, unleashed a torpedo. The missile stabbed the flank of a Jap steamer. Said the Tokyo radio: the steamer went down in ‘seconds’ with loss of 544 persons aboard.
“Fifty miles across at their narrowest, the Tsushima Straits are Japan’s historic doors the Asiatic mainland. Over them centuries ago Regent Hideyoshi’s armada sailed to battle the Koreans and send home 38,000 enemy ears pickled in wine. Upon them in 1905 crusty Admiral Togo smashed the Russian Fleet. Presumably the submarine knocking at the door last week was American. It had achieved one of the World War II’s most daring submarine penetrations of enemy waters, a feat ranking with German Gunther Prien’s entry at Scapa Flow, the Jap invasion of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. raid in Tokyo Bay.”
Information gleaned from Japanese sources since the cessation of hostilities. Indicates that an antisubmarine attack was made in La Perouse Strait on 11 October 1943. This was two days other SAWFISH went through the Straits. Supplementary data on the attack of 11 October state, “Our plane found a floating sub and attacked it, with 3 depth charges.” SAWFISH was attacked here while making her passage, and that attack is not mentioned in Japanese records; the primary attacking agency in that case was a patrol boat, and about five depth charges were dropped. Thus it is safe to assume that the attack cited here was made on WAHOO, and is not the attack on SAWFISH with an incorrect date. Both Tsushima Straits, where the attack on the steamer was made, and La Perouse Straits, through which WAHOO was to make good her exit from the Japan Sea, are known to have been mined. This despite the fact that SAWFISH transited La Perouse on 9 October and reported no indications of mining. It is felt, however, that WAHOO succumbed to the attack referred to above, and not a mine.
WAHOO was one of the Submarine Force’s most valuable units during her six patrols, and her feats have become submarine legend. She sank 27 ships, totaling 119,100 tons, and damaged two more, making 24,900 tons, in the six patrols completed before her loss. Her patrolling career began in August 1942 in the Carolines. On this patrol WAHOO sank a freighter. Her second patrol was in the Solomons, and she sank a freighter. WAHOO conducted her third patrol in the Palau area. She sank two large freighters, a transport, a tanker, and an escort vessel. In addition, she entered Wewak harbor, on the north coast of New Guinea, seriously damaged a destroyer, which was later found beached there, and obtained reconnaissance data. For her fourth patrol, WAHOO went to the Yellow Sea west of Korea. Here she sank eight freighters, a tanker, a patrol craft and two sampans in March 1943.
Going to the Kurile chain for her fifth patrol, WAHOO sank two freighters and a large tanker, also doing damage to another freighter and a large (15,600-ton) aircraft transport. The sixth war patrol of WAHOO was the disappointing one in the Japan Sea due to poor torpedo performance. Not one of the many attacks on merchantmen resulted in a torpedo hit; WAHOO’s only sinkings were of three sampans by gunfire. WAHOO was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her third patrol. Commander Morton was considered one of the topnotch officers in the submarine force, and the loss of this ship was in irreparable blow to the Service.
Japanese records now reveal that the following ships were sunk in the Sea of Japan shortly before WAHOO’s loss: TAIKO MARU 2,958T., 25 Sept.; KONRON MARU 7,903T., 1 Oct.; KANKO MARU 1,288gt., 6 Oct.; and KANKO MARU 2,995gt., 9 Oct. WAHOO was the only submarine who could have sunk these ships.
Sailors Lost On USS WAHOO (SS 238) 10-11-1943
Anders, F. MM3 Andrews, J. S. EM1 Bailey, R. E. SC3 Bair, A. I. TM3 Berg, J. C. MM3 Browning, C. E. MOMM2 Brown, D. R. LTJG Bruce, C. L. MOMM1 Buckley, J. P. RM1 Burgan, W. W. LT Campbell, J. S. ENS Carr, W. J. CGMA Carter, J. E. RM2 Davison, W. E. MOMM1 Deaton, L. N. TM1 Erdey, J. S. EM3 Fielder, E. F. LTJG Finkelstein, O. TM3 Galli, W. O. TM3 Garmon, C. E. MOMM2 Garrett, G. C., Jr. MOMM2 Gerlacher, W. L. S2 Goss, R. P. MOMM1 Greene, H. M. LT Hand, W. R. EM2 Hartman, L. M. MM3 Hayes, D. M. EM2 Henderson, R. N. LT Holmes, W. H. EM1 House, V. A. S1 Howe, H. J. EM2 Jacobs, O. MOMM1 Jasa, R. L. MM3 Jayson, J. O. CK3 Johnson, K. B. TM1 Keeter, D. C. CMOMMA Kemp, W. W. GM1 Kessock, P. F1 Krebs, P. H. S1 Kirk, E. T. S1 Lape, A. D. F1 Lindemann, C. A. S1 Logue, R. B. FC1 Lynch, W. L. F1 MacAlman, S. E. PHM1 MacGowen, T. J. MOMM1 Magyar, A. J. MM3 Manalisay, J. C. ST3 Mandjiak, P. A. MM3 Massa, E. E. S1 Maulding, E. C. SM3 Maulding, G. E. TM3 McGill, T. J. CMOMMA McGilton, H. E. TM3 McSpadden, D. J. TM1 Mills, M. L. RT1 Misch, G. A. LTJG Morton, D. W. CDR Neel, P. TM2 O'Brien, F. L. EM1 O'Neal, R. L. EM3 Ostrander, E. E. MM3 Phillips, P. D. SC1 Rennels, J. L. SC2 Renno, H. S1 Seal, E. H. Jr. TM2 Simonetti, A. R. SM2 Skjonsby, V. L. LCDR Smith, D. O. BM1 Stevens, G. V. MOMM2 Terrell, W. C. QM3 Tyler, R. O. TM3 Vidick, J. EM2 Wach, L. J. COX Waldron, W. E. RM3 Ware, N. C. CEM White, W. T. Y2 Whipp, K. L. MM2 Witting, R. L. MM3
Más sobre #21 USS Wahoo (SS 238) 10/11/43
21: #22 USS Dorado (SS 248) 10/12/43
USS DORADO (SS 248)
October 12, 1943 - 77 Men Lost
DORADO, a newly commissioned submarine, under LCDR E. C. Schneider, sailed from New London, Connecticut, on October 6, 1943 for Panama. She did not arrive at Panama nor was she heard from at any time after sailing.
The Commander in Chief, United States Fleet, in his comments concerning the Court of Inquiry covering the case, lists three possible causes for the loss of DORADO, operating casualties, enemy action, and attack by friendly forces.
The standard practice of imposing bombing restrictions within an area of fifteen miles on each side of the course of an unescorted submarine making passage in friendly waters and fifty miles ahead and one hundred miles astern of her scheduled position was carried out and all concerned were notified. A convoy was so routed as to pass through the bombing and attack restriction area surrounding DORADO on the evening of October 12, 1943, assuming correct navigation and adherence to schedule by both.
A patrol plane which was assigned by Commandant, NOB, Guantanamo to furnish air coverage on the evening of October 12, received faulty instructions as to the location of the bombing and attack restriction area surrounding DURADO and at 8:49 PM, local time, the plane delivered a surprise attack of three depth charges on an unidentified submarine. About two hours later, the plane sighted another submarine with which it attempted to exchange recognition signals without success. This submarine fired upon the plane. A German submarine was known to be operating near the scene of these two contacts.
Because of the lack of evidence, the Court of Inquiry was unable to reach definite conclusions as to the cause of the loss of DORADO.
Sailors Lost On USS DORADO (SS-248) 10-12-1943
Abruzzio, L. J. F2 Addy, T. T. TM2 Albright, V. J. EM3 Alloway, T. S2 Aman, P. D. GM1 Anthony, B. I. TM3 Austin, W. I. S2 Ballman, A. F. ENS Becker, R. H. SM1 Boyd, J. LT Brubeck, F. L. TM1 Burnett, J. J. S2 Burrell, D. L. BM1 Cabase, I. ST1 Chandler, I. M. CTMA Cilley, I. D. MOMM2 Coelho, J. S1 Cosaftes, T. MOMM2 Cristello, D. M. TM1 Davenport, D. J. CMOMMA Dix, H. M. FC3 Eberl, E. H. CMOMMA Fackrell, C. E. SM3 Fisher, J. B. MOMM1 Florea, H. C., Jr. SC3 Fry, J. W. F1 Gardner, V. E. F1 Gendreau, A. A., Jr. TM3 Glass, D., Jr. LCDR Greenlee, B. B. MOMM1 Guida, F. F. EM2 Harlock, R. E. Y2 Harris, D. STM2 Hauber, R. L. CEMA Hinton, C. C. EM1 Hollrock, G. T. LTJG Huffmon, A. V. EM2 Irwin, R. W. LT Kapral, J. TM2 Lemper, C. L. CTM Klink, R. L. MM2 Liggett, G. W. TM3 Lozaw, L. E. MM3 Lynch, M. E. MOMM1 Marsh, J. B. MOMM1 Mazari, C. W. MOMM2 McBroome, H. D. MOMM1 McCall, H. E. MM3 McGrath, F. M. QM3 Nelson, E. W. CQMA Niles, R. A. MM3 Norman, F. B. S1 Nowacki, H. A. EM3 O'Dell, P. F. CEM Ohrt, C. N., Jr. CEMA Otto, A. J. TM3 Perrault, J.L.C. S2 Pope, H. L. S2 Rhode, E. C. S2 Routon, P. C. EM2 Sanders, L. W. RM2 Schafer, A. A., Jr. MOMM2 Schneider, E. C. LCDR Singscheimer, R. K. S2 Smith, B. D. RT2 Speight, W. O. S2 Talley, R. S. MOMM0 Thompson, D. S. EM3 Tipton, O. P. EM3 Vernarsky, J. F2 Wagner, G. A., Jr. LCDR White, P. B., Jr. S2 Williams, B. T. SC1 Williams, T. A. EM1 Wilmott, L. C. PHM1 Wilson, M. H. S2 Windfeldt, A. L. SC1
Más sobre #22 USS Dorado (SS 248) 10/12/43
22: #23 USS Corvina (SS 226) 11/16/43
USS CORVINA (SS 226)
November 16, 1943 - 82 Men Lost
Venturing into enemy waters for her first time, CORVINA (Cmdr. R.S. Rooney) departed from Pearl Harbor on 4 November 1943. After topping off with fuel at Johnston Island she proceeded to an area south of Truk, there to attack enemy naval forces during our surface operations in the Gilbert Islands. She was to patrol as close to Truk as enemy antisubmarine measures would permit. On 14 December, she was to pass to command of Commander Task Force Seventy-Two and proceed to an eastern Australian port for refit and duty in SubSoWestPac.
When the major surface force operations in the Gilberts were finished, CORVINA was directed by dispatch on 30 November to pass to command of Commander Task Force Seventy-Two, despite her failure to acknowledge. She was directed to proceed to Tulagi and rendezvous with a surface escort, but she did not appear. Again transmissions directing answer were repeatedly sent, but were not fruitful. Since she had not appeared or been heard from since her departure from Johnston Island on 6 November, CORVINA was reported as presumed lost on 23 December 1943.
Enemy records indicate that CORVINA met her doom on 16 November 1943, by enemy action. An enemy submarine reported having sighted a surfaced submarine and torpedoed her. Three torpedoes were fired and two were reported to have hit, causing “a great explosion sound.”
Sailors Lost On USS CORVINA (SS-226) 11-16-1943
Allison, D. QM3 Asher, J. M. II MM3 Atwood, J. D. ENS Baran, S. S1 Beaudette, L. W. CQMA Britt, H. N. F1 Brooks, R. A. STM1 Busby, M. J. QM2 Busch, W. R. FC3 Chewning, W. M. LT Clark, J. G., Jr. SC2 Curtiss, G. R. MM3 Dalton, E. A. SC1 Daugherty, G. W., Jr. AS EK, J. R. S2 Emerick, J. W. EM1 Ennis, R. "E", Jr. MM1 Fahey, J. M. F1 Finske, R. W. RM3 Fiorot, E. B. TM3 Floyd, R. L. S1 Foster, E. L. CMOMM Foster, N. B. RM3 Gabel, G. F. EM3 Ghent, C. C., Jr. MOMM1 Green, D. L., Jr. CRMA Grisham, S. E. CTM Hale, B. D. CMOMM Hall, D. K. MOMM2 Halpin, J. E. EM3 Hasty, A. W. S1 Havrilecz, M. MOMM1 Hazel, L. P. S1 Hemphill, W. P., Jr. RM1 Hotz, F. D. SM2 Jackson, E. CK2 Jones, E. E. MM3 Jordan, C. F., Jr. EM3 Lense, L. N. ENS Lloyd, R. D. TM2 Loken, W. E. MOMM2 Madison, G. O. MOMM2 Maier, M. I. F1 Maloney, T. J. TM3 Manning, J. R. S1 Mautner, M. PHM1 Meizlik, M. H. GM3 Micha, M. F. MOMM1 Miller, V. A. EM1 McHolland, F. O. MOMM2 Murphy, D. F., Jr. S2 Nesbitt, H. L. EM1 Ocumpaugh, E., IV LT Oliver, P. C. TM3 Osburn, R. W. EM3 Pitarys, S. J. COX Reardon, R. J. F2 Redman, J. L. MM3 Roak, J. B. LT Robb, A. F. TM1 Roberts, M. H. Y1 Rooney, R. S. CDR Rosta, J. TM3 Ryder, E.M. RT2 Schladensky, P. EM3 Schless, L. L. EM1 Schuldt, G. M. S1 Schulz, W. K. TM1 Simunaci, F. W. MOMM1 Slagle, W. R. S1 Sloan, D. K., Jr. LT Smith, B. F. CEMA Smith, J. D. LTJG St. Aubin, R. J. GM2 Sumners, R. E. TM1 Thoben, F. A. SC3 Thomas, J. L. RM3 Toms, T. MOMM1 Trojan, C. A. TM2 Wade, L. R., Jr. MM3 Williams, B. E. MOMM2 Wood, E. E. CEMA
Más sobre #23 USS Corvina (SS 226) 11/16/43
23: #24 USS Sculpin (SS 191) 11/19/43
USS SCULPIN (SS 191)
November 19, 1943 - 62 Men Lost
En route to Johnston Island, SCULPIN, under Cmdr. Fred Connaway, left Pearl Harbor on 5 November 1943. After topping off with fuel, she left Johnston on 7 November to conduct her ninth patrol in an area in the Caroline Islands. Her mission was to support the action of our surface forces in the Gilbert Islands by intercepting and attacking any enemy forces which might be proceeding from Truk toward the Marshall Islands to oppose our surface forces. She was to leave her area on 14 December, and return to Pearl Harbor, stopping at Johnston for fuel if necessary. SCULPIN was not heard from following her departure from Johnston Island on 7 November.
During the patrol, Commander John P. Cromwell (promoted Captain during the patrol) was aboard SCULPIN. He was to take charge of a coordinated attack group consisting of SCULPIN, SEARAVEN, and either APOGON or SPEARFISH, if formation of the group were directed by dispatch. Should the group be ordered formed, Captain Cromwell would transmit his orders to them by low frequency radio from SCULPIN. On the night of 29 November, the vessels were directed to form and APOGON was named as the third member of the group. When Captain Cromwell gave no rendezvous orders after 40 hours, ComSubPac sent new orders. SCULPIN was to proceed immediately to Eniwetok, make a close observation, and report any enemy shipping. This was done in order to avoid confusion among the other submarines, and to determine whether SCULPIN was all right. Although the new orders to SCULPIN were sent repeatedly on 1 December and other orders a few days later, no answer came from her. On 30 December SCULPIN was reported as presumed lost.
Meanwhile, long before tension mounted at the bases concerning her, SCULPIN was meeting her test. The story presented here is reconstructed from statements made by members of her crew recovered from enemy prison camps since the close of the war.
On the night of 18 November, SCULPIN made a radar contact on a fast convoy, and made an end around at full power. Submerging on the enemy track for a dawn attack, SCULPIN began what promised to be a successful approach. However, she was detected in the attack phase, and the convoy zigged toward, forcing her deep. There was no depth charge attack at this time. About an hour later, the ship surfaced to begin another end around, but immediately dove again, having surfaced 6,000 yard from a destroyer which was lagging the convoy. Depth charging started as soon as she dove again.
Early in the ensuing attack a string of depth charges did the ship minor damage. Lt. G.E. Brown, the only officer survivor, was relieved as diving officer to make an inspection and found her fundamentally sound. At this time the submarine had succeeded in shaking the enemy, but before Brown returned to the control room the ship had broached when the diving officer had tried to bring her to periscope depth and the depth gauge had stuck at 125 feet. The depth charge attack was renewed at once.
About noon on 19 November, a close string of 18 depth charges threw SCULPIN, already at deep depth, badly out of control. The pressure hull was distorted, she was leaking, steering and diving plane gear were damaged and she was badly out of trim. Commander Connaway decided to surface and to fight clear. The ship was surfaced and went to gun action. During the battle Commander Connaway and the Gunnery Officer were on the bridge, and the Executive Officer was in the conning tower. When the destroyer placed a shell through the main induction, and one or more through the conning tower, these officers and several men were killed. Lt. Brown succeeded to command. He decided to scuttle the ship, and gave the order “all hands abandon ship.” After giving the order the last time the ship was dived at emergency speed by opening all vents. About 12 men rode the ship down, including Captain Cromwell and one other officer, both of whom refused to leave it. Captain Cromwell, being familiar with plans for our operations in the Gilberts and other areas, stayed with the ship to insure that the enemy could not gain any of the information he possessed. For this action, ComSubPac recommended that he be given the Congressional Medal of Honor. In all, 42 men were taken prisoner by the Japanese destroyer, but one was thrown over the side almost immediately because he was severely wounded. Another man escaped being thrown overboard only by wrenching free of his captors and joining the other men.
This envelope depicts USS Sculpin (SS 191) standing over her sister ship, USS Squalis (SS 192), during rescue operations when USS Squalis sank in waters off Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1939. USS Squalis, recommissioned as Sailfish after six months of extensive overhaul, torpedoed and sunk Japanese carrier Chuyo on 31 December 1943. Unknown to the Sailfish, Chuyo was one of two carriers that was transporting Sculpin survivors to Japan as prisoners of war after the submarine was scuttled during a depth charges attack on 19 November 1943.
The group of 38 enlisted men and 3 officers were taken to Truk where they were questioned for ten days. Then they were loaded on two carriers (21 on one, 20 on the other) and started for Japan. En route to its destination, the carrier CHUYO, carrying 21 SCULPIN survivors, was torpedoed and sunk by SAILFISH on 31 December 1943, and only one American escaped. This was a particularly coincidental and tragic event since SCULPIN stood by SQUALUS (later recommissioned SAILFISH) when she sank off Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1939. At Ofuna, the 21 survivors were repeatedly questioned, and they learned they were in an unofficial Navy prison camp. They were released from the camp a few at a time when the enemy became convinced that they could get no information from them, and were sent to work in the copper mines of Ashio. There they were allowed to register as prisoners of war, and received at least enough food to live on, although not enough to maintain health properly. They remained at Ashio until released by American forces on 4 September 1945.
This submarine on her first eight patrols sank nine ships for 42,200 tons and damaged then, totaling 63,000 tons. Her first patrol off the east coast of the Philippine group resulted in one sinking, the 3,124 ton transport KANKO MAUR on 10 January 1942. During her second patrol in the region east of Celbes, she sank a destroyer type vessel and did damage t a light cruiser. Her third patrol was conducted in the Molukka Sea, and SCULPIN damaged a freighter. On her fourth patrol, conducted in the South China Sea, she is credited with having sunk a freighter, damaged another freighter and three tankers.
SCULPIN went to the Solomons area for her fifth patrol, and is credited with sinking two large tankers and a transport. She damaged a freighter on this patrol. Going back to the Solomons for her sixth patrol, SCULPIN damaged a tanker. SCULPIN made her seventh patrol in May and June 1943 in the Aleutians. Here she sank two small patrol craft and damaged two freighters. On her eighth patrol in the East China Sea, SCULPIN sank a freighter-transport.
Sailors Lost On USS SCULPIN (SS-191) 11-19-43
Allen, J. J. LT Apostol, E. CK1 Arnath, E. S2 Baglien, J. W. RM3 Barrera, M. CK1 Beidleman, E. M., Jr. RT2 Bentsen, F. G. S2 Berry, W. R. TM1 Blum, A. G. EM3 Brannum, B. C. F1 Brown, T. V. S2 Carter, R. W. S2 Coleman, C. S. MOMM1 Connaway, F. CDR Cromwell, J. P. CAPT Daylong, J. E. MOMM2 Defrees, J. R., Jr. LT Delisle, M. S. MM3 Diederich, D. L. EM3 Elliott, H. L. MM3 Embury, G. R. LTJG Fiedler, W. M. ENS Gabrunas, P. J. CMOMMA Gamel, J. W. ENS Goorabian, G. S1 Guillot, A. B. F1 Harper, J. Q. TM3 Hemphill, R. E. CMMA Holland, E. R. MOMM1 Johnson, G. E. MOMM1 Kanocz, S. EM3 Kennon, J. B., Jr. SC3 Laman, H. D. MOMM2 Lawton, C. J. F1 Lunas, J. STM1 Maguire, S. W. EM2 Marcus, G. W. RM3 Martin, M. G. FC3 McCartney, J. W. S1 McTavish, J. F. S1 Miller, C. E. TM3 Moore, W. E. CSM Moreton, A. F. EM1 Morrilly, R. M. EM3 Murphy, P. I. MM3 Murray, E. T. SM3 Parr, J. RDM3 Partin, W. H. S1 Pitser, C. E. TM2 Salava, F. FC3 Schnell, E. V. TM3 Schroeder, D. E. Y2 Shirley, D. B. SM3 Smith, C. G., Jr. ENS Smith, L. H. EM2 Suel, J. T. S1 Swift, J. B. EM1 Taylor, C. G. RM3 Taylor, R. H. S1 Warren, E. E. EM2 Weade, C. H. CTMA White, D. J. MOMM2
Men recovered from Japanese prison camps
Anderson, E. N. SC2 Baker, C. E. F1 Baker, J. N., Jr. F1 Brown, G. E., Jr. LT Cooper, B. M. QM2 Eskildsen, L A. RM3 Gorman, M. T. S1 Haverland, W. H. CMOMMA Keller, E. K. F. S2 Milbourne, H. S., Jr. MM3 Murray, L. J. MOMM1 Peterson, J. G. RM2 Ricketts, E. F. MOMM2 Rocek, G. MOMM1 Rourke, J. P. GM2 Thomas, H. J. TM1 Todd, P. A. PHM1 Toney, H. F. TM3 VanBeest, H. S1 Wyatt, R. O. GM2 Welsh, W. H. S1 Wright, E. EM3
Más sobre #24 USS Sculpin (SS 191) 11/19/43
24: #25 USS Capelin (SS 289) 12/9/43
USS CAPELIN (SS 289)
November 23, 1943 - 76 Men Lost
Returning from her first war patrol after only 17 days out, CAPELIN (Cmdr. E.E. Marshall) came into Darwin 16 November 1943 with a defective conning tower hatch mechanism, excessively noisy bow planes, and a defective radar tube. These flaws were corrected to the satisfaction of the Commanding Officer, and the shop then departed for her second patrol on 17 November. Her area was in the Molukka and Celebes seas, and she was to pay particular attention to Kaoe Bay, Morotai Strait, Davao Gulf and trade routes in the vicinity of Siaoe, Sangi, Talaud and Sarangani Islands. She was to leave her area at dark 6 December.
Nothing has been positively heard from CAPELIN since she departed. However, BONEFISH reported having seen an U.S. submarine on 2 December 1943. This position is in the area assigned to CAPELIN at this time. An attempt to reach CAPELIN by radio on 9 December 1943 elicited no response.
On 23 November an American submarine was attacked off Kaoe Bay, Halamaera. However, the Japanese state that this attack was broken off, and the evidence of contact was rather thin. The only positive statement that can be made is that CAPELIN was lost in Celebes Sea, or in Molukka Passage or the Molukka Sea, probably in December 1943. Enemy minefields are now known to have been placed in various positions along the north coast of Celebes in CAPELIN’s area, and she may have been lost because of a mine explosion. In her 17-day first patrol, CAPELIN sank two Japanese medium freighters for 7,400 tons of merchant shipping. This first patrol was conducted among the islands immediately west of New Guinea.
Sailors Lost On USS CAPELIN (SS-289) 11-23-43
Arney, B. Y. S2 Ball, C. M. SM2 Beck, C. I., Jr. CTM Blair, G. R. EM3 Bragg, P. C. QM3 Britton, R. L. LTJG Brown, E. S., Jr. S1 Butler, M. H. CRM Callahan, F. T. CYA Callahan, J. J., Jr. MOMM2 Cavanaugh, J. P. S1 Cheatham, E. STM1 Clifford, E. R. TM2 Colyer, C. W. TM1 Cross, J. L. MM1 Crowley, J. D. F1 Defreytas, C. F. EM3 Devine, W. F. TM3 Devine, W. J. TM2 Dill, P. L. TM3 Eklund, L. T. FC3 Everhart, C. L. PHM1 Ganley, J. F., Jr. CMOMMA Gillen, P. J. MOMM2 Grabnickas, P. SC2 Hicks, M. J. EM2 Holt, J. W., Jr. CEMA Jacobs, D. MM3 Keaton, L. O. TM3 Kennedy, D. G., Jr. EM1 Klein, I. I. EM2 Koziol, J. W. F2 Krall, E. J. EM1 Lafferty, W. A. S1 Landres, L. A. CMOMM Lange, D. W. S1 Lester, E. J. MOMM1 Lewitt, W. M. RM3 Lutley, J. L. F1 Maddox, J. W. TM3 Madey, A. EM1 Marshall, E. E. CDR Mason, W. B., Jr. LCDR Melvin, G. R. S1 Moeller, O. F. TM2 Morgan, H. F. RM1 Norris, E. A. MM3 Novotny, C. R. EM1 O'Donnell, M. B. RM3 Olsen, S. R. MOMM1 O'Neal, T. E. TM2 O'Neil, C. F. LTJG Perry, F. STM2 Pettigrew, H. E, Jr. MOMM1 Pilkinton, W. N. RT2 Powell, R. MOMM1 Raminski, W. E. MOMM1 Rhodes, J. E., Jr. MOMM2 Roberts, C. W. MOMM1 Robertson, E. D. LCDR Sharer. W. A. LT Simon, H. GM1 Smith, L. C. MOMM2 Smith, R. L. RM2 Smolenski, E. J. S1 Snyder, N. W. F2 Stasik, W. W. MOMM2 Steege, E. H. TM1 Stickle, R. G. EM2 Terrell, R. W. MOMM2 Thibeault, J. L. TM3 Uhlmann, R. C. LT Vassar, C. L., Jr. SC1 Vaughn, C. W. S1 Wellman, E. E. F1 Winkler, H. H., Jr. QM3
Más sobre #25 USS Capelin (SS 289) 12/9/43
25: #26 USS Scorpion (SS 278) 1/5/44
USS SCORPION (SS 278)
January 5, 1944 - 77 Men Lost
Departing Pearl Harbor on 29 December 1943, SCORPION (Cmdr. M.G. Schmidt) stopped at Midway to top off with fuel, and left that place on 3 January 1944 to conduct her fourth war patrol. Her assigned area was in the northern East China and Yellow Seas.
On the morning of 5 January, SCORPION reported that one of her crew had sustained a fracture of the upper arm and requested a rendezvous with HERRING (SS-233) which was returning from patrol and was near her. The rendezvous was accomplished on the afternoon of 5 January, but heavy seas prevented transfer of the injured man to HERRING. The latter reported this fact on 6 January, and stated “SCORPION reports case under control.” SCORPION was never seen or heard from again after her departure from the rendezvous. On 16 February 1944, STEELHEAD and SCORPION were warned that they were close together, and that an enemy submarine was in the vicinity.
When no report was received from her by 24 February 2944, Midway was directed to keep a careful watch for her, and SCORPION was directed to make a transmission. Neither of these measures proved fruitful, and SCORPION was reported on 6 March 1944 as presumed lost.
No information has been received from the Japanese that indicates SCORPION’s loss was the result of enemy antisubmarine tactics. There were, however, several mine lines across the entrance to the Yellow Sea. The presence of these mine lines and the “restricted area” bounding them were discovered from captured Japanese Notices to Mariners at much later date. In the meantime several submarines had made patrols in this area, crossing and re-crossing the mine lines without incident, and coming safely home. It is probable that these mine lines were very thin, offering only about a 10 percent threat to submarines at maximum, and steadily decreasing in effectiveness with the passage of time. SCORPION was lost soon after these mines were laid, or at a time when they presumably offered the greatest threat. She could have been an operational casualty, but her area consists of water shallow enough so that it might be expected that some men would have survived. Since we know of no survivors, the most reasonable assumptions that she hit a mine.
In her first three patrols, SCORPION sank ten ships, for a total of 24,000 tons, and damaged two more, for 16,000 tons. Her first war patrol was in the approaches to Tokyo in April 1943. Here she sank two freighters, four sampans and two patrol craft. In addition, she damaged a freighter. On her second patrol, conducted in the Yellow Sea, she sank two freighters. Her third patrol was made in the Mariana Islands, and resulted in damage to a tanker.
Sailors Lost On USS SCORPION (SS 278) 1-5-1944
Alexander, J. S. EM2 Appleton, C. W. SC3 Bausman, L. L. SC1 Bell, H. F. S1 Brown, R. T. LTJG Bynum, R. H. QM1 Chamberlain, R. J. EM2 Christman, H. F. S1 Clough, J. "E" TM2 Cornelius, T. T. CMOMMA Cunningham, J. W. RELE Deane, L. W. TM3 Dews, R. P. STM1 Drake, V. R. ENS Drane, R. B. LTJG Echorst, E. L. TM2 Ellis, R. H. LTJG English, E. J. MOMM1 Faber, L. M. S1 Fasnacht, J. A. QM2 Faustman, L. D. MOMM1 Fergerson, N. ST3 Flaherty, W. A., Jr. CQMA Glazier, J. F. GM2 Harvey, R. D., Jr. F2 Harvey, P. L. EM2 Heidenrich, J. T. TM1 Heinz, C. P. MOMM1 Himes, D. A. MOMM3 Hood, F. E. S2 Hund, C. M. CGMA Hutchinson, R. E. TM3 Ingram, G. E. MOMM2 Jacobs, R. L. S2 Koster, N. L. CMOMMA Krawczykowicz, E. MOMM3 Labarthe, W. C. MOMM2 Larimore, B. E. TM2 Lloyd, R. W. MOMM2 Manganello, L. A. CCSTDA Matthews, S. E. RM1 McMillan, R. K. MOMM1 McNally, F. A., Jr. RT2 Miller, P. J., Jr. EM2 Morgan, H. W. QM2 Mosbey, L. "E" EM2 Pierce, C. B. LT Rairden, R. M. Y3 Randolph, W. L. CEMA Rawlings, J. P. CEMA Robiliard, F. J. S1 Roche, T. E. TW2 Rowe, A. V. S2 Saunders, B. S1 Scheu, D. S. LT Schmidt, M. C. CDR Seaman, D. A. MOMM1 Sears, W. I. EM1 Setvate, M. W. TM3 Shake, J. F1 Shapiro, I. S. PHM1 Shea, P. D. MOMM3 Sink, R. O. MOMM3 Skelton, S. R. TM3 Smith, D. E. RM3 Smith, J. F. TM3 Spears, C. R. CMOMMA Sturges, E. A. MOMM1 Tarbell, W. E. EM1 Townsend, J. RM3 Udick, R. V. TM1 Voorhees, J. L. TM2 Willford, R. R. MOMM3 Wise, R. J., Jr. LT Womack, R. L. MOMM2 Zimmermann, K. RM1 Weidenbach, R. F. FC3
Más sobre #26 USS Scorpion (SS 278) 1/5/44
26: #27 USS Grayback (SS 208) 2/26/44
USS GRAYBACK (SS 208)
February 26, 1944 - 80 Men Lost
by JOCS(SW/AW) Darrell D. Ames
The late Adm. “Skip” Lockwood (COMSUBPAC 1943-1946) once described Cmdr. Johnny Moore as “an aggressive leader who guided his charges into battle at full speed.” As commanding officer of the USS Grayback (SS-208) during World War II, Cmdr. Moore used this energetic approach in directing his vessel to sink nine enemy ships totaling 44,000 tons.
Overall, the ship is credited with sinking 22 enemy ships totaling 83,900 tons and damaging nine enemy ships totaling 49,300 tons during her ten war patrols. It was during the tenth and final patrol that the great ship met it’s ultimate fate.
At the beginning of the war Grayback was under the command of Cmdr. Willard A. Saunders. Prior to Moore assuming command, the ship already had a deadly reputation. In 1942 alone Grayback, along with four other U.S. Submarines (Gudgeon, Tautog, Triton and Seadragon) acting independently, combined to sink 81 enemy ships from Pearl Harbor to the East China Sea. It was a lethal group.
In 1943 Cmdr. Moore assumed command of Grayback and joined two other subs (USS Shad and USS Cero) to form the first rendition of Capt. Charles “Swede” Momsen’s ‘wolf-pack’ of Submarine Squadron Two. Generally, submarine skippers objected to “wolf-packing.” They felt operating independently was more efficient and they all lived in dread that someday this method would sooner or later result in the sinking of one friendly submarine by another. Fear of friendly fire notwithstanding, “wolf-packing” was here to stay and Momsen’s first group was just as deadly as the 1942 subs operating alone.
Cmdr. Johnny Moore lacked experience in fleet boats, but because of his fine record of service in “R” and “S” boats, senior leaders believed he was headed for greatness. Moore was an athlete at the Naval Academy (boxing and soccer) and was considered one of his class leaders. “Professionally, Johnny was tops and we placed him second to no one in the class,” said Cmdr. Hank Munson, a former Academy classmate of Moore’s. Cmdr. John MacGregor, commanding officer of “wolf-pack” partner USS Shad, labeled Moore as a “go-getter” with a “vivacious personality.”
Following her success as a “wolf-pack” member in 1943 Grayback was tasked to operate independently the following year. The ship left Pearl Harbor on January 28, 1944 to begin her tenth and final patrol. The area of what was to be her final mission was located in the East China Sea east of the coast of Chekiang Province, China. After fueling up at Midway on February 3rd the boat received orders to patrol the area running east and west between Luzon in the Philippine Islands and Formosa until sunset February 20th, and then to proceed to her original area of responsibility.
"On July 20, 1943, at the foot of Coburn Mountain, Paul and Fred Coburn were lying in bed in the boy's room of the family home. Fred told Paul 'this is my last night to sleep here because I am going to marry Miss Doris Cantrell tomorrow.' Fred and Doris were married the following day, July 21, 1943 by Brother Charlie D. Thorn. They were only able to share two weeks together because Fred was home on leave from duty onboard USS Grayback (SS 208) and never returned." - Bob Bentley
Grayback’s first report came on February 24th, stating that she had sunk or damaged 44,000 tons of shipping thus far on the patrol. The boat had expended the majority of her torpedoes and had only five aft and one forward remaining. The next day, February 25th, Moore reported to Lockwood at Submarine Headquarters in Pearl Harbor that he had fired four of his six remaining torpedoes and had damaged two more ships. Lockwood ordered Moore to return to Pearl Harbor immediately. The ship was never heard from again.
"Torpedoman Marshall Ray Davidson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ewing Davidson of Garfield, Ark., was reported missing in action in a telegram received by his parents Easter morning from the Navy department. Petty Officer Davidson enlisted in the Navy at Pineville, Mo., in September, 1942, and was assigned to submarine service in March, 1943. He was an all-round athlete at Washburn High School, Washburn, Mo., and is survived by his wife and two year old son." - Provided by Dale Pilant and Mrs. Carrie Rose
Grayback had been expected to arrive at Midway Island on or about March 7th. Had Moore failed to receive or understand Lockwood’s order to come home immediately and remained on station the full time she would have reached Midway on or about March 23rd. On March 10th, in an effort to establish Grayback’s position, Lockwood requested information from Moore regarding the best “hunting grounds” to locate and destroy enemy shipping. No reply was received and on March 30th the Grayback was officially declared “Lost at Sea.”
Japanese records state that on February 26th a carrier plane near Okinawa discovered a submarine on the surface about 300 miles east of Grayback’s last reported position. According to the Japanese report, the plane landed a “direct hit at the sub which exploded and sank immediately.” Surface craft continued the attack where the sub went down until bubbles and a large oil slick appeared. Had Moore received the message from Lockwood and headed home right away, Grayback would have been in the approximate position reported in the Japanese attack.
Moore and his crew of 80 officers and men are on eternal patrol and were posthumously awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.
Sailors Lost on USS GRAYBACK (SS-208) 2-26-44
Bangert, S. H.,MOMM1 Barbour, H. X.,MOMM2 Barnett, J. E.,SC1 Bell, F. R.,TM2 Bennett, J. W.,EM3 Blanan, R. P.,MOMM1 Bloodsworth, R.,QM3 Boyer, F. L.,MOMM1 Brandt, J. L.,EM3 Brasch, W. J.,RM1 Bukowski, T.,CRMA Campbell, W. E.,MOMM2 Capshaw, R. L.,PHM1 Carey, R. E.,S2 Case, H, L.,MOMM2 Chotas, J. N.,RM3 Coburn, F. M.,MOMM2 Cox, L. R.,SC3 Davidson, M. R.,TM3 Davis, V. E.,Y2 Dodson, J. R.,COX Ferry, G. R.,S1 Fieber, C. E.,EM3 Fielding, C. F.,F2 Forsythe, J. R., Jr.,SM1 Fox, K. W., Jr.,MOMM2 Francis, M. L.,MOMM3 Gavlak, C. B.,FC2 George, M. L.,MOMM3 Gildo, B.,ST1 Gray, J. H.,MOMM3 Hall, F. A.,TM2 Halpert, A. S.,RM1 Halvorson, E. E.,S1 Handlowich, L. I.,S1 Hansen, R. V.,RT1 Hefler, T.,EM1 Hitch, R. D.,EM1 Holzmann, F. C., Jr.,TM2 Hooks, W. C.,F1 Hrudka, A.,QM2 Irizarry, R. A.,SM3 Jackson, N.,TM2 Jacobs, L. F.,S1 James, F. R.,F1 Jones, J. A.,TM1 King, J. P.,EM3 Knops, H. T.,CEMA Koller, W. A.,MOMM2 Lariviere, R. A.,S1 Leaf, L. H.,MOMM3 Littlejohn, R. O.,LTJG Lockyer, D. H. N.,TM3 Mayo, R. L.,CDR McKelvey, F. H.,LTJG Meyer, F. W. H.,TM3 Meyers, L. J.,MOMM2 Moore, J. A.,CDR Nicholson, W. G.,CMOMMA Northam, J. T.,EM3 O'Meara, T. F.,TM2 Parks, R. A.,EM1 Phillips, M. C.,LTJG Pinho, A., Jr.,EM3 Ralston, W. L.,EM3 Rauber, V. M.,ENS Rivera, V. U.,ST2 Roy, W. C., Jr.LT Schellinger, G. K.,S2 Sessler, E. F.,TM1 Shaw, R. T.,CTMA Silveira, I. V.,RM3 Smith, C. H., Jr., LT Solomon, S.,EM3 Southern, A. H.,TM3 Stanford, L. C.,CMOMMA Stewart, J. H.,LT Stockman, R. E., Jr.,S2 Waliszewski, S. J.,SC1 Wyatt, J. C.,GM1
Más sobre #27 USS Grayback (SS 208) 2/26/44
27: #28 USS Trout (SS 202) 2/29/44
USS TROUT (SS 202)
February 29, 1944 - 81 Men Lost
The veteran patroller TROUT (Lt. Cmdr. A.H. Clark) left Pearl Harbor February 8, 1944 en route to her eleventh patrol, topped off with fuel at Midway and left 16 February, never to be heard from again. She was to patrol the China coast.
TROUT, scheduled to leave her area not later than sunset March 27, 1944, was expected at Midway about April 7th; overdue she was reported presumed lost April 17.
From the Japanese since the war the following facts have been gleaned: On February 29, 1944 SAKITO MARU was sunk and another ship badly damaged. Since TROUT was the only U.S. submarine which could have attacked at this time in this position but did not report the action, it is assumed she was lost during or shortly after this attack.
In her first ten patrols, TROUT sank 23 enemy ships, giving her 87,000 tons sunk, and damaged 6 ships, for 75,000 tons. TROUT’s first patrol resulted in no enemy damage, but her second was most unusual: She delivered ammunition from Pearl Harbor to Corregidor in January 1942. To compensate for the weight of ammunition delivered, she brought back as ballast 20 tons of gold, sliver and securities to Pearl Harbor; whence it was taken to Washington for safekeeping. TROUT also sank a medium freighter and a patrol craft. From mid-March to mid-May 1942 TROUT patrolled in the Empire, sank a large tanker, three freighters and a gunboat, and damaged a large freighter. Her fourth patrol she was part of the forces defending Midway but made no successful attacks. The area south of Truk was the scene of TROUT’s fifth patrol; here she sank a transport and damaged an aircraft carrier.
During her sixth patrol, in the Southern Solomons, TROUT had but one attack opportunity. She made no hits on a battleship sighted on November 13, 1942. In the South China Sea on her seventh patrol, she sank a freighter, a tanker and two sampans, and damaged two large tankers. In the same general area on her eighth patrol TROUT sank two sampans and damaged an auxiliary. In May and June 1943 TROUT patrolled the lesser Philippines and sank two tankers, a freighter and two small schooners, also damaging a freighter. TROUT’s tenth patrol was a passage from Fremantle to Pearl, with a patrol of the Davao area en route. She sank a freighter, a transport, a sampan and for a time was credited with a submarine-I-182, thought to have been destroyed in Surigao Strait on 9 September. TROUT was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her second, third and fifth patrols.
Sailors Lost On USS TROUT (SS-202) 2-29-1944
Abbott, R. E. F2, Adams, A. W. BKR3, Barker, J. B., Jr. GM3, Beckley, C. V. LTJG, Bennett, T. W., Jr. RM3, Boland, J. J. CPHMA, Bond, R. V. S1, Brandt, N. A. FC1, Brockman, R. J. CTMA, Brownlow, E. CCSA, Callan, K. T. EM3, Carrico, R. E. LTJG, Clark, A. H. LCDR, Clarke, J. B. EM1, Coakley, J. E. GM2, Copt, L. J. EM1, Corey, F. J. EM2, Crain, E. F., Jr. ENS, Crowley, J. R. Y3, Cunningham, E. H., III MOMM1, Decesare, F. P., Jr. CRMA, Decker, F. J. CMOMMA, Dortch, W. H. S2, Ehlerding, J. G. RM1, Ewell, J. E. STM2, Eye, O. R. TM3, Festin, S. TM3, Finney, W. O. MOMM2, Frogner, G. I. RM3, Frontino, J. N. TM2, Frost, C. F. MM1, Garrison, R. L. TM2, Gaylord, W. H. LT, Gionet, R. C. MOMM2, Gonyer, A. L. SM1, Gurney, H. R. CYA, Gwynn, R. P. S1, Hall, O. EM1, Halterman, A. M. TM1, Hanford, S. J. MOMM3, Harrison, D. W. CEMA, Hoy, J. E. MOMM1, Hughes, R. L. CEMA, Hughes, P. W. S1, Johnson, A. W. TM2, Kaiser, R. W., Jr. MOMM2, Keltner, M. H. ENS, Kerr, R. QM2, King, E. BM2, Knutson, G. J. MOMM1, Kuntsman, R. EM3, Lewis, A. S. STM2, Magner, J. F. MOMM1, Masset, P. J. MOMM2, Mauer, L. L. MOMM2, McDuffie, W. B. SC3, Million, F. A. EM3, Millner, C. C. STM1, Mollohan, G. D. TM2, Murphy, T. J. TM3, Myers, L. E., Jr. LT, Nearman, K. E. RM2, Perry, R. R. ENS, Richardson, J. W. CTMA, Rowan, L. R. GM3, Ruder, J. E. MOMM2, Scott, K. I. MOMM1, Sebring, S. R. TM3, Smith, A. L. CMOMM, Stanford, W. W. CMOMM, Swentzel, L. M. E2, Taylor, H. F. EM3, Teisen, A. T. MOMM1, Thoits, E. E. TM3, Thurman, A. J. S1, Tierney, H. T. RT3, Tracy, J. T. EM3, Walker, E. J. SM3, Wilkowski, J. B. SM2, Winter, W. A. GM1, Woodworth, H. E. LT
Más sobre #28 USS Trout (SS 202) 2/29/44
28: #29 USS Tullibee (SS 284) 3/26/44
USS TULLIBEE (SS 284)
March 26, 1944 - 80 Men Lost
On March 5, 1944, TULLIBEE, commanded by Cmdr. C.F. Brindupke, departed Pearl Harbor to start her fourth war patrol. She stopped at Midway to top off with fuel, and having left that place on March 14, she was not heard from again. The area assigned to TULLIBEE was an open sea area north of Palau, and she was to cooperate with surface forces in the first carrier strike on Palau.
TULLIBEE was to leave her area not later than April 24, 1944, and on that date a dispatch was sent directing her to proceed to Majuro for refit. She was expected at Majuro about 4 May, but instructions stated that a submarine unable to transmit would not go to Majuro, but to Midway. On May 6, 1944, Midway was alerted for a submarine returning without transmission facilities, but the lookout was not rewarded and TULLIBEE was presumed lost on May 15, 1944.
The following story of TULLIBEE’s loss is taken from a statement made by the lone survivor, C.W. Kuykendall, GM2c. He reports that the boat arrived on station, March 25, and on the night of March 26 radar contact was found to be on a convoy consisting of a large troop and cargo ship, two medium sized freighters, two escort vessels and a large destroyer.
Having solved the convoy’s speed and course, TULLIBEE made several surface runs on the large transport, but held fire, being unable to see her due to squally weather. The escorts had detected the submarine’s presence, and dropped 15 to 20 depth charges. The submarine came in to 3,000 yards, still unable to see the target, and fired two bow tubes. A minute or two later a terrific concussion shook the boat, and Kuykendall, who had been on the bridge, soon found himself struggling in the water. Since range and bearing of escorts were known, the survivor states that he is sure the explosion was the result of a circular run of one of TULLIBEE’s torpedoes.
There were shouting men in the water when Kuykendall first regained consciousness after the blast, but after about ten minutes everything was silent, and he never again saw or heard any of the other TULLIBEE men. At 1000 on March 27, an escort vessel located the swimming man, and after firing on him with machine guns, came in and picked him up. He learned here that the transport they had fired at had sunk.
The story of his captivity is much the same as the stories of survivors of GRENADIER, SCULPIN, TANG, PERCH and other U.S. submarines. He was questioned assiduously by English speaking officers, and beaten when he refused to give any more information than international law required. In April 1944, he was taken to Ofuna Naval Interrogation Camp, where he stayed until September 30th. From that date until rescue on September 4, 1945, he was forced to work in the copper mines of Ashio.
This submarine began her career in the Submarine Force in July 1943, with a patrol in the western Caroline Islands. In this patrol she sank one freighter and damaged another. Her second patrol was in the area south of Formosa off the China coast; here she sank a transport ship and damaged a large tanker and another transport. Son her third patrol, in the Marianas area, TULLIBEE sank a small freighter. This gave TULLIBVEE a total of three ships sunk, totaling 15,500 tons, and three damaged for 22,000 tons.
Sailors Lost on USS TULLIBEE (SS-284) 3-26-44 Abnet, P. R. S1 Anderson, W. R. TM3 Arnold, D. T. QM1 Barcoozy, J., Jr. QM2 Beehler, R. E. MOMM2 Betsill, J. E. MOMM2 Blanchard, L. P. SC2 Brindupke, C. F. CDR Britt, M. L. TM3 Brockelsby, A. F. SM1 Brown, J. C. MOMM2 Burasco, N. A. S2 Butler, D. ENS Ciraldo, F. MOMM3 Clay, J. P. TM2 Clifford, G. K. F1 Crane, L. B. TM3 Crossman, R. H., Jr. EM2 Deetz, H. W. MOMM2 Degenhardt, C. H. RM1 Delaney, T. M. CGMA Douglas, C. S2 Duncan, G. A., Jr. LCDR Dzik, E. H. SC1 Ellis, L. ST1 Evans, W. A. LTJG Farley, E. M., Jr. S1 Frank, W. J. TM2 Gage, C. S. MOMM1 Graham, D. A. S1 Grenier, R. A. RT1 Grosz, J. N. FCS2 Hall, M. J. MOMM3 Heath, C. N., Jr. F1 Henkel, F. M. F1 Hicks, C. J. TM2 Hieronimus, L. J. EM1 Hoefler, W. E. S1 Irwin, H. T., Jr. LT Joder, W. B. CMOMMA Keating, H. F. MOMM1 Keener, T. M., Jr. TM3 Kisman, F. H. RM2 Landon, C. L. MOMM1 Lindsay, F. F1 Lovett, C. M. EM3 Mann, D. R. MOMM2 McConnell, R. F. EM3 McDonald, W. G. EM3 McFadden, M. L. MOMM1 Moffit, J. J. RM2 Muoio, C. J. F1 Nicholas, E. R. F1 Nopper, A. W. RT1 Pattee, C. E. EM1 Pawlik, M. S. EM2 Petersen, R. H. LTJG Reger, F. "B" EM3 Rehn, C. EM2 Roby, R. H. MOMM1 Saterfield, P. T. ENS Schoenrock, W. L. CCS Seibert, H. D. F1 Smith, A. F. F1 Stearns, K. C. EM1 Strachan, H. L. S2 Sullivan, H. E. CMOMM Symkiewicz, A. A. TM1 Thacker, H. L. PHM1 Ticknor, G. O. CEM Trytko, S. RM3 Vigeant, P. R. TM3 Wagner, J. J. Y2 Wallis, G. C. SM3 Washington, R., Jr. STM1 Wendt, R. J. TM3 Wilson, D. S. LT Wiser, H. J. FC3 Wood, J. K. LTJG
*Survivor
*Kuykendall, C. W. GM2
Más sobre #29 USS Tullibee (SS 284) 3/26/44
29: #30 USS Herring (SS 233) 6/1/44
USS HERRING (SS 233)
June 1, 1944 - 83 Men Lost
HERRING, under Lt. Cmdr. D. Zabriskie, Jr., left Pearl Harbor on May 16, 1944 to conduct her eighth patrol in the Kurkle Islands. On May 21st she topped off with fuel at Midway and departed for the Kurile region. No word was received from HERRING direct after her departure from Midway, but she did accomplish a rendezvous with BARB on May 21, 1944.
These two boats were to patrol the Kurile Islands area cooperatively, and at the rendezvous, as recorded in BARB’s report of her eighth war patrol, the areas for which each was to be responsible were delineated. A few hours after leaving HWERRING early on the afternoon of May 31st, BARB made contact with two Japanese merchantmen. While developing the contacts BARB heard distant depth charging, which she took as an indication that HERRING was making an attack.
Later that evening BARB picked up a prisoner who revealed that HERING had sunk the escort vessel of the convoy BARB had been attacking. The ship sunk was ISHIGAKI, a new type DE built in 1942, and it was sunk with one torpedo hit. The sinking resulted in the scattering of the three-ship convoy and two ships, which subsequently passed near BARB, were sunk by her. Post-war information reveals that HERRING sank the third merchantman of the convoy.
On June 3, 1944 orders were sent to BARB and HERRING directing them to stay outside of a restricted area in which friendly surface ships would be operating during the Marianas Campaign. A receipt was required for this message, but none was heard from HERRING. BARB was unable to contact her after May 31st. Consequently on June 27th, Midway was directed to post a sharp lookout for HERRING, which might be returning without ability to transmit by radio, and was expected by July 3rd or 4th. When she had not appeared by July 13, 1944, HERRING was reported as presumed lost.
Japanese information indicates that HERRING was sunk on June 1, 1944, two kilometers south of Point Tagan on Matsuwa Island in the Kurlies. The report sates that two merchant ships, HIBURI MARU and IWAKI MARU, were sunk by American torpedoes while at anchor at Matsuwa. In a counterattack, a shore battery scored two direct hits on the conning tower, and “bubbles covered an area about 5 meters wide, and heavy oil covered an area of approximately 15 miles.” The position of this attack was around 150 miles from the position where HERRING met BARB: the attack occurred on the day after the BARB picked up her prisoner. BARB and HERRING were the only U.S. submarines in the area at the time and BARB did not make attacks reported by BARB and by the Japanese, HERRING has been credited with four ships and 13,202 tons sunk for her last patrol.
For her first seven patrols, HERRING sank nine ships, totaling 45,200 tons, and damaged two, totaling an additional 8,400 tons. Her first four patrols were in the Atlantic, the first three off the coast of Spain, and the fourth near Iceland. The first netted an Axis freighter, while on the second HERRING saw no enemy ships. Her third patrol saw her sink Nazi U-163 and her fourth was again unproductive of enemy targets. Her fifth patrol was the passage from the United Kingdom, where she had been based for her Atlantic patrols, to New London, Conn., thence to Pearl Harbor. She patrolled the East China Sea on her sixth war run, and sank two large transports, a freighter, and a small escort type vessel. HERRING’s seventh patrol was in the area just south of the Japanese home islands; here she damaged a destroyer type vessel.
Sailors Lost On USS HERRING (SS-233) 6-1-1944
Anderson, F. H. RT2 Anderson, J. L., Jr. MOMM2 Armstrong, J. E. RM1 Balestrieri, S. ENS Blair, J. L. F1 Blevins, J. T. S1 Boucher, L. J. S1 Brennan, J. J. TM1 Bronder, J. J. SC2 Brown, W. J. S2 Burkett, T. CK1 Burton, C. E. MOMM2 Campbell, N. STM2 Carroll, M. D. CMOMMA Carter, R. A. TM3 Chouinard, R. J. TM1 Christopherson, R. W. TM1 Compton, J. N. LT Cook, A. J. MOMM2 Cunningham, E. P. ENS Cushion, H. L. EM1 Dawkins, J. R. MOMM1 Devenport, R. E. TM3 Edginton, F. K. MOMM3 Eitelbach, W. J., Jr. MOMM1 French, G. W. MOMM3 Gagnon, D. R. F2 Gregory, J. L. TM3 Groshens, C. G. EM2 Grote, C. H. RM3 Guerra, A. A. PHAR Harper, P. TM3 Haskell, R. G. MOMM2 Hill, B. G. S1 Hofman, W. A. LTJG Isbell, L. H. SC3 Johnson, J. M. MOMM2 Johnson, L. K. S2 Johnson, S. L., Jr. RM2 Kelley, E. A. EM2 Kostai, M. F., Jr. LTJG Leahy, E. L., Jr. LT Lewis, W. E. TM3 Loftis, R. H. MOMM1 Mack, R. L. RM3 Mason, W. J. LCDR Mayes, J. B. SM3 McCreary, J. W., Jr. CQMA McLendon, W. R. TM3 Merriman, J. A., Jr. SOM2 Millis, R. S. CEM Mitchell, G. R. EM3 Much, H. B. F1 Odom, L. F2 O'Howell, H. J. CMOMM Payne, R. E. GM2 Pepera, G. J. FC2 Perkins, J. G. S1 Poland, C. E. SM3 Potvin, O. P. QM3 Pressnali, W. B. ENS Price, S. H. EM2 Riley, C. E. MOMM2 Robbins, D. L. MOMM3 Rockwell, E. E. EM1 Ryan, D. E. MOMM3 Saarm, A, H. MOMM3 Schmidt, C. A. F1 Smiley, W. K. GM3 Stern, W. S1 Stoneking, R. R. SC3 Sutherland, J. A. F1 Swanson, F. A. Y2 Twigg, A. W. EM1 VanMatri, V. H. EM3 Vreeland, L. M. COX Wagoner, G. E. FCS1 Walker, C. D. MOMM2 Walsh, J. R. EM3 Way, K. K. S1 Wilson, H. R. TM2 Wuertele, E. C. S1 Zabriskie, D., Jr. LCDR
Más sobre #30 USS Herring (SS 233) 6/1/44
30: #31 USS Gudgeon (SS 211) 6/7/44
USS GUDGEON (SS 211)
June 7, 1944 - 78 Men Lost
Armed with the pride born of her successes on eleven previous war patrols, GUDGEON, under Lt. Cmdr. R.A. Bonin, sailed from Pearl Harbor on April 4, 1944 to conduct her twelfth patrol in an open area in the northern Marianas. She left Johnston Island on April 7, 1944, after having topped off with fuel, and was never heard from again.
Originally scheduled to leave her area on 16 May, she was ordered on May 11th to depart her area in time to take station for a special assignment. An acknowledgment for this message was required and when none was received, it was asked for again on May 12th. On May 14th, her special assignment was give to another submarine, and GUDGEON was told to return to Midway. She should have arrived at Midway about May 23rd, but failed to do so and on June 7th she was reported as presumed lost.
GUDGEON was assigned to patrol a specific area, but if she arrived earlier than April 22, 1944, she was to patrol an area to the northeast. Using normal cruising speed, she would have arrived in the are assigned about April 16th. Assuming that nothing irregular happened en route, she might be expected to have been in the northern area from April 16-22. On April 18th, enemy planes claimed that they dropped bombs on a submarine. “The first bomb hit a bow, the second bomb direct on bridge. The center of the submarine burst open and oil pillars rose.” The position given for this attack is 166 miles from “Yuoh” Island. No island approaching the spelling or sound of this word can be found in the Pacific, and it is assumed that a mistake has been made either by the Japanese or in translation of the position. If the island referred to could be Maug, the position given would be in the middle of the area in which GUDGEON should have been at the time specified. The attack described cannot be correlated with any known attack on an U.S. submarine near this time, but it is felt that the possible errors in assuming that this attack sank GUDGEON are too great to list as anything but a possibility.
On May 12, 1944, a number of submarines patrolling the Marianas reported that the enemy engaged in intensive antisubmarine tactics. Early that afternoon, SAND LANCE states, “while patrolling off Saipan looking for convoy, we heard about forty depth charges eight to ten miles away.” Later SAND LANCE met three bombs and twenty-one depth charges herself. SILVERSIDES heard both the first attack and the one made on SAND LANCE. TUNNY heard depth charging during the afternoon. No submarine returning from the area reported having been attacked on May 12th but SAND LANCE. Japanese date for the attack give little information save that it was made by planes in cooperation with ships. With so many submarines in the vicinity, and the enemy conscious of their presence, as they undoubtedly were, the attack which was not on SAND LANCE might easily have been on a false contact.
The probability as to the cause for GUDGEON’s loss is that she was depth-charged, bombed, or both. The attack on May 12 occurred slightly south of GUDGEON’s area, but it was not unusual for submarines to leave their areas temporarily for tactical reason. Since the antisubmarine measures in the Marianas were so intense, it is not unlikely that GUDGEON would be unable to transmit a receipt for the message of May 10th for several days. All of these conclusions are presumptive, and there is a great likelihood that GUDGEON was lost during an unrecorded enemy attack.
During her first eleven patrols, GUDGEON was a most active submarine. She sank 25 ships, for 166,400 tons, and damaged 8 more, for 41,900 tons. She started for the Empire but four days after the attack at Pearl Harbor, and there sank a freighter and a submarine. By sinking the Japanese submarine I-73 on January 27, 1942, GUDGEON became the first United States submarine in history to sink an enemy combatant’s ship. She patrolled the South China Sea in her second war run and sank a large freighter-transport and a medium freighter. Her third patrol was as a member of the forces fighting the Battle of Midway. She inflicted no damage in the battle. Passing from Pearl Harbor to Fremantle, Western Australia, for her fourth patrol, GUDGEON patrolled the Truk area en route. Here she sank three freighters and a freighter- transport, all of fairly large size. Her fifth patrol was in the Bismarck Archipelago, and resulted in the sinking of three freighters and damage to another.
GUDGEON patrolled Davao Gulf, Ambon Island and Timor Island on her sixth patrol. She made no attacks on this patrol, but did reconnoiter the latter two islands. In the Java Sea and Strait of Makassar on her seventh patrol, GUDGEON sank two tankers and two freighters and damaged a third freighter. Her eighth patrol covered a passage from Fremantle to Pearl Harbor with principal patrol in the Philippine areas. She sank the largest (17,500-ton) transport ship the Japanese had, a small freighter-transport, a trawler, and damaged a freighter. GUDGEON patrolled Saipan and Rota on her ninth run, and sank a freighter and damaged another freighter and patrol craft. The East China Sea north of Formosa was GUDGEON’s area during her tenth war patrol. She sank a large transport, a small freighter, and the coastal defense vessel WAKAMIYA on November 23, 1943. She also damaged a large tanker. In the same area for her eleventh patrol, this vessel sank a large transport and a sampan, and damaged a second sampan. GUDGEON was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for the period covering her first eight patrols.
Sailors Lost On USS GUDGEON (SS-211) 4-7-1944
Abbott, O. A. TM3 Ankeny, W. QM3 Ball, J. R. S1 Barrett, M. P. GM3 Birchfield, B. H. MOMM3 Blessing, J. H. TM1 Bonin, R. A. LCDR Bossong, J. G. EM2 Carney, J. R. SM3 Christian, R. O. TM3 Coghlan, J. W. S. LTJG Collins, R. C. LT Copeland, C. B.,Jr. EM2 Crandall, G. E. EM2 Dickenson, B. W. ENS Dodson, E. H. EM3 Donovan, J. P. TM3 Evans, J. W. MOMM1 Everhart, A. R. Y3 Feikert, W. E. MOMM1 Fernandez, A. STM2 Fournier, J. A. EM3 Garrett, H. O. EM2 Gaughan, E. C. MOMM2 Hammond, K. L. MOMM3 Hegerfeld, L. G. TM2 Henry, W. R. F1 Hensley, E. C. MOMM2 Heyes, B. L. LTJG Hitt, R. M. GM3 Hugart, R. E. TM2 Keller, D. W. RM3 Keller, N. C. S2 Kohut, S. CMOMMA Krueger, K, P. RM2 Langdale, L. A. SC2 Lefferts, G. W., Jr. MOMM3 Lewis, R. J. S1 McCorquodale, D. B. LTJG McKenna, J. R. TM3 McLallen, J. W. TM3 McNicol, W. F. RM3 Metzger, L. L. TM1 Midgley, D. R. LT Morris, E. MOMM3 Murphy, W. J. EM3 Nickel, H. C. MOMM1 Norris, M. P. EM3 Orfila, H. F. QM3 Ostlund, W. C. LTJG Patriquin, H. F. SC2 Patterson, T. E. CEM Pieniadz, F. J. RT2 Piller, J. A. S1 Pinkley, A. D. LTJG Powles, J. M. CPHMA Remaley, W. D. RM1 Rice, J. R. TM3 Sennewald, W. J. MOMM3 Sewell, M. A. S2 Shults, L. MOMM2 Simons, R. P. TM2 Sponheimer, W. H. S1 Sullivan, O. J. MOMM1 Taylor, R. H. F2 Taylor, S. H. S1 Thomas, C. F. MOMM3 Updike, H. E. TM3 Vance, N. S1 VanNorden, F. E. EM2 Walker, J. M., Jr. RM2 Waters, H. A. MOMM2 Watson, G. J. EM3 Webster, E. A., Jr. F1 White, T.J. FC3 Whitelow, J. MOMM2 Worthingron, W. W., Jr. EM2 Zimmerman, C. A., Jr. GM3
Más sobre #31 USS Gudgeon (SS 211) 6/7/44
31: #32 USS Golet (SS 361) 6/14/44
USS GOLET (SS 361)
June 14, 1944 - 82 Men Lost
En route to her second patrol, GOLET (Lt. Cmdr. J.S. Clark) left Midway on May 28, 1944, for the entire area off the northeast coast of Honshu. No word was ever heard from her after she departed Midway.
GOLET was scheduled to depart her area on July 5, 1944, and was expected at Midway about July 12th or 13th. On July 9, 1944, she was sent a message which required an acknowledgement, but none came. On July 11th, a sharp lookout was posted at Midway for a submarine coming in without being able to transmit. By July 26, 1944, the ship had not returned, and it was reported as presumed lost.
In the reports covering Japanese antisubmarine attacks, made since war’s end, one is recorded as having been on June 14, 1944. This attack is considered to explain GOLET’s loss, since the enemy, in his report, states, “On the spot of fighting we later discovered corks, raft, etc., and heavy oil pool of 50 by 5,200 meters.” GOLET was credited with no sinkings or damage to enemy ships on her first patrol, conducted in the Kuriles and the area south of Hokkaido and east of Honshu.
Sailors Lost On USS GOLET (SS-361) 6-14-1944
Barlow, G. R. ENS, Barnes, E. C. EM2, Barta, R. A. MOMM1, Bartz, E. L. MOMM1, Beaulieu, D. W. GM3, Belcher, D. L. MOMM3, Bickham, C. M. SM2, Blackburn, E. R. RT1, Breunig, J. W. MOMM3, Brown, J. W. LTJG, Butor, J. A. CTMA, Carr, A. H. TM3, Clark, J. S. LCDR, Coram, W. M. EM3, Danko, R. R. QM1, Davidson, W. D. SM2, Dowey, C. MOMM2, Earle, V. J. S1, Edward, W. A. GM1, Germann, L. L. MOMM2, Goetz, H. "C" S2, Gormley, G. L. F1, Greenhalgh, J. F. TM3, Grumet, S. E. MOMM3, Guest, O. C., Jr. MOMM1, Hanley, R. E. RM3, Hardy, R. E. TM3, Harville, R. L. CEM, Hendley, G. D. EM1, Hoffman, R. E. MOMM2, Hughes, E. J. FC2, Humble, J. J. RM3, Infalt, R. W. TM2, Johnson, C. H. LT, Kane, W. M. LCDR, Kolbucar, J. QM3, Koutsos, J. M. S1, Leinwand, L. R., Jr. EM3, Leonard, C. B. MOMM2, Lewis, G. J. S1, Lockwood, G. G. MOMM2, Lytle, H. P. MOMM2, Martin, C. L. EM2, McCulough, W. E., Jr. STM1, McLaughlin, H. B., Jr. LT, Miller, E. W. CPHM, Millhouse, G. I. EM2, Milus, P. P. CFC, Numair, S. J. F1, Parry, M. TM2, Peterson, M. L. RM1, Pinter, G. A. EM3, Porgrais, F. R. EM1, Reichelt, R. C. MOMM1, Rockwood, A. J. SC1, Rose, J. GM2, Rymal, J. G. S2, Sadler, W. R. LT, Schlemmer, A. E. MOMM1, Schramm, E. F. MOMM3, Sederstrand, C. E. CEMA, Sieracki, E. F. TM3, Simandl, R. A. TM3, Smith, D. B. RM2, Sterling, G., Jr. ST3, Stone, A. R. CMOMMA, Strout, J. C., Jr. EM2, Stull, W. G. MOMM1, Sturdivan, J. E. TM1, Sutherland, E. H. MOMM1, Swartzback, W. W. Y1, Tarr, A. H. S1, Thompson, R. N. TM2, Tinker, R. B. SC2, Wadsworth, A. S., III LCDR, Walz, R. R. MOMM2, Wesley, J. H. BM2, White, J. S. ENS, Whitney, E. E., Jr. LT, Williams, R. E. EM1, Winkle, W. J. TM2, Wright, H. D. SC1
Más sobre #32 USS Golet (SS 361) 6/14/44
32: #33 USS S 28 (SS 133) 7/4/44
USS S-28 (SS 133)
July 4, 1944 - 49 Men Lost
On June 20, 1944, LCDR J.G. Campbell assumed command of S-28, his first command. The ship had finished a normal upkeep period on June 12 and continued on her assigned duty of training enlisted personnel and engaging in sonar exercises with ships under control of COMDESPAC.
On July 3, S-28, in accordance with orders from COMDESPAC, got underway from the Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, to conduct a week's normal operations. During the day on July 3, S-28 acted as a target for anti-submarine warfare vessels until about 1700 local time. At that time she made two practice torpedo approaches on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter RELIANCE. On July 4 S-28 again carried out sonar exercises as on the previous day, and at 1730 again undertook a practice approach on RELIANCE.
At 1730 S-28 dived about four miles distant from RELIANCE. At about 1805 RELIANCE made sound contact with S-28 at a range of 1700 yards. The range decreased to about 1500 yards and then steadily increased, as the bearing drifted aft. Although sound contact was temporarily lost by RELIANCE at 3,000 yards, she picked up the submarine again at 3,300 yards. At 1820, with range 4,700 yards, RELIANCE permanently lost sound contact with S-28. At no time during the approach or the ensuing sound search were distress signals from S-28 seen or heard, nor was any sound heard which indicated an explosion in S-28.
When by 1830, S-28 had not surfaced or sent any signals, RELIANCE retraced her course and tried to establish communication with her. Although previous tests had showed that no difficulty would be experienced in exchanging messages by sound gear at ranges up to 2,000 yards, RELIANCE was unable to contact S-28. The Coast Guard vessel called in other vessels from Pearl Harbor at 2000, and a thorough search of the area was instituted, lasting until the afternoon of July 6, 1944. A slick, which was unmistakably made by diesel oil, was the only sign of S-28.
The Court of Inquiry which investigated the sinking determined that S-28 sank shortly after 1820 on July 4, 1944 in 1400 fathoms of water. Because of the depth of the water, salvage operations were impossible. The Court recorded its opinion that S-28 lost depth control "from either a material casualty or an operating error of personnel, or both, and that depth control was never regained. The exact cause of the loss of S-28 cannot be determined." The Court found, further, that, "the material condition of S-28 was as good or better than that of other ships of her class performing similar duty," and that "the officers and crew on board S-28 at the time of her loss were competent to operate the ship submerged in the performance of her assigned duties."
It was stated that the loss of S-28 was not caused by negligence or inefficiency of any person or persons.
Sailors Lost On USS S-28 7-4-1944
Anderson, E. F. F2, Appling, J. I. EM2, Bennett, J. K., Jr. GM3, Brown, J. F. MOMM2, Bullard, H. M. TM2, Buzek, R. F. EM3, Campbell, J. G. LCDR, Chapman, A. G. MOMM3, Connell, J. L. F1, Covington, C. W., Jr. LT, Cox, G. A. EM3, Durant, J. F. F2, Durkee, D. A. F1, Gardner, F. W. QM3, Garza, J. D. MOMM2, Gerbensky, C. H. MOMM3, Gresswell, J., Jr. MOMM3, Haney, J. R. MOMM1, Harsma, R. F. ENS, Hester, H. L. ENS, Highfill, L. E. S2, Hizer, N. J. W. MOMM1, Johnson, N. K. MOMM3, Keirn, K. MOMM3, Kunkel. "A" "J", Jr. S1, Likevich, S., Jr. PHM1, Madsen, R. B. ENS, McGuinness, J. F. PHM2, McMillan, M. R. RM3, McNeela, R. T. RT3, Moffitt, C. M. SM1, Morrison, E. J. F1, Nelson, C. E. LT, Nottage, O. GM3, Ouderkirk, D. M. MOMM3, Peet, G. V. MOMM2, Purcell, J. F. EM1, Runnels, G. R. S1, Salerno, J. J. EM3, Schreier, E. C. MOMM2, Smith, F. "S" SC2, Spradley, J. W. S2, Spurlock, J. CK3, Vaughan, E. S1, Weis, W. J. MOMM1, Whitted, W. T. MOMM2, Wolf, A. W. RM3, Wurtz, K. A. F1 Ejaype, Paulino OS1
Más sobre #33 USS S 28 (SS 133) 7/4/44
33: #34 USS Robalo (SS 273) 7/26/44
USS ROBALO (SS 273)
July 26, 1944 - 81 Men Lost
ROBALO under Cmdr. M.M. Kimmel, departed Fremantle on June 22, 1944 to conduct her third war patrol in the South China Sea in the vicinity of the Natuna Islands. After traversing Makassar and Balabac Straits, she was to arrive on station about July 6th and stay there until dark on August 2, 1944.
On July 2nd a contact report stated ROBALO had sighted a Fuso-class battle ship with air cover and two destroyers for escort, just east of Borneo. No other messages were received from ROBALO and when she did not return from patrol, she was reported as presumed lost.
The following information was received via the Philippine guerrillas and an U.S. Navy enlisted man who was a prisoner of war at Puerto Princesa Prison Camp, Palawan, P.I. On August 2, 1944, a note dropped from the window of the prison cell in which survivors from ROBALO were held was picked up by an American soldier in a work detail and given to H.D. Hough, Y2c, USN, another prisoner. On 4 August, Hough contacted Mrs. Trinidad Mendosa, wife of guerrilla leader Dr. Mendosa, who furnished further information on the survivors. From these sources, he put together the following facts.
ROBALO was sunk July 26, 1944, two miles off the western coast of Palawan Island as a result of an explosion of her after battery. Four men swam ashore, an officer and three enlisted men: Samuel L. Tucker, Ens.; Floyd G. Laughlin, QM1c; Wallace K. Martin, SM3c, and Mason C. Poston, EM2c. They made their way through the jungles to a small barrio northwest of the Puerto Princesa camp. They were captured there by Japanese Military Police, and confined in the jail. They were held for guerrilla activities rather than as prisoners of war, it is said. On August 15, 1944, a Japanese destroyer evacuated them, and nothing further is known of their destination or whereabouts. The Japanese may have executed them or the destroyer may have been sunk. At any rate, they were never recovered and their note stated that there were no other survivors.
It is doubted that a battery explosion could be sufficiently violent to cause the sinking of the ship; more likely ROBALO struck an enemy mine.
In her first patrol, in the area west of the Philippines, ROBALO damaged a large enemy freighter. Her second patrol was in the South China Sea near Indo-China where she sank a 7,500-ton tanker.
Sailors Lost On USS ROBALO (SS-273) 7-26-1944
Ackley, J. W. S1 Bailey, J. B. TM2 Bell, R. W. SM1 Boehles, J. P. TM1 Breeden, C. E. EM3 Brereton, W. A. MOMM1 Brokman, G. S1 Cagle, C. "L", Jr. MOMM1 Carter, H. E. LCDR Changary, S. J. MOMM3 Clark, E. O. S1 Clifford, M. "D" "R" S1 Cooperman, H. M. RT2 Cotterman, S. N. PHM1 Cress, D. C. RM3 Dickerson, D. E. CMOMM Dittman, C. L. TM2 Downey, W. L. MOMM2 Dvoracek, J. L., Jr. F1 Ervin, L. F. MOMM1 Fell, C. W. LCDR Fink, D. E. RM3 Flanagan, A. J. GM3 Fondon, G. M. F1 Fricker, J. J. SC2 Gerdes, H. J., Jr. ENS Gleaton, E., Jr. CK2 Graham, K. E. EM1 Hamilton, H. L., Jr. TM3 Hart, J. F., Jr. TM3 Hood, H. T. TM3 Jurst, J. A. MOMM2 Ivey, H. B. RT1 Jackson, N. M. TM2 Jambor, W. E. GM1 Johnson, E. H. MOMM1 Johnson, N. Y. SC1 Kesteron, W. G. MOMM2 Kimmel, M. M. LCDR Konen, A. C. S2 Laughlin, F. G. QM1 Leahey, R. J. SC3 Lefebvre, J. W. CEMA Levy, D. J. MOMM3 Lovell, D. W. EM1 Lutman, J. A. ENS McKnight, H. F., Jr. LTJG Martin, R. E. EM2 Martin, W. K. SM3 Marx, M. J. EM2 Matthews, W. G. Y1 Nichols, H.E. F1 Niclas, J. R. MOMM2 O'Brien, J. J. MOMM2 O'Rourke, E. P. F1 Paw, E. J. FC2 Phelps, B. B. TM1 Poston, M. C. TM1 Priddis, J. F. CEM Proseus, R. J. LT Ramsier, H. L. MOMM1 Root, C. A. MOMM1 Russell, S. J. F2 Smith, S. W. GM3 Sonemann, W. F. RM3 Speener, R. W. S1 Spencer, S. E. CTMA Taylor, H. P. MOMM1 Tucker, S. L. ENS Usealman, H. E. S2 VanDeurzen, J. R. MOMM3 Varney, E. G. S1 Virga, C. R. F1 Vogel, F. P. TM3 Wilkerson, D. f. MOMM2 Williams, D. L. STM1 Wilson, F. J. CMOMM Winnan, R. O. EM3 Wlodarczyk, S. J. S1 Wood, C. E., Jr. QM3 Zea, C. K. TM3
Más sobre #34 USS Robalo (SS 273) 7/26/44
34: #35 USS Flier (SS 250) 8/13/44
USS FLIER (SS 250)
August 13, 1944 - 78 Men Lost
FLIER, commanded by Cmdr. J.D. Crowley, left Fremantle, Western Australia on August 2, 1944 to conduct her second war patrol. Her area was east of Saigon, French Indo-China, and she was to pass through Lombok Strait, Makassar Strait, the Celeves Sea, Sibutu Passage and the Sulu Sea in proceeding to her station. By evening of August 13th she had come through the Sulu Sea and was transiting Balabac Strait, south of Palawan, P.I. when, at 2200, disaster struck. Suddenly a terrific explosion, estimated to have been forward on the starboard side, shook the ship.
Several of the men on the bridge were injured, and the Commanding Officer was thrown to the after part of the bridge, where he regained his senses a moment later. Oil, water and debris deluged the bridge. There was a strong smell of fuel, a terrific venting of air through the conning tower hatch, and the sounds of flooding and of screaming men below. Lt. Liddell, the Executive Officer, had stepped below the hatch to speak to Cmdr. Crowley; he was blown through it, and men poured out behind him. Within 20 or 30 seconds FLIER sank while still making 15 knots through the water. The Commanding Officer’s opinion is that the explosion was caused by contact with a mine.
Those men who survived have stated that a few men were seen in the water after the ship went down. The word was passed for all survivors to gather together, however not all presumed survivors reappeared. The first impulse was to swim to Comiran Island, but when the question was weighed, and the possibility of falling into Japanese hands was considered, Crowley decided to strike out for the coral reefs to the north-westward. Meanwhile Lt. Knapp became separated from the group and was not seen or heard again. The sky was overcast, and it was difficult to swim toward the objective at all times; an occasional flash of lightning helped to keep the swimmers oriented. After moonrise, at 0300 on August 14th, maintaining proper direction was easier.
All this time Lt. Casey had been unable to see, having been partially blinded by oil. At about 0400 he became exhausted and the others were forced to leave him. Commander Crowley realized that the only hope for anyone lay in swimming at best speed, and all hands were told to do the best they could toward land, which was now in sight. Madeo now began to fall behind, and was not seen after 0500.
At 1330 five of the group, Cmdr. Crowley, Lt. Liddell, Ens. Jacobson, Howell and Baumgart reached a floating palm tree and used this to aid themselves in remaining afloat and pushing toward land. This group came ashore on Mantangule Island at 1530 and were met there by Russo, who had swum the entire distance. At 1700 Tremaine was found on the eastern end of the island by Lt. Liddell. A lean-to was constructed and the night was spent on the beach.
In the days following, plans were laid to obtain food and water and to make contact with friendly natives. A raft was made of drifted bamboo lashed together, and the party began working from island to island, with Palawan the ultimate objective. On 19 August they contacted natives who led them to an U.S. Army Coast Watcher Unit on Palawan. This unit made its communication facilities available to the group, and arrangements were made for evacuation by submarine. On the night of August 30 the survivors from FLIER embarked in two small boats, and, having made their way safely around a Japanese merchant ship anchored near the rendezvous point, were picked up by REDFIN early in the morning of 31 August.
FLIER’s first patrol was conducted west of Luzon in June 1944. She sank four freighters, and damaged a fifth freighter and a tanker for 19,500 tons and 13,500 tons damaged.
Sailors Lost On USS FLIER (SS-250) 8-13-1944
Abrahamson, A. J. MOMM2 Anderson, V. J. TM2 Baehr, H. A. ENS Banchero, G. J. MOMM2 Banks, C. CK3 Barron, P. F. RM2 Bivens, W. H. S1 Bohn, T. L. EM3 Borlick, E. A. MOMM1 Brtooks, W. J. CMOMM Brubaker, E. S. F1 Canady, E. MOMM1 Casey, J. E. LT Christensen, C. J., Jr. S1 Clawson, C. W. S1 Cosgrove, R. J. TM2 Courtright, C. L. S1 Cowhey, W. F. EM1 Cowie, J. W. EM3 Cushman, R. A. MOMM2 Daggy, W. H. MOMM3 Daros, P. A. MOMM1 Donovan, T. A. TM2 Dorricott, W. E., Jr. Y2 Dressell, E. W. QM2 Elder, J. E. Y2 Ericson, H. G. EM3 Falowski, F. W. EM3 Fender, F. E. MOMM1 Fite, B.V. RM3 Freeman, W. D. S1 Gaideczka, P. A. PHM1 Galinac, J. J. GM3 Gerber, C. A. TM1 Getchell, M. G. BKR3 Grimshaw, J. W. MOMM2 Gwinn, K. L. CTM Hardy, G. W. BM2 Heller, E. W. S1 Holtyn, H. S. MOMM2 Hudson, E. W. CMOMMA Kantor, S. TM3 Kisamore, O. W. MOMM3 Klock, W. J. CRMA Knapp, P. LT Kucinski, J. W. EM1 Laderbush, G. R. TM2 Lambert, R. A. TM3 LeRoy, J. MOMM1 Lindeman, B. O. TM1 Madeo, G. F. F1 Mayer, P. S. ENS McCoy, E. H. S1 McLane, V. C. MOMM3 Miner, H. A. ENS Moench, V. I. S1 Murawski, V. J. F1 Myers, H. L. EM1 Nicholson, , J. G. TM3 Nordhof, D. H. RM2 Parker, C. W. EM1 Payne, C. S1 Phillips, G. W., Jr. MOMM3 Poole, M. CEMA Pope, C. D. CGMA Pourciau, K. J. S1 Reynolds, W. L. LTJG Ricciardelli, M. N. MOMM1 Rose, R. C. SM1 See, D. N. F1 Skow, A. L. SC3 Snyder, J. E. MOMM1 Taylor, J. C. EM1 Turner, J. C. STM1 Vest, P. A. MOMM2 Vogt, J. F. TR2 Wall, L. P. TM1 Westmoreland, J. E. SC1
Survivors
Baumgart, E. R. MOMM3 Crowley. J. D. CDR Howell, A. G. CRTA Jacobson, A. E., Jr. LTJG Liddell, J. W., Jr. LT Miller, W. B. MOMM3 Russo, J. D. QM3 Tremaine, D. P. FCR2
Más sobre #35 USS Flier (SS 250) 8/13/44
35: #36 USS Harder (SS 257) 8/24/44
USS HARDER (SS 257)
August 24, 1944 - 78 Men Lost
Additional information provided by Captain C.C. Brock, USN(Ret)
Commander S.D. Dealey guided his eminently successful fighting ship, HARDER, out of the harbor at Fremantle, Australia on 5 August 1944 to begin the sixth war patrol of that vessel. In company with HAKE, HARDER conducted training exercises en route to Darwin. These two submarines topped off with fuel at Darwin, and on 13 August, together with HADDO, left for their assigned area west of Luzon, P.I. They were to patrol as a coordinated attack or wolf pack group, with Cdr. Dealey in charge.
On the afternoon of 20 August 1944, RAY, patrolling the same area, tracked a large convoy into Paluan Bay on the northwestern coast of Mindoro. An hour after surfacing, she contacted HARDER just outside the bay and held a megaphone conversation with Sam Dealey. Dealey formulated a plan for concentrated dawn wolf pack attack on the convoy. HARDER came alongside HADDO at 0130 on the morning of August 21 and told Lt. Cmdr. C.W. Nimitz, Jr., that at least 16 enemy ships were holed up in the bay. When the convoy made its exit at dawn (as convoys were wont to do) RAY was to approach from the northwest, HADDO from the west, and HARDER from the southwest. GUITARRO also had been drafted by Dealey, and was to attack from the northwest near Cape Calavite Lighthouse.
During the attacks which ensued, four ships, totaling 22,000 tons, were sunk, by Japanese admission. It is thought likely that HARDER sank one of them.
On the following day, HADDO and HARDER conducted a combined attack on three small vessels off Bataan. All three were sunk; these were the coast defense vessels MATSUWA, SADO and HIBURI. HADDO and HARDER each received credit for sinking one vessel, and shared credit for the third sinking.
The morning of 23 August HADDO contacted a tanker escorted by a destroyer, and blew the bow off the destroyer in a down-the-throat shot. She fired her last torpedo in this attack, and in response to urgent calls for assistance, HAKE and HARDER rendezvoused with her. HADDO, being out of torpedoes, “received Sam’s blessing” and left his wolf pack, heading south. HAKE and HARDER discussed plans for finishing off the damaged destroyer and then departed for their common objective off Caiman Point.
At 0453 on the morning of August 24th, HAKE dove not far from Caiman Point and about four miles off Hermana Major Island, west coast of Luzon, with HARDER in sight 4500 yards south of her. HAKE heard echo ranging to the south and soon sighted two ships. At first they appeared to be a three-stack light cruiser and a destroyer, but upon later inspection were identified as a three-stack Thai destroyer (the PHRA RUANG, of 1,035 tons) and a minesweeper of less than 1,000 tons. HAKE broke off the attack and headed north when the target zigged away apparently to enter Dasol Bay, while the minesweeper stayed outside.
At 0647 upon coming to a northerly course, HARDER’s periscope was seen dead ahead at about 600-700 yards. Sound also reported faint screws on the bearing, so HAKE turned away toward the south. At this point the minesweeper gave three strong pings, whereupon HAKE saw her 2,000 yards away swinging toward the two submarines. HAKE figured he had sound contact and went deep. The enemy kept pinging, but seemed to have the two targets located and to be undecided what to do about it. At 0728, HAKE heard 15 rapid depth charges, none close. Two sets of screws were heard and each continued pinging on either quarter of HAKE as she evaded to the westward. By 0955 all was quiet.
HARDER never was heard from again. Japanese records reveal that an antisubmarine attack was made on the same day with 440 pound depth charges. The enemy said, “much oil, wood chips and cork floated in the neighborhood.” Presumably HARDER perished in this depth charge attack.
HARDER was officially credited with having sunk 20.5 enemy ships (the half credit was given for a ship sunk cooperatively with HADDO). This gave HARDER a total of 82,500 tons sunk and she damaged seven ships for 29,000 tons.
Her first patrol was conducted in Empire waters, starting in June 1943. She sank three freighters, and damaged seriously a freighter-transport, another freighter, a transport and a tanker. She went to the Empire again for her second patrol, and sank three freighters and a tanker, while she damaged a trawler.
HARDER was a part of wolf pack, of which PARGO and SNOOK were the other members, on her third patrol. In the open sea north of the Marianas, she sank a freighter, three freighter- transports and an armed trawler.
HARDER’s fourth patrol was in the western Carolines. On April 1, 1944 she made a daring rescue of a Navy fighter pilot shot down at Woleai Island early that morning during a strike by a fast carrier task force. In mid afternoon on April 13, 1944 she was buzzed by a Japanese patrol plane which brought the destroyer IKAZUCHI to the scene. The DD was attacked and sunk along about sunset. Four nights later she sank a freighter and damaged a second destroyer.
HARDER departed Perth for her fifth patrol in the Celebes Sea on May 26, 1944. She picked up coast watchers from northeastern Borneo, and gave a very valuable contact report on a major task force leaving Tawi Tawi anchorage, Sulu Archipelago, preparing to engage in the first Battle of the Philippine Sea.
Shortly thereafter, while patrolling in the Tawi Tawi area she sank five destroyers over a five day period beginning on June 6, 1944. First to go down was MINAZUKI, followed the next day by HAYANAMI. Three days later on the 9th, she sank the TANIKAZE and another unidentified DD during the same attack; and sank another unidentified DD on the 10th.
Sinking of these last two unidentified DD's could not be verified shortly after the war by the Joint Army Navy Assessments Committee, but subsequent analysis of the data, published in 1989 by the U.S. Naval Institute, has supported the initial claim. Moreover, Sam Dealey and others in the fire control party observed the sinking of the fourth DD; and the fifth DD broke up almost on top of HARDER after being hit with a down the throat shot. By the time HARDER returned from this patrol, she had earned the reputation of being the Submarine Force's most terrible opponent of destroyers. Indeed, "five DD's in five days" was electrifying news throughout the submarine force."
HARDER received the Presidential Unit Citation for her first five patrols, and Commander Dealey was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for sinking five enemy combatant vessels on his outstandingly successful fifth war patrol.
Sailors Lost On USS HARDER (SS 257) 8-24-1944
Altherr, C. R. MOMM2 Baber, R. O. MOMM2 Beutelspacher, W. F. SC3 Bourg, S. MOMM3 Brostrom, W. A. SM1 Buckner, T. W. LTJG Bull, C. A. RM2 Cash, V. J. MOMM1 Chenard, R. R. R1 Clark, W. L. RT2 Conley, J. C. MOMM1 Crask, H. F. S1 Cromwell, J. E. STM2 Dahlheimer, D. B. MOMM2 Dallessandro, V. L. TM1 Dealey, S. D. CDR DeVoe, E. W. F1 Diamond, W. V. RM1 Edgar, J. M. FC2 Finney, C. E. LTJG Fisher, G. E., Jr. MOMM3 Gifford, R. L. TM3 Glueckert, J. L. MOMM3 Gully, D. J. Y1 Haloupek, W. O. ENS Hatfield, H. D. LTJG Hood, E. V. TM1 Hutcherson, V. W. CMOMMA James, D. R. LTJG Jones, R. E. MOMM3 Keckler, R. W. CEMA Kellogg, J. H. EM2 Lakey, G. W. S1 Lane, J. M. EM3 Lawson, H. W. MOMM3 Levin, G. B. RT2 Lilley, S. B. S1 Locascio, A. PHM1 Logan, S. M. LT Lonas, J. P. CMOMM Lynn, H. A., Jr. TM3 Majuri, F. P., Jr. EM1 Manning, R. E. EM2 Medley, B. R. EM2 Miller, C. CTM Mills, R. R. EM3 Moffett, C. A., Jr. MOMM2 Moore, O. J. BM2 Moore, R. CK2 Morgan, A. B. EM2 Moss, R. B. S1 Murray, M. H. TM2 McWilliams, G. K. BKR3 McGrevy, F. B. EM2 Ogilvie, T. D. S1 Opisso, L. A. MOMM2 Paquet, F., Jr. GM1 Peck, E. R. S1 Pick, R. S. S1 Pratt, R. E. S1 Przybilla, R. P. EM2 Rogers, M. N. TM3 Rogers, M. "M" S1 Roosevelt, R. B. ENS Sampson, P. T. LTJG Sheibelhut, F. X. MOMM2 Schwartz, M. MOMM3 Simon, D. J. RM3 Sloggett, V. I. LTJG Smith, A. TM2 Snipes, J. W., Jr. MOMM1 Snyder, W. N. TM3 Sommerschield, L. H. COX Spice, N. MOMM3 Swagerty, J. "T" MOMM3 White, L. M. TM3 Young, B. J., Sr. SC2 Zander, W. G. MOMM2
Más sobre #36 USS Harder (SS 257) 8/24/44
36: #37 USS Seawolf (SS 197) 10/3/44
USS SEAWOLF (SS 197)
October 3, 1944 - 79 Men Lost
SEAWOLF (Lt. Cmdr. A.M. Bontier) left Brisbane on September 21, 1944 beginning her 15th patrol, and arrived at Manus on September 29th. Leaving Manus on the same day, SEAWOLF was directed to carry certain stores and Army personnel to the east coast of Samar.
On October 3rd SEAWOLF and NARWHAL exchanged SJ radar recognition signals at 0756. Later the same day an enemy submarine attack was made, which resulted in the sinking of USS Shelton (DE 407). Since there were four friendly submarines in the vicinity of this attack, they were directed to give their positions and the other three did, but SEAWOLF was not heard from. On October 4th, SEAWOLF again was directed to report her position, and again she failed to.
USS ROWELL (DE 403) and an aircraft attacked a submarine in the vicinity of the attack on SHELTON, having at that time no knowledge of any friendly submarines in the area, and it was thought that SEAWOLF must be held down by these antisubmarine activities. It is possible that SEAWOLF was the submarine attacked.
The report from ROWELL indicates that an apparently lethal attack was conducted in conjunction with a plane which marked the spot with dye. ROWELL established sound contact on the submarine, which then sent long dashes and dots which ROWELL stated bore no resemblance to the existing recognition signals. After one of the several hedgehog attacks a small amount of debris and a large air bubble were seen. It has been established that the Japanese submarine RO-41 sank SHELTON on 3 October, and was able to return to Japan.
In view of the above facts, and the fact that there is no attack listed in the Japanese report of antisubmarine attacks which could account for the loss of SEAWOLF, it is possible that SEAWOLF was sunk by friendly forces in an antisubmarine attack on October 3, 1944. It is also possible that she was lost due to an operational casualty or as a result of an unrecorded enemy attack.
During her first fourteen patrols, SEAWOLF sank 27 enemy ships, and damaged 13. This gave her total tonnage for ships sunk and damaged of 108,600 and 69,600, respectively. On the day the war began she started patrolling in the vicinity of northern Luzon, but returned with no damage to her credit. Her second patrol was the passage from Manila to Port Darwin and SEAWOLF did not meet any enemy ships. On her third patrol SEAWOLF transported a cargo of .50 caliber antiaircraft ammunition to Corregidor in January 1942 and then took passengers from there to Surabaya. Patrolling the vicinity of Lombok Straits for her fourth run, SEAWOLF sank a transport and damaged three light cruisers, two transports and a freighter. She received the Navy Unit Commendation for this patrol. Returning to the Philippine area for her fifth patrol, SEAWOLF sank a freighter. In the Makassar Strait for her sixth patrol, SEAWOLF sank a tanker and a freighter-transport, while she damaged another tanker.
On her seventh patrol, she made the passage from Fremantle to Pearl Harbor, patrolling at Davao Gulf, Palau and Yap enroute. She sank the Japanese freighter-transport SAGAMI MARU 40 miles inside the mouth of Davao Gulf on November 3, 1942. In addition, SEAWOLF sank a large freighter, a tanker, two sampans, and, on April 23, 1943, Patrol Boat number 39, a converted Japanese destroyer. Going to an area off the China coast north of Formosa for her ninth patrol, SEAWOLF sank a freighter-transport and a sampan, and damaged a destroyer escort.
SEAWOLF’s tenth patrol was in the East China Sea in August and September 1943; here she sank three large freighters and two sampans, while she damaged a third sampan. She conducted her eleventh patrol in the South China Sea and sank a large freighter-transport and an unidentified ship, and damaged a freighter. In the East China Sea north of Formosa, SEAWOLF sank a freighter-transport, three freighters and damaged three more freighters on her twelfth war patrol. SEAWOLF’s mission on her thirteenth patrol was a photographic reconnaissance of Palau. She also rescued two downed aviators during an U.S. carrier air raid there. On her fourteenth patrol, SEAWOLF delivered cargo to guerrilla activities in the Philippines.
Sailors Lost On USS SEAWOLF (SS-197) 10-3-1944
Asa, M. L. LTJG Astarita, J. M. S1 Balch, L. R. EM1 Ballard, F. A. GM2 Bannister, J. BKR3 Bargenquast, A. F. MOMM1 Beck, W. B. F1 Bekke, G. E. CRMA Bennett, R. J. S1 Bergevin, P. K. S1 Bolon, D. V. F1 Bontier, A. M. LCDR Cash, W. L. MOMM3 Chapman, E. CMOMMA Call, J. B. RM1 Carithers, J. P. F1 Carnegie, R. J. EM3 Coon, N. "D" RT2 Copas, C. M. Y1 Cotton, W. H. SC3 Cox, R. L. LT Cunnally, J. P. MOMM1 Devitt, R. F. MOMM2 Doane, P. LT Ewing, J. L. QM3 Fixler, R. N. S1 Flynn, K. J. EM1 Franco, P. MOMM2 George, L. EM3 Grimes, J. QM2 Hadley, W. T. CPHMA Harris, J. G. F1 Howard, A. H. TM2 Huff, R. E. MOMM2 Johnson, J. E. RM2 Jurinic, M. SC1 Kenney, J. E. S1 Krempa, C. S. MOMM1 Kuehn, A. E. QM1 Lawson, C. G. TM2 Leeman, M. H., Jr. S1 Likert, G. R. BM1 Lynch, C. D. EM2 Malone, D. L. TM2 Marston, G. F., Jr. TM2 Maus, C. R. SM2 McCoy, W. G. CMOMM Michael, F. S. RM3 Miller, R. V. D. LTJG Miller, R. L. S2 Miller, R. T. TM2 Mills, L. T., Jr. F1 Mitchell, H. E. S2 Morris, E. L. FC2 Morris, J. A. S1 Nazay, G. G. MOMM3 Naze, D. J. CTMA Needham, G. M. EM1 Nivision, C. L. EM1 O'Brien, E. F., Jr. LT Page, A. F. EM2 Page, L. A. MOMM1 Peterson, E. N. MOMM1 Politylo, W. EM3 Reiland, W. F., Jr. ENS Rhoads, G. B. MOMM1 Riggle, M. R. TM2 Rocaya, S. S2 Rogers, B. F. CRTA Rosete, T. CCKA Sadler, J. C. TM2 Saint, J. W. MOMM1 Steinbecker, G. A. F1 Strausser, C. E. F1 Szendrey, E. J. LTJG Underhill, W. H. MOMM2 VanAndel, J. ENS Wall, V. P. MOMM1 Warren, T. W. TM2 Wiegenstein, M. P. CMOMMA Wyatt, D. B. S1 Young, R. P. EM3 Zuel, E. A. EM2
Más sobre #37 USS Seawolf (SS 197) 10/3/44
37: #38 USS Escolar (SS 294) 10/17/44
USS ESCOLAR (SS 294)
October 17, 1944 - 82 Men Lost
ESCOLAR (Cmdr. W.J. Millican) departed Pearl Harbor on September 18, 1944, to proceed to Midway to top off with fuel. There she joined CROAKER and PERCH and left on September 23rd to conduct a coordinated patrol (ESCOLAR’s first patrol) in the Yellow Sea. Cmdr. Millican was in command of this coordinated attack group, which was designated “Millican’s Marauders.”
On September 30th, when ESCOLAR was estimated to be about north of the Bonin Islands, the following partial message was received from her: “This from ESCOLAR X attacked with deck gun boat similar to ex- Italian Peter George five OTYI----.” Although no further transmissions have ever been received by bases from ESCOLAR, who was forced to break off the transmission and the engagement with the gunboat at this time, the commanding officer of CROAKER has stated that she suffered no damage and was in frequent communication with PERCH and CROAKER until October 17, 1944.
PERCH reported that on 17 October she had received a message from ESCOLAR stating that she was in position and was heading northeast. Neither PERCH nor CROAKER could raise ESCOLAR by radio after this transmission was received.
Had ESCOLAR left her area on the scheduled date, she would have arrived at Midway about November 13, 1944. All attempts to contact ESCOLAR failed and she was reported on November 27, 1944 as presumed lost. It is assumed that she was lost about October 17th. Information supplied by the Japanese on anti-submarine attacks gives no clue as to her loss, but the Yellow Sea area is though to have been mined. A course line plotted between the two positions given above does not cross any known Japanese mine lies, but positions of mines laid before April 1945 are not definitely located. The known minefields in Tsushima Strait were laid in April 1945. However, there were mines in the general area of ESCOLAR’s predicted position, and the most likely explanation for her end at present is that she detonated a mine.
Sailors Lost On USS ESCOLAR (SS-294) 10-17-1944
Abram, L. L. MOMM2 Anders, D. W. RM3 Babb, T. LT Bailey, L. L. CEMA Balfe, D. L. TM2 Becker, F. E. EM3 Bender, J. J. PHM1 Blaha, F. LCDR Bones, R. E. F1 Bonk, B. W. S1 Brabham, C. E. CRMA Broeker, G. J. RT2 Brouskie, F. EM1 Brown, E. E. F1 Cahill, J. M. MOMM3 Calabrese, R. L. TM3 Caldwell, W. T., Jr. TM1 Campbell, K. S. RM1 Cheosky, M. J. EM3 Cifrodella, J. J. TM2 Clary, J. W. CMOMMA Coleman, D. E. QM3 Cummings, J. M. MOMM1 Daniels, L. C., Jr. QM2 Ennis, J. F. S1 Evans, B. STM1 Farrar, R. L. LT Farwell, J. C. CY Fine, F. J. TM2 Fostair, J. E. QM2 Foster, A. B. GM2 Fox, L. B. RT1 Fulton, D. A. MOMM1 Gancarz, W. EM1 Glading, D. H. MOMM3 Gorecki, A. E. CCS Hahn, F. L. TM3 Hampton, C. L. QM1 Hill, C. J. LT Horodynski, E. S. FC2 Jeffrey, L. V. LTJG Johnson, J. G. MOMM3 Kellam, J. H. EM2 Killough, D. C. MOMM1 Komes, H. B. SC2 Krause, F. B., Jr. SM1 Larue, V. J. S1 Latham, H. C. LTJG Lieder, A. MOMM1 Lyons, W. C., Jr. MOMM2 Masloski, J. F1 McCloskey, T. D. RM2 Miller, S. D. CEMA Millican, W. J. CDR Morris, J. J. S2 Munsel, J. M. MOMM3 Newton, R. B., Jr. CTMA Norford, R. N. F1 O'Connell, J. A., Jr. MOMM1 Pennington, B. L. CMOMM Phillips, D. W. F1 Raley, J. A. STM2 Romond, J. L. MOMM3 Searls, R. W. LTJG Shirah, R. A. EM3 Slavik, J. A. F2 Smith, A. R. S1 Smith, T. B. F1 Spoust, D. BKR3 Tokarchek, A. GM1 Trensch, H. EM3 Tucker. J. B. S1 Tucker, T. E. F1 Turner, R. C. EM2 Valentino, R. MOMM2 Velten, W. TM3 Wallace, G. M. TM1 Wells, N. P. S1 Whitehouse, J. H. ENS Wybrow, R.W. SC3 Yaworsky, W. TM3 Zumar, A. S1
Más sobre #38 USS Escolar (SS 294) 10/17/44
38: #39 USS Darter (SS 227) 10/24/44
USS DARTER (SS 227)
October 24, 1944 - No Men Lost
On September 1, 1944, DARTER, commanded by CDR D.H. McClintock, left Brisbane for a period of training en route to her fourth war patrol. She topped off with fuel at Darwin on September 10 and departed on the same day to perform routine reconnaissance duty in the Celebes Sea from September 14 to 24.
Proceeding then to the South China Sea with DACE, commanded by CDR B.D. Claggett, DARTER formed a coordinated attack team with that vessel. The period from October 12 to 24 was productive of many targets and attacks for DARTER, and she sank 9,900 tons of enemy shipping and damaged 19,900 tons in this time.
USS Darter's bell was attached to Submarine Barracks flagpole at Pearl Harbor for many years. It has since been removed with whereabouts unknown. This photo was taken by Submarine Sailor Jim Phillippi sometime in the early 1960's. Jim was later lost when USS Thresher (SSN 593) went down in April, 1963.
In the early morning of October 23, 1944, both DARTER and DACE contacted and tracked a large enemy force heading north through Palawan Passage en route to engage our forces in the battles for Leyte Gulf. They attacked while the enemy were unable to alter course appreciably and in brilliant pre-dawn submerged attacks, sank the heavy cruisers ATAGO and MAYA, and so severely damaged the heavy cruiser TAKAO, that she was useless for the rest of the war. During daylight, DARTER tried a submerged attack on TAKAO, which had been stopped, but was driven off by screening destroyers. Thus a night coordinated attack plan was drawn up by the two boats.
Since she could not surface to take sights, DARTER was forced to navigate on a 24-hour-old dead reckoning plot. At 2200 TAKAO got underway, and DARTER began a surface attack. Detecting two radars sweeping, she decided to do an end around, and then make an attack at radar depth. At 0005 on October 24, 1944, DARTER grounded on Bombay Shoal, and making 17 knots at the time, rode up to a draft of nine feet forward. Efforts to get off the reef were unsuccessful, and a message was sent to DACE requesting assistance.
DACE closed DARTER and, after confidential gear had been smashed and classified matter burned, the men of DARTER were transferred to DACE. This was all done before dawn, and there were no losses of DARTER personnel.
DARTER's four patrols (including her last) resulted in 23,700 tons of enemy ships being sent to the bottom, and 30,000 tons being damaged. She began her patrolling career south and west of Truk in January and February 1944. She damaged a freighter on this first patrol. In the second patrol of this vessel, she covered the area in and around the Celebes Sea; she sank a freighter here. DARTER's third patrol was again in the eastern Celebes Sea, and she sank the large mine layer TSUGARU on June 29, 1944. She was credited with sinking the heavy cruiser ATAGO and damaging the heavy cruiser TAKAO on the night of October 23, 1944 shortly before she stranded. DARTER was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for the last patrol.
Más sobre #39 USS Darter (SS 227) 10/24/44
39: #40 USS Shark II (SS 314) 10/24/44
USS SHARK (SS 314)
October 24, 1944 - 87 Men Lost
Joining SEADRAGON and BLACKFISH at Pearl Harbor, the second SHARK (Cmdr. E.N. Blakely) left that place on September 23, 1944, and proceeded to Saipan to begin her third war patrol. The three vessels left the latter island on October 3rd to conduct a coordinated attack group, called Blakely’s Behemoths.
On October 22nd, SHARK reported having contacted four large enemy vessels. She still had her full load of torpedoes aboard, so had not made an attack. SHARK addressed no further messages to bases, but on October 24th, SEADRAGON received a message from her stating that she had made radar contact with a single freighter, and that she was going in to attack. This was the last message received from SHARK.
However, on November 13, 1944, a dispatch originated by Commander Naval Unit, Fourteenth Air Force, stated that a Japanese ship en route from Manila to Japan with 1800 American prisoners of war had been sunk on October 24th by an American submarine in a torpedo attack. No other submarine reported the attack, and since SHARK had given SEADRAGON a contact report only a few hours before the sinking, and could not be raised by radio after it, it can only be assumed that SHARK made the attack described, and perished during or after it.
Five prisoners who survived and subsequently reached China stated that conditions on the prison ship were so intolerable that the prisoners prayed for deliverance from their misery by a torpedo bomb. Because many prisoners of war had been rescued from the water by submarines after sinking vessels in which they were being transported, U.S. submarines had been instructed to search for Allied survivors in the vicinity of all sinkings of Empire-bound Japanese ships. SHARK may well have been sunk trying to rescue American prisoners of war. All attempts to contact SHARK by radio failed and on November 27th she was reported as presumed lost.
A report from the Japanese received after the close of war on antisubmarine attacks records the attack made by SHARK on October 24, 1944. Depth charges were dropped 17 times, and the enemy reports having seen “bubbles, and heavy oil, clothes, cork, etc.” Several American submarines report having been attacked on this date near the position given, but in view of the fact that none reported the attack on the convoy cited above, this attack is considered the most probable cause of SHARK’s loss.
SHARK sank five ships, totaling 32,200 tons and damaged two, for 9,900 tons prior to her last patrol. Her first patrol was in the area west of the Marianas. SHARK sank two freighters, a transport and a large tanker, and damaged a freighter. In her second patrol in the Bonins, SHARK sank a medium freighter.
SHARK is the second U.S. Submarine to bear the name in WWII – An earlier SHARK (SS-174) carried the name part of her life and was also lost.
Sailors Lost On USS Shark II (SS-314) 10-24-1944
Adams, S. D. ENS Adamson, J. M. F1 Babig, J. W. TM1 Bailey, D. E. EM2 Baker, C. M. S1 Barrett, J. J. SC1 Baton, C. A., Jr. EM2 Black, H. R., Jr. SM1 Blakely, E. N. CDR Borusiewicz, W. E. GM3 Brown, C. R. TM3 Brown, L. M. CPHMA Buckey, W. E., Jr. S1 Burns, J. E. MOMM2 Burns, R. "T" MOMM1 Cerruti, R. M. RT1 Chilcote, O. G. MOMM1 Click, R. F. MOMM2 Constantinos, W. A. RM3 Cupper, H. A. MOMM2 Davis, J. A., Jr. LT Davis, J. S. MOMM2 Delehanty, M. A. F1 Dobson, L. G. SC3 Doyen, L. J. TM2 Drury, F. C. MOMM1 Dryer, P. L. MOMM1 Dupuy, H. H. TM3 Elko, A. TM3 Ferguson, L. H. RM3 Giles, A. L. MOMM1 Harper, J. D., Jr. LCDR Hawthorn, W. E. CMOMMA Hoffman, R. C., Jr. F2 Hooker, R. E. STM1 Houston, S. SM2 Hudgins, B. C., Jr. TM1 Huffman, J. R. S1 Hunting, E. N., Jr. LT Josephs, A. T. EM2 Jurovaty, S. MOMM2 Kibbons, C. V. CTM Kirstein, A. E. LT Kneib, T. F. MOMM2 Krecker, S. S. MOMM2 Lawson, K. E. S1 Leecy, R. A. CTMA Leonard, C. U. S1 Lewis, W. T. ENS Luedemann, F. F1 Lyons, D. B. RM2 MacDonald, R. S. LT MacIntyre, J. C. F1 Masincupp, B. T. RM3 Muntz, R. W. Y3 Olson, W. E. S1 Ongerth, W. R. GM2 Oothoudt, M. D. RM1 Paulsen, W. O. CEM Perkins, R. E., Jr. RM1 Perrin, I. C. CRMA Perry, J. M. F2 Pittmann, G. W. CK2 Polikowski, M. RM3 Porter, W. W. CMOMMA Reed, F. E. CEMA Reich, K. A. FC3 Reilly, F. S. CSM Reinthaler, R. H. FC2 Ridgeway, A. L. EM1 Satterfield, H. A. EM3 Schuermann, L. B. CMOMMA Scutiero, A. E. EM3 Selig, J. L. QM2 Shaffer, D. E. Y1 Shaw, B. F. SC2 Shefchek, H., Jr. ENS Simko, W. A. EM3 Thommen, H. H. TM3 Tien, K. R. TM3 Tiller, F. S. EM1 Turner, W. H. LTJG Wall, W. R. TME2 Wansky, R. W. BM1 Wells, R. W. TM3 Williams, M. L. SC3 Zidziunas, J. J. MOMM3
Más sobre #40 USS Shark II (SS 314) 10/24/44
40: #41 USS Tang (SS 306) 10/24/44
USS TANG (SS 306)
October 24, 1944 - 78 Men Lost
TANG under Cmdr. R.H. O’Kane set out from Pearl Harbor on September 24, 1944, to begin her fifth war patrol. On 27 September she topped off with fuel at Midway and left there the same day, heading for an area between the northwest coast of Formosa, and the China Coast.
In order to reach her area, TANG had to pass through narrow waters known to be heavily patrolled by the enemy. A large area stretching northeast from Formosa was known to be mined by the enemy, and O’Kane was given the choice of making the passage north of Formosa alone, or joining a coordinated attack group (SILVERSIDES, TRIGGER, SALMON, under Cmdr. Coye in SILVERSIDES) which was to patrol off northeast Formosa, and making the passage with them. TANG chose to make the passage alone and these vessels never heard from TANG, nor did any base, after she left Midway.
The story of TANG’s sinking comes from the report of her surviving Commanding Officer. A night surface attack was launched on October 24, 1944 against a transport which had previously been stopped in an earlier attack. The first torpedo was fired, and when it was observed to be running true, the second and last was loosed. It curved sharply to the left, broached, porpoised and circled. Emergency speed was called for and the rudder was thrown over. These measures resulted only in the torpedo striking the stern of TANG, rather than amidships.
The explosion was violent, and people as far forward as the control room received broken limbs. The ship went down by the stern with the after three compartments flooded. Of the nine officers and men on the bridge, three were able to swim through the night until picked up eight hours later. One officer escaped from the flooded conning tower, and was rescued with the others.
The submarine came to rest on the bottom at 180 ft. and the men in her crowded forward as the after compartments flooded. Publications were burned, and all assembled to the forward room to escape. The escape was delayed by a Japanese patrol, which dropped charges, and started an electrical fire in the forward battery. Thirteen men escaped from the forward room, and by the time the last made his exit, the heat from the fire was so intense that the paint on the bulkhead was scorching, melting, and running down. Of the 13 men who escaped, only eight reached the surface, and of these but five were able to swim until rescued.
When the nine survivors were picked up by a destroyer escort, there were victims of TANG’s previous sinkings on board, and they inflicted tortures on the men from TANG. With great humanity, O’Kane states, “When we realized that our clubbing and kickings were being administered by the burned, mutilated survivors of our handiwork, we found we could take it with less prejudice.”
The nine captives were retained by the Japanese in prison camps until the end of the war, and were treated by them in typical fashion. The loss of TANG by her own torpedo, the last one fired on the most successful patrol ever made by a U.S. submarine, was a stroke of singular misfortune. She is credited with having sunk 13 vessels for 107,324 tons of enemy shipping on this patrol, and her Commanding Officer has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
On here last patrol TANG fired twenty-four torpedoes in four attacks. Twenty-two torpedoes found their mark in enemy ships, sinking 13 of them; one missed, and the last torpedo, fired after a careful check over, sank TANG. This vessel was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation twice during her career. Commander O’Kane has been called the Submarine Force’s most outstanding officer; he served as Executive Officer of the very successful WAHOO before taking command of TANG.
In her five patrols, TANG is credited with sinking 31 ships, totaling 227,800 tons and damaging two for 4,100 tons. This record is unexcelled among American submarines. In her first patrol, spending February 1944 west of Truk and Saipan, she sank three freighters, a large tanker and a submarine tender. TANG’s second patrol was in the area west of Palau, east of Davao and at Truk. She made no ship contacts worthy of attack, but at the latter island she rescued twenty- two Navy airmen during a carrier-based strike at Truk on April 30 through May 1, 1944. This vessel’s third patrol was in the East China and Yellow Seas. Here she sank six freighters, a tanker, and a large aircraft transport. She covered the waters along the southern coast of Honshu in August 1944. She sank a freighter, a large transport, a tanker and two patrol craft, while she damaged another freighter and small craft.
USS TANG (SS 306) Sailors Lost 10-24-1944
Accardy, J. G. SM3 Adams, R. F. STM2 Allen, D. D. MOMM2 Anderson, P. E. TM3 Andriolo, C. RM2 Anthony, H. F1 Ballinger, W. F. CTM Bauer, E. C. Y3 Beaumont, E. H. LT Bergman, E. F. RM1 Bisogno, F. N. TM3 Boucher, W. J. TM3 Bresette, B. V. QM3 Bush, J. EM2 Chiavetta, B. S1 Clark, W. J. QM3 Coffin, R. J. EM3 Culp, J. H. CEM Darienzo, A. J. EM2 DeLapp, M. V. CMOMMA Dorsey, W. E. MOMM1 Enos, F. M., Jr. LTJG Eriksen, L. H. F1 Fellicetty, D. C. Y3 Finckbone, B. H. EM2 Fluker, J. W. TM1 Foster, J. M. TM1 Galloway, W. C. TM2 Gentle, T. E. F1 Gorab, G. J., Jr. EM3 Gregg, O. D. COX Hainline, H. W. QM3 Harms, F. G. MOMM2 Haws, G. O. F1 Henry, J. F. F1 Heubeck, J. H. LTJG Hudson, A. L. CMOMMA Ijames, H. W., Jr. RCM3 Imwold, S. S. MOMM2 Jenkins, D. M. Y3 Jones, S. W. CQM Kaiser, L. C. MOMM3 Kanagy, J. T. EM1 Kassube, J. T. COX Key, J. A. SC3 Knapp, R. B. FC3 Kroth, R. J. LTJG Lane, L. R. EM1 Larson, P. I. CPHMA Lee, R. P. RM3 Llewellyn, L. H. RM2 London, C. W. F1 Loveless, C. MOMM1 Lytton, E. MOMM1 McMorrow, R. V. MOMM1 McNabb, J. J. F1 Parker, J. J. CCSA Pearce, B. C., Jr. ENS Raiford, R. M. CK3 Reabuck, F. J. F1 Rector, D. D. GM3 Reinhardt, E. F1 Roberts, J. L. SC3 Robertson, G. L. MOMM2 Smith, S. G., Jr. QM3 Springer, F. H. LT Stepien, E. F. S1 Sunday, F. L. EM3 Vaughn, P. B., Jr. COX Wadsworth, C. W. TM3 Walker, H. M. ST3 Weekley, L. S. CTMA Welch, R. E. QM2 White, J. M. GM1 Williams, W. H. Y2 Wines, P. T. LTJG Wukovich, G. MOMM1 Zofcin, G. MOMM1
Survivors
Caverly, F. M. RT1 DaSilva, J. B. MOMM2 Decker, C. O. MOMM3 Flanagan, H. J. LTJG Liebold, W. R. CBMA Narrowanski, P. TM3 O'Kane, R. H. CDR Savadkin, L. LT Trukke, H. O. TM2
Más sobre #41 USS Tang (SS 306) 10/24/44
41: #42 USS Albacore (SS 218) 11/7/44
USS ALBACORE (SS 218)
November 7, 1944 - 85 Men Lost
ALBACORE with Lt. Cmdr. H.R. Rimmer in command, left Pearl Harbor on October 24, 1944, topped off with fuel at Midway on October 28, and departed there for her eleventh patrol the same day, never to be heard from again. Her area was northeast of Honshu and south of Hokkaido, and because of the danger of mines, she was ordered to stay outside of waters less than 100 fathoms deep.
She was to depart her area at sunset on December 5, 1944, and was expected at Midway about December 12th. When she had not been seen or heard from by December 21st despite the sharpest of lookouts for her, she was reported as presumed lost.
Enemy information available now indicates that ALBACORE perished by hitting a mine. The explosion occurred on November 7, 1944, while ALBACORE was submerged, and was witnessed by an enemy patrol craft. The craft reports having seen much heavy oil and bubbles, cork, bedding and various provisions after the explosion.
Prior to her loss, ALBACORE had been a very successful submarine, especially in her engagements with Japanese combat vessels. Her record of enemy combatant ships sunk it the best of any U.S. submarine. She sank a total of 13 ships, totaling 74,100 tons, and damaged five, for 29,400 tons, during her first ten patrols. She began her series of patrols with one at Truk in September 1942, damaging two freighters and a tanker. On her second patrol, near New Britain, ALBACORE sank a transport, and, on 18 December 1942, the Japanese light cruiser TENRYU. Her third patrol was in the Bismarck Archipelago; ALBACORE sank an escort vessel and a destroyer. The latter was OSHIO sunk near the New Guinea coast on 20 February 1943. During her fourth patrol, again in the Bismarck-Solomons-area, ALBACORE was able to inflict no damage on the enemy herself, but she sent contact reports which enabled GRAYBACK to sink several enemy ships. In her fifth patrol, ALBACORE covered the same area and damaged a transport. She patrolled the Truk area on her sixth war run, sinking one freighter and damaging another.
ALBACORE’s seventh and eighth war patrols were both in the area north of the Bismarck Archipelago during the period from mid-October 1943 to the end of February 1944. In her seventh patrol she sank a freighter and in her eighth a transport. In addition, during her eighth patrol on January 14th, ALBACORE sank the Japanese destroyer SAZANAMI. ABLACARE was ordered to patrol west of the Marianas and in the Palau area during the Allied invasion of these places in June 1944. On June 19th she intercepted a Japanese task force proceeding from Tawi Tawi anchorage, in the Sulu Archipelago, toward Saipan to engage our surface forces in the first Battle of the Philippine Sea. ABLACORE torpedoed and sank the aircraft carrier TAIHO. In addition, she sank a small freighter on this ninth patrol. ALBACORE conducted her tenth patrol near the southern coast of Shikoku, Japan. Here she sank a medium freighter, a medium tanker and a large patrol craft. ALBACORE has been awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her second, third, eighth and ninth patrols, the ones in which she sank enemy combatant vessels.
Sailors Lost On USS ALBACORE 11-7-1944
Barber, W. H., Jr. S1 Baumer, K. R. GM2 Bigelow, H. F., Jr. ENS Blackmon, E. B. CPHM Bower, W. W. LT Brannam, A. R. MOMM2 Burch, H. H. RT1 Cado, N. J. S1 Carano, J. J. MOMM3 Carpenter, C. L. MOMM1 Carpenter, J. S. STM2 Carracino, P. C. F1 Chapman, D. S. S2 Childress, D., Jr. FCS3 Childs, F. H., Jr. TM1 Collom, P. A. TM2 Crayton, A. C. MOMM2 Cugnin, J. E. TM3 Culbertson, J. W. EM3 Davis, P. H. EM1 Davis, R. E. GM3 Daye, F. W. MM3 Delfonso, J. TM3 Dewitt, J. L. TM2 Dunlap, J. T. MOMM1 Eskew, C. H. RT3 Fortier, J. F., Jr. LTJG Fullilove, G. H., Jr. S1 Gant, J. W. MOMM3 Gennett, J. P. CEMA Gibson, W. H. SC1 Gilkeson, J. F. LTJG Hall, C. C. F1 Harrell, J. K. QM3 Hill, R. D. SC1 Hudgins, A. D. F1 Hughes, D. P. TM3 Hutchinson, E. E. TM3 Johnson, B. P. EM2 Jones, S. P. QM2 Kaplafka, G. S1 Kelley, N., Jr. SM1 Kincaid, M. K. F1 Kinon, V. E. F1 Krizanek, J. M. MOMM2 Kruger, A. S. S2 Lang, W. E., Jr. LT Little, J. A. EM3 Manful, K. W. S1 McKenna, P. K. S1 McNeill, W. A. STM2 Mercer, J. N. CEM Moss, L. D. GM2 Naudack, R. J. TM2 Nevarez, E. S1 Northam, J. H. S1 Nystrom, F. R. S1 O'Brien, R. J. F1 Peterson, E. H. CTM Pierlinger, C. F., Jr. TM2 Porter, J. T. MOMM1 Reed, J. W., Jr. S1 Riley, F. A. LT Rimmer, H. R. LCDR Roberts, "A" "B" CQMA Rowe, J. E. S1 Shoenthal, P. CRMA Sisk, G. M. SC2 Spratt, J. L. MOMM2 Stanton, A. L. CMOMMA Starace, R. J. EM1 St. Claire, H. W. MOMM3 Stephenson, J. H. EM2 Strattan, M. C. Y2 Tanner, E. R. MOMM1 Tesser, W. G. EM3 Tomich, P. R. RM3 Traynor, C. E. LTJG Walker, T. T. LT Weisenfluh, E. EM2 Welch, J. D. EM3 West, R. A. MOMM2 Willans, W. J. MOMM2 Wilmott, L. A. F1 Wood, D. R. RM2
Más sobre #42 USS Albacore (SS 218) 11/7/44
42: #43 USS Growler (SS 215) 11/8/44
USS GROWLER (SS 215)
November 8, 1944 - 86 Men Lost
Early in November 1944, GROWLER, HAKE and HARDHEAD were operating together west of the Philippines group as a coordinated search and attack group under command of Commander T.B. Oakley Jr., Commanding Officer, GROWLER. The patrol was GROWLER’s eleventh. On November 7th, GROWLER reported having made temporary repairs to her SJ radar which made it usable, but that she urgently needed spare parts for it. A future rendezvous was arranged with BREAM for the purpose of delivering the parts.
In the early morning hours of November 8th, GROWLER, made radar contact on an enemy target group, and reported it to HARDHEAD. Commander Oakley directed HARHEAD to track and attack from the convoy’s port bow. Shortly thereafter, HARDHEAD made contract with both the target group and GROWLER. After about an hour had passed HAKE heard two distant explosions of undetermined character, and HARHEAD heard an explosion which sounded like a torpedo. At the same time, the targets zigged away from GROWLER. Shortly after, HARDHEAD heard three distant depth charges explode.
A little over an hour after these explosions, HARDHEAD attacked the target from the port bow, obtained three or four hits, and HAKE saw a tanker sink. HARDHEAD was subjected to a severe counterattack from which it emerged undamaged, while HAKE was worked over thoroughly later in the morning. All attempts to contact GROWLER after this attack were unsuccessful, and she has never been seen ore heard from since. The rendezvous with BREAM for the delivery of SJ spare parts was not accomplished. Since GROWLER had tracked targets by radar for at least an hour, it appears that her temporary SJ repairs must have been satisfactory.
Although Japanese records mention on antisubmarine attacks at this time and place, it is evident that depth charges were dropped in the vicinity of GROWLER, but in the absence of more conclusive evidence the cause of her loss must be described as unknown. The Japanese admit that a tanker was sunk that night which checks with HARDHEAD’s sinking. HARDHEAD was heavily depth charged following her own attack and later that morning HAKE was expertly worked over presumably by the same escorts. This leads to the belief that if GROWLER was sunk by depth charging it was at the hands of a skillful antisubmarine group.
The explosion described by HARDHEAD as “possibly a torpedo” may have been a depth charge or a torpedo explosion. It is unlikely that a torpedo hit was made on the convoy at this time because if the tanker had been hit she probably would either have burst into flame, as she subsequently did when hit by HARDHEAD, or slowed down if hit in the engine room. She did neither, nor was there any evidence that any of the three escorts were hit. However, since only three subsequent explosions were heard by HAKE, and a number of depth charges generally are dropped in an accurate or persistent antisubmarine attack, a number of possibilities exist as to GROWLER’s end.
She could have been sunk as a result of a premature or circular run of her own torpedo, and the three depth charges heard by HAKE may have been only a token attack by the escort. Although there was a quarter moon, the night was somewhat misty, and she might have made the approach at radar depth. If so, she could have been rammed, thus making it unnecessary for the escort to drop many depth charges. She could have been caught at either radar or periscope depth and the antisubmarine group, evidently a good one, might have verified the results of their attack immediately. An escort could have hit her with a torpedo and only dropped a few depth charges to insure a kill. In any event, sinking by her own torpedoes is only a slight possibility. It is doubtful whether a report by the escorts of this convoy would help to decide this question. In the cases of TULLIBGEE and TANG, where survivor’s statements leaves little doubt that destruction was by their own torpedoes, the Japanese ships which picked up survivors claimed to have sunk the submarine themselves.
GROWLER was the ship commanded by Cmdr. Howard W. Gilmore on her fourth patrol when, mortally wounded by machine gun fire after GROWLER had rammed a patrol vessel, he ordered the ship submerged while he lay on the bridge. The Commanding Officer, the assistant officer of the deck and a lookout were lost and Cmdr. Gilmore was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
During her first ten patrols, GROWLER sunk 17 ships for a total tonnage of 74,900 and damaged 7 ships, for 34,100 tons. Her first patrol began in June 1942, and was in Aleutian waters. She began her career by sinking a destroyer and severely damaging two. The one sunk was ARARE, sunk while at anchor on July 5, 1942. GROWLER’s second patrol was off Formosa; where she sank a large tanker, two medium freighters, a transport and a sampan. In her third patrol, this ship sighted eight vessels, but none could be closed for an attack. The area was near Truk. GROWLER’s fourth patrol was on the traffic lanes from Turk to Rabaul. She sank a freighter and a large gunboat, also damaging a second freighter. The fight with the gunboat was the incident which cost the Commanding Officer and two others to lose their lives.
GROWLER’s fifth patrol, in the Bismark Archipelago, was productive of but two attack opportunities; she sank a medium freighter and damaged a large one. From mid-July to mid-September 1943 GROWLER made her sixth patrol in the same area as her fifth, but was unable to do any damage to the enemy, having only one opportunity to attack. She returned to this area for her seventh patrol, but this run was cut short by battery and generator difficulties, and no attacks were made. In March and part of April 1944, GROWLER made her eighth patrol in the East China Sea area. In this patrol she sank a small patrol craft and damaged a medium freighter. GROWLER covered the Marianas, the Eastern Philippines and the Luzon Strait areas on her ninth patrol, and was credited with sinking a large tanker and damaging a destroyer escort. She patrolled the Luzon and Formosa Straits in her tenth war patrol. She sank a large tanker, a freighter, a destroyer, a coast defense vessel, and an unidentified escort type vessel. She also damaged two more freighters. The destroyer she sank was SHIKINAMI, sent to the bottom on September 12th, while the coast defense vessel was HIRATO, sunk the same day.
Sailors Lost On USS GROWLER (SS-215) 11-8-1944
Abel, J. H. TM1 Archer, H. W. EM2 Baker, H. C. S1 Beatty, T. M. GM3 Bergfeld, W. V. EM1 Blackston, H. H. S2 Booker, W. D. TM2 Boone, C. R. CMOMMA Bridge, R. S. RM2 Carr, W. K. ENS Chamblin, R. L., Jr. QM2 Clark, L. C. MOMM3 Cleveland, B. ST3 Dallman, G. B. F1 Darby, J. A. MOMM1 Daughtrey, G. P. FCS2 Dawson, F. E. EM1 Durand, A. L., Jr. F1 Erikson, R. D. F1 Ferrario, A. CMOMMA Flippens, W. STM2 Fredman, C. E., Jr. MOMM1 Fyer, A. J. EM2 George, A. H. F1 Gregory, W. M. LTJG Hakanson, R. E. TM2 Harris, R. TM3 Heald, H. F. S1 Hedrick, W. E. SC2 Hickey, W. C., Jr. MOMM2 Hope, R. E. TM2 Jacobs, A. M. EM3 Jewett, G. W. LTJG Johnson, L. S. LTJG Kaczmarek, H. A. Y3 Kuba, D. J. MOMM1 Laderman, R. S. RT2 Lane, R. E., Jr. RM1 Leveille, M. P. MM1 Lorio, E. P. S1 Lynch, G. S1 Maddox, J. H. TM1 Maness, L. B. CEM Manning, W. S. MOMM2 Mason, R. K., Jr. LT McLaughlin, J. J. QM3 McMullen, L. TM2 Melancon, C. M. MOMM2 Metzler, A. FCS3 Miller, D. C. GM3 Minkle, A. J., Jr. F1 Morrison, W. EM2 Natov, B. RT2 Naylor, N. W. LT Nixon, C. F. F1 Oakley, T. B., Jr. CDR Orth, L. R. SC1 Owen, A. D. RM2 Padilla, J. S9 Parus, H. R., Jr. S1 Picard, R. J. MOMM3 Post, E. W. TM3 Ratnecht, C. H. MOMM3 Read, E. P. CMOMMA Rhodes, H. E. S1 Rothenberger, E. W. RM3 Schulz, K. G. Y2 Sebestyen, P., Jr. TM3 Shay, C. O. S1 Simmons, D. G. ST2 Smith, W. D. LTJG Smith, W. L. CTMA Stevanovich, N. L., Jr. QM3 Stoiner, S. J. S1 Stubblefield, J. W. CMOMM Suba, C. F. S1 Tanner, J. "A" MOMM2 Thigpen, D. T. F1 Thomas, F. P. LT Thompson, H. E. PHM1 Tullier, R. B. F1 Vail, P. F. EM2 Vecere, R. EM3 Welch, R. D., Jr. EM2 Weterings, R. L. S1 Workman, C. A. MOMM3
Más sobre #43 USS Growler (SS 215) 11/8/44
43: #44 USS Scamp (SS 277) 11/9/44
USS SCAMP (SS 277)
November 9, 1944 - 83 Men Lost
Leaving Pearl Harbor on October 16, 1944, SCAMP (Cmdr. J.C. Hollingsworth) headed for Midway, topped off with fuel there, and departed that place for her eighth patrol on October 21, 1944. SCAMP was to patrol in the vicinity of the Bonin Islands.
On November 9th, SCAMP was told to stay clear of the Bonins area, and she acknowledged, saying she had made torpedo attacks. This was the last communication received from SCAMP. In order to provide rescue services for downed aviators during Saipan-based B-29 assaults on Tokyo, SCAMP was ordered to lifeguard duty on November 14th. She was told to proceed to a point just east of the peninsula. Between that date and November 26, 1944, numerous messages were sent to SCAMP which required no acknowledgement, thus rendering it impossible to tell whether she received any or all of them.
On November 29, 1944, information was received of an enemy minefield in the vicinity of Inubo Saki, a point on the previously mentioned peninsula, and all submarines in that are were warned. Since all transmissions to SCAMP after November 9, 1944 remained unacknowledged, and she had not appeared by December 21, 1944, she was reported as presumed lost on war patrol in enemy waters.
Since the end of the war, the following facts have been learned from Japanese sources. On November 11, 1944, a Japanese patrol plane bombed what appeared to be oil trails left by a submarine. A coast defense vessel was led to the scene by the plane and dropped some seventy depth charges in three runs on the target whereupon a large oil pool appeared. The position of the attack is one in which SCAMP might be expected to be on November 11th, in proceeding toward her lifeguard station. On November 13th GREENLING, herself on a lifeguard station, contacted a ship. Due to the nature of radar interference, GREENLING thought that her contact was on SCAMP, although she was unable to sight anything.
On November 16th the Japanese made two attacks. Amplifying data on these attacks reveal that on the latter attack, “Great explosive sounds came as a result of this attack.” It would seem then, that SCAMP was attacked several times during her period of lifeguard duty. Whether she was badly damaged and withdrawing from the Japanese coast at the time of the last two attacks is impossible to say. No attack cited here ties in with any anti-submarine attacks reported by submarines returning from patrol. It is probable that damage to SCAMP became progressively more serious as she absorbed each successive attack, and she may have been withdrawing from the Empire without transmission facilities when the end came.
SCAMP, in the seven patrols completed before her loss, sank six ships, totaling 49,000 tons, and damaged eight, for 40,400 tons. Her first patrol was in the Southern approaches of the Japanese Empire in March 1943. Plagues by poor torpedo performance, she could only damage a tanker and two freighters. In the Bismarks-Solomons area on her second patrol, SCAMP sank a large freighter. The same area was the scene of her third patrol, which netted SCAMP a submarine and a large tanker; both damaged. SCAMP’s fourth patrol was in the same area as the previous two; this time she sank a freighter and a freighter-transport, and damaged a destroyer escort.
On her fifth patrol this ship covered the Truk-Kavieng traffic lanes. She sank a freighter- transport, and damaged a heavy cruiser and a transport. Her sixth patrol, in the same area from mid-December 1943 to February 1944, resulted in the sinking of a large tanker. In her seventh patrol, conducted in the New Guinea-Palau-Mindonao area, SCAMP sank a small trawler by gunfire. During this patrol, SCAMP was severely damaged by a close enemy aircraft bomb, and was saved only the heroic work of her Commanding Officer and crew.
Sailors Lost On USS SCAMP (SS-277) 11-9-1944
Abad. B. M. RM2 Adams. J. D. S1 Anderson, H. E. TM2 Barlow, A. W. F1 Barrios, I. F. MOMM2 Bass, O. STM2 Bath, C. E. LT Baysa,, P. F. ST2 Blankeship, A. L. ENS Bowman, H. A. EM1 Brandt, A. F. CRM Brazee, H. E. EM2 Burns, W. D., Jr. MOMM2 Cappel, R. L. EM3 Cartee, M. "A" Y1 Cary, R. L. MOMM1 Cerveny, V. TM2 Chapman, W. W. GM1 Clague, G. C. MOMM2 Cogan, A. B. S2 Collins, W. W. ENS Cott, G. F. F1 Crawford, R. S. MOMM3 Custer, B. C. S2 Dienno, S. S. S1 DiNicola, O. J. S2 Duckworth, D. R. MOMM1 Dziamba, A. SC1 Eckardt, G. H., Jr. LTJG Felber, D. E. F1 Ferguson, J. R. F1 Fojtik, J. P. MOMM2 Glodowski, C. F. S1 Graham, R. N. TM3 Graphia, A. J. SC3 Hagen, T. A. S1 Haigler, G. W. EM1 Hegmann, R. C. F2 Hill, R. J. MOMM2 Hittson, J. F. EM1 Hollingsworth, J. C. CDR Houchen, N. P. FC3 Howell, J. W. EM3 Ivey, W. EM2 Janish, F. M. RT1 Johnson, A. H. CQMA Jones, C. A., Jr. S1 Jones, E. R., Jr. MOMM3 Kuchner, S. MOMM1 Landes, C. O. EM3 Langdon, C. N. TM1 Lynn, C. W. RM3 Mark, D. A. RM3 Markham, J. T. F1 McClunny, R. L. S1 McKee, E. O. MOMM3 McKinney, E. W. RT3 McLaughlin, W. A. SM1 McNeill, J. R. CEMA Mills, H. F. CTM Moore, E. S. LTJG Pappas, J. M. QM2 Penrose, R. W. SC1 Priller, C. M. CPHMA Rasmussen, R. C., Jr. F1 Riddle, E. D. TM3 Rodriguez, F. W. S1 Savage, J. H. TM3 Shaffer, W. L. LCDR Simpson, J. TM2 Smith, E. W. MOMM3 Sprouse, J. M., Jr. S1 Steinbrink, E. Z. F1 Steinmann, J. W. TM1 Sutherland, T. S. LCDR Swick, C. O. RT2 Thompson, P. R. CMOMMA Tinsley, E. L. MOMM3 Vrancich, W. GM3 Ward, A. L. MOMM2 Waytaszik, E. J. EM1 Wickham, M. F. CMOMM Wilkinson, T. H. LT
Más sobre #44 USS Scamp (SS 277) 11/9/44
44: #45 USS Swordfish (SS 193) 1/12/45
USS SWORDFISH (SS 193)
January 12, 1945 - 89 Men Lost
SWORDFISH, under Cmdr. K.E. Montross, left Pearl Harbor on December 22, 1944, to carry on her thirteenth patrol in the vicinity of Nansei Shoto. She topped off with fuel at Midway on December 26th and left that day for her area. In addition to her regular patrol, SWORDFISH was to conduct photographic reconnaissance of Okinawa, for preparation of the Okinawa Campaign.
On January 2nd, SWORDFISH was ordered to delay carrying out her assigned tasks in order to keep her clear of the Nansei Shoto area until completion of carrier based air strikes which were scheduled. She was directed to patrol the general vicinity until further orders were received. In the last communication received from SWORDFISH, she acknowledged receipt of these orders on January 3rd.
On January 9, 1945, SWORDFISH was directed to proceed to the vicinity of Okinawa to carry out her special mission. It was estimated that the task would not take more than seven days after arrival on station, which she should have reached on January 11th. Upon completion of her mission, SWORDFISH was to proceed to Saipan, or to Midway if she was unable to transmit by radio. Since neither place had seen her by 15 February, and repeated attempts to raise her by radio had failed, she was reported as presumed lost on that date.
In the report of her loss, mention was made that KETE, which at the time was patrolling the vicinity of Okinawa, reported that on the morning of January 12th she contacted a submarine by radar. It was believed that contact was with SWORDFISH. Four hours later KETE heard heavy depth charging from this area, and it was believed that this attack might have been the cause of SWORDFISH’s loss.
Japanese information on antisubmarine attacks does not mention the attack heard by KETE on January 12, and records no attacks in which SWORDFISH is likely to have been the victim. However, it is now known that there were many mines planted around Okinawa, since the Japanese were expecting al Allied invasion of that Island. The majority of the mines were planted close in. It is considered about equally likely that SWORDFISH was sunk by depth charge attack before she reached Okinawa for her special mission or that she was lost to a mine at that place.
SWORDFISH, in the twelve patrols before her fatal thirteenth, sank twenty-on ships, amounting to 113,100 tons, and damaged an additional eight, totaling 45,800 tons. Her first patrol began the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and was conducted west of the Philippines. SWORDFISH sank four freighters, varying from 3,900 tons to 9,400 tons, and damaged a fifth. At the time, this was the most successful patrol in the war. She conducted the second patrol in the lesser Philippine group and among the small islands between Celebes and New Guinea. Here she sank three medium freighters and a tanker. She also evacuated President Quezon, his family, Vice President Osmena, Chief Justice Santos, and three officers in the Philippine Army from Corregidor and took them to Panay, where they boarded a motor tender. SWORDFISH returned to Manila Bay and evacuated eleven more Philippine officials. SWORDFISH’s primary mission on her third patrol was to deliver 40 tons of supplies to the beleaguered Corregidor. However, on April 10, 1942 ComSubAF told SWORDFISH to neglect her special mission and patrol offensively. SWORDFISH made no attacks on this patrol, but did perform reconnaissance of several islands.
The South China Sea area was the scene of this ship’s fourth patrol, and she sank a freighter and a tanker, while she damaged two freighters. She returned to the South China Sea for her fifth patrol, but did no damage to the enemy. SWORDFISH went to the area west of Bouganville for her sixth patrol, and sank a medium freighter and damaged a second freighter. She went again to the Solomons for her seventh patrol and sank a freighter. On her eighth patrol SWORDFISH covered the Palau-Truk-Rabaul areas during August and September 1943. Here she sank a freighter and a transport, while damaging a freighter-transport. Her ninth patrol was cut short by material defects. On her tenth patrol, in the same area as her ninth, she sank a freighter-transport, and two medium freighters.
This ship covered the Marianas on her eleventh patrol; she damaged two freighters. On her twelfth patrol, conducted in the Bonins, she sank a freighter and two small trawlers, while she damaged SWORDFISH sank the Japanese destroyer MATSUKAZE in a night submerged attack as the enemy ship was bearing down for an attack. SWORDFISH was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for the period of her first, second and fourth patrols
Sailors Lost On USS SWORDFISH (SS-193) 1-12-1945
Abrahamson, A. CCSA Arnold, R. G. MOMM2 Baeckler, D. PHOM3 Baker, G. S. MOMM1 Bates, M. F1 Basta, J. J. RM1 Baughman, D. S., Jr. LCDR Benbennick, C. J. S1 Billy, M. MOMM2 Blanchard, J. R. L. RM3 Bleasdell, L. J. MOMM2 Bogdan, W. C. MOMM3 Braley, A. E. MOMM3 Brown, R. J. SC1 Cauley, F. M., Jr. CRTA Clark, A. D. EM2 Connors, T. J. TM3 Cox, M. E., Jr. RM3 Daly, R. F. LT Davis, H. W. EM2 Delladonna, J. V. LT Dillon, W. TM2 Draga, G. K. S1 Duncan, L. H. EM2 Dunton, E. W., Sr. MOMM1 Echols, L. O. BKR2 Edwards, G. V. TM2 Emmingham, R. L. EM3 Faussett, E. R. GM3 Feiss, K. F. S1 Forsythe, E. J. TM1 Fowler, J. G. S1 Funk, Nick EM1 Galley, E. A., Jr. SM2 Gambrell, D. E., Jr. QM2 Garza, E. MOMM3 Geraghty, B. J., Jr. S1 Gilfillan, H. M. MOMM2 Graf, J. V. MOMM1 Graham, G. P. RM3 Grandy, W. P. STM1 Hafter, R. L. EM1 Hall, C. E. CEM Haserodt, R. W. MOMM1 Haskins, W. C. EM3 Haynes, J. E. TM3 Holland, R. MOMM2 Hoopes, R. D., Jr. LT Hrynko, F. A. MOMM3 Janes, R. L. LTJG Johnson, R. E. MOMM3 Johnson, S. J. PHOM3 Kelly, J. R. F1 Kirk, V. ST3 Kohler, W. E. MOMM3 Kremer, R. B. MM2 Kroll, R. E., Jr. TM3 Lauderdale, H. O. F1 Lindsay, D. C. MOMM3 Looney, G. A. CYA Lopresti, R. S1 Madden, J. J., Jr. TM3 Marvin, P. ENS Mayfield, J. M. EM2 McCaffrey, M. F. RT3 Meacham, W. T., Jr. FC2 Montross, K. E. CDR Pence, K. E. GM2 Petty, F. BM2 Plourd, G. R. PHM1 Pollard, C. L. ENS Preston, E. W., Jr. S1 Pye, J. B. LCDR Robinson, H. N., Jr. MOMM3 Russell, W. E. CQMA Schwendener, K. D. LT Siskaninetz, W. Cox Skeldon, J. A. QM3 Slater, C. F. CMOMMA Soffes, M. MOMM2 Spencer, F. H., Jr. EM3 Statton, W. "G" MOMM1 Stone, H. A. TM2 Tarbox, F. "A" EM3 Taylor, J. F. S1 VanHorn, E. K. TM3 Wagner, A. J. TM2 Williams, T. A. TM1 Wren, J. E. EM3
Más sobre #45 USS Swordfish (SS 193) 1/12/45
45: #46 USS Barbel (SS 316) 2/4/45
USS BARBEL (SS 316)
February 4, 1945 - 81 Men Lost
BARBEL, commanded by Lt. Cmdr. C.L. Raguet, departed Fremantle for her fourth war patrol on January 5, 1945. She proceeded to Exmouth Gulf, conducting training exercises en route. Having topped off with fuel, she left Exmouth Gulf on January 8th, and proceeded via Lombok Strait, Java Sea, and Karimata Strait to patrol an area in the South China Sea. At dark on February 165th she was to leave her area and commence her return to Fremantle.
On January 13th, BARBEL was directed to join BLUEGILL and BREAM in covering the western approaches to Balabac Strait. On 27 January she was ordered to form a wolf pack with PERCH and GABILAN and cover the western approaches to Balabac and southern entrance to Palawan Passage.
On February 3, 1945, BARBEL sent a message to TUNA, BLACKFIN and GABILAN reporting numerous aircraft contacts daily. BARBEL had been attacked by aircraft three times with depth charges, and would transmit a message “tomorrow night” giving information. This was the last contact with BARBEL. TUNA reported on February 6, 1945, that she had been unable to contact BARBEL for 48 hours, and that she had ordered her to rendezvous on February 7th. The rendezvous was not accomplished and TUNA reported her search unsuccessful on February 7th, 1945.
Japanese records indicate that on February 4th, 1945 a plane attacked a submarine scoring on hit near the bridge with one of two bombs dropped. It appears almost certain that this attack sank BARBEL.
BARBEL sank 10 ships for 55,200 tons and damaged two ships for 14,000 tons during her three completed patrols. Her first was made in the Nansei Shoto chain. She sank three medium freighters, a large freighter of 19,600 tons, and a large tanker. In the same area on her second patrol, BARBEL sank a freighter and two escort vessels. She also damaged another freighter and a tanker. During her third patrol, conducted in the South China Sea, BARBEL sank two medium freighters.
Sailors Lost On USS BARBEL (SS-316) 2-4-1945
Adams, W. H. S1 Anderson, O. W. EM1 Averill, F. C., Jr. RM3 Bailey, A. F. EM2 Becker, W. F. MOMM2 Bodenrader, J. E. S1 Bogert, J. W. S1 Boucher, R. I. SC1 Boyd, T. R. TM1 Brewer, W. B., Jr. MOMM1 Brown, F. V. MOMM1 Brown, K. D. RM1 Burress, M. T. CEM Burton, D. W. LTJG Butler, W. M. LCDR Carnahan, D. K. MOMM3 Christian, D. V. TM3 Cook, N. C. MOMM2 Creasy, W. L. MOMM2 Currier, K. A. MOMM3 Duesler, B. E. RM3 Dunn, M. P. S1 Dytche, J. R. CPHM Eaton, A. W., Jr. QM2 Eck, T. J. S1 Fielding, C. R. EM3 Garner, J. E. CRM Gauthier, W. R. SC3 Glotzbach, C. G. LTJG Goforth, L. H. CY Goodman, C. L., Jr. LCDR Griffin, J. J. SC2 Harris, D. S. LT Kaiser, R. O. EM3 Kelley, J. F. EM1 Kneisel, E. B. LT Kohrs, F. B., Jr. CMOMMA Krouse, W. W. F1 Lange, S. J. TM3 Lingel, T. W., Jr. QM1 Mallan, J. F. S1 McKean, R. O. EM2 McKennon, M. RM2 McKenzie, J. M. CMOMMA Meadows, F. N. GM3 Medeiros, J. D., Jr. MOMM1 Meldezis, R. C. SM1 Miller, C. R. CEM Mintken, W. H. MOMM2 Mitchell, C. A. BM2 Nasser, N. M. TM3 Oddo, P. M. EM3 Okerblum, S. MOMM3 Olsen, J. P. L. RT1 Patterson, D. J. TM3 Peckins, O. M. MOMM2 Pinson, G. A. TM2 Porach, R. J. EM2 Porter, M., Jr. S1 Pull, J. P. ENS Raguet, C. L. LCDR Reynolds, F. TM3 Ricketts, G. A. TM2 Ross, E. L. S1 Rudek, J. FC2 Sarkady, L. R. F1 Schroeder, H. L. S1 Smith, C. R. F1 Stevens, E. H. MOMM2 Stewart, W. G. GM3 Swank, R. L. S1 Thompson, L. E., Jr. MOMM1 Thornton, N. STM1 Tiffany, W. M. LTJG Toth, J. TM3 Ulrich, W. N. S1 VanRigelesteyn, N. J. QM3 Wallis, F. "A", Jr. EM3 Wharton, A. J. STM1 Wheat, J. G. F1 Wilks, F. W. TM1
Más sobre #46 USS Barbel (SS 316) 2/4/45
46: #47 USS Kete (SS 369) 3/20/45
USS KETE (SS 369)
March 20, 1945 - 87 Men Lost
Departing Guam on March 1, 1945, KETE (Lt. Cmdr. Edward Ackerman) headed for her second patrol in the vicinity of the Nansei Shoto (island chain). In addition to performing a normal patrol, KETE had orders to submit special weather reports, and to carry out rescue service during an air strike by carrier based planes.
On the night of March 10, 1945, KETE reported having sunk three medium sized freighters on the previous night. She reported on the night of March 14th that she had fired four torpedoes which missed a small enemy cable laying vessel, and that she had only three torpedoes remaining aboard. In view of the small number of torpedoes left, KETE was directed to depart her area on March 20th, and proceed to Pearl Harbor for refit, stopping at Midway en route for fuel. On March 19th, she acknowledged receipt of these orders. On March 20th she sent in a special weather report. This was the last message received from her. At normal cruising speed she should have arrived at Midway about March 31, 1945. When she was neither sighted nor heard from by April 16, 1945, she was reported as presumed lost.
Japanese information concerning antisubmarine attacks gained since the end of the war gives no positive evidence to what happened to KETE; none of the attacks on U.S. submarines occurring within the period from March 20th to March 31st 1945, was made in a position in which KETE was likely to be.
There were a few mine lines in the Nansei Shoto Chain but, since KETE was already east of the islands at the time of her last message on March 20th and was heading home, loss through a mine is considered highly improbable. It is known that a number of enemy submarines were in the area through which KETE was required to pass en route to Midway. RO-41 was sunk east of Okinawa by an U.S. destroyer on March 23, 1945, and two other Japanese submarines were sunk southeast of Okinawa near this date. Conditions attendant to KETE’s loss suggest a likelihood that one of these submarines might have torpedoed and sunk her and been unable to report the attack before being sunk. Thus, KETE must be considered probably a loss due to an unreported enemy attack. She is credited with sending three medium freighters, totaling 12,000 tons, to the bottom on this last patrol. During her first patrol, conducted in the East China Sea, KETE encountered no enemy targets.
Sailors Lost On USS KETE (SS-369) 3-20-1945
Abts, L. A. EM1 Ackerman, E. LCDR Adams, J. C., Jr. LTJG Apking, J. D. FC3 Bergadine, D. L. MOMM3 Blodgett, L. E. S1 Braniger, F. W. CMOMM Brooks, C. QM2 Burnside, W. H., Jr. LTJG Callahan, P. C. F1 Cobrin, B. EM3 Cole, H. M. RM3 Cooper, E. EM2 Crowley, R. W. RM2 Crutchfield, C. R., Jr. LTJG Dawson, W. H. CK3 Deininger, F. R. F1 Derrah, H. W. Y1 Dietrich, H. O. CCS Dortche, C. F. STM1 Drake, D. L. LT Dul, W. TM3 Efferson, M. L. S1 Egen, D. P. S1 Fenton, D. G. LTJG French, H. CMOMM Friesen, B. CMOMM Fuller, R. S. MOMM3 Glynn, J. F., Jr. S1 Griswold, F. J. S1 Gunzinger, J. H. RT1 Gwinn, E. E., Jr. EM3 Haag, B. H. ENS Hart, R. A. S1 Hartbank, G. E. MOMM3 Hayden, P. O. TM1 Henderson, E. COX Hines, J. L. TM2 Holshouser, J. R. CTM Hooper, S. L. RM3 Katz, A. J. EM2 Kelly, N. W. EM3 Kensler, E. N. TM3 Kotelman, W. E. RM3 Kraut, R. P. EM2 Laister, J. L. MOMM3 Litzenburger, F., Jr. GM3 Logsdon, E. BKR1 Lowery, B. B. MOMM2 Lynn, C. W., Jr. MOMM2 Malko, G. R. S1 Marsico, A. T. F1 Martini, F. CSM McLendon, B. E. MOMM2 Messenger, G. R. S1 Moccabee, S. A. SC2 Moore, C. L. S1 Morrison, H. F. MOMM1 Newton, A. V. MOMM1 O'Brien, J. A. CMBA O'Connor, M. A. EM3 Page, G. T. MOMM1 Peterson, C. J. S1 Piper, I. V. MOMM2 Price, G. O. MOMM2 Pushee, D. C. QM3 Racer, R. R. S1 Reimers, F. F. LT Richards, F. A. GM1 Schemm, G. J. QM3 Schenavar, M. D. MOMM2 Schumacher, P. F. EM1 Simpson, O. H. CPRMA Snyder, J. I. EM2 Spikes, R. H. LT Starr, J. G., Jr. MOMM1 Thomas, F. L., Jr. CRM Thompson, G. R. S1 Thoprn, K. GM3 Van Dam, P. C. TM2 Villalba, S. H. F1 Waggoner, J. S. CEM Wallick, R. A. TM2 Walling, F. S. TM2 Westphall, J. A. LT Wilson, G. W. TM1 Woodward, G. I. RT2
Más sobre #47 USS Kete (SS 369) 3/20/45
47: #48 USS Trigger (SS 237) 3/26/45
USS TRIGGER (SS 237)
March 26, 1945 - 89 Men Lost
Departing Guam on March 11, 1945, TRIGGER, under the command of Cmdr. D.R. Connole, headed for the Nansei Shoto area to conduct her twelfth war patrol. She was to provide rescue services for carrier based aircraft, as well as to carry out a normal offensive patrol.
After having sent several routine messages en route to her area, TRIGGER reported her first action on March 18th. She stated that she had made a seventeen-hour end around on a convoy she had previously reported, and had attacked. She sank one freighter and damaged another. The other two merchantmen of the convoy and four escorts proceed west.
For some time, Allied forces had been aware of a large Japanese restricted area west of the Nansei Shoto in the East China Sea. The area had been marked “restricted” in captured enemy notices to mariners, and Allied forces were obliged to accept that the area was mined, and to keep out of it. Submarines had been warned of its presence and given its position, and were in the habit of proceeding around it to the north when patrolling the Formosa Strait and the adjacent China Coast. The convoy, which had been attacked by TRIGGER, was heading for this restricted area. It had always been strongly suspected that there were gaps in the mine lines, since the are was too big to be at once completely and effectively mined.
Immediately after receipt of TRIGGER’s report of the attack she had made, ComSubPac told her to give as much information as possible concerning the subsequent movements of the convoy, in order to help establish the existence of a safe passage through the restricted area. On March 20th, TRIGGER reported that the attack she had made on the convoy had taken place northeast and that she had been held down for three hours by escorts following the attack. When last seen or heard the convoy was heading for the restricted area, but TRIGGER had been unable to regain contact when she was able to surface.
On March 24th, TRIGGER was given further orders. On March 25th she was to move west and patrol, remaining clear of restricted areas and outside the 100-fathom curve. On March 26th TRIGGER was told to proceed at best speed to form a coordinated attack group, known as Earl’s Eliminators, with SEADOG and THREADFIN. The group was to be commanded by Cmdr. E.T. Hydeman in SEADOG. This message to TRIGGER required an acknowledgement, but on the same day she sent a weather report which did not contain an acknowledgement, and she never was heard from again. On March 28th, SEADOG reported that she had been unable to communicate with TRIGGER since the formation of the wolf pack. To clarify the situation for the other submarines, TRIGGER was given another assignment and told to acknowledge, and the wolf pack was disbanded on 30 March.
After many attempts to contact her by radio had failed, TRIGGER was ordered on April 4th to proceed to Midway. When she failed to arrive by May 1, 1945, she was reported as presumed lost in enemy water on her twelfth patrol, after a long and illustrious career.
Since she knew the position of the enemy restricted area containing mines, and had been told to keep clear of it, it is extremely doubtful that TRIGGER’s loss was due to a mine. On the afternoon of March 28th, a two- hour long depth charge attack was conducted by Japanese planes in cooperation with other ships. Other U.S. submarines in the area heard the attack. Hour later, THREADFIN reports, “Many distant strings of depth charges and several heavy explosions heard from what was believed to be the eastward. (In the opposite direction from the location of our attacks). It sounded as though someone was getting quite a drubbing.” No other submarine in the vicinity reported having been attacked, although all reported hearing many explosions.
The Japanese report of the above attack states, “Detected a submarine over eight times and bombed it. Ships also detected it – depth charged. Found oil pool of 1 x 5 miles in size the following day.” Since it is extremely doubtful that THREADFIN received sufficient damage to have left the oil pool described by the Japanese, it must be presumed that TRIGGER was lost in this action. That it occurred two days after TRIGGER had been told to acknowledge a message, and none was ever received is not considered unusual. Conditions often forced submarines to delay transmissions for considerable periods of time.
TRIGGER is credited with one freighter sunk and another damaged on her final patrol. This makes a total of 27 ships sunk, for 180,600 tons, and 13 ships damaged, for 102,900 tons, during the ship’s entire career. In her second patrol to Empire in the area south of Honshu, TRIGGER sent a freighter to the bottom, and damaged two large tankers and a freighter. TRIGGER’s third patrol was a mining mission as well as an offensive patrol; it, too, was in the Empire. She saw a large freighter blow up and sink when it hit a mine she had laid, and also sank two freighters by torpedo attacks. Also on January 10, 1943, TRIGGER torpedoed and sank the Japanese destroyer OKIKAZE near Honshu. TRIGGER covered the Palau-Wewak (New Guinea) traffic lanes on her fourth patrol and succeeded in sinking one freighter and damaging two more. Again in the area south of Honshu, TRIGGER on her fifth patrol sank a large freighter and damaged an aircraft carrier and a tanker.
Her sixth and seventh patrols were in the East China Sea. On her sixth she sank three good-sized tankers and a freighter, doing damage to another freighter. Her seventh resulted in the sinking of four good-sized freighters, one tanker, and one large transport. The eighth patrol of this vessel was made in the Carolines on the Truk-Guam route, and she sank a large freighter-transport and an escort vessel. She sank four freighter- transports as well as a patrol vessel near Palau on her ninth patrol; she also damaged a large tanker, two freighters and a sampan. TRIGGER’s tenth patrol, as her last did, covered the Northern Nansei Shoto area. She received partial credit for sinking a small tanker, which was sunk cooperatively with SALMON. TRIGGER’s eleventh patrol was in the Empire, but resulted in disappointingly few enemy contacts and no attack opportunities. This ship was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her fifth sixth and seventh patrols.
Sailors Lost On USS TRIGGER (SS-237) 3-26-1945
Absher, N. A. FC3 Arsenault, E. A. S1 Backer, D. G., Jr. EM3 Ball, R. B. MOMM1 Barry, J. V. F1 Beranek, R. C. EM3 Bird, J. B. MOMM1 Boeding, J. M. TM3 Bolz, K. W. SM2 Butts, H. S1 Cain, V. W. F1 Carter, A. J. STM1 Coles, H. MOMM1 Connole, D. R. CDR Craig, W. C., Jr. MOMM3 Crutcher, B. E. F1 Curry, P. P. TM1 DeLone, M. V., Jr. MOMM3 Derrick, C. A. QM3 Dodane, R. L. LCDR Dorries, R. J. F1 Dow, W. E. S1 Dunnam, J. W. FCS2 Dusko, J. P. BKR2 Emmons, W. L., Jr. S1 Engle, R. E. EM3 Fisher, J. P. EM3 Fiste, H. L. CEMA Foster, R. M. TM3 Franks, J. A. MOMM3 Gleason, H. R. LTJG Greenwell, R. H. LT Hambright, R. E., Jr. MOMM2 Hampton, G. T. MOMM3 Harrison, R. J. RT2 Householder, J. R. EM1 Iovino, V. T. EM3 Irish, C. B., Jr. LT Johanson, L. A. RT2 Johnson, S. G. LTJG Johnston, R. F. TM2 Kelly, R. M. EM2 Kemarsky, R. N. RT1 Kimmel, M. S1 Livingston, E. A. EM3 Maben, C. G., Jr. RM2 MacVane, A. L. SM2 McDonough "G" "W" RM1 McHugh, L. J., Jr. TM3 Melton, R. H. CMOMMA Misner, D. E. LTJG Morgan, H. P. S1 Morin, R. C. F1 Murray, R. W. S1 Niles, F. L. F1 Olson, D. T. Y1 Oster, L. SC1 Palmer, G. E. TM2 Payne, L. R. TM1 Pollack, R. C. EM1 Pross, J. S. QM1 Rae, W. H. TM3 Reed, J. A. MOMM1 Roberts, C. J. LTJG Robertson, C. C. MOMM1 Rondeau, N. N. RM2 Scheidegger, C. H. QM3 Schenck, C. E. MOMM2 Sincavich, J. W. LT Sheperd, J. E., III LCDR Smith, D. L. S1 Stakich, D. R. MOMM2 Stewart, J. N. EM1 Stock, M. N. S1 Targosz, G. S. GM3 Thompson, N. E. CK2 Thompson, W. C. EM2 Thornberry, C. G. S1 Turner, H. J. EM2 Watson, B. J. SC3 Weeks, J. R. CTMA Welch, C. A., Jr. MOMM2 Widdekind, F. H. F1 Wildey, J. T. GM1 Wilkens, D. L. S1 Wilkens, L. W. S1 Williams, C. A. CMOMMA Worrells, C. M., Jr. MOMM2 Ugecic, W. M. CPHMAZ
Más sobre #48 USS Trigger (SS 237) 3/26/45
48: #49 USS Snook (SS 279) 4/8/45
USS SNOOK (SS 279)
April 8, 1945 - 82 Men Lost
SNOOK (Cmdr. J. F. Walling) departed Guam on March 25, 1945 in company with BURRFISH (SS 312) and BANG (SS 385) to carry out a coordinated patrol with Commander Walling commanding the group. They were to patrol Luzon Strait, the south coast of China, and the east coast of Hainan, and to perform lifeguard duties if so directed by dispatch. SNOOK returned to Guam for emergency repairs on March 27th, and departed on March 28th to rejoin her group. The patrol was SNOOK’s ninth.
In accordance with her orders, weather reports were received daily from SNOOK as she proceeded westward until April 1st, when she was told to discontinue the reports. On the same date, SNOOK was directed to proceed westward to join a coordinated attack group under Commander Cassedy in TIGRONE. BANG and BURRFISH already had been assigned lifeguard stations, and were not available for the attack group as originally planned.
Although the last message received from SNOOK by shore bases was on April 1st, TIGRONE was in contact with her until April 8th. On April 9th, TIGRONE was unable to raise her by radio, nor was she ever able to afterwards. TIGRONE's inability to contact SNOOK may be explained by the fact that on April 10th SNOOK was directed to move eastward toward Luzon Strait, and on April 12th she was ordered to stand lifeguard duty for British carrier-based air strikes. Her position for this duty was in the vicinity of Sakeshima Gunto, about 200 miles east of northern Formosa. No acknowledgement for these orders was required. On April 20th, the Commander of a British carrier task force reported he had a place down in SNOOK’s vicinity, but could not contact her by radio. SNOOK was ordered to search the area and to acknowledge these orders. When she failed to make a transmission, BANG was sent to conduct a search and rendezvous with SNOOK. When SNOOK had not appeared or made contact by May 16th, she was reported as presumed lost on her ninth patrol.
A number of enemy submarine contacts were reported in the vicinity of SNOOK’s lifeguard station during the period in which her loss occurred. During April and May 1945, five Japanese submarines were sunk in the Nansei Shoto chain. The circumstances surrounding SNOOK’s loss suggest the possibility that one of these lost submarines may have torpedoed her while she was surfaced during her lifeguard duties and it was not reported. It is known that such tactics were suggested to Japanese submarine commanders by their supporters.
No attacks had been reported by SNOOK prior to her loss on this patrol. She was, however, responsible for sinking 22 enemy ships, totaling 123,600 tons and damaging 10 ships, for 63,200 tons, on her eight patrols prior to her loss. Her first patrol was from mid-April to the latter part of May 1943, along the China Coast from Formosa to the Empire. She sank four freighters, a patrol craft, a sampan and a trawler. In her second patrol, SNOOK covered the East China Sea area. She sank two freighters and damaged two large tankers. During her third patrol, SNOOK covered areas in both the Yellow and East China Seas, and sank a transport and a freighter, and damaged a sub chaser. Her fourth patrol was along the Empire trade routes to the south. Here she sank two freighters and damaged three more.
SNOOK went to the East China Sea again on her fifth patrol, and sank four freighters and a freighter- transport, while she damaged a fifth freighter. In the same area on her sixth patrol, SNOOK damaged one freighter. Her seventh patrol was in the Luzon Strait area and the northern South China Sea. She sank three freighters and damaged a fourth freighter and an unidentified vessel. SNOOK patrolled the Kurile region north of Japan on her eighth patrol, but contacted only three ships. Two were Russian and the other could not be attacked.
The actual whereabouts of SNOOK may have been discovered during a deep sea dive in 1995. The possibility exists that a U.S. submarine lies in about 350 meters of water off the coast of Iriomote island, the far southwest island in the Okinawa chain. During operations with an Okinawan company using a U.S. made "SCORPIO" ROV in 1995, a group of divers encountered a sonar contact with what appeared to be a metal structure, about 6 meters in girth and about 35 meters in length (exposed) at roughly an angle of 20-30 degrees. The sonar image of a large unexpected obstruction to the operations prompted the divers to command evasive maneuvers and avoid the area for the safety of the ROV.
The divers, thinking they would have another opportunity to work in the area at a later date, left the area and never returned to that site. Their ROV was lost in 1997 off Yonaguni island, the last island belonging to Okinawa off the east coast of Taiwan. They were fairly certain that the object was a submarine, and quite possibly the SNOOK (SS-279). No further dives in the area were ever attempted.
USS SNOOK (SS-279) Sailors Lost on 4-8-1945
Adams, R. B. CMOMMA Bagby, E. E. J. TM2 Baum, R. L. RT2 Billingsley, R. S., Jr. MOMM3 Bolger, K. P. F1 Branum, B. A., Jr. RM3 Browning, N. E. MOMM3 Brownstein, S. EM3 Burdick, R. K. RT1 Burger, L. PHM1 Busby, C. R. LTJG Byron, D. A. F1 Cave, J. E. F1 Cesare, B. A. EM2 Choate, J. D. QM1 Clark, E. P. II LTJG Crawford, D. L. GM1 Cross, J. A. F1 Dolph, W. L. RM1 Eckenrode, C. J. S1 Edmunds, C. F. S1 Ellis, W. P. EM2 Etkin, H. R., Jr. EM2 Farrel, W. S. LT Felabom, J. C. MOMM3 Fry, D. W. EM3 Gambardella, A. S1 Gardner, S. P. LT Glass, J. J. F1 Gregorini, V. BKR2 Grindzak, A. F1 Groat, J. E. MOMM1 Grupp, P. H. MOMM1 Guthrie, A. "T" TM3 Hughes, R. L. Y2 Hurley, D. J. CEMA Ingram, R. R. S1 Johnson, H. M. CMOMMA Johnston, J., Jr. SC2 Julian, H. F. TM3 Keiser, P. F. II S2 Kellog, W. E. TM1 Klosterman, F. J. F1 Kramer, N. T. TM3 Lamont, T. W., III S1 Lang, W. T. MOMM1 Lundgren, L. W. S1 Lunken, I. I. MOMM2 Maney, F. R. F2 Manley, J. G. EM3 McEntyer, O. W. S1 McGahan, J. E. QM3 McGuire, R. M., Jr. F1 McNeill, D. J. LTJG Mlynek, V. P. QM3 Morgan, C. MOMM2 Olson, G. C. S1 Page, G. C. TM1 Parker, J. S. RM3 Phillips, N. S1 Regan, J. B. F1 Register, M. L. EM1 Rehbit, W. J. MOMM2 Rodney, W. J. STM1 Russell, A. M., Jr. TM2 Schoen, R. L. EM3 Schramm, W. C. FC3 Schwendemann, R. L. LTJG Scully, J. F. TM3 Shelton, W. E. ST3 Silvia, B. SC1 Sloan, J. C. S1 Spence, E. L. S2 Sukola, R. "R" RT3 Toulson, H. T. F1 Wagner, H. "K" EM2 Walling, J. F. CDR Welch, A. W., Jr. LTJG Will, J. A. MOMM1 Wood, R. E., Jr. FC2 Wood, R. E. F1 Wright, J. N. ENS
Más sobre #49 USS Snook (SS 279) 4/8/45
49: #50 USS Lagarto (SS 371) 5/3/45
USS LAGARTO (SS 371)
May 3, 1945 - 86 Men Lost
LAGARTO, under CDR F.D. Latta, departed Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, on April 12, 1945, for her second patrol in the South China Sea. On April 27, she was directed to the outer part of Siam Gulf.
LAGARTO contacted BAYA, already patrolling in Siam Gulf on May 2, 1945, and exchanged calls with her by SJ radar. Later that day BAYA sent LAGARTO a contact report on a convoy she had contacted consisting of one tanker, one auxiliary and two destroyers. LAGARTO soon reported being in contact with the convoy, and began coming in for an attack with BAYA. However, the enemy escorts were equipped with 10cm radar, and detected BAYA and drove her off with gunfire, whereupon the two submarines decided to wait and plan a subsequent attack.
Early on the morning of May 3, 1945, LAGARTO and BAYA made a rendezvous and discussed plans. LAGARTO was to dive on the convoy's track to make a contact at 1400, while BAYA was to be ten to fifteen miles further along the track. During the day, numerous contact reports were exchanged. At 0010 on May 4, after a prolonged but unsuccessful attack, BAYA was finally driven off by the alert escorts, and no further contact was ever made with LAGARTO.
Japanese information available now records an attack on a U.S. submarine made by the minelayer HATSUTAKA, believed to be one of the two radar-equipped escorts of the convoy attacked. The attack was made in about 30 fathoms of water, and in view of the information presented above, the attack here described must be presumed to be the one which sank LAGARTO.
This vessel's first patrol was in the Nansei Shoto chain as part of an anti-picket-boat sweep made by submarines to aid Admiral Halsey's Task Force 38 in getting carrier planes to Japan undetected. She sank the Japanese submarine RO-49 on February 24, 1945, and participated in several surface gun attacks with HADDOCK and SENNET. Two small vessels were sunk and two more damaged in those attacks, and LAGARTO shared credit for the results with these submarines. Commander Latta had previously made seven patrols as Commanding Officer of NARWHAL. Every patrol made by this officer was designated successful for the award of combat insignia, a record surpassed by no commanding officer in the Submarine Force.
Sailors Lost On USS LAGARTO (SS-371) 4-8-1945
Andrews, H. D. CTM Anker, C. CMOMM Auchard, F. L. LTJG Bjornson, C. H. F1 Breithaupt, C. W., Jr. Y2 Britain, W. L. CRMA Brock, A. S2 Byrer, C. R. F1 Carleton, W. E. RM1 Cathey, L. F. MOMM3 Catozzi, S. G. QM3 Clouse, G. E. TM2 Cook, C. T. MOMM1 Davis, J. E., Jr. TM2 Doud, L. M. RM2 Enns, A. H. TM3 Fisher, R. L. MOMM1 Franze, J. J. S1 Frasch, O. R. MOMM1 Gerlach, J. N. F1 Grace, R. F. F2 Graves, W. QM1 Gray, D. J. EM2 Green, R. STM2 Gregorik, R. L. EM1 Gregory, J. P. S2 Halstead, G. E. RM3 Hardegree, T. MOMM1 Harrington, G. C. MOMM3 Harrington, T. J. MOMM2 Harris, J. B. S1 Harrison, J. C. MOMM3 Hinken, W. E. TM3 Honaker, W. F. EM3 Irving, L. G. LT Jefferson, H. S1 Jobe, J. CEMA Johnson, F. S1 Johnson, J. R. CEMA Jordan, W. H., Jr. S1 Keeney, A. H., Jr. LT Kimball, P. M. RT1 Kirtley, A. STM1 Kneidl, J. W. MOMM3 Latta, F. D. CDR Lee, N. B., Jr. S1 Lee, R. W. F1 Lewis, R. J. MOMM2 Lynch, L. J. F1 Mabin, W. T. SM1 Marriot, J. M., Jr. S1 McDonald, J. H. SC2 McGee, J. M. TM2 Mendenhall, W. H. LT Moore, W. L. F1 Moss, W. G. S1 O'Hara, L. R. RT2 Ortega, H. E. F1 Paper, D. M. S1 Pash, J. S. LTJG Patterson, R. R. RM3 Perry, R. C. EM3 Peterson, J. W. TM3 Peterson, R. F. QM3 Phelps, W. B. LTJG Plushnik, H. R. F1 Price, G. A. CMOMMA Reeves, M. D. EM2 Reichert, R. E. F1 Robinson, E. T. BM1 Root, J. H. MOMM1 Ruble, R. T. LT Rutledge, W. J. S1 Shackelford, W. C. SM2 Simmerman, R. E. TM2 Spalding, R. B. CPHMA Stehn, J. E. GM2 Stiegler, D. G. EM2 St. John, U. M., Jr. EM3 Tait, F. MOMM2 Todd, H. A., Jr. LTJG Turner, F. D. CGM Wade, A. M. S1 Warnick, W. C. S1 Wicklander, M. M. MOMM2 Williams, J. L. S1
Más sobre #50 USS Lagarto (SS 371) 5/3/45
50: #51 USS Bonefish (SS 223) 6/18/45
Member of the "Mighty Mine Dodgers", which included Seadog, Spadefish, Crevalle, Skate, Tunny, Bonefish, Flying Fish, Bowfin & Tinosa. In May 1945, these 9 boats were sent to the Sea of Japan to destroy as much merchant and military shipping as possible in a mission known as "Operation Barney". It was highly successful.
USS BONEFISH (SS 223)
June 18, 1945 - 85 Men Lost
In company with TUNNY and SKATE, BONEFISH (SS 223), commanded by CDR L.L. Edge, departed Guam on May 28, 1945 to conduct her eighth war patrol. This coordinated attack group under Commander G.W. Pierce in TUNNY, which was one of three groups then penetrating the Japan Sea, was ordered to transit Tsushima Strait on June 5, 1945, and to conduct offensive patrol in the Sea of Japan off the west central coast of Honshu. This area was further subdivided, with BONEFISH assigned to patrol the northern portion.
BONEFISH successfully transited Tsushima Strait, and made rendezvous with TUNNY on June 16, 1945. Commander Edge reported he had sunk one large transport and one medium freighter to date. On the morning of June 18, TUNNY and BONEFISH rendezvoused. BONEFISH asked permission to conduct a submerged daylight patrol in Toyama Wan, in the mid part of western Honshu, and having received it, departed for Suzo Misaki. She was never seen or heard from again.
BONEFISH, in accordance with the operation order, was to rendezvous with the other eight submarines of the three groups at sunset on June 23, 1945, in preparation for the transit on June 24 of La Perouse Strait. BONEFISH did not make this rendezvous, and after the other eight vessels had successfully transited La Perouse Strait, TUNNY on June 25 and 26 waited off the entrance to the strait and unsuccessfully tried to contact BONEFISH. When all possibilities had been examined, and she had not been seen or heard from by July 30, BONEFISH was reported as presumed lost.
Japanese records of anti-submarine attacks mention an attack made on June 18, 1945 in Toyama Wan. A great many depth charges were dropped, and wood chips and oil were observed. This undoubtedly was the attack which sank BONEFISH. She sank a total of 12 enemy vessels, for a total tonnage of 61,345, and damaged seven, for 42,000 more tons. BONEFISH was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for the period of her first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth patrols.
Sailors Lost On USS BONEFISH (SS-223) 6-18-1945
Abel, D. A. LTJG Adams, T. B., Jr. Y3 Adams, W. S. BKR3 Amburgey, L. M. LTJG Anderson, G. I., Jr. MOMM3 Aureli, S. J. S1 Beck, M. L. GM2 Brown, R. W. F1 Browning, J. A. EM1 Burdick, C. A. MOMM2 Canfield, K. T. MOMMM2 Coleman, J. A. RM3 Cooley, Q. L. STM2 Danielson, O. C. SC2 Dunn, D. H., Jr. LTJG Edge, L. L. CDR Enos, E. R. F1 Epps, W. H., Jr. STM2 Feld, P. E. F1 Fox, D. C. RM2 Frank, R. E. CMOMMA Fugett, M. A. QM2 Fuller, G. M. CMOMMA Hackstaff, H. J. RM2 Harman, G. P. TM1 Johnson, J. C. RT1 Johnson, S. E., Jr. CQMA Johnston, R. M. LTJG Kalinoff, M. W. F1 Karr, W. G. RM2 Keefer, R. T. S1 Kern, F. B. ENS King, E. W. EM2 Knight, F. S. LCDR Kissane, J. E. S2 Lamothe, J. N. COX Laracy, J. J., Jr. EM3 Hasiak, J. J. TM3 Hess, R. D. S1 Houghton, W. S. TM1 Jenkins, R. W. EM1 Lewis, M. A. CGM Lockwood, T. G. PHOM3 Lynch, J. F. TM2 Maghan, A. G. F1 McBride, R. J. MOMM2 Markle, J. E. EM2 Miles, H. V., Jr. MOMM1 Nester, S. A. EM3 Newberry, J. R. F1 Olson, D. H. MOMM2 O'Toole, W. P. EM3 Parton, J. F. EM3 Paskin, T. RT2 Pauley, G. W. RM3 Phenicie, J. E. MOMM3 Primavera, L. J. MOMM1 Prunier, G. A. EM3 Quenett, C. F. TM2 Raley, C. H. F1 Ray, R. C., Jr. SM1 Raynes, J. A. EM1 Reid, J. A. F1 Rhanor, C. J. S1 Rice, R. M. S1 Rose, R. A., Jr. LTJG Schiller, R. G. F1 Schmidling, C. J. FCS1 Schweyer, R. G. RT2 Slater, R. E. LTJG Smith, L. C., Jr. LTJG Snodgrass, R. L. Y1 Stamm, R. S. SC1 Surber, R. M. EM2 Tierney, D. R. MOMM1 Velie, R. C. TME2 Vincent, T. F., Jr. S1 Whitright, W. TM2 Williams, J. J. MOMM2 Williams, J. R., Jr. FC3 Williams, T. F. F1 Wilson, J. R. F1 Winegar, C. D. TM3 Wolfe, L. E. TM3 Wright, G. "W", Jr. PHM1
Más sobre #51 USS Bonefish (SS 223) 6/18/45
51: #52 USS Bullhead (SS 332) 8/6/45
USS BULLHEAD (SS 332)
August 6, 1945 - 84 Men Lost
Departing Fremantle for her third war patrol, BULLHEAD, led by LCDR E.R. Holt, Jr., started for her area of responsibility on July 31, 1945. She was to patrol in the Java Sea at dark on September 5 and head for Subic Bay, Philippines. CAPITAINE and PUFFER were also to patrol in the Java Sea area, as were the British submarines TACITURN and THOROUGH.
BULLHEAD arrived in her area on August 6, but CAPITAINE did not arrive until August 13. On August 12, CAPITAINE ordered BULLHEAD to take position the following day in a scouting line with CAPITAINE and PUFFER. There was no reply and on August 15, CAPITAINE reported, "Have been unable to contact BULLHEAD by any means since arriving in area."
Since those submarines named above were in the same general area as BULLHEAD, and COD and CHUB passed through in transit at various times, it is difficult to point to one Japanese anti-submarine attack as the one which sank BULLHEAD. However, the most likely one occurred on August 6, 1945, when an enemy army plane attacked with depth charges. It claimed two direct hits, and for ten minutes thereafter, there was a great amount of gushing oil and air bubbles rising in the water. Since the position given is very near the Bali coast, it is presumed that the proximity of mountain peaks shortened BULLHEAD's radar range and prevented her receiving a warning of the plane's approach.
BULLHEAD sank four enemy ships, totaling 1,800 tons, and damaged three ships, for 1,300 tons, in her first two patrols. Her first patrol was made in the South China Sea from the latter part of March to the end of April 1945. No enemy contacts were made, but on March 31 and again on April 24 BULLHEAD bombarded Pratas Island with her five inch gun. She also rescued three airmen from a downed B-29 following an air strike on the China coast. In May and June 1945 BULLHEAD patrolled the Gulf of Siam and the South China Sea during her second patrol. Here she sank two small freighters, a schooner and a sub chaser, and damaged two more sub chasers and another small freighter, all in gun actions.
Sailors Lost On USS BULLHEAD (SS-332) 8-6-1945
Aiple, A., Jr. QM2 Anderson, H. A. Y2 Barringer, R. H. S1 Bell, G. L. MOMM1 Benner, J. D. S1 Bertram, W. E. MOMM2 Bridgestock, H. R. RT2 Brume, R. M. MOMM2 Buczek, K. J. TM2 Burns, R. B. CTMA Church, R. W. MOMM1 Collins, J. F. EM3 Crandall, H. E. MOMM3 Dahl, E. M. MOMM3 Davidson, G. M. F1 Davidson, J. K. MOMM2 Day, C. J. EM2 Dougherty, C. W. SC1 Engebretsen, E. M. CQM Fahey, J. R. RM3 Foster, R. G. F1 Foust, K. E. QM3 Fritz, F. C. RM2 Gay, C. W. EM3 Gilheany, J. P., Jr. RM3 Gossett, P. A. LTJG Graves, C. M. S1 Greaves, W. F. EM3 Hackett, H. B. STM2 Hackman, E. D., Jr. LT Hancock, J. L. GM2 Harris, J. J. QM3 Hawkins, W. P. BM2 Heaton, G. V., Jr. MOMM2 Helferich, T. P. CMOMM Henricksen, D. O. LTJG Holt, E. R., Jr. LCDR Huisman, L. W. S1 Ireland, W. TM2 Jenkins, L. L. EM2 Jensen, J. R. EM3 Jewell, F. J. QM2 Johnson, P., Jr. STM1 Jones, J. W. CEMA Keister, R. A. RT3 Kopf, J. J. EM3 Kulczycki, W. A. ENS Mannas, O. V. TM2 Marin, R. K. MOMM2 Markham, J. P. TM3 McDermott, H. A. MOMM3 Morgan, G. P. TM3 Overbeek, P. F. S1 Olson, P. W. S1 Palmer, R. W. F1 Parks, W. J. GM1 Parpal, J. J. LTJG Pattengale, R. M. TM3 Patterson, R. S. SOM2 Peart, W. M. EM1 Perry, R. J. MOMM1 Phillips, K. R. LCDR Piatt, C. W. SC3 Pinder, R. A. CMOMMA Ralston, W. J., Jr. TM3 Ritchie, R. J. EM3 Roberts, J. A. EM1 Sandoval, J. S1 Schlegel, L. A. F1 Schmidt, O. G. H. F1 Short, W. E. TM1 Shuey, B., Jr. SC3 Siefken, D. M. FCS2 Simms, II, J. LTJG Smida, E. "M" PHM1 Smith, C. J. CRMA Smith, W. M. CEM Stifter, F. T. RT2 Strassle, R. W. LTJG Taylor, C. H. S1 Tobias, M. MOMM3 Watson, A. T. CMOMM Webb, L. L. S1 Wiersma, E. J. MOMM3
Más sobre #52 USS Bullhead (SS 332) 8/6/45