Sub History Built at Mare Naval Yard on Mare Island. Wahoo launched one torpedo; it hit at the point of aim but was a dud. Nothing further was ever heard from Wahoo. USS FLASHER (SS 249) Nov. 4, 1943. … She topped off with fuel at Midway, and departed from there on 3 February. HullNumber.com's mission is to provide a means for shipmates to keep in touch with one another. Four days later, Wahoo arrived at Midway Island, but she left on the same day. Four days later, a hospital ship was sighted headed for the Shortland Islands. Wahoo fired three torpedoes; all missed. It was a miss. On 25 September 1943 the Taiko Maru was torpedoed in the Sea of Japan; mistakenly credited to the USS Pompano (SS-181), it was apparently sunk by Wahoo.[25]. Later that day, Wahoo sighted a 100-long-ton (100 t) trawler and again attacked with her deck guns. Eight hours later, Wahoo opened fire on two more sampans, enveloping them in flames. Following fitting out and initial training along the California coast (which took her as far south as San Diego), Wahoo departed Mare Island on 12 August for Hawaii. Wahoo got underway from Pearl Harbor, topped off fuel and supplies at Midway on 13 September, and headed for La Perouse Strait. [19] The low number suggests O'Kane's defense, that Morton fired only on the boats, may be correct. On 10 December, while making her return trip, Wahoo ran across a convoy of three heavily loaded cargo ships escorted by a destroyer. The next day (15 August), while still on the trail of those three freighters, Wahoo sighted a large freighter on a northerly course. Personnel of the USS Franklin. The other freighter opened fire with their deck guns and charged Wahoo. With that as a reference, a blowup of the Navy chart was made. Wahoo then surfaced and chased the southbound freighter. Wahoo fired a fourth torpedo which also missed. She chose the destroyer as the first target, but proved unable to attain a firing position. In 1952 the crew of the soon-to-be commissioned Wahoo looked for an insignia appropriate for a new high-capability submarine. In ten action-packed days Wahoo delivered ten torpedo attacks on eight different targets. For Wahoo's fourth patrol, Morton was assigned to the extreme northern reaches of the Yellow Sea, in the vicinity of the Yalu River and Dairen, an area never before patrolled by U.S. submarines. There, a 4 in (100 mm) gun and two 20 mm guns were installed. Ignoring this, Wahoo fired a three-torpedo spread at the transport; the second and third hit and stopped her. In her short career in the Pacific War, Tang sank 33 ships totalling 116,454 tons. Overhaul was completed on 2 November and, after three days' training, Wahoo was again ready for sea. With only four torpedoes left, the submarine fired two at the tanker, the second hitting her just abaft of midships, breaking her back; she went down almost instantly. However, Wahoo sighted a freighter heading north in ballast and commenced a submerged approach. Morton fired his last two torpedoes. All Rights Reserved. Ruhmland. HullNumber.com's mission is to provide a means for shipmates to keep in touch with one another. 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. Members of the crews jumped overboard but showed no desire to be rescued. 1959 Crew List (PDF) Commissioning Pamphlet (PDF) Other Submarine Links. It had a map of New Guinea with a small indentation labeled "Wewak". Lieutenant Richard O'Kane joined the precommissioning crew and served as her executive officer (XO) on five war patrols under Kennedy and Morton (O'Kane later received a Medal of Honor for his service in USS Tang). They both hit. In light of the poor torpedo performance, ComSubPac ordered Wahoo to return to base. Shown on this page are four photos (Photo 05 - Photo 08) of the wreck that we believe to be USS Wahoo (SS-238). If you are a relative or a friend of any man lost on this boat, please contact us. She had the unique experience of making the entire passage to the East China Sea without sighting a single aircraft, thus making most of the trip surfaced. Wahoo was assigned to the Pacific theatre. Upon observing the damage, Wahoo discovered there were two more ships; a huge transport, Buyo Maru, and a tanker. [12]"Apparently her skipper had lost his nerve when he saw our last torpedo heading toward him and put the rudder over to try to miss it, and by swinging himself broadside to it he signed the destroyer's death warrant. on War Patrols 1-5. Four survivors ignored all efforts to rescue them. A straw broom was lashed to her periscope shears to indicate a clean sweep. [15][page needed] Richard O'Kane stated that the fire from Wahoo was intended to force the troops to abandon their boats and no troops were deliberately targeted. This ship got away, and Wahoo was forced down by the escorts. Wahoo continued on an easterly course, surfaced and continued her patrol of the Kurils southward. ss-237, uss trigger ss-238, uss wahoo ss-239, uss whale ss-240, uss angler ss-241, uss bashaw ss-242, uss bluegill, part 1 ss-242, uss bluegill, part 2 ss-243, uss bream ss-244, uss cavalla ss-245, uss cobia ss-246, uss croaker ss-247, uss dace, part 1 ss-247, uss dace, part 2 ss-247, uss dace, part 3 On 23 August 1942 Wahoo got underway for her first war patrol, seeking Japanese shipping in waters west of Truk, particularly in the area between the Hall Islands and the Namonuito Atoll. Wahoo was chased by the escort but escaped by radically changing course in a rain squall. 1980; Sold for scrapping in 1994. The next day, she sighted a sampan and fired warning shots across the bow. [14] Controversy still attaches to this action in that troops in the water may have been deliberately targeted by Wahoo. Wahoo then shifted to Submarine Base Pearl Harbor for overhaul. The second hit under the bridge with a dull thud, much louder than the duds heard only on sonar but lacking the "whacking" noise which accompanies a wholehearted explosion. From Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs, 31 October 2006. Wahoo left the following morning to investigate a ship on the horizon. Just as the torpedo left its tube, a southbound freighter passed close aboard this target, but the torpedo missed. The submarine dodged, fearful of counterattack from the air. On the night of 9 May 1943, Wahoo proceeded up the coast with the intention of closing Kone Saki. At sunset on 21 October, Wahoo was supposed to leave her assigned area, south of the 43rd parallel, and head for home. next page. On 26 January, the submarine sighted the smoke of two ships. USS Wahoo (SS-238) was a Gato-class submarine, the first United States Navy ship to be named for the wahoo, a dark blue food fish of Florida and the West Indies.Construction started before the U.S. entered World War II, and she was commissioned after entry. Wahoo cleared the area to the east and set course for Pearl Harbor. Wahoo departed, leaving the fishing boat wrecked, spouting flame and smoke. Cmdr.) The following day, she patrolled the surface and reconnoitered Matsuwa, taking photographs of the enemy installations, exploring southwest along the island chain and finding the islands barren and completely covered with snow and ice. Your ORIGINAL HOMETOWN and State are asked for because that confirms who you are in your shipmate's memories. The Sinking of the Wahoo The sinking of the Wahoo: a translation of the Japanese battle report including photo and map; Wahoo Final Battle Presentation; An interview with participants of the attack on the Wahoo; The USS Sawfish's 4th War Report: The closest account from the American perspective of how enemy forces doomed the Wahoo. Three days later, Wahoo sighted two ships hugging the shoreline on a northerly course, 12 nmi (14 mi; 22 km) off the Benten Saki coast, and dove. Japanese records also reported that on 11 October, the date Wahoo was due to exit through La Pérouse Strait in the morning, Wahoo was bombarded from Cape Sōya. Morton proposed a novel attack. The next day, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the CINCPAC, came on board and presented awards. Seventh patrol and loss, September–October 1943, harvnb error: no target: CITEREFGrider1958 (, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Press release of the possible locating of, Press release of wreath-laying ceremony held at sea for the crew of, Warfish.com photos and drawings from Russian dive team that located the USS WAHOO, List of men lost On Eternal Patrol - USS Wahoo (SS-238), List of submarines of the United States Navy, List of submarine classes of the United States Navy, Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in October 1943, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_Wahoo_(SS-238)&oldid=1007273718, World War II submarines of the United States, World War II shipwrecks in the Sea of Japan, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from September 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2017, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from October 2011, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2017, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Japan articles missing geocoordinate data, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 48 hours at 2 kn (2 mph; 4 km/h) submerged, This page was last edited on 17 February 2021, at 07:15. Forewarned by American codebreakers that the Japanese intended to counter the invasion of Attu by a major sortie of the I.J.N. Ten torpedoes broached, made erratic runs, or were duds. Decommissioned on June 27, 1980 and stricken from the Navy list on July 15, 1983, the WAHOO was originally scheduled to be transfered to Iran but following the Iranian revolution the transfer was cancelled and the WAHOO remained in US Navy custody. Meanwhile, the United States mounted its offensive against Attu, and Admiral Mineichi Koga returned his major units from Truk to Tokyo Bay via a sortie to Alaska. At 12:47 on 24 March, Wahoo sighted smoke and began to make her approach. Construction started before the U.S. entered World War II, and she was commissioned after entry. In 2011 the book was again up-dated, with information about the 2006 discovery of the USS Wahoo wreck site. She launched four torpedoes from 1,200 yd (1,100 m), but got only one hit. The submarine submerged 1 nmi (1.2 mi; 1.9 km) off Kobe Zaki and sighted a three-ship convoy consisting of two escort vessels and a large naval auxiliary. On the following day, Wahoo sighted the freighter Yamabato Maru and fired two of her stern torpedo tubes. O.) She dove to gain position for a "two ship" shot where they would come by in column. Her deck gun was replaced by a heavier 4-inch gun, and a pair of 20-millimeter anti-aircraft guns were added. She sighted the Japanese destroyer Harusame with RO-class submarines nested alongside. Japanese Vice Admiral Kazuo Ueda, working with the Wahoo Project Group, examined the historical record and correctly predicted the location of Wahoo.[26]. She was sunk by Japanese aircraft in October 1943 while returning home from a patrol in the Sea of Japan. The destroyer dropped approximately 40 depth charges, none close. From 11–20 July, the submarine underwent intensive post-repair trials and training. During July 1943, O'Kane was detached to serve aboard USS Tang (SS-306). The submarine surfaced and headed further out to sea. The tanker was unarmed and appeared to be having trouble maintaining convoy speed. The submarine fired another torpedo which missed and must have broached and exploded before the end of the run. Wahoo was assigned to the Pacific theatre. No pursuit was undertaken, in hopes of a loaded target heading south. An antisubmarine aircraft (likely an Aichi Jake float plane) sighted a wake and an apparent oil slick from a submerged submarine. [17], Whatever the case, Wahoo had misidentified the survivors as Japanese. Wahoo's approach was unsuccessful, and she proceeded east of Cape Hanpan. During this period the USNR composed between 76.8% to 90.5% of total personnel on active duty. Wahoo headed for the transport and fired a bow tube; the torpedo passed directly under the middle of the ship but failed to explode. Wahoo had two successful hits, and both ships went down; Takao Maru (3,200 long tons (3,300 t)) and Jinmu Maru (1,200 long tons (1,200 t)). The crew took turns looking through the periscope as the freighter sank. When all three of her 20 mm guns jammed, the Wahoo went alongside the riddled trawler and the sailors of Wahoo hurled homemade Molotov cocktails (gifts from the U.S. Marines at Midway Atoll) onto the trawler. Construction started before the U.S. entered World War II, and she was commissioned after entry. She gained fame as an aggressive and highly successful submarine after Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker "Mush" Morton became her skipper. Four hours later, Wahoo sighted the freighter Nittsu Maru. Wahoo made for La Perouse Strait. The victims included two Japanese congressmen of the House of Representatives, Choichi Kato and Keishiro Sukekawa. Fukuei Maru was listing badly to starboard and sinking by the stern; the second ship was headed directly for Wahoo, at a slow speed. Articles on USS Wahoo and her Crew: USS Wahoo made 7 historic patrols - January 3, 2009 article posted on the Fremont [Nebraska] Tribune website.. Wreath Laying Ceremony in Honor of USS Wahoo - July 16, 2007 article by USS Frank Cable Public Affairs, posted on MarineLink.com.. USS Wahoo (SS 238) - July 12, 2007 Coverage of the ceremony-at-sea on the website of Commander Submarine Group 7 The escort successfully avoided all four torpedoes fired at her and then escaped. [10] This hit amidships, breaking the destroyer's back. She then conducted two days of training and was drydocked at the Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, on 21 February. Wahoo cleared the area to the northeast in order to patrol the Tokyo-Paramushiro route; on 12 May, she sighted two freighters. Wahoo earned three battle stars for service in the Vietnam conflict. OTHERS. Wahoo had long been believed to be resting in the Soya (La Pérouse) Strait between Hokkaidō, Japan and Sakhalin, Russia. She gained fame as an aggressive and highly successful submarine after Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker "Mush" Morton became her skipper. Wahoo Downloads. Wahoo decided to let these two ships get over the horizon, while she surfaced to charge her batteries and attack the shipwrecked Japanese now sitting in about twenty lifeboats. On 19 March 1943, the shooting began with a freighter identified as Zogen Maru. On 30 November, the submarine spotted smoke at a distance of 8,000 yd (7,300 m); it was a lightly loaded freighter or transport with an escorting destroyer on the port bow. A single torpedo hit broke the target in two; the aft end sank immediately, and the bow sank two minutes later. She decided to move over on the Hokkaidō-Korea shipping route and spend the night and the following day transiting to that area. She was launched on 14 February 1942 (sponsored by Mrs. William C. Barker, Jr.), and commissioned on 15 May 1942 with Lieutenant Commander (Lt. There followed so many explosions that it was hard to tell what was happening. Destroyer gunning, Wahoo running".[24]. [citation needed]. Although USS Wahoo is named for a species of fish, the word wahoo is reminiscent of the yell of the American Indian. She surfaced and the convoy scattered, but before Morton could have the deck gun manned a Japanese destroyer escort charged out of a rain squall onto the scene, forcing Wahoo to run for it. USS Wahoo (SS-238) was a Gato-class submarine, the first United States Navy ship to be named for the wahoo. Laid down June 28, 1941. The destroyer was getting underway, so Wahoo fired a spread of three torpedoes at the moving target from 1,200 yd (1,100 m);[10] all missed aft. Moore, left Pearl Harbor on 28 January 1944, to begin her tenth war patrol in the East China Sea east of the coast of Chekiang Province, China. [27] The submarine was sunk by a direct hit from an aerial bomb near the conning tower. Wahoo earned six battle stars for World War II service. The submarine left station and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 7 February, only 23 days after leaving Brisbane (most patrols were in the 60‑ to 75‑day range). Wahoo set course for a point to the northeast of Round Island, in Korea Bay, 50 km southeast of Dairen. The first was Chiyoda (listed as a seaplane tender, she was in fact a mother ship to midget submarines[5]), sailing without escort; Wahoo proved unable to reach a firing position. The ceremony was held on the confirmed site of the sinking of the submarine as a joint exercise with the Navy of the Russian Federation. On the following day, Wahoo departed for Pearl Harbor, furnishing services for surface and air forces while en route. Morton, smarting from that last luckless patrol, asked to return to the Sea of Japan, and permission was granted. There were no survivors. Wahoo was assigned to the Pacific theatre. This new softbound edition has 222 pages, 12 black and white photographs, a USS Wahoo crew roster, glossary, a complete bio on the author and an epilogue written by the late Forest Sterling in 1997. The second torpedo was aimed at the foremast, but it missed because the first torpedo stopped the freighter in her tracks. Two more torpedoes were fired, but the freighter maneuvered to avoid them. Another torpedo was fired, which the destroyer avoided by turning away,[11] continuing through 270 degrees of a circle and headed straight for Wahoo, whose position was marked by the wakes of the steam torpedoes. USS Tang (SS563) USS Wahoo (SS238) USS Gudgeon (SS567) USS Tecumseh (SSBN628) USS Harder (SS568) USS Carbonero (SS337) USS Darter (SS576) USSVI Wahoo Base: USS … fleet, COMSUBPAC sent his top sub, Wahoo, to the Kuril Islands to intercept it. She fired two more torpedoes. Wahoo commenced refit by a tender relief crew and the ship's crew. Three days later, the submarine passed into Vitiaz Strait en route to her patrol area. After coming into firing range and opening fire on Wahoo, forcing her under, the persistent destroyer escort dropped six depth charges, none close. Crew History Richard H. O’Kane joined the commissioning crew of the Wahoo and was her Executive Officer (E. Please keep in mind that this list does only include records of people who submitted their information for publication on this website. The ship went down in three minutes. Registration and communicating with shipmates at Hullnumber.com is FREE FOREVER. After collecting a few souvenirs from the scattered wreckage, Wahoo commenced a surfaced patrol, heading for Shantung Promontory. Rather than use the new SJ radar to mount a second attack, which might well sink the freighter (then stopped to pick up survivors[6]), and possibly even the destroyer, Wahoo let them go on a northeasterly course and moved into a new area. Wahoo's fifth war patrol was again considered outstanding in aggressiveness and efficiency. In just nine months, Morton had sunk 19 enemy vessels; a spectacular record that made him an icon among American submariners. All shipping tied up.". USS Nashville LPD 13 Alumni Association - History - Online home for past crew, family and friends of the USS Nashville. Kennedy was relieved as commanding officer; Morton replaced him. USS Wahoo (SS-238) To all families, friends, and former crew members of USS Wahoo - Lost at Sea, October 11, 1943. The forward section sank in two minutes. She commenced refit the following day alongside submarine tender Sperry. She decided to attack the tanker first since she was as yet undamaged. USS WAHOO (SS-565) Crew Links. PEARL HARBOR, HI – For more than six decades her whereabouts have remained a mystery; her story one of submarine legend – her crew on “Eternal Patrol.” Wahoo surfaced, transited the Collnett Strait, and headed home, concluding a war patrol which topped the record to date in number of ships sunk. Despite heavy damage, Harusame was beached and repaired. Beginning in 1995, the Wahoo Project Group (an international team of Americans, Australians, Japanese, and Russians, and led by a relative of Commander Morton) searched for her based on the available evidence. Wahoo then turned her attention to the freighter and fired her last two torpedoes without a spread. USS WAHOO was the third TANG - class Diesel submarine and the second ship in the Navy to bear the name. On 28 March, while on the surface astride the Shimonoseki-Formosa shipping route, Wahoo opened fire with two 20 mm guns on two motor sampans. It makes the top-ten list for ships sunk during WWII, but it is most well-known for its leadership. Wahoo then swung around to bring her stern torpedo tubes to bear and headed directly for the target. Both missed. She fired another three-torpedo spread. The American submarine command in Pearl Harbor reported that the "Japanese think a submarine wolf pack operating in Yellow Sea. One hit the engine room and sank the ship in four minutes. She arrived at Pearl Harboron 18 August and underwent … On 20 July, squadron commander Captain John B. Griggs, Jr., came aboard and presented more awards. Wahoo then patrolled off the Korean coast, just south of Chinnampo. Fifteen minutes later, the freighter sank, having absorbed four hits from three separate attacks. In fact, they were mainly Indian POWs of 2nd Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment, plus escorting forces from the Japanese 26th Field Ordnance Depot. After the loss of Wahoo, no US submarines ventured into the Sea of Japan until June 1945, when special mine-detecting equipment became available. On 11 October 2007, the U.S. Navy held an official remembrance ceremony for the crew of Wahoo, conducted at the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park at Pearl Harbor, and followed by a presentation of the history of Wahoo search and discovery by the Wahoo Project Group. She launched two torpedoes; when both exploded prematurely, Wahoo "battle surfaced" to use her deck guns. On 27 January 1943, Wahoo made contact with a convoy of eight ships, including two freighters and a tanker. Five submarines of the United States Navy have been named USS Wahoo, named after the fish, may refer to: . Dudley W. Morton, USN, of Miami, Fla., came across a small fishing boat, becalmed. Four hours later, Wahoo sighted another freighter, Kowa Maru, and launched two torpedoes. Wahoo made a submerged approach and launched a torpedo at the medium-sized freighter. On 8 November 1942, Wahoo got underway for her second war patrol, with Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker "Mush" Morton also aboard for his prospective commanding officer (PCO) patrol. Six Japanese fishermen surrendered and were taken on board as prisoners of war. "[13] Wahoo had no difficulty escaping from the area. Kamikawa turned away and was making 11 kn (13 mph; 20 km/h), with a slight list. On 5 October, the Japanese news agency Domei announced to the world that a steamer, the 8,000 long tons (8,100 t) Konron Maru, was sunk by an American submarine off the west coast of Honshū near Tsushima Strait, with the loss of 544 lives. (Kamikawa survived but was sunk 29 May 1943 by the Scamp.) Provides food and water to the crew of a becalmed fishing boat, circa January 1943. The submarine fired a spread of three torpedoes at the tanker and immediately thereafter a three torpedo spread at the freighter. [6] Instead, she fired a spread of four torpedoes at the largest tanker, from a range of 700 yd (640 m). Morton's plan worked, up to a point. This hit the target just under her bridge, immediately enveloping the target in a screen of coal dust. This proved fruitless, and Wahoo returned to her former hunting grounds, the Buka-Kilinailau Channel. Under a bright moon and clear sky, the submarine sighted a freighter and her escort. FAST ATTACKS. The freighter tried to ram her, but Wahoo maneuvered clear, and then continued firing at the target, setting her ablaze from stem to stern, and leaving her dead in the water. The first two torpedoes exploded prematurely, and the third one missed. Wahoo completed the passage of Etorofu Strait, and then arrived at Midway on 25 August. Postwar, JANAC credited Wahoo with only three sinkings: the transport, Buyo Maru (5,300 tons), Fukuei Maru (2,000 long tons (2,000 t)), and an unknown maru (4,000 long tons (4,100 t)). She was instructed to report by radio after she passed through the Kurils. Add Your Name to the SS-565 Crew Roster . Wahoo then set a course for Fais Island. While en route to her patrol area, she conducted training dives, fire control drills, and battle surface drills. The sinking of Konron Maru enraged the Japanese navy, and the Maizuru Naval District ordered a 'search and destroy' operation for US submarines. On 31 October 2006, the U.S. Navy confirmed that the images provided by the "Iskra" team are of Wahoo, the wreckage lying intact in about 213 ft (65 m) of water in the La Pérouse (Soya) Strait. When the sampan failed to stop, the submarine opened up on it with her 20 mm and four-inch guns. On 24 January 1943, Wahoo dove 2 nmi (2.3 mi; 3.7 km) north of Kairiru Island and proceeded around the western end to penetrate Victoria Bay. She went down by the bow, sinking in four minutes, leaving approximately 33 survivors clinging to the debris. The first torpedo hit the leading ship, Tamon Maru #5, under the stack and broke her back; the second missed ahead. She continued to patrol the Truk area until 20 September, when she decided to leave the southwest part of the patrol area and explore south of the Namonuito Atoll. The targets did not sink but they were also left in a wrecked condition. USS Wahoo (SS-238) was a Gato-class submarine, the first United States Navy ship to be named for the wahoo. She arrived in the Sea of Japan the following day and sighted three medium freighters headed south. Wahoo arrived at Pearl Harbor on 21 May 1943. Radar picked up two targets, soon identified as a large tanker and a freighter in column, evidently making the night run between ports without an escort.