Submarines Lost Through Enemy Action

Boat                     Date of Loss      Casualties

Shark  (SS-174)         11 Feb 42         58 killedAll hands lost

  The first U.S. submarine in WWII to be lost with all hands. Sunk by Japanese destroyer Yamakaze; Makassar Strait, 120 miles east of Menado, Celebes.

Perch  (SS-176)         3 Mar 42         All 59 taken prisoner, 8 later died as POWs

  Launched 9 May 36 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.  She was scuttled after severe damage from Japanese destroyers Ushio and Sazanami.

Grunion (SS-216)        31 Jul 42         70 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 22 Dec 41 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.  She was sunk on her First War Patrol by gunfire from torpedoed Japanese transport Kashima Maru;10 miles north Segula, near Kiska Island, Aleutians.

Argonaut (SS-166)        10 Jan 43        105 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 10 Nov 27 at Portsmouth, NH Naval Shipyard. America's largest submarine during WWII, was sunk by aircraft and Japanese destroyers Isokaze and Maikaze southeast of New Britain in Solomon Sea on her Third War Patrol.

Amberjack (SS-219)     14 Feb 43         74 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 6 Mar 42 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.  She was sunk on her Third War Patrol by combined efforts of a Japanese seaplane, torpedo boat Hiyodori, and submarine chaser off Cape St. George, New Britain.

Grampus (SS-207)       Feb or Mar 43     71 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 23 Nov 40 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.  Sunk on her Sixth War Patrol either by Japanese naval aircraft southeast of New Britain on 19 February or by destroyer Minegumo in Blackett Strait on the night of 5-6 March.

Triton (SS-201)         15 Mar 43         74 killedAll hands lost

  Sunk either by Japanese destroyer Satsuki or submarine chaser Ch 24 north of Admiralty Islands.

Pickerel (SS-177)       3 Apr 43          74 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 7 Jul 36 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.  She was sunk on her Seventh War Patrol by Japanese minelayer Shirakami and auxiliary subchaser Bunzan Maru off northern Honshu, Japan.

Grenadier (SS-210)      22 Apr 43         All 76 crew taken prisoner, 4 died as POWs

  Launched 20 Nov 40 at Portsmouth, NH Naval Shipyard. Scuttled during her Sixth War Patrol after Japanese seaplane attacks (936 Kokutai) damaged the boat the previous day, off Penang, Malaysia.

Runner (SS-275)        Jun 43            78 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 30 May 42 at Portsmouth, NH Naval Shipyard.  She was sunk on her Fourth War Patrol to unknown causes. Possibly a Japanese mine or combined air and surface attack off northeastern Honshu, Japan.

Pompano (SS-181)        Aug or Sep 43     76 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 11 Mar 37 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, CA.  Sunk on her Seventh War Patrol to unknown causes         . Possibly a Japanese mine or combined air and surface attack off northeastern Honshu, Japan.

Grayling (SS-209)       9 Sep 43          76 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 4 Sep 40 at Portsmouth, NH Naval Shipyard.  Sunk to unknown causes.  Probably rammed and sunk by Japanese transport Hokuan Maru, South China Sea west of Luzon.

Cisco (SS-290)          28 Sep 43         76 killedAll hands lost

  Sunk by Japanese observation seaplane and gunboat Karatsu in Sulu Sea off Panay Island.

S 44 (SS-155)           7 Oct 43         55 killed2 survivors taken prisoner

  Launched 27 Oct 23 at Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, MA. Lost to Japanese escort destroyer Ishigaki, northeast Araito Island off Kamchatka.

Dorado (SS-248)         Oct 43           76 killedAll hands lost

  Unknown.  Presumed either accidently bombed and sunk by friendly Guantanamo-based flying boat on 13 October or sunk by a German submarine mine in the West Indies.

Wahoo (SS-238)          11 Oct 43        80 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 14 Feb 42 at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, CA. Sunk on her Seventh War Patrol by Japanese naval aircraft, submarine chasers Ch 15 and Ch 43, and minesweeper W.18 in La Perouse Strait off Japan.

Corvina (SS-226)         16 Nov 43        82 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 9 May 43 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.  Torpedoed and sunk on her First War Patrol by Japanese submarine I 176 south of Truk.

Capelin (SS-289)         Nov 43           78 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 20 Jan 43 at Portsmouth, NH Naval Shipyard. Sunk on her First War Patrol by unknown causes, either Japanese aircraft and minelayer Wanatake, a Japanese mine in the northern Celebes, or perhaps a hull defect reported prior to her departure from Darwin.

Sculpin (SS-191)         19 Nov 43         63 men lost, 21 taken prisoner

  Launched 27 Jul 38 at Portsmouth, NH Naval Shipyard. On her Ninth War Patrol she was damaged by Japanese destroyer Yamagumo and later scuttled north of Truk.

Scorpion (SS-278)        Jan 44            76 killedAll hands lost

  Unknown. Probably a Japanese mine in Yellow or East China Sea.

Grayback (SS-208)        27 Feb 44         80 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 31 Jan 41 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.  Sunk on her tenth War Patrol probably to damage inflicted by land-based Japanese naval aircraft suffered the day before in the East China Sea.

Trout (SS-202)           29 Feb 44         81 killedAll hands lost

  Most likely sunk by Japanese destroyer Asashimo in Philippine Sea.

Gudgeon (SS-211)         18 April 44       78 killedAll hands lost

  Unknown. Presumed sunk by Japanese naval aircraft southwest of Iwo Jima.

Herring (SS-233)         1 Jun 44         84 killedAll hands lost

  Sunk by Japanese Army shore battery off Matsuwa Island, Kuriles.

Golet (SS-361)          14 Jun 44         82 killedAll hands lost

  Unknown. Probably sunk by Japanese guardboat Miya Maru, auxiliary submarine chaser Bunzan Maru, and naval aircraft off northern Honshu, Japan.

Robalo (SS-273)         26 Jul 44         74 men lost, 4 taken prisoner, none survived as POW

  Sunk by a mine off western Palawan, Philippines.

Flier (SS-250)          13 Aug 44         78 lost, 8 survivors

  Launched 11 Jul 43 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.  Sunk by a Japanese mine south of Palawan in Balabac Strait on her Second War Patrol.

Harder (SS-257)          24 Aug 44         79 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 19 Aug 42 at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT. Sunk by Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No. 22 on her Sixth War Patrol off west coast of Luzon, Philippines.

Escolar (SS-294)        17 Oct 44         82 killedAll hands lost

  Unknown. Possibly sunk by a Japanese mine in the Yellow Sea.

Shark (SS-314)           24 Oct 44         87 killedAll hands lost

  Sunk by Japanese depth charges from Harukaze, South China Sea west of Luzon.

Albacore (SS-218)       7 Nov 44          86 killedAll hands lost

  Unknown. Possible Japanese mine off northern tip of Honshu, Japan.

Growler (SS-215)         8 Nov 44          85 killedAll hands lost

  Unknown. Probably sunk by Japanese destroyer Shigure, escort vessel Chiburi, and Coast Defense Vessel No. 19 off Mindoro.

Scamp (SS-277)           11 Nov 44         83 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 20 Jul 42 at Portsmouth, NH Naval Shipyard. Sunk on her Eighth War Patrol by Japanese naval aircraft and coast defense vessel in Tokyo Bay area.

Swordfish (SS-193)       Jan 45            89 killedAll hands lost

  Unknown. Possibly sunk by Japanese coast defense vessel on 5 January or sunk by a mine off Okinawa on 9 January.

Barbel (SS-316)         4 Feb 45          81 killedAll hands lost

  Sunk by Japanese naval aircraft in South China Sea in Palawan Passage.

Kete (SS-369)            20 Mar 45         87 killedAll hands lost

  Unknow. Presumed sunk by a mine or a Japanese submarine east of Okinawa.

Trigger (SS-237)         28 Mar 45         89 killedAll hands lost

  Sunk by Japanese patrol vessel Mikura, Coast Defense Vessel No.33, and Coast Defense Vessel No. 59 in the Nansei Soto.

Snook (SS-279)           9 Apr 45          84 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 15 Aug 42 at Portsmouth, NH Naval Shipyard. Sunk on her Ninth War Patrol by a combination of Japanese naval aircraft, escort vessel Okinawa, Coast Defense Vessel No. 8 , Coast Defense Vessel No. 32 , and Coast Defense Vessel No. 52; and/or submarine I-56 in the Nansei Soto.

Lagarto (SS-371)         3 May 45          85 killedAll hands lost

  Sunk by Japanese minelayer Hatsutaka in Gulf of Siam.

Bonefish (SS-223)        18 Jun 45         85 killedAll hands lost

  Launched 7 Mar 43 at Electrict Boat Co., Groton, CT.  Sunk on her Eighth War Patrol by combined efforts of escort destroyer Okinawa, Coast Defense Vessel No. 63, Coast Defense Vessel No. 75, Coast Defense Vessel No. 158, and Coast Defense Vessel No. 207 off southern coast of Honshu, Japan.

Bullhead (SS-332)        6 Aug 45          84 killedAll hands lost

  Probably sunk by Japanese Army aircraft off Bali in the Java Sea.

Submarines Lost Through Accidents and Perils of the Sea

  Boat                   Date of Loss      Casualties

F 4 (SS-23)             25 Mar 15         21 diedAll hands lost

  Sunk after a battery explosion off Honolulu, Hawaii.

F 1 (SS-20)            16 Dec 17         19 died

  Sunk after collision with USS F 3 (SS-22) off San Diego, California.

G 2 (SS-27)            30 Jul 19          3 died

  Foundered and sunk in Long Island Sound.

H 1 (SS-28)             12 Mar 20          4 died

  Foundered and sunk off Santa Margarita Island, California.

O 5 (SS-66)             20 Oct 23          3 died

  Rammed and sunk by United Fruit steamer Abangarez in Limon Bay, Canal Zone.

S 51 (SS-162)           25 Sep 25         33 diedAll hands lost

  Sunk after collision with steamer City of Rome off Block Island, Rhode Island.

Squalus (SS-192)        23 May 39         26 died

  Foundered off Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

O-9 (SS-70)            20 Jun 41         33 died

  Foundered during deep submergence tests off New London, Connecticut.

S-26 (SS-131)          24 Jan 42         46 died3 survivors

  Launched 22 Oct 22 at Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, MA. She sank after collision with her escort USS PC-460 in Gulf of Panama.

R-12 (SS-89)           12 Jun 43         42 died3 survivors

  Launched 15 Aug 1919 at Fore River Shipyard Co., Quincy, MA. Foundered after battery flooded while off Key West, Florida.

Tullibee (SS-284)       26 Mar 44         79 died1 survivor taken prisoner

  Accidently sunk by circular run of own torpedo off Palau Islands.

S-28 (SS-133)           4 Jun 44         50 diedAll hands lost

  Launched 20 Sep 22 at Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, MA.  Lost during ASW exercises off the Hawaiian Islands.

Seawolf (SS-197)        3 Oct 44         99 diedAll hands lost plus 17 army personnel

  Accidently sunk by naval aircraft from USS Midway (CVE-63) and USS Rowell (DE-403) off Morotai Island.

Darter (SS-227)          24 Oct 44         No loss of life

  Ran aground on Bombay Shoal, Palawan Passage; later scuttled by USS Nautilus (SS-168) and USS Dace (SS-247).

Tang (SS-306)            24 Oct 44         78 died, 9 POWs

  Sunk by circular run of own torpedo in Formosa Strait.

Cochino (SS-345)        26 Aug 49         1 died

  Foundered after a battery explosion during a severe storm off northern Norway.

Thresher (SSN-593)       10 Apr 63         129 diedAll hands lost

  Sank after a possible piping failure during deep submergence tests off New England coast.

Scorpion (SSN-589)       27 May 68         99 diedAll hands lost

  Loss not ascertainable; most probable inadvertent activation of battery of torpedo resulting in a possible "hot run" torpedo detonation off Azores.

Selected Submarine Accidents / Damage From Enemy Action

Grampus (later A3)       10 Dec 10        1 died

  Main engine fuel explosion.

E2 (SS-25)              15 Jan 16        4 died

  Battery explosion while in New York Navy Yard.

G2 (SS-27)               30 Jul 19        3 died

  Sank at moorings off New London, Connecticut.

S37 (SS-142)             10 Oct 23        3 died

  Battery explosion in harbor at San Pedro, California.

S49 (SS-160)             20 Apr 26        4 died

  Battery explosion at Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut.

S4 (SS-109)             17 Dec 27        39 diedAll hands lost

  Rammed off Provincetown, Massachusetts, by U.S. Coast Guard cutter Paulding.  Later salvaged.

S34 (SS-139)             11 Jan 34        1 died

  Accidental signal cartridge explosion.

Seadragon (SS-194)    10 Dec 41          1 killed

  Slightly damaged by a bomb during Japanese air attack on Cavite Navy Yard, Philippine Islands.

Sealion (SS-195)       10 Dec 41          4 killed

  Severely damaged by two bombs during Japanese air attack on Cavite Navy Yard, Philippine Islands; later scuttled on 25 December 1941.

Bass (SS-164)         17 Aug 42          25 died

  Fire in after battery room asphyxiates part of the crew.

Tusk (SS-426)         26 Aug 49           6 died

  Crew members washed overboard while rescuing crew of fire damaged USS Cochino (SS-345) in the Norwegian Sea.

Sargo (SSN-583)        14 Jun 60           1 died

  Oxygen feedline fire and explosion in after torpedo room; blaze extinguished by submerging in Pearl Harbor with compartment sealed and stern torpedo hatch open.

Bonefish (SS-582)     24 Apr 88           3 died

  Battery fire and explosion while operating off Florida.

Barbel (SS-580)        1 May 89           2 drowned

  Heavy waves wash three sailors from the deck of submarine while operating off Kyushu, Japan. One sailor rescued.

Sources:

Cressman, Robert J.; The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II, Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2000.

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office, 1959-89.

"On Eternal Patrol"

Submariners Prayer

Lord God, our power evermore,

Whose arms doth reach the ocean floor,

Dive with our men beneath the sea;

Traverse the depths protectively.

O' hear us when we pray, and keep

Them safe from peril in the deep.

There are no roses on a Sailor's grave,

No lilies on an ocean wave.

The only tribute are the seagulls' sweeps,

And the teardrops that a sweetheart weeps.

"I can assure you that they went down fighting and that their brothers who survived them took a grim toll of our savage enemy to avenge their deaths."

Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, USN

"We, who survived World War II and are privileged to rejoin our loved ones at home, salute those gallant officers and men of our submarines who lost their lives in that long struggle.  We shall never forget that it was our submarines that held the line against the enemy while our fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds.

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN

The Final Patrol

Lord, these departed shipmates with dolphins on their chest,

Are a part of an outfit known as the best.

Make them welcome and take them by the hand,

You'll find without a doubt they were the best in all the land.

So, heavenly Father, add their names to the roll,

Of our departed shipmates still on patrol.

Let them know that we who survive,

Will always keep their memories alive.

Dedicated To Those Men Who Sacrificed Their Lives In Submarine Warfare

National World War II Submarine Memorial - West

Thresher-Scorpion Memorial

Submarine Veterans of World War II Memorial Highway

Related Pages