Category: World War II Patrol Reports

A Near Not-Miss

On the morning of May 27, 1944, a rare and potentially deadly incident unfolded beneath the waves of the Pacific Ocean, involving two U.S. submarines, the USS Lapon (SS-260) and the USS Raton (SS-270). Both submarines were known for their successful patrols, hunting enemy vessels that threatened the war effort. What happened that day, however, is an example of the unpredictable nature of submarine warfare—an accidental incident of friendly fire that could have ended in disaster but instead ended in a miracle.

Continue reading “A Near Not-Miss” →
0

USS Cod’s Torpedo Ballet: The Action of May 10, 1944

In the dark, moonlit hours of May 10, 1944, the Pacific Ocean off the northwestern coast of Luzon was alive with danger. Beneath the gently rolling swells, the steel predator USS Cod (SS-224), a fleet submarine of the Gato-class, stalked its prey—a leviathan of a convoy moving southwesterly, heavily guarded by Japanese destroyers, torpedo boats, and patrol planes. What followed was a daring submerged engagement worthy of any tale from Theodore Roscoe’s annals of undersea valor: an audacious attack on a 30-ship convoy that left fire on the sea and silence below.

Continue reading “USS Cod’s Torpedo Ballet: The Action of May 10, 1944” →
0

USS Grenadier SS-210

The USS Grenadier (SS-210) was not just another submarine. She was part of the United States Navy’s silent force—a fleet of underwater hunters that prowled the vast Pacific during World War II. Built at Portsmouth Navy Yard and launched in November 1940, Grenadier was a Tambor-class submarine, a major leap forward in undersea warfare. These boats were longer, sleeker, and more heavily armed than their predecessors. At over 300 feet in length, with ten torpedo tubes and improved surface speed, Tambor-class subs like Grenadier marked the transition from coastal patrol vessels to long-range oceanic predators. They could travel over 11,000 miles without refueling and could strike deep behind enemy lines, changing the tempo of war at sea.

Continue reading “USS Grenadier SS-210” →
0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑