the loss of 76 crew when it was sunk in or near Tablas Strait, PI. The submarine relayed the information, then continued her reconnaissance. I explained the situation and asked if there were any volunteers to go to BONEFISH, drive the boats and operate the auxiliary equipment topside, recognizing the very difficult situation that existed on the submarine. Later that same day, the boat fired eight torpedoes at a small cargo ship, scoring several hits. 12 144E Waickiwicz extracted more than twenty crewmembers over three hours using a rescue hoist despite dangerous flying conditions, at one point refusing an order to withdraw. Naval History and Heritage Command In July 1918, the 15,000-ton armored cruiser USS San Diego sank off Long Island, New York, losing six sailors from a crew of 1,200 after a mysterious. The Bonefishs captain, Cmdr. The wreck of the USS Bugara (OET/Nautilus Live). Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR I had the privilege to be in charge of the rescue operation at sea, an experience that I wont soon forget. On 24 May 1974, she stood out of Pearl Harbor for yet another assignment with the 7th Fleet in Far Eastern waters. Two of the four one hit amidships and another struck the freighter under her mainmast sent the 4,646ton cargo ship Suez Maru down rapidly by the stern. That employment continued until 8 June 1982, when Bonefish departed San Diego on her way to the east coast. United States and Japan had good relationship before the WWII. Bonefish encountered another convoy on 27 September and launched four torpedoes at the lead ship, the largest of the five, and sank the 9,908ton transport Kashima Maru and damaged the Chihaya Maru. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM Once again, she made the usual port visits and conducted exercises with units of friendly navies. By Michael E. Ruane. BONEFISH made scheduled rendezvous with TUNNY on 16 and 18 June, but when TUNNY, SKATE, and the six other American subs that had been patrolling the area met up on the 24th to begin the trip back to Hawaii, BONEFISH was nowhere to be found. Dived. Eighty-five men were lost with BONEFISH. The crew was able to surface the Bonefish and Wilson ordered the evacuation. Patrolling in the vicinity of Cape Bolinao on 10 October, the boats attacked a convoy of cargo ships, and Bonefish scored three hits for undetermined damage. Recognizing that the ship was taking on water and that the conditions inside the submarine were unbelievably difficult for salvage, I arrived on the scene and was helo-ed out with my party to one of our frigates in the KENNEDY battlegroup which was steaming in the vicinity. Avery thought maybe they got confused and got turned around in the smoke, Alice Causey, mother of Petty Officer 1st class Avery Causey, said Tuesday. Sources: R, D, SFLM Remarks: Diveable water TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. The submarine ended that cruise at San Diego on 14 July 1981. This vessel's fifth patrol was in the same area as her fourth, and she sank two small freighters, a large tanker and five miscellaneous small craft, while she damaged a second tanker. Remarks: Hull raised, studied and scrapped. BONEFISH terrorized enemy shipping in and around Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines, sending a variety of vessels to the bottom or rendering them incapable of continuing to fight. No declared lost date found. In April 1966, Bonefish deployed to the western Pacific for the fourth time. The Only Major U.S. Warship Lost During WWI Sank in NY Waters - History All the crew were rescued. That employment lasted until October 1967, when she headed back to the Orient. USS Astoria carried the ashes of former Japanese . room. was sunk in Norwegian Sea after fire, one man from Cochino and 6 men from USS Tusk were Built by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, CT, USS BONEFISH (SS-223) was commissioned on 31 May 1943. Damage was While the other boats transited La Perouse Strait and headed home, TUNNY waited three more days, hoping her sister ship would appear. 3 Missing, 18 Injured As Fire Breaks Out in U.s. Submarine Off the Sea state was still 4 or 5, and the boat crews, having performed marvelously for the previous two days, were so tired that they were no longer functional. On 10 October, in her last action of the patrol, Bonefish fired a spread of four torpedoes at two ships of a convoy off Indochina, sending both the 4,212ton cargo ship Isuzugawa and the 10,086ton transport Teibi Maru to the bottom. The boat was presumed lost on 30 July. loss of 84 crew when it was sunk 2 miles off west coast of Palawan. Indonesia, by USS Rowell; 02 32 N; 129 18E. She entered the Flores Sea on 28 November and, the next day, intercepted two enemy ships. At the end of the South American deployment, she resumed normal operations out of San Diego, and that employment occupied her time for the remainder of 1979 and during 11 of the 12 months of 1980. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Provision was made in the operation order governing this patrol group for submarines in case of necessity to proceed to Russian waters to claim a 24 hour haven, or to submit to internment in extreme need, or for them to make their exit from the Japan Sea prior to or after 24 June. On 24 April 1988, a fire on board USS Bonefish (SS-582) off the coast of Florida killed three crewmen. be put to sea. USS Wahoo (SS-238) was a Gato-class submarine, the first United States Navy ship to be named for the wahoo.Construction started before the U.S. entered World War II, and she was commissioned after entry. WDR date spread 4-7-44 to 5-12-44. Remarks: All but 4 men died within hours in engineroom and motor room due to Remarks: Portions of hull remained as of 1998, USS Corvina (SS-226) was lost on 16-Nov-1943 with Stunning pictures reveal the wreck of US World War II-era sub Remarks: Possibly diveable water. USS Johnston: World's deepest known shipwreck from World War II - CNN Remarks: Ros discusses date discrepancy. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Japanese records examined after the war indicate that on 18 June an American sub torpedoed a 6,000-ton cargo vessel in Toyama Wan Bay, where BONEFISH had been operating. She gained fame as an aggressive and highly successful submarine after Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker "Mush" Morton became her skipper. WDR date crew were taken prisoner, 57 survived the war. Remarks: R states sinking off Southern Formosa. The salvage crew entered the vessel shortly after midnight to test for toxic gases left by the fire in the diesel-electric subs forward battery compartment. I have never been more impressed with basic submarining than I was with those young fellows. As she maneuvered into attack position, Bonefish selected a large oiler as her primary target and launched four bow "fish" at it. The majority of the next six patrols were just as successful. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR. She began her career as an active member of the Submarine Force with a patrol in the South China Sea in September and October 1943. Remarks: Hulk reported sighted in 1978 Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR BONEFISH, in accordance with the operation order, was to rendezvous with the other eight submarines of the three groups, at 46 50'N, 140 00'E at sunset on 23 June 1945, in preparation for the transit on 24 June of La Perouse Strait. U.S. The keel of the second Bonefish ( SS-582) was laid 3 June 1957 at New York Shipbuilding Corp. Camden N. J.; launched 22 November 1958; and sponsored by Mrs. Lawrence L. Edge widow of Commander Edge. The USS Destroyer Escort Samuel B. Roberts, known as the Sammy B., is the world's deepest shipwreck. World War II shipwreck of SS Montevideo Maru, which sank with over loss of 80 crew when it was sunk within shore battery range of Point Tagan, Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR See also Ed Howard's Final Patrol page on USS Bonefish (external link). During the later part of this patrol, Bonefish joined Flasher(SS-249) and Lapon(SS-260) in forming a coordinated attack group. USS BONEFISH (SS-582) Deployments & History - Hull Number On Eternal Patrol - USS Bonefish (SS-223) USS Gudgeon (SS-211) was lost on 18 April-1944 with On 6 December 1975, the submarine departed Oahu bound for the Orient. and utterly contaminated atmosphere, were the factors that resulted in saving the ship. Photos HERE The submarine conducted shakedown training out of New London, Conn., and Newport, R.I., until 23 July, when she set out for the Pacific. History of USS Bonefish SS-223 - Redlands, California The safety procedure, now essential for survival, was to don an Emergency Air Breather (EAB)an enclosed face mask with an air hose that could be hastily plugged into fittings across the ship as pictured here. while being towed off. [8]) Following this action, she continued to seek targets for more than a month before returning to Fremantle on 15 March. She sighted a Japanese task force consisting of three battleships, one aircraft carrier, three heavy cruisers, and one light cruiser, screened by eight destroyers. Sources: R, D, SFLM Bonefish did not make the scheduled pre-transit rendezvous. Meetings begin at 1200, but come early and share a sea story or two. And the EAB would have impaired his vision while doing so. Ros states an attack was made by IJN on 23 Nov and also a reported sighting by Bonefish of a US sub on 2 December. Bonefish managed to evade the escorts, and her crew heard explosions which they interpreted as at least two hits on the oiler and one on the cargo ship. Japanese records of anti-submarine attacks mention an attack made on 19 June 1945 [Editor's Note: Date corrected from 18 June 1945], at 3718'N, 137 25'E in Toyama Wan. At roughly 3:40 PM on April 24, however, Bonefish had just completed recharging her batteries when her engineers noticed one of her batteries had groundedbut couldnt determine which due to an operator error. asphyxiation. Lastly, I have never been quite as touched as I was by the general level of concern for their shipmates demonstrated by the men on the two frigates, the submarine rescue ship, and the carrier that were on scene. In February 1963, Bonefish moved to a new home port, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. loss of 83 crew when it was sunk in north end of Formosa Strait in vicinity of After three days there without encountering any enemy ships, she departed those waters on 24 September. When Bonefish opened fire with her machine guns, the natives leaped overboard. Serving most of her career in the Pacific Ocean, Bonefish crossed the Panama canal in 1982 and joined the Atlantic fleet. A third, Yeoman Third Class Marshal Lindgren became disoriented and remained behind in the submarine. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Ostlund says his research shows loss northeast Three of 22 injured crewmen remain hospitalized. USS Johnston: Sub dives to deepest-known shipwreck - BBC News Twenty minutes later Bonefishs crew figured out which battery was the source of the grounding issue at the same time as leaking seawater was detected. I will always remember, with Admiral Cooper, that memorial service in Charleston when we remembered the crew, their efforts and the three shipmates who died in the ship. Island, 400 yds off island Near St Makarius Point (near Constantine Harbor), all the crew were rescued. I want to tell you about an event which has deepened my conviction of the importance of the people and the training we have developed in the submarine force over the years. USS Bonefish (SS-223) was lost on 18-Jun-1945 with BONEFISHs luck had finally run out. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR with the loss of 81 crew when it was sunk in southern entrance to Palawan On 1 April 1960, she departed New London, Conn., to join the Pacific Fleet. 18N - 137 25E; Remarks: Possibly diveable water. in knowing those 5,000 valves and switches. USS Robalo (SS-273) was lost on 26-Jul-1944 with the is aware of her location and the condition of the hull. Upon completion of refit on 28 May, Bonefish got underway in company with Tunny(SS-282) and Skate(SS-305), as part of "Pierce's Pole Cats", commanded by Tunny's skipper, Commander George E. Pierce. With escorts charging her, the boat suddenly lost depth control and ducked her periscope below the water. Following the normal post-deployment leave and upkeep period, she resumed operations along the west coast of North America. Thereafter, local operations occupied her for the next 10 months. I will never forget, after two days on station. 152 37E Bonefish then set course for Sibutu Passage on a reconnaissance mission. A Sea King helicopter from the carrier Kennedy piloted by Lt. Cdr. Turnabout Island. The next day, Bonefish fired a spread of four torpedoes at a cargo ship headed for Davao Gulf but, in spite of three hits, failed to sink the target. At least 250 managed to abandon ship but were killed by the Japanese in the water. Bonefish was one of three Barbel-class submarines commissioned in 1959, incorporating new design features such as a sleek tear-drops-shaped hull and a consolidated layout situating the command and fire control centers under the bridge/conning tower. There can be little doubt that Bonefish was sunk in this action. Learn More , Library Hours: On 11 August the submarine put to sea to participate in NATO exercises in the North Atlantic. Sources: R, D, SFLM Remarks: Sunk by IJN submarine. BONEFISH did not make this rendezvous, and after the other eight vessels had successfully transited La Perouse Strait, TUNNY on 25 and 26 June waited off the entrance to the strait and unsuccessfully tried to contact BONEFISH. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR USS S-4 (SS-109) was lost on 17-Dec-1927 with the The Loss of USS BONEFISH (SS-223) Compiled by Paul W. Wittmer and Charles R. Hinman. Even though the emergency lights were on, he couldnt see them. Despite thorough coverage of the waters assigned her, she made few contacts and each of these was a small antisubmarine vessel. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM First, Admiral Dan Cooper as SUBLANT had sent me with the authority to do whatever was necessary to save the submarine and he was there to buffer me from the rest of the world I had only to make reports to him in the interim. Wed really rather not say anything yet, said Williams. She was launched 7 May 1943 (sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth S. Daubin, wife of Rear Admiral Freeland A. Daubin), and commissioned on 31 May 1943, Lieutenant Commander Thomas W. Hogan in command. Bonefish conducted a submerged patrol of Sandakan Harbor, Borneo, from 4 6 December and then sailed for Tarakan. The target, Kokuyo Maru, immediately settled by the stern, and Bonefish headed for the traffic lanes north of Sibutu and Tawitawi. United States Submarine Veterans, Dallas, Texas USSVI Base and only when I was ready to make them. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. USS Runner (SS-275) was declared lost 1-Jul-1943 USS Escolar (SS-294) was lost on or after Four days later, while patrolling off Mindoro, the submarine sighted a large, heavily laden tanker escorted by two destroyers. You may recall that BONEFISH, the last diesel submarine in the Atlantic, was in the vicinity of the Bahamas three years ago, when a fire in the battery area caused the captain to abandon ship and left us with the problem of recovering and bringing her back to Charleston. Declared lost The first survivor, in a panic, knocked off Grossman's mask and Grossman gave up his own life preserver to calm the sailor down. From Hawaii, Bonefish continued on to San Francisco, California, where she underwent overhaul at the Bethlehem Steel Submarine Repair Basin from 18 November 1944 to 13 February 1945. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR The temperature in the battery space reached 1,200 Fahrenheit (650 Celsius). Bonefish resumed normal operations after the post-deployment rest and upkeep period. USS Grayling (SS-209) was lost on 9-Sep-1943 with it was sold for scrapping. the loss of 76 crew when it was sunk off the northeast coast of Honshu off Block Island. Under the command of Lt. Cmdr. The flooding was later traced back to a leaky seal in the Bonefishs Trash Disposal Unit used to eject waste into the water, as detailed in the Navys investigation. USS Swordfish (SS-193) was lost on or after 12-Jan-1945 with the loss of 89 crew when it was sunk near Yaku Island off Okinawa. On 6 July, she surfaced to destroy a wooden-hulled schooner by gunfire. All the crew were taken off prior to sinking. It is truly these fine young people who man our Submarine Force and our Navy and the dedicated feeling we have toward one another that makes it all worth while. Remarks: No reports of finding wreckage. They operate in a hostile environment and do constant battle with the sea. Wilson would not comment further because an investigation of the fire is pending, said Lt. Cmdr. WDR gives date USS Scorpion (SS-278) was lost on 1-Feb-1944 with The. USS Pompano (SS-181) was lost on 1-Sep-1943 with She never did. Equipped with a new mine-detecting device, the submarines were ordered to penetrate the Sea of Japan to sever the last of the Japanese overseas supply lines. loss of 32 crew when it was sunk after collision with SS City of Rome [8] The submarine escaped damage from both the destroyer's depth charges and from aerial bombs which enemy aircraft dropped, but they prevented her from observing the results of her attack. the loss of 84 crew when it was sunk in West end of Lombok Strait. The boat sustained minor damage and surfaced to make repairs, but two Japanese ships began to close in on her. The vessel sank, but its five escorts mounted a vicious counterattack that soon covered the ocean's surface with oil and debris. The batteries are recharged by a generator when the ship is surfaced or at periscope depth. WDR gives date spread as 5-28 to 7-4-43 Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM for complete and accurate listing of men lost on USS Northrop Grumman later bought the hull for marine-concept testing. On the afternoon of April 24, 1988, all was not well in the USS Bonefishamongst the last remaining diesel-electric submarines in the U.S. Navy. She set course for Fremantle the next day, ending her patrol there on 13 August. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Bonefish surfaced, and the captain ordered the crew to abandon ship. In May, the submarine again headed for the western Pacific for a deployment quite similar to her first cruise in Oriental waters. She was the second Navy submarine named for the bonefish, which is a name for the ladyfish, dogfish, and sturgeon. During the first five months of 1979, Bonefish underwent a regular overhaul at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. She returned to Hawaii on 10 August and, after post deployment standdown, resumed operations in the Hawaii operating area. the loss of 40 crew when it was sunk north of Groluk Island near Truk. USS Thresher's Crew May Have Survived Many Hours After Its The sinking of the USS Eagle PE-56 was first deemed an accident . Petty Officer Grossman swam thousands of yards in the choppy waters and received credit for having saved 19 lives. Bonefish (SS 223) - Navy USS Bonefish (SS 582) - A crewmembers recollection of the fire in 1988 A Crewmember's recollection of the fire in 1988 The report below was contributed by QM2/SS Richard (Rick) Neault, U.S. Navy Ret. Sailors tried repeatedly to hoist Lt. Everts out the bridge hatch but were finally forced to as smoke pervaded the submarine. Bonefish tracked the target whose rapidly falling speed indicated her distress until the crippled tanker's escorts forced the boat to retire. In September, the submarine entered the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for her regular overhaul. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR The day of the wooden ship was over, wit. } Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR She completed repairs on 6 March 1962, and resumed operations along the west coast at that time. 4-May-1945 with the loss of 88 crew when it was sunk in off Malay Coast in or I will always remember JOHN F. KENNEDY, a thousand yards off BONEFISHs beam at a time when we thought we might lose the ship. List of shipwrecks in June 1945 - Wikipedia Japanese records reveal that the 5,488ton cargo ship Konzan Maru was torpedoed and sunk in Toyama Wan on 18 June and that an ensuing severe counterattack by Japanese escorts, the Okinawa, CD-63, CD-75, CD-158 and CD-207, brought debris and a major oil slick to the water's surface. Bonefish conducted trials and training off the New England coast until the spring of 1960. Another lieutenant managed to pop open the hatch. USS Bonefish (SS-223) - Navy Unit Directory - Together We Served loss of 80 crew when it was sunk off Caiman Point, Luzon, RPI Two torpedoes struck the 806ton passenger/cargo ship amidships and aft, sinking her. She concluded 7th Fleet assignments on 25 April 1976 when she stood out of Subic Bay on her way home. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Three days later, the submarine attacked a convoy of eight ships, scoring three hits on a freighter before the escorts forced her to go deep to avoid a depth charge attack. Submarine Losses World War II, NAVPERS 15,784, 1949 ISSUE. A great many depth charges were dropped, and wood chips and oil were observed. Phillipines Basin. USS H-1 (SS-28) was lost on 12-Mar-1920 with the Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. Remarks: Hulk raised and reburied off Serria 13 north of Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor. Fortunately, most of Bonefishs crew miraculously escaped the calamity with their livesbut that doesnt lessen the tragedy of the three crew members who were not so fortunate. On 18 October, the submarine rescued two naval aviators. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM By 1988 the aging submarine was bedeviled by increasing mechanical problems, but her last operational skipper Mike Wilson lobbied for two months of additional maintenance to try to address them. [Note: The above USS BONEFISH (SS-582) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS BONEFISH (SS-582) or by other non . In moments, jet black smoke poured across the ship, blinding the crew and making breathing poison. It was necessary to enter this hellish situation, stepping over dead shipmates, finding the right valves, getting the valves shut, pumps established, and securing the submarine on the surface before we could tow her back to port. It was dark on the ship, sea state was five, the ship was taking 30 degree rolls and pitching about 10 degrees, and it was extremely difficult to get back and forth from the frigate to the submarine. walking speed) but that same battery would only last just 90 minutes at a flank speed of 18.5 knots. (The Tonan Maru was hit but quickly repaired. H-019-3 Navy Non-Combat Submarine Losses Radioman First Class Robert Bordelon passed out as well, and his fellows were unable to pull him up the bridge hatch. Adm. Carlisle A.H. Trost, chief of naval operations, said Tuesday in Washington that the three men were on watch in the subs control room and may have died at their posts as they made sure everyone got clear. Remarks: Loss most likely was the result of one of 3 attacks.11Feb42 E of Menado, 17 loss of 102 crew when it was sunk just north of Morotai, between PI and Deep water Remarks: Japanese records indicate 26 Feb, US records state 27 Feb. Dateline It is dedicated to the three men who gave their lifes aboard the USS Bonefish (SS 582). She was never seen or heard from again. But the fire onboard the Bonefish remains arguably the most important asterisk to the Navys impressive submarine safety record. This list is for information, so we don't forget -- sailing aboard The Soviets sailors associated with the lost YANKEE and the MIKE may have found themselves in not too different a set of circumstances than what we found on BONEFISH. On the submarines slippery deck, the crew struggled to keep their balance and several fell overboard. The Navy would neither confirm nor deny that the submarine was charging its batteries at the time. When her pursuers left the area, so did Bonefish. USS S-36 was lost on 20-Jan . She was launched on 22 November 1958, sponsored by Mrs. Lawrence L. Edge, widow of Commander Lawrence Edge, who was lost with his ship, the first Bonefish, in 1945. That repair period lasted through the year, and a material casualty to the snorkel piping system during sea trials in March 1973 extended it into July 1973. The leak allowed saltwater to gradually build up. The explosion at 4:39 PM cast a dense fog of choking smoke into the submarines command center. Remarks: WDR gives date spread as 9-9 to 9-12-43 the loss of 72 crew when it was sunk off Rabaul; Last Contact at 5 05S; USS O-9 (SS-70) was lost on 20-Jun-1941 with the the loss of 86 crew when it was sunk near 41 49N; 141 11E in channel The crippled USS Bonefish, an attack submarine rocked by a series of explosions that left three sailors dead, arrived at Charleston Harbor Friday behind a Navy salvage ship. He remained overnight in the medical ward on the carrier for his injuries. Underway again on 13 April, Bonefish headed for the Celebes Sea and her fourth war patrol. Four men trapped in torpedo room survived for possibly 60 hours. Ill always remember that every man in that 200 man crew raised his hand, and I was touched. Sbastien Roblin holds a Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. . off San Clemente. But unlike nuclear-powered peers then beginning to enter service, the Barbels were constrained by the life of their 506 lead-acid battery cells. Again in the South China Sea on her third patrol, BONEFISH sank a very large tanker, a medium freighter and a schooner, and damaged a second large tanker. The wreck lies upright with its bow missing and A turret pointing aft. The month-long prowl, which earned the boat her first Navy Unit Commendation, resulted in the damage of a freighter and two cargo ships and the sinking of two transport ships (9,900 and 10,000 tons, respectively) and a cargo vessel (4,200 tons). Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR She returned to San Diego in December and began an extended upkeep period.