Edge, departed Guam on 28 May 1945 to conduct her eighth war patrol. 18N - 137 25E; 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. April 1968 saw her back at Oabu resuming local operations. The next day, the boat made a submerged approach on an unidentified Japanese vessel and fired six torpedoes, scoring one hit; Bonefish never learned the fate of her target. (AKA Shiranuka Light) Sources: R, D, SFLM Four days later, while en route to a lifeguard station, she sank cargo ship Fushimi Maru. USS S-39 (SS-144) was lost on 14-Aug-1942 when it was destroyed after During that tour of duty, she participated in exercises with units of the Korean and Taiwanese navies as well as with elements of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR She emerged from the shipyard on 25 June 1977 to begin post-overhaul refresher training. 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. sinking point. USS S-27 (SS-132) was lost on 19-Jun-1942 when it grounded off Amchitka In July of 1951, Congress authorized construction of the worlds first nuclear powered submarine. USS Squalus (SS-192) was lost on 23-May-1939 with a it was sold for scrapping. Bonefish surfaced, and the captain ordered the crew to abandon ship. The batteries are recharged by a generator when the ship is surfaced or at periscope depth. She completed repairs on 6 March 1962, and resumed operations along the west coast at that time. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring. On Eternal Patrol - USS Bonefish (SS-223) The following men were lost while serving on USS Bonefish (SS-223). The typical accident happens when hydrogen builds up in the battery compartments while the sub is charging the batteries, said Norman Friedman, author of Submarine Design and Development.. But even as damage control crews struggled to comply, there was an explosion and a fireball coursed across the compartment, blasting sailors against the wall. On 3 August, she damaged a tanker with one torpedo hit. loss of 84 crew when it was sunk in South China Sea. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR She gained fame as an aggressive and highly successful submarine after Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker "Mush" Morton became her skipper. Honshu. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Sources: R, D, SFLM In company with Tunny and Skate, Bonefish (SS-223), commanded by Commander L.L. Dived. Everts sister, Cynthia Williams, said the Navy had sent someone to their house this morning to announce that Everts body had been found. Azores. Grossman later received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal from the President for his extraordinary heroism. 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. When the Carr dove, the change in pitch allowed saltwater to flood across the ship, corroding the joint where battery cables penetrated the deck. 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. Remarks: WDR date spread is 1-5-44 to 2-24-44 Wilson would not comment further because an investigation of the fire is pending, said Lt. Cmdr. The crews of a whaleboat from Carr and helicopters from both Carr and the aircraft carrier USSJohn F. Kennedy rescued 89 men. This undoubtedly was the attack which sank BONEFISH. On 11 December, she surfaced to engage small cargo vessel Toyohime Maru [7] with gunfire, scoring several hits before a mechanical problem put her gun out of action. 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. The ship, the USS Johnston, is at a depth of 21,180 feet (about 6,500. Minesweeper W.12 picked up the Japanese survivors although recently released documents state that W.12 machine-gunned the surviving POWs (a minimum of 250) in the water,[7]. A submersible has dived to the world's deepest-known shipwreck. A private dive team has found the last American warship sunk off the US east coast in WWII - solving a 75-year-old naval cold case. She sighted a Japanese task force consisting of three battleships, one aircraft carrier, three heavy cruisers, and one light cruiser, screened by eight destroyers. On the submarines slippery deck, the crew struggled to keep their balance and several fell overboard. On 14 October the Bonefish sank a Japanese sailing vessel in the Makassar Strait. Theyre pumping air through the ship to get the toxic gases to leave, he said. Find USS Bonefish (SS-223) unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. 30"W That structure in the final analysis gave me the room to do what was necessary to oversee the salvage of the ship with the knowledge that every effort would be made to send help if I needed it. 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 4 crew when it Grounded, Magdalena Bay, Mexico, was sunk in 9 Fathoms But Lt. Ray Evert, the Officer On Deck, didnt put on his EAB. I had the privilege to be in charge of the rescue operation at sea, an experience that I wont soon forget. A third, Yeoman Third Class Marshal Lindgren became disoriented and remained behind in the submarine. Remarks: All but 4 men died within hours in engineroom and motor room due to The crew frantically blasted CO2 fire extinguishers to cool the overheating battery but the flames continued to grow and light smoke began wafting across the submarine began surfacing to periscope depth. No reports from boat made after leaving Darwin around 17 Novemeber 1943. A spark ignites the hydrogen - and remember the ship is full of electric motors - and you have an explosion followed by a fire and that fire produces the chlorine gas, Friedman said. [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. Nine minutes later Bonefishs skipper ordered the hatches to the battery compartment sealed, hoping to starve the flames. She then cleared the area and, the next day, engaged and destroyed another small ship with gunfire. Remarks: Reportedly dived, no published report seen yet. Ros: Roscoe, Theodore, Submarine Operations of WWII Hokkaido. On 24 May 1974, she stood out of Pearl Harbor for yet another assignment with the 7th Fleet in Far Eastern waters. USS Grampus . Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM Pictures captured by an undersea drone show the wreck of World War II-era submarine USS Bugara in stunning detail. The submarine relayed the information, then continued her reconnaissance. The USS Samuel B Roberts went down during the Battle Off Samar. Throughout the cruise, the warship conducted UNITAS exercises with the armed forces of the countries visited. Wed really rather not say anything yet, said Williams. Commander Edge reported be had sunk one large transport and one medium freighter to date. Wilson ordered emergency surfacing. USS R-12 (SS-89) was lost on 12-Jun-1943 with the the only enemy and sailing in harm's way is a way of life. walking speed) but that same battery would only last just 90 minutes at a flank speed of 18.5 knots. Bonefish did not make the scheduled pre-transit rendezvous. Declared lost Serving most of her career in the Pacific Ocean, Bonefish crossed the Panama canal in 1982 and joined the Atlantic fleet. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR On 11 August the submarine put to sea to participate in NATO exercises in the North Atlantic. Click on a man's name to go to his personal memorial page on this site. Northrop Grumman later bought the hull for marine-concept testing. The wreck lies upright with its bow missing and A turret pointing aft. only. The damage was extensive enough that repair was not attempted. The dead were identified as Lt. Ray Everts Jr., 30, of Naoma, W.Va.; Petty Officer 1st Class Robert W. Bordelon Jr., 39, of Willis, Texas; and Petty Officer 3rd Class Marshall T. Lindgren, 21, of Pisgah Forest, N.C. Chief Petty Officer Terry D. Borton, a spokesman at Atlantic Fleet headquarters here, said two of the bodies were found at their stations in the control room of the ship and a third was found in an administrative compartment. A petty officer rang the alarm Fire on third street!. Bonefish then set sail via Guam for the East China Sea and her seventh war patrol. Sources: R, D, SFLM 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. The Seawolf, as well as the Balao class submarine USS Sea Owl (SS-405), had been called to the area after voice communications with the Thresher were originally lost and the two submarines arrived . Repairs occupied her time during the remainder of 1964, and local operations in the Hawaiian operating area took up the entire year of 1965. Ill always remember that every man in that 200 man crew raised his hand, and I was touched. Following seven months of operations out of Pearl Harbor, Bonefish departed that port on 9 February 1971 on her way back to the Far East. On 7 May, the submarine returned to Apra Harbor, Guam, ending another successful war patrol. spread as 10-17-44 to 11-3-44 asphyxiation. USS Bonefish (SS-223) was a Gato -class submarine, the first United States Navy ship to be named for the bonefish . 2 before making an emergency dive in shallow water. He received minor chemical burns on his body from the diesel fuel spilled in the ocean. The escort increased speed and headed for Bonefish, but the sub went deep and escaped the barrage of depth charges. The submarine conducted shakedown training out of New London, Conn., and Newport, R.I., until 23 July, when she set out for the Pacific. She transited the Panama Canal on 23 June and arrived in Naval Station Charleston, South Carolina, her new home port, on 6 July. after serious damage by aircraft near Penang, ~ 10 Miles West of Lem Voalan Strait 61 Phillipines Basin. She was never seen or heard from again. USS BONEFISH (SS-582) USS Bonefish (SS-582) was a Barbel-class submarine in the United States Navy. On 8 July, she used her guns to touch off a blazing fire in a small, inter-island steamer and, two days later, sank a sampan with gunfire. The USS Bonefish then completed a "special mission". USS Growler (SS-215) was lost on 8-Nov-1944 with the 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. On the morning of 18 June, TUNNY and BONEFISH rendezvoused in the vicinity of 38 15'N, 136 24'E. A Navy salvage crew boarded the submarine Tuesday but had to pump out toxic gases swirling through the hull before they could enter the ship, which had been adrift since Sunday. No reports from boat We meet on the 4th Saturday of each month at Zacatecas Caf, 3767 Iowa Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507. Following the normal post-deployment leave and upkeep period, she resumed operations along the west coast of North America. USS Cisco (SS-290) was lost on 28-Sep-1943 with the Photographs and personal information are needed as indicated in the column at right. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR This area was further subdivided, with BONEFISH assigned to patrol the northern portion. Bonefish concluded her first war patrol back at Fremantle, Western Australia, on 21 October. 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. ravaged hulk in pure darkness. On 1 June, the submarine embarked upon a deployment to South America. The submarine next trained her torpedo tubes on a convoy of 13 ships which she contacted on 9 February in Camranh Bay. The submarine ended that cruise at San Diego on 14 July 1981. Bonefish concluded her first war patrol back at Fremantle,Western Australia on 21 October. loss of 80 crew when it was sunk off Caiman Point, Luzon, RPI After long service by the original parade float, the decision was made three years ago to build a new float,. 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. As she maneuvered into attack position, Bonefish selected a large oiler as her primary target and launched four bow "fish" at it. Bonefish was on fire from the inside outand she was still underwater. At the end of those operations, she visited Hamburg, West Germany, and Portsmouth, England, before returning to Charleston on 9 October. The wreck of the USS Bugara (OET/Nautilus Live). the crew dies, sometimes there are survivors. Thereafter, Bonefish stopped in Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. 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 4,212-ton cargo ship Isuzugawa and the 10,086-ton transport Teibi Maru to the bottom. He remained overnight in the medical ward on the carrier for his injuries. On April 20, 1943, the Grenadier was closing on two Japanese cargo ships near Phuket, intending to sink them, when it was spotted by a Japanese aircraft. Sbastien Roblin holds a Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. 1Sept20 40 miles offshore. USS Darter (SS-227) was lost on 24-Oct-1944 when it became grounded on Towed back to Charleston by the aptly named USS Hoist, she was decommissioned five months later and scrapped. the loss of 99 crew when it was sunk while in transit from Med, West of Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Remarks: Regularly dived for survey HMC Saville from Seadragon was Doc on Scorpion. Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. Postwar records show that, while her torpedoes only damaged the tanker, they sank one of the escorting destroyers, Inazuma, which was known for having rescued 376 survivors from HMSExeter and 151 from USSPope during the Second Battle of the Java Sea. As nine tons of seawater gushed into the forward end of the boat crewmembers rushed to close the appropriate valves, saving her from a swift trip to the bottom. She concluded 7th Fleet assignments on 25 April 1976 when she stood out of Subic Bay on her way home. near the Gulf of Siam 7 55N; 102 00E. This coordinated attack group under Commander G. E. Pierce in TUNNY, which was one of three groups then penetrating the Japan Sea, was ordered to transit Tsushima Strait on 5 June 1945 and to conduct offensive patrol in the Sea of Japan off the west coast of Honshu. sufficient to preclude removal to home waters when Phillipines were surrendered. In total, this vessel sank 31 enemy vessels, for a total tonnage of 158,500, and damaged 7, for 42,000 tons. is aware of her location and the condition of the hull. 17-Oct-1944 with the loss of 82 crew when it was sunk somewhere east of 33 No declared lost date found. USS Grayling (SS-209) was lost on 9-Sep-1943 with On 6 December 1975, the submarine departed Oahu bound for the Orient. USS Cochino (SS-345) was lost on 26-Aug-1949 when it A civilian submarine expert said the 30-year-old Bonefish, one of the Navys last remaining diesel-electric subs, was probably full of toxic chlorine gas created by fire in the shipss forward battery compartment. Power cables in Bonefishs forward battery well were sparking and glowing cherry red, small flames and electrical arcs licking across the battery bus. [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 . USS Bonefish Base is a chapter of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. (USSVI). 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. Shes pretty distraught, he said of Mrs. Lindgren. USS S-4 (SS-109) was lost on 17-Dec-1927 with the Power cables in Bonefish 's forward battery. number of submarines we built. with the loss of 76 crew when it was sunk off Celebes possibly off Kaoe Bay; USS F-4 [ex-SKATE] (SS23) was lost on 21-Mar-1915 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. Remarks: Diveable water of less than 200 feet The vessel sank, but its five escorts mounted a vicious counterattack that soon covered the oceans surface with oil and debris. Three of 22 injured crewmen remain hospitalized. On 24 April 1988 Bonefish was submerged, during an exercise with guided-missile frigate USS Carr, about 160 mi (260 km) off the Atlantic coast of Florida, when seawater began leaking onto cables and electric buses in a battery-supply cableway. 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. the loss of 59 crew when it was sunk East of Menado, Celebes 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. USS Stickleback (SS-415) was lost on 30-May-1958 when it sank off Hawaii When all of these possibilities had been examined, and she had not been seen or heard from by 30 July 1945, BONEFISH was reported as presumed lost. With her crew refreshed and her provisions and ammunition replenished, Bonefish got underway on 5 September for the Sibuyan Sea. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Saturday and Sunday, Operation Hours: Remarks: Loss most likely was the result of one of 3 attacks.11Feb42 E of Menado, 17 For exceptional performance during the 19691970 WestPac, Bonefish was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation for readiness. The causes of death would not be known until a full medical report was done, Borton said. with the loss of 78 crew when it was sunk somewhere between Midway and loss of 80 crew when it was sunk within shore battery range of Point Tagan, A great many depth charges were dropped, and wood chips and oil were observed. She visited Trinidad, Tobago, Curaao, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Netherlands Antilles before retransiting the canal. Experts on the research. After repairs, she returned and rejoined the others. Remarks: WDR gives date spread as 9-9 to 9-12-43 1983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016, THIS WEBSITE IS SPONSORED BY PROGENY, A CORPORATE MEMBER OF THE NSL. USS O-9 (SS-70) was lost on 20-Jun-1941 with the Four men trapped in torpedo room survived for possibly 60 hours. Reliance The sinking of the USS Eagle PE-56 was first deemed an accident . Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Wahoo was assigned to the Pacific theatre. The submarine crash-dived to a depth of . She cleared the area and arrived at Fremantle on 19 December. TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. Afterward USSHoist, a salvage-and-rescue ship, towed Bonefish to Charleston, South Carolina. No written report seen. 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. 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. Remarks: WDR gives date spread as 8-20 to 9-27-43 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. Seventy-five years after a U.S. Navy submarine sank in the Pacific Ocean during World War II, the family members of its 80 lost sailors are finally getting closure as to where their loved ones. The leak allowed saltwater to gradually build up. Crew members abandoned ship and were taken to shore by the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy and the frigate USS Carr. Remarks: Hull reported located in 1995. Remarks: Declared lost sometime after 13 November 1944, later revised. The submarine conducted normal operations out of San Diego until 4 October, when she entered the Mare Island Naval Shipyard for her first regular overhaul. USS Herring (SS-233) was lost on 1-Jun-1944 with the the loss of 86 crew when it was sunk in Toyama Wan; Near Suzu Misaki; 37 United States and Japan had good relationship before the WWII. A Sea King helicopter from the carrier Kennedy piloted by Lt. Cdr. Suez Maru, sunk by USS Bonefish on 29 November 1943: 548 British and Dutch POWs lost, no survivors. She entered the Flores Sea on 28 November and, the next day, intercepted two enemy ships. She fired six torpedoes and scored four hits. BONEFISH successfully transited Tsushima Strait, and made rendezvous with TUNNY on 16 June 1945, in position 36 40'N, 135 24'E. Unfortunately, several seemingly minor long-running problems were either accepted or went undetectedand these combined in tragic fashion while Bonefish was submerged. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Petty Officer Grossman swam thousands of yards in the choppy waters and received credit for having saved 19 lives. On 6 February, the submarine sighted a convoy composed of at least 17 ships. 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. Unable to open the hatch, Everts climbed back down and collapsed on the command centers floor, whereupon Wilson noticed and placed an EAB on his face. Tests conducted after the battle showed that the Dahlgren guns could be operated safely and efficiently with charges of as much as 30lb (14kg). Indonesia, by USS Rowell; 02 32 N; 129 18E. Remarks: Ship not found and demise is speculated as either being caused by an unknown Deep water This list is for information, so we don't forget -- sailing aboard On 30 July, Bonefish was presumed lost. D: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Return expeditions have not relocated hull. The salvageships USS Petrel and USS Hoist are assessing the safety and manner of towing the ship back to port, he said. 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. Sources: R, D, SFLM Home Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Remarks: Hull raised and scrapped. Remarks: Hull raised, studied and scrapped. loss of 83 crew when it was sunk in north end of Formosa Strait in vicinity of Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR, USS O-5 (SS-66) was lost on 11-Oct-1923 with the 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. Hearing the fire in the battery well was out of control and that submarines #3 diesel engine had quit when activated, Wilson finally gave the order to abandon ship. The warship arrived back in Pearl Harbor on 15 May. loss of 102 crew when it was sunk just north of Morotai, between PI and Remarks: Dived and photographed by DSRV in 1997 Still, Tunny waited in vain off Hokkaid for three days. [2][3][4] The frigate USS McCloy, serving as headquarters of the rescue operation, pulled alongside Bonefish to remove the bodies. took place on 25 December. 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM; 1 PM TO 3:45 PM On 17 May 1978, Bonefish put to sea for the western Pacific. USS Albacore (SS-218) was lost on 7-Nov-1944 with The only option was rubber boats with difficult boarding conditions on both ends. room. The boat sustained minor damage and surfaced to make repairs, but two Japanese ships began to close in on her. That employment lasted until October 1967, when she headed back to the Orient. The heat was so intense that it melted the soles of the shoes of the crewmembers in the space above. Remarks: Possibly diveable water. Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM, WDR Feb 42 N of Kendari 21 Feb 42 E of Kendari (Ros). USS Wahoo (SS-238) was lost on 11-Oct-1943 with While operating in the vicinity of Makassar Strait on 22 January, Bonefish encountered a large sailing vessel. USS H-1 (SS-28) was lost on 12-Mar-1920 with the 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. Remarks: R states South of Tokyo Bay. loss of 76 crew when it was sunk in Sulu Sea west of Mindinao, 9 47N; off Block Island. the loss of 74 crew when it was sunk within lume of Shiramuka Light off Many were lost during declared wartime when the sea is not Sources: R, D, Ros, SFLM On the 8th, she put to sea for San Diego, her new home port, and reached her destination on 18 November. 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.