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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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Topic
  • Boats-Ships--Submarine
  • Cruises, Deployments, and Exercises
  • Uniforms
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  • Artifact
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
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  • NHHC

Sailor-made War Patrol Patch from USS Bugara (SS-331)


one hand painted insignia patch with skull over exploding submarine red black and blue on brown fabric

Title: Patch, War Patrol, Gulf of Siam, USS Bugara (SS-331)
Accession #: NHHC 2017.001.021
Circa: 1945
Size: 6"
Medium: fabric
Location: Headquarters Artifact Collection, Naval History and Heritage Command

One sailor-made patch commemorating the USS Bugara (SS-331) war patrol of the Gulf of Siam in 1945. The patch is circular fabric cut with pinking shears. The center is painted with a white skull with the number 57 on its forehead exploding through the silhouette of a submarine. The entire design is on a field of blue.

Bugara's third war patrol of World War II was conducted in and around the Gulf of Siam. In the span of just over a month, she dispatched 57 small enemy cargo ships bound for Japanese ports. Respecting the rules of war, the submarine put the native crews safely ashore before sinking their vessels.

Published: Wed Apr 29 14:55:43 EDT 2020