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US Navy Submarines Losses, Selected Accidents, and Selected Incidents of Damage Resulting from Enemy Action, Chronological

Submarine Lost Through Enemy Action

    Date of Loss   

Casualties 

Shark  (SS-174)   11 Feb 42           59 killed

Sunk by Japanese destroyer Yamakaze; Makassar Strait, 120 miles east of Menado, Celebes.

Perch  (SS-176)     3 Mar 42    64 POWs, 6 later died

Scuttled after severe damage from Japanese destroyers Ushio and Sazanami.

Grunion (SS-216)    31 Jul 42           70 killed

Sunk by gunfire from torpedoed Japanese transport Kashima Maru; 10 miles north Segula, near Kiska Island, Aleutians.

Argonaut (APS-1) [minelaying submarine]   10 Jan 43   102 killed

Sunk by aircraft (582d Kokutai) and Japanese destroyers Isokaze and Maikaze southeast of New Britain in Solomon Sea.

Amberjack (SS-219)   14 Feb 43   72 killed

Probably sunk by combined efforts of a Japanese seaplane (958th Kokutai), torpedo boat Hiyodori, and submarine chaser Ch 18 off Cape St. George, New Britain.

Grampus (SS-207)   Feb or Mar 43   71 killed

Sunk either by Japanese naval aircraft (958th Kokutai) 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 killed

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

Pickerel (SS-177)   3 Apr 43   74 killed

Sunk by Japanese minelayer Shirakami and auxiliary subchaser Bunzan Maru off northern Honshu, Japan.

Grenadier (SS-210)   22 Apr 43   76 POWs, 4 later died

Scuttled after Japanese seaplane attacks (936 Kokutai) damaged the boat the previous day, off Penang, Malaysia.

Runner (SS-275)   Jun 43   78 killed

Unknown, possibly a Japanese mine or combined air and surface attack off northeastern Honshu, Japan.

Pompano (SS-181)   Aug or Sep 43   77 killed

Unknown, possibly a Japanese mine or combined air and surface attack off northeastern Honshu, Japan.

Grayling (SS-209)   9 Sep 43   76 killed

Probably rammed and sunk by Japanese transport Hokuan Maru, South China Sea west of Luzon.

Cisco (SS-290)   28 Sep 43   76 killed

Sunk by Japanese observation seaplane (945th Kokutai) and gunboat Karatsu [ex-U.S. river gunboat Luzon (PR-7)] in Sulu Sea off Panay Island.

S 44 (SS-155)   7 Oct 43   57 killed

Lost to Japanese escort destroyer Ishigaki, northeast Araito Island off Kamchatka.

Dorado (SS-248)   Oct 43   77 killed

Unknown, 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 killed

Sunk 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 killed

Torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I 176 south of Truk.

Capelin (SS-289)   Nov 43   76 killed

Sunk by unknown causes, either Japanese aircraft (934 Kokutai) and minelayer Wakatake, 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   12 killed, 51 POWs later died and 21 POWs survived.

Damaged by Japanese destroyer Yamagumo and later scuttled north of Truk.

Scorpion (SS-278)   Jan 44   76 killed

Unknown, probably a Japanese mine in Yellow or East China Sea.

Grayback (SS-208)   27 Feb 44   80 killed

Probably succumbed 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 killed

Most likely sunk by Japanese destroyer Asashimo in Philippine Sea.

Gudgeon (SS-211)   18 April 44   79 killed

Probably sunk by Japanese naval aircraft (901st Kokutai) southwest of Iwo Jima.

Herring (SS-233)   1 Jun 44   83 killed

Sunk by Japanese Army shore battery (Guards Division 52) off Matsuwa Island, Kuriles.

Golet (SS-361)   14 Jun 44   82 killed

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 killed, 4 POWs later died.

Sunk by a mine off western Palawan, Philippines.

Flier (SS-250)   13 Aug 44   78 killed, 8 survied and were rescued.

Sunk by a Japanese mine south of Palawan in Balabac Strait.

Harder (SS-257)   24 Aug 44   79 killed

Sunk by Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No. 22 off west coast of Luzon, Philippines.

Escolar (SS-294)   17 Oct 44   82 killed

Possibly sunk by a Japanese mine in the Yellow Sea.

Shark (SS-314)   24 Oct 44   88 killed

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

Albacore (SS-218)   7 Nov 44   85 killed

Possible Japanese mine off northern tip of Honshu, Japan.

Growler (SS-215)   8 Nov 44   86 killed

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

Scamp (SS-277)   11 Nov 44   83 killed

Sunk by Japanese naval aircraft and Coast Defense Vessel No.4 in Tokyo Bay area.

Swordfish (SS-193)   Jan 45   89 killed

Possibly sunk by Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No. 4 on 5 January or sunk by a mine off Okinawa on 9 January.

Barbel (SS-316)   4 Feb 45   81 killed

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

Kete (SS-369)   20 Mar 45   87 killed

Probably sunk by a mine or a Japanese submarine (perhaps RO 41) east of Okinawa.

Trigger (SS-237)   28 Mar 45   89 killed

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 killed

Probably sunk by a combination of Japanese naval aircraft (256th, 453rd, and 951st Kokutais); 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   86 killed

Sunk by Japanese minelayer Hatsutaka in Gulf of Siam.

Bonefish (SS-223)   18 Jun 45   85 killed

Sunk by combined efforts of escort destroyer Okinawa, Coast Defense Vessel No. 63, Coast Defense Vessel No. 75, Coast Defense Vessel No. 8, and Coast Defense Vessel No. 207 off southern coast of Honshu, Japan.

Bullhead (SS-332)   6 Aug 45   84 killed

Probably sunk by Japanese Army aircraft (73rd Chutai) off Bali in the Java Sea.

Submarines Lost Through Accidents and Perils of the Sea

    Date of Loss   Casualties
F 4 (SS-23)   25 Mar 15   21 died

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 died

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 died

Sunk after collision with USS PC-460 in Gulf of Panama.

R-12 (SS-89)   12 Jun 43   42 died

Foundered after battery flooded while off Key West, Florida.

Tullibee (SS-284)   26 Mar 44   79 died

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

S-28 (SS-133)   4 Jun 44   49 died

Lost during ASW exercises off the Hawaiian Islands.

Seawolf (SS-197)   3 Oct 44   100 died

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

Darter (SS-227)   24 Oct 44   0 died

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 survied

Accidentally 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 died

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

Scorpion (SSN-589)   27 May 68   99 died

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

    Date of Loss   Casualties
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.

H1 (SS-28)   12 Mar 20   4 died

Aground and later sunk off Santa Margarita Island, California.

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 died

Rammed off Provincetown, Massachusetts, by 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 (Takao and 1st Kokutais) on Cavite Navy Yard, Philippine Islands.

Sealion (SS-195)   10 Dec 41   4 killed

Severely damaged by two bombs during Japanese air attack (Takao and 1st Kokutais) on Cavite Navy Yard, Philippine Islands; later scuttled on 25 December.

Bass (SS-164)   17 Aug 42   26 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.

Guitarro (SSN-665)   15 May 69   0 died

Sank at the pier at San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California.

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 DC: US Government Printing Office, 1959-89.

Various files of the Ships' History Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, DC.

[END]
Published: Wed Jul 29 12:05:17 EDT 2020