USS Gudgeon (SS-211): American Submarine

USS Gudgeon (SS-211) off Hunters Point, California on 7 August 1943.

USS Gudgeon (SS-211), a Tambor-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the gudgeon. Her keel was laid down by the Mare Island Navy Yard. She was launched on 25 January 1941, sponsored by Mrs. Annie B. Pye, wife of Vice Admiral William S. Pye, Commander Battleships, Battle Force and Commander Battle Force. The boat was commissioned on 21 April 1941 with Lieutenant Commander Elton W. "Joe" Grenfell in command. Her construction cost $6 million.

After shakedown along the California coast, Gudgeon sailed north on 28 August, heading for Alaska via Seattle, Washington. On her northern jaunt the new submarine inspected Sitka, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor for suitability as naval bases. Continuing to Hawaii, she moored at the Pearl Harbor submarine base on 10 October 1941. Training exercises and local operations filled Gudgeon's time for the next two months. During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December she was at Lahaina Roads on special exercises, but returned to base immediately.

First War Patrol

On 11 December, Gudgeon (commanded by Elton W. "Joe" Grenfell) departed Pearl Harbor on the first American submarine war patrol of World War II. Her commanding officer was provided with explicit written orders to carry out unrestricted submarine warfare. Gudgeon made her first contact on a target in Japanese Home Waters 31 December. When she returned 50 days later, Gudgeon had contributed two more impressive "firsts" to the Pacific submarine fleet. She was the first American submarine to patrol along the Japanese coast itself, as her area took her off Kyūshū in the home islands. On 27 January 1942, en route home, Gudgeon became the first United States Navy submarine to sink an enemy warship in World War II. Gudgeon fired three torpedoes, and I-73 was destroyed; though Gudgeon claimed only damage, the loss was confirmed by HYPO.

Second and Third War Patrols

On her second war patrol, 22 February to 15 April 1942, Gudgeon scored two kills, first sinking an unknown freighter maru on 26 March and then dispatching the 6526-ton Nissho Maru on 27 March in the East China Sea southeast of Kumun Island at 34°28'N, 127°45'E. She then checked into dry-dock for overhaul, but undocked three weeks early and readied for sea in a remarkable 40 hours to participate in the momentous Battle of Midway. Departing Pearl Harbor on 18 May, Gudgeon took station off Midway Island as part of the submarine screen which encircled the two giant fleets clashing there. Although she had a ringside seat for the action, which saw Japan handed its first naval defeat in modern history, Gudgeon was prevented from offensive action by the confusion of battle and the possibility of mistaken identity. She returned to Pearl Harbor on 14 June.

Fourth War Patrol

Departing for her fourth patrol 11 July, Gudgeon sank the 4853-ton transport Naniwa Maru in a night submerged attack off Truk on 3 August, her only kill of the patrol. In her other attack of the fourth patrol USS Gudgeon carried out an aggressive attack on a four-ship convoy 17 August, torpedoing and damaging the Japanese tankers Shinkoku Maru (10020 BRT) and Nichiei Maru (10020 BRT) northwest of Truk before the patrol ended at Fremantle, Australia, on 2 September.

Fifth and Sixth War Patrols

Now a part of the Southwestern Pacific submarine forces, Gudgeon sank the 6783-ton Choko Maru west-northwest of Rabaul on 21 October during her fifth war patrol, 8 October to 1 December, and carried out a daring attack on a seven ship convoy on 11 November, torpedoing several ships but sinking none.

The submarine's sixth war patrol, from 27 December 1942 to 18 February 1943, was unsuccessful in terms of ships sunk, but she carried out two special missions. On 14 January 1943 Gudgeon successfully landed six men on Catmon Point, Negros Island, Western Visayas, Philippines, to carry out the vital guerrilla resistance movement there. Returning from her patrol area, Gudgeon was diverted to Timor Island on 9 February, and the following day rescued 28 men—Australian, English, Portuguese, and Filipino—for passage to Fremantle.

Seventh and Eighth War Patrols

Gudgeon's seventh war patrol, from 13 March into April 1943, netted her two more Japanese ships before she ran out of torpedoes and had to return to Australia. On 22 March she sank the 5434-ton transport Meigen Maru as well as seriously damaging two other ships in the Java Sea convoy some 30 miles north of Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies. Five days later Gudgeon took on 9987-ton tanker Tōhō Maru in a night surface attack in the Makassar Strait punctuated by bursts of gunfire as the Japanese ships spotted and fired on the submarine. It took five torpedoes to sink Tōhō Maru, and most of Gudgeon's crew enjoyed the rare treat of watching her slide into the depths. Another attack later the same day damaged the 1192-ton tanker Kyoei Maru.

On her eighth war patrol, conducted as she sailed from Australia to Pearl Harbor on 15 April to 25 May 1943, Gudgeon chalked up three more kills. Her first came 28 April as she sank Kamakura Maru, a former ocean liner, southwest of Pucio Point, Panay (now Poblacion, Libertad, Antique), Philippines. The 17,526-ton transport was the largest Japanese transport, and one of the largest enemy ships sunk by an American submarine. Special operations interrupted Gudgeon's patrol as she landed six trained guerrilla fighters and three tons of equipment for the guerrilla movement on Panay on 30 April.

After sinking the 500-ton trawler Naku Maru with her deck guns west of Panay 4 May, Gudgeon battle-surfaced again that same day and left a coastal steamer burning and settling. Eight days later, on 12 May, she torpedoed and sank the 5861-ton freighter Sumatra Maru off Bulusan, Luzon, Philippines. Returning to Pearl Harbor, the veteran submarine was sent to San Francisco, California, for badly needed overhaul, her first since commissioning two years earlier.

Ninth and Tenth War Patrols

A refreshed sub and crew departed Pearl Harbor for their ninth war patrol 1 September 1943 in the Mariana Islands area. Before returning to Midway Island on 6 October with all torpedoes expended, Gudgeon had sunk the 3158-ton Taian Maru, torpedoed and damaged the 3266-ton auxiliary gunboat Santo Maru north of Saipan, as well as seriously damaging several other ships.

Heading along the China coast for her tenth war patrol, form 31 October to 11 December, Gudgeon chalked up two more marus. Early in the morning of 23 November she spotted a convoy of four ships in the East China Sea some 70 miles north of Shusan Island and closed for attack. Gudgeon fired a spread of six torpedoes with gratifying results. The 870-ton frigate Wakamiya, hit by one torpedo, broke in two, sinking almost immediately. The two tankers in the convoy, the 5106-ton Ichiyo Maru and the 8469-ton Goyo Maru, were also hit but managed to escape. Gudgeon closed in to finish off the 6783-ton troop transport Nekka Maru.

Eleventh War Patrol

Gudgeon's 11th war patrol saw a few successful sinkings of Japanese vessels, the first on 11 February. Before this sinking the submarine had a spell of bad luck where, on 2 February 1944, she had sighted a damaged aircraft carrier with two escorts. Gudgeon had closed for attack, but the escorts spotted her and attacked. A down-the-throat shot with four torpedoes temporarily discouraged the destroyers and allowed Gudgeon to seek deep water and safety, but when she surfaced the Japanese men-of-war were gone. Later in the same patrol Gudgeon was forced to try another down-the-throat shot at an enemy escort, but no hits. Success came only on 11 February. This date saw her torpedoing and sinking the already damaged (by Chinese air attack) 3091-ton merchant Satsuma Maru off Wenchow, China. On 17 February Gudgeon sank a Japanese sampan with gunfire in the East China Sea, another sampan being damaged in the attack. She returned to Pearl Harbor on 5 March 1944.

Loss

Gudgeon sailed for her 12th war patrol on 4 April 1944. The submarine stopped off for fuel at Johnston Island on 7 April, and was never seen or heard from again. On 7 June 1944, Gudgeon was officially declared overdue and presumed lost. Uboat.net claims Gudgeon was sunk 18 April 1944 at a known location by the Japanese southeast of Iwo Jima. Some sources say the submarine was more likely to have sunk by attack near the Maug Islands.

During her three-year career, Gudgeon scored 14 confirmed kills of a total of well over 71,372 tons sunk, placing her 15th on the honor roll of American submarines.

For her first seven war patrols Gudgeon received the Presidential Unit Citation. She earned 11 battle stars for World War II service.

Builder: Mare Island Naval Shipyard

Laid down: 22 November 1939

Launched: 25 January 1941

Commissioned: 21 April 1941

Fate: Lost off the Maug Islands, 18 April 1944

Class and type: Tambor class diesel-electric submarine

Displacement:

1,475 long tons (1,499 t) standard, surfaced

2,370 long tons (2,410 t) submerged

Length: 307 ft 2 in (93.62 m)

Beam: 27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)

Draft: 14 ft 7 1⁄2 in (4.458 m)

Propulsion:

4 × Fairbanks-Morse Model 38D8-⅛ 9-cylinder opposed piston diesel engines driving electrical generators

2 × 126-cell Sargo batteries

4 × high-speed General Electric electric motors with reduction gears

two propellers

5,400 shp (4.0 MW) surfaced

2,740 shp (2.0 MW) submerged

Speed: 20.4 knots (38 km/h) surfaced; 8.75 knots (16 km/h) submerged

Range: 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h)

Endurance: 48 hours at 2 knots (3.7 km/h) submerged

Test depth: 250 ft (76 m)

Complement: 6 officers, 54 enlisted

Armament:

10 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes

6 forward, 4 aft

24 torpedoes

1 × 3-inch (76 mm) / 50 caliber deck gun

Bofors 40 mm

Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

American submarine Gudgeon (SS-211) anchored off Mare Island, California after launching on 25 January 1941. (Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 65646)

USS Gudgeon (SS-211) off Mare Island on 7 July 1941.

USS Gudgeon (SS-211).

USS Gudgeon  (SS-211) off Hunters Point on 7 August 1943. (US National Archives photo 19-N-24659)

 Aerial view of the Pearl Harbor Submarine Piers at Merry Point, 13 Oct 1941. Also pictured is the U-shaped Headquarters Building for the Pacific Fleet and a tank farm at right. Note one tank painted as a building. The office of Fleet Commander Admiral Husband E. Kimmel was in the upper left corner of the headquarters building’s top floor. Troop transport USS Wharton is in right foreground. Among the submarines at the submarine piers are USS Tuna, USS Gudgeon, USS Argonaut, USS Narwhal, USS Triton, and USS Dolphin. Submarine tender USS Holland and patrol gunboat USS Niagara are alongside the wharf beside the headquarters building. Beyond the Holland is the Kuahua Peninsula with the Supply Depot and beyond that is the East Loch. In the distance (nearest group in upper left) are the battleship USS Nevada, at far left, general stores cargo ship USS Castor, and the former cruiser Baltimore, in use as an ammunition scow. Cruisers in top center are USS Minneapolis, closest to camera, and USS Pensacola.

USS Gudgeon (SS-211) at Hunters Point, San Francisco, California, on 5 August 1943. Circles mark recent alterations. Note: Three-leaf clover emblem painted on sail, 4"/50 deck gun aft, mount for a 20mm gun, radar antenna. (US National Archives photo 19-N-50790 / Naval History & Heritage Command)

USS Gudgeon (SS-211) at Hunters Point, San Francisco, California, on 5 August 1943. Circles mark recent alterations. Note R. D. F. loop antenna, hatches of superstructure ready service ammunition lockers, and other details. (US National Archives photo 19-N-50790 / Naval History & Heritage Command)

29 March 1943: Makassar Strait, Celebes. At about 0400, LtCdr (later Rear Admiral) William S. Post’s (USNA ’30) Gudgeon (SS-211) attacks a convoy. In a night surface attack, Post fires six torpedoes and claims four hits on Toho Maru. She sinks between Tarakan and Samarinda, Borneo at 00-30N, 118-26E. Casualties are unknown. Captain Nakazato survives the sinking and is later posted CO of Mogamigawa Maru. 

 On her eighth war patrol, conducted as she sailed from Australia to Pearl Harbor 15 April to 25 May 1943, Gudgeon (SS-211) chalked up three more kills. Her first came 28 April as she sank Kamakura Maru, a former ocean liner. The 17,526-ton transport was the largest Japanese transport, and one of the largest enemy ships sunk by an American submarine. (Australian War Memorial under the ID Number 303472)

USS Gudgeon (SS-211) at the end of the ways during her launching at Mare Island on 25 January 1941. 

USS Gudgeon (SS-211) in the Mare Island Channel after her launching at Mare Island on 25 January 1941. Launching cradle is forward of the submarine's bow. (Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum photo)

USS Gudgeon (SS-211) launching, looking forward, at Mare Island, California on 24 January 1941.

USS Gudgeon (SS-211) historical data plate while at Mare Island, California on 1 July 1941.

USS Gudgeon (SS-211).

Submarine tender USS Fulton flanked by submarines USS Tuna (SS-203) and USS Gudgeon (SS-211) under a protective cloud of flying boats in the late 1930s in an illustration by I.R. Lloyd, a crew member of the Fulton.

USS Gudgeon (SS-211), oil painting by Lloyds of Vallejo Art Studio, date unknown.

 First day cover for the keel laying of the Gudgeon(SS-211) on 22 November 1939. 

 Newsclipping from the 23 November 1939 edition of the Vallejo Times-Herald picturing the Honorary Keel Layers for the Gudgeon (SS-211), at Mare Island on 22 November 1939. From left to right are: Phil Creedon, quarterman (senior supervisor) rigger and George Mercer, electrical engineer in the welding enclosure. (US Navy photo)

Newsclipping from the 23 November 1939 edition of the Vallejo Times-Herald: CDR A. M. Pitrie salutes while the Star Spangled Banner is played during the keel laying of Gudgeon (SS-211) at Mare Island on 22 November 1939. CDR Pitrie, Shipyard Manager, had just declared "the keel is well and truly laid". Structure in the middle of the photo is a welding enclosure. (US Navy photo)

Silversides (SS-236) & Gudgeon (SS-211), on the building ways at Mare Island, Cal. 2 January 1941. Silversides illustrates double hulled construction. The inner circular section is the pressure hull, the framing, which surrounds it, supports a thin streamlined outer hull. Such a configuration leaves the interior of the pressure hull unencumbered by framing and allows for a streamlined outer hull whose shape is not determined by the need to resist water pressure. YO-45 is under construction aft of the two submarines. (US Navy photo)

Newsclipping from the 21 April 1941 edition of the Vallejo Times-Herald picturing Mrs. W. S. Pye, Sponsor, christening the Gudgeon (SS-211) on 25 January 1941. Others in the photo are from left to right: Capt. Andrew Denney, Acting Shipyard Commandant; Mrs. Greer Duncan, wife of Capt Greer Duncan and Maid of Honor; CDR Lemuel P. Padget, aide to commandant; Mrs. Pye; and Capt. F. Crisp, yard manager with his back to camera. (US Navy photo)

Commissioning of the Gudgeon (SS-211) on 21 April 1941. (Mare Island Navy Yard Ship Files, NARA San Francisco photo 890-41)

Commissioning of the Gudgeon (SS-211) on 21 April 1941. Lt. Comdr. Elton W. Grenfell, first CO of the boat, is on the right near the hatch, holding his orders. (Mare Island Navy Yard Ship Files, NARA San Francisco photo 896-41)

 First day postal cover commemorating the launching of Gudgeon (SS-211), 25 January 1941.

 First day postal cover commemorating the commissioning of Gudgeon(SS-211), 21 April 1941.

Additional aerial view of the Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, with part of the supply depot beyond and the fuel farm at right, looking north on 13 October 1941. 

Additional aerial view of the Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, with part of the supply depot beyond and the fuel farm at right, looking north on 13 October 1941. 

Arriving at her assigned station West of Midway Atoll on 15th January 1942 the I-173 (HIJMS Kaidai Type KD 6A class) began her hunt for allied shipping. Several days passed with no contacts and as her supplies began to run low, orders reached the I-173 to return to Yokosuka. During the early morning hours of 27th January the I-173 surfaced as usual to run her diesel engines to recharge her batteries and use her higher surface speed to shorten her trip. As she ran along the surface, the sound of her propellers was picked up by sonar operators on the Gudgeon (SS-211), a patrolling U.S. Submarine. The American submarine was quick to react and promptly steered an intercept course with the sonar contact, and quickly confirmed it to be a Japanese Submarine, running on the surface and not engaged in a typical zig-zagging pattern to avoid submarine attacks. Closing to within 1,800 yards of her target, the Gudgeon lined up her shot and sent a spread of three torpedoes into the path of the I-173, two of which struck the sub directly amidships. Damage to the I-173 was total, as the force of the explosions almost broke the submarine in two. The I-173 momentarily settled back to an even keel after the impacts, but then promptly began to jackknife and sank at this location with all hands on 27th January 1942. Her loss went into the history books as being the first warship ever sunk by an American Submarine in combat.

Lt. Comdr. Elton W. Grenfell, first CO of the Gudgeon (SS-211) during her first two war patrols. 

On her eighth war patrol, conducted as she sailed from Australia to Pearl Harbor 15 April to 25 May 1943, Gudgeon (SS-211) chalked up three more kills. Her first came 28 April as she sank Kamakura Maru, a former ocean liner. The 17,52-ton transport was the largest Japanese transport, and one of the largest enemy ships sunk by an American submarine...,sailing from Manila to Singapore and carrying some 2,500 soldiers and civilians, ...The ship was hit by two torpedoes and sank within 12 minutes. Four days later, 465 survivors were rescued from the sea by Japanese ships, meaning some 2,035 people were killed.

Bow on view of Gudgeon (SS-211) at Hunters Point on 7 August 1943. (US Navy photo 5760-43)

Imperial Japanese Navy G3M bomber (Nell) in flight, which may have sunk the Gudgeon (SS-211) on 18 April 1944, according to Mike Ostlund, author of Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em: The Mysterious Loss of the WWII Submarine USS Gudgeon. 

Admiral Elton W. Grenfell appears here in his later years after commanding the Gudgeon (SS 211).

Torpedoman 1st class James Henry Blessing. The background is the Gudgeon's (SS-211) last battle flag. 

Robert Alexander Bonin, Commander (Commanding Officer) of the Gudgeon (SS-211) at the time of her loss.