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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Capelin

Ship Designation: 
SS-289
Date Lost: 
Wednesday, November 17, 1943
Lost at Sea
Following repairs, Capelin departed Darwin for the Celebes Sea on November 17. USS Bonefish (SS-223) reported sighting a US submarine in Capelin's area on December 2, and made tentative contact by underwater telephone. Although post-war analysis of Japanese records indicated an ASW attack on November 23, off Halamahera, in Capelin's area, the records did not report a sinking and further indicated that the attack was broken off. In view of the sighting by Bonefish on December 2, this attack probably was not directed at Capelin. ... There were minefields in the area, but the most probable cause of her loss was a continuing mechanical failure of the upper hatch or, more remotely, her bow planes.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 78

Namesort descending Service Branch
Sea 2c Buford Arney USN
SM 2c Clarence Ball USN
CTM Claude Beck USN
EM 3c Gerald Blair USN
QM 3c Perry Bragg USN
Lt(jg) Richard Britton USN
Sea 1c Ellis Brown USN
CRM Marcy Butler USN
CY Foster Callahan USN
MOMM 2c John Callahan USN
Sea 1c Joseph Cavanaugh USN
StM 1c Earl Cheatham USN
TM 2c Everett Clifford USN
TM 1c Charles Colyer USN
MM 1c Joe Cross USN
F 1c James Crowley USN
EM 3c Charles Defreytas USN
TM 3c WIlliam Devine USN
TM 2c William Devine USN
TM 3c Paul Dill USN

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Prepared by: J.P.O’Hara, CDR, USN (Ret.)