WILSON-ROBERT

DIED  IN  CAPTIVITY  AS  POW

On the evening of March 1, 1942, the submarine USS Perch surfaced and began preparations for an attack on a Japanese convoy landing troops west of Surabaya, Java.  Two Japanese destroyers detected the submarine’s presence and attacked her which drove her to the bottom at 135 feet.  While on the bottom additional depth charges caused extensive damage, putting the starboard motors out of commission and causing extensive flooding throughout the boat.  The loss of oil and air from damaged ballast tanks convinced the Japanese the submarine was mortally wounded and departed the area.

Diligent repair efforts by the crew and expert handling permitted Perch to surface at 2AM on March 2 but she was again driven down by a destroyer.  Perch was able to later again rise to the surface.  During the early morning of March 3, after additional repairs, a test dive was made with almost fatal results, but expert handing again permitted her to resurface.  As more repairs were being made two Japanese cruisers and three destroyers came into view and began shelling the seriously wounded boat.  As shells straddled the submarine the commanding officer ordered, “Abandon ship, scuttle the boat.”  With all hull openings open, Perch made her last dive to the bottom.

The entire crew of fifty-four men and five officers was taken into custody by the Japanese destroyer Ushio and became POWs.  Six of the men died during the war while in Japanese POW camps.  The other fifty-three crewmembers were POWs until released at the end of World War II.

Historical records report Fire Controlman First Class Robert Archibald Wilson was one of the USS Perch crewmembers to die while in custody as a POW.  He was born October 26, 1917, in Weehawken, New Jersey.  Readily available public historical records contain little information concerning him but do report he was held at the POW Camp in Makassar, Indonesia, where he died on June 15, 1945, due to pellagra which his fellow POWs said was another name for starvation.  His death occurred only two months before the end of World War II and the release from custody of all POWs.  FC1 Wilson has been laid to eternal rest at Beverly National Cemetery in Beverly, New Jersey.

          

               Crew of USS Perch seated on the deck of IJNS USHIO – 3/3/1942

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)