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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Grayling

Ship Designation: 
SS-209
Date Lost: 
Thursday, September 9, 1943
Lost on Patrol
The precise date and details of her loss are unknown. She had been ordered to patrol the approaches to Manila until 10 September following a guerilla re-supply mission at Panay. Guerillas confirmed completion of this mission on 23 August, but the last communication with Grayling was received 19 August. Post-war analysis of Japanese records indicates that a surfaced submarine was sighted in Lingayen Gulf on 9 September and that a freighter had been attacked in that area on that date. There is no record of counter attacks. On the same date, the Japanese passenger-cargo vessel Hokuan Maru reported sighting a submarine submerged in shallow water west of Luzon and made a pass over it. The ship noted an impact with a submerged object, which may have been Grayling. In the absence of further communication, Grayling was declared lost on 30 September.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 75

Namesort ascending Service Branch
Sea 1c Robert Zabs USN
RM 2c John Young USN
MM 3c Marvin Wolf USN
TM 2c James Wilson USN
EM 1c Henry Whitcomb USN
MOMM 2c Arlon Wetsel USN
MOMM 1c Fred Welsh USN
Lt Joseph Welch USN
QM 2c John Waller USN
SC 3c Winton Wallace USN
Lt(jg) Edward Sullivan USN
TM 3c Robert Stevens USN
EM 2c Don Spencer USN
EM 1c Homer Smoak USN
CRM Jack Smith USN
CMM Robert Small USN
F 1c Robert Simpson USN
TM 1c John Simpkins USN
EM 3c William Shields USN
RM 2c Donald Sharrock USN

Pages

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