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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Wahoo

Ship Designation: 
SS-238
Date Lost: 
Monday, October 11, 1943
Air Attack in La Perouse Strait
Under the command of CDR Dudley Morton, one of the finest of the Pacific skippers, assisted by his equally talented executive officer, Richard O'Kane, Wahoo became one of the Submarine Force's most valuable units. During her many engagements on seven patrols, she sank a JANAC-confirmed total of 20 ships for 60,200 tons, and damaged two more for 24,900 tons. On her third patrol, the first under Morton and O'Kane, Wahoo destroyed an entire convoy of four ships in a single engagement. On her return to Pearl Harbor, Morton was advised that the Japanese believed that a wolfpack was operating in the area. Wahoo and Morton became submarine legends in their own time. On her seventh patrol, Morton requested permission, which was granted, to operate in the Sea of Japan. JANAC confirmed four ships were sunk in this area by Wahoo prior to her scheduled departure through La Perouse Strait on 11 October. Nothing further was heard from Morton and his 79 crewmen after that date. Japanese records note an ASW aircraft attack on a surfaced submarine in the Strait on 11October, with three depth charges dropped close aboard. This attack was undoubtedly the cause of Wahoo's loss.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 80

Namesort descending Service Branch
MM 3c Floyd Anders USN
EM 1c Joseph Andrews USN
SC 3c Robert Bailey USN
TM 3c Arthur Bair USN
MM 3c Jimmie Berg USN
Lt(jg) Donald Brown USN
MOMM 2c Chester Browning USN
MOMM 1c Clifford Bruce USN
RM 1c James Buckley USN
Lt William Burgan USN
Ens John Campbell USN
CGM William Carr USN
RM 2c James Carter USN
MOMM 1c William Davison USN
TM 1c Lynwood Deaton USN
EM 3c Joseph Erdey USN
Lt(jg) Eugene Fiedler USN
TM 3c Oscar Finkelstein USN
TM 3c Walter Galli USN
MOMM 2c Cecil Garmon USN

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