HomeMy WebLinkAboutWorld War II Submarine ServiceWorld War Two Submarine Service
During the 1,347 days of WW11, 465 skippers took 263 boats and 16,000
meu--aut-ou-1*73~--patr~,. c~leetwely spending.7~,~3~ da-y,~-at-seas-af--
which 31,571 were spent in operation areas where they attacked 4,114
merchant ships, firing 1~748~-torpedoes and -sinking 1;17-of th-em along
with 214 Japanese war ships. This number does not include ships
damaged run aground. Of these 263 boats 52 and 3,517 men never
returned. ~rth~msafne_peri~d°the-~erman~-lost 7$1 Il-bo~tsr-the---
Japanese Iost 130 and Italians lost 85.16,200 Japanese merchant
seaman were kilted and 53,400 wounded aut of a total farce of 122,000
ley.-U S- su-bmn-rites. ~ ~e -ef-2%a-t~f the IJ S-~av~ -a~cgud- i~r-55°J~.-_
of Japan's maritime losses.
Never in the annals of military history has there been a record of
a~hiexen~.enx ecluni...tiiat_a~f. ihe- LTS. Subm~ one ~er._v~ce da~-in~ W+o~ld_~?4~ax
11. With 1:6% of all naval personnel the Subs sank over 55% of all
Japanese ships sunk,~including 1f3~ of all~Japanese Min of -war.
They also performed many other tasks such as carrying ammunition to
~orregidur.,._ eya~cuating ._ the__ Philiippine'r ..Gover_nment~. ancl_._all._ it`-s.: -g~a~1d,- . _ .
attacking enemy land positions, landing spotters and raider on many
islands: They rescued- 504 do~vned~ I:TS pilo#s one of-which was George
hush, later President of the United States.
Secret surveillance was another mission of U.S. submarines. The boats
scpuied.. ev.ery_ din~.._mad~e._during._the_wax_.in-the_Pa.cifu~. and_ an. _manyy_
occasions acted as 'point' for the invading forces guiding them to tht
invasion place.
The United States Submarine service had the Island of Japan isolated
low bef are _ the_ entl- ..af _the__ ~.ar..--Tl~e--~Japanese.._w.er_~.--unal~le__ to_: supply __
their army in the field, or even sustain the economy of the home islands.
ill this submarine action was done under the strictest secrecy, most of it
n~-t_ recvealed_fnr-~nare_ t~hau__(arty-years after_.th~-.e~ui~of ,W orlti ~a~T~va~. _
~'~~- price they pai~„~ar their successes was heavy. Sul~~tariae losses were
aver 2Q% the highest tnartality _rate a,~' any_flnited States Service durin,~
Warld i~ar Twa.