USS SC-1012

USS "SC-1012" was a submarine chaser in the United States Navy during World War II.

"SC-1012" was built by the Fellows and Craft Shipbuilders and launched on 28 December, 1942. Commissioned on 18 August, 1943. She was involved in several campaigns during World War II and traveled many miles across and throughout the South Pacific escorting convoys, providing Harbormaster duties and pre-invasion reconnaissance.

In February 1944, the SC-1012, commanded by LtJG E. Gordon Myers (January 22, 1918 - July 4, 1962) was in a convoy when "LST-577" was torpedoed. The escort ships, "Coolbaugh" (DE-217) and "Haas" (DE-424) along with the SC-1012, formed a Hunter-Killer group and began a systematic search for the submarine which had torpedoed her. No confirmed kill was recorded, but no further offensive action was seen from the submarine.

During the SC-1012 Harbormaster duties, in the Keramerati Island Group, they had just escorted an ammunition ship to dock; the SC-1012 was attacked by a kamikaze. The crew was at battle stations and had just prepared to open fire when the pilot, apparently spotting a better target, broke off his attack and slammed into the ammunition ship which burned for 3 or 4 days.

During the pre-invasion reconnaissance of the islands, Col. "Squeeky" Anderson was the commanding officer for the landing forces. He would routinely board the SC-1012 and go with them to map out the landing zones. During the actual invasion, the SC-1012 would stand by at a preset location and the landing craft would then home in on her, aiming to the right or the left of where the SC-1012 was stationed. This type of "spotting" enabled the landing ships to hit their target without using any other guidance systems.

The SC-1012 was extremely fortunate in not losing any crewmembers to any sort of enemy action. However, she was damaged beyond repair following a Typhoon that hit the Sea Plane Base on Okinawa in October 1945 and the SC-1012 was destroyed on 1 January, 1946.

References

*DANFS [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/sc1/sc-1001-sc-1100v1.htm]

External links

* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/151012.htm navsource.org: Submarine Chaser "SC-1012"]
* [http://www.ww2pcsa.org/subchaser.html Patrol Craft Sailors Association: WWII submarine chasers]