USS Halibut (SS-232)

USS "Halibut" (SS-232), a "Gato"-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the halibut, a large species of flatfish found on both sides of the Atlantic. Her keel was laid down by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard of Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 3 December 1941 sponsored by Mrs. P. T. Blackburn, and commissioned on 10 April 1942 with Commander Philip H. Ross (Class of 1927) in command.

War Patrols

"Halibut" completed her outfitting and shakedown cruise 23 June 1942 and departed for the Pacific, arriving Pearl Harbor on 27 June. Assigned to the Aleutian Islands area for her first patrol, she departed 9 August from Hawaii. After searching Chichagof Harbor and the waters off Kiska Island, the submarine engaged in an indecisive gunnery duel with a freighter on 23 August. Finding few targets, she terminated her patrol at Dutch Harbor on 23 September.

Her second patrol was also off the Aleutians. She departed Dutch Harbor on 2 October 1942 and surfaced for a torpedo attack on what appeared to be a large freighter on 11 October. The ship, a decoy (Q-ship) equipped with concealed guns and torpedo tubes, attacked "Halibut" with high explosive shells and a torpedo as the submarine took radical evasive action to escape the trap. After eluding her assailant she returned to Dutch Harbor on 23 October and Pearl Harbor on 31 October 1942.

"Halibut" departed Pearl Harbor 22 November for her third war patrol, off the northeast coast of Japan. She began stalking a convoy the night of 9 December and early the next morning closed for the attack. A hit amidships sank "Genzan Maru"; swinging to starboard, "Halibut" put two torpedoes squarely into "Shingo Maru", sinking her as well. Her success continued as "Gyukozan Maru" was sent to the bottom on 12 December. "Halibut" made two more attacks on this patrol, each time being closely pursued by escort vessel, before returning to Pearl Harbor on 15 January 1943.

The submarine sailed from Pearl Harbor again on 8 February 1943 on her fourth war patrol. Heading for the Japan-Kwajalein shipping lanes she tracked a freighter the morning of 20 February and closed to sink her that night. While northeast of Truk on 3 March she detected a large ship and attacked, but was driven off by the fire of deck guns. "Halibut" returned to Pearl Harbor from this patrol 30 March.

"Halibut" began her fifth war patrol 10 June and made her first attack 23 June. No hits were scored and the submarine was forced to wait out a severe depth charge attack. She damaged escort aircraft carrier "Unyo" [cite book | title = Silent victory: the U.S. submarine war against Japan | first = Clay, Jr. | last = Blair | authorlink = Clay Blair | location = Philadelphia | publisher = Lippincott | year = 1975 | isbn = 9780397010899 | oclc = 821363 | page = p. 433 ] off Truk on 10 July, and finally returned to Midway Island on 28 July 1943. No tonnage credit was given in the contemporaneous record or the postwar JANAC accounting, however. [Blair, "Silent Victory", p. 931.]

ixth Patrol

The coast of Japan was "Halibut"'s hunting ground on her sixth war patrol, now in the hands of Ignatius J. "Pete" Galantin since August 11. Departing Midway Island on 20 August together with USS|Searaven|SS-196|3 and USS|Pompano|SS-181|3 (sunk on this patrol), she cruised towards her assigned patrol zone off the east coasts of Honshū and Hokkaido, including the Tsugaru Strait. On August 29 she sighted a freighter with a "Shigure"-class escort, two torpedo attacks on the destroyer were unsuccessful and "Halibut" was forced deep for eight hours to avoid the 43 depth-charges expended by the destroyer and a second vessel. The attackers lost contact with "Halibut" in the early evening, allowing her to move away and resurface. The following day she headed into Iburi Wan, she sighted one convoy but was unable to close, but later sank a 6,000 ton freighter, the "Taibun Maru", with three bow shots. Two small patrol boats saw the sinking and dropped 24 depth-charges after the "Halibut", which unintentionally escaped by passing through a mine-field. After some days of poor weather "Halibut" entered the approaches to the Tsugaru Strait, firing on a freighter found by radar in foggy conditions she expended six more torpedoes for no results. Returning to the coast between Erimo Saki and Muroran, around dawn on 6 September she closed on a radar contact, sighted, and sank with four torpedoes a heavily-loaded freighter, the "Shogen Maru". That night "Halibut" made radar contact with a vessel identified as a destroyer (later found to be a light cruiser), firing her remaining aft torpedoes in a rough sea there were no hits. With only one torpedo remaining, the following day she began her return trip to Midway after eleven days in enemy waters. She sank a small sampan that night with her deck guns, after detecting its radio transmissions. "Halibut" stopped briefly at Midway for fuel and food before sailing convert|1374|mi|km to a full refit at Pearl Harbor, arriving on 16 September.

During her time refitting at Pearl "Halibut" was used for torpedo testing, firing torpedoes from her stern tubes into the cliffs at Kahoolawe - stern firing was a precaution against erratic or circular running torpedoes. Earlier tests had shown that one in three torpedoes failed to explode on impact, the crushing deformed the contact exploder before it could detonate the firing caps. The modified versions tested by "Halibut" were almost three times better in testing and even more efficient in action. Slightly later, while performing underwater training, "Halibut" was accidentally struck a glancing blow by a destroyer which damaged both periscopes - an incident which would warrant a board of inquiry in peacetime. The damaged was repaired in hours and there were no other repercussions.

eventh Patrol

"Halibut" sailed from Pearl Harbor on her seventh war patrol on 10 October, 1943 targeting the approaches to the Bungo Suido. She reached Midway after four days travel and stopped briefly to top up her diesel, having consumed 14,000 gallons already, and to repair a defective motor-generator for her new SJ radar. She reached Okino Shima on 25 October and quickly found her daylight activities constrained by a heavy fishing sampan presence. Over the early morning of 29 October she detected, tracked, and closed on a freighter and small ASW escort. However she was detected and the escort drove her off and held her at bay with fifteen depth charge attacks as the freighter fled. Resurfacing, a lookout noticed the smoke of a distant convoy. "Halibut" closed as the daylight faded, coming close enough to submerge for periscope observation on the morning of 1 November. The convoy was of seven freighters and three "Otori"-type torpedo boats as escorts. "Halibut" fired three torpedoes from convert|6500|yd at 0652 and made no hits, the freighters turned away and two torpedo boats closed but were ineffective in locating the submarine. Around midday "Halibut" headed south after the convoy, surfacing as night fell. She was detecting curious 'friendly' radar interference as, unknown to her, USS|Seahorse|SS-304|3 and USS|Trigger|SS-237|3 were also chasing the convoy (sinking two ships each from the convoy as "Halibut" closed). On the morning of 2 November "Halibut" caught up with two isolated freighters from the convoy, she fired three torpedoes at the "Ehime Maru" ("Eihuku Maru" class, 3,520 tons). Two hit, but the sinking vessel bravely turned towards the submarine, forcing her to evade and lose range on the second freighter. "Halibut" fired three torpedoes at long range but made no hits, she surfaced to increase her speed but the freighter revealed she was armed with some accurate firing which forced "Halibut" under. She shadowed the freighter and positioned herself for an attack using her stern tubes, firing six torpedoes in rough seas she makes no hits. She went on to patrol the approaches to Van Diemen Strait before returning north when she received an 'ultra' message indicating a Japanese task force, including an aircraft carrier, near the Bungo Suido. A high-speed race put "Halibut" into position on the morning of 5 November and she fired six torpedoes at the carrier (identified at the time as "Shōkaku" to cover the ultra intelligence, later properly identified as "Junyō"), scoring a single hit near the ship's rudders which left the carrier unable to manoeuvre. When she tried to fire her single remaining stern torpedo, it activated but failed to leave the tube. "Halibut" dived to over convert|350|ft|m to avoid attacks from three destroyer escorts, although only thirteen depth charges were dropped. She resurfaced after dark and set course for home, running seven days to Midway and then reaching Pearl Harbor on 17 November after thirty-eight days on patrol, a round trip of convert|8327|mi|km which allowed only convert|1957|mi|km actually 'on patrol'.

Eighth Patrol

On her eighth war patrol, beginning at Pearl Harbor on 14 December, "Halibut" formed a coordinated attack group, or "wolf pack", with USS|Haddock|SS-231|3 and USS|Tullibee|SS-284|3, all three commanders were intensively trained for the patrol at 'Convoy College' at Pearl. The very first USN wolf pack had left Midway on 1 October, 1943 - USS|Cero|SS-225|3, USS|Shad|SS-235|3, and USS|Grayback|SS-208|3 claimed five ships sunk and eight damaged (post-war analysis indicated only three sinkings). "Halibut" was part of the third wolf pack. The group's journey to the patrol area around the Mariana Islands was marked by very rough seas and gale-force winds. On 26 December "Halibut" was attacked by an aircraft, three bombs were dropped but the submarine took no damage. The group reached its target area on 29 December, but over the following weeks made only fleeting, poor contacts with enemy vessels, including a missed contact with the "Yamato" on 11 January - the battleship detected the search radars of the submarines and completely out-manoeuvred them as the daylight ended. A few days later they failed to sink an "Asashio"-class destroyer and were subjected to twenty-two depth charges. On 17 January "Halibut" broke from the wolf pack to return to Midway as her fuel reserves were depleted (both the other vessels were using one of their ballast tanks (No. 4 MBT) to store fuel and had begun the patrol with an extra 24,000 gallons). Operating independently "Halibut" patrolled Port Apra and Tanapag Harbor on her way home, observing a "Katori"-class cruiser near Saipan, and being attacked by aircraft and depth charges on 23 January while attempting a stealthy approach on the Taiyō-class escort aircraft carrier "Unyo" in Garapan Anchorage (the carrier had already been damaged by "Haddock"). "Halibut" was forced down to convert|405|ft|m to avoid her attackers and spent over thirteen hours submerged. She reached Midway on 1 February 1944 where she suffered storm damage to her ballast tanks while moored.

Ninth Patrol

"Halibut" departed on her ninth war patrol 21 March, 1944, her patrol area was off Okinawa, a 90 by convert|250|mi|km|sing=on island-filled area called Nansei Shoto. Cruising between Amami O Shima and Tokuno Shima late on 12 April she encountered several enemy vessels, following them northwards she spotted a south-bound freighter with three small escorts; she fired three torpedoes of which one struck squarely amidships, the "Taichu Maru" (3,213 tons) sank quickly. the three escorts dropped eighteen depth charges, which did little other than test the newly fitted depth charge indicator. The sinking alerted the Japanese and both sea and air ASW patrols were intensified in the area, which prevented "Halibut" from operating successfully for the next two weeks even as she expanded her patrol into the East China Sea. Finally, on 26 April, the submarine found some action. She passed between Iheya Retto and Okinawa Jima in the very early morning of April 26 and detected three freighters with escorts. She closed the range over several hours and fired six torpedoes from convert|3000|yd, three each at two freighters, two hit and the convoy was scattered. "Halibut" eluded the escorts and returned to the attack around dawn, closing in on a ship separated from the group, she sank "Genbu Maru" with two torpedoes. Very soon afterwards she detected a small vessel using sonar and fired from convert|900|yd to sink the coastal minelayer "Kanome". The submarine was then forced into evasive action as a bomber arrived overhead; the aircraft and two patrol boats dropped some ninety depth charges without ever endangering the submarine. Later, off the northeastern shore of Kume Shima on 29 April, she fired fifty shells from her 4" deck gun at two warehouses and other buildings. On May 1 she spotted a compact group of eighteen 250-ton sampans while east of Okinawa and trailed them southwards; after dusk she surfaced and closed the range to attack with her deck armaments from convert|1000|yd, two sampans exploded violently but return fire and flying debris injured three of "Halibut"'s crew - one seriously. With concerns for the injured man she left her patrol zone a day early to return to Midway, she rendezvoused with "Perch" after six days travel and a fully-qualified doctor from Midway aboard was transferred by boat. "Halibut" reached Midway on 11 May and it was decided to leave the injured man aboard and carry on to Pearl, which was reached on 15 May 1944. Again it was decided to leave the injured man aboard rather than risk moving him and the submarine was refueled and restored before heading on to a major overhaul at the ship repair basin of Bethlehem Steel at Sixteenth Street in south San Francisco, California, with ninety days rest for the crew. She reached port on 24 May and finally, after twenty-one days in his bunk, the injured man was transferred to a land hospital - Oak Knoll Naval Hospital. During her major overhaul "Halibut" had some small changes - an automatic plotting table was added; the main electric power control cubicle was given shock-mountings; there was a new, more powerful, trim pump; another passive sound set; and the 20 mm deck gun was replaced with a 40 mm rapid-fire gun. After testing she returned to Pearl Harbor on 20 September 1944, where Galatin received his promotion to commander.

Tenth Patrol

On her tenth war patrol "Halibut" again joined a coordinated attack group, this time with "Haddock" and USS|Tuna|SS-203|3, under the overall command of John P. Roach. "Halibut" was given a loadout of the newer all-electric Mark 18 torpedo. The group departed Pearl on 8 October, bypassing Midway and taking a convert|3650|mi|km|sing=on great circle route towards Tanapag, Saipan which had been captured in June. The group replenished their stores there and departed on 21 October after two days to head for the patrol zone around the strait between Formosa and Luzon.

The group reached the Luzon Strait on 25 October, but mid-morning the submarines were ordered to set up scouting lines to intercept units of the Japanese fleet retiring after the Battle of Cape Engaño. Spread out east-west thirty miles apart the submarines moved rapidly until enemy ships were detected around 1730 hrs as they were being heavily engaged by USN divebombers, "Halibut" had encountered the remnants of Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa's force. She submerged at 1745 hrs while some convert|30000|yd away from a vessel she identified as the IJN battleship "Yamashiro" (later found to be the "Ise"). At 1843 hrs she fired six torpedoes at the target from convert|3400|yd, a manoeuvre by the Japanese vessels brought an escort into the path of the torpedoes and a destroyer was sunk. JANAC later identified the sunken vessel as the "Akitsuki", Galantin states that it was more likely the "Hatsuzuki" as Japanese records list the "Akitsuki" as sunk by aircraft attack earlier in the day. An hour after the attack "Halibut" resurfaced and headed north chasing a radar contact, which she lost in the early morning of 26 October.

"Halibut" returned to the Luzon Strait, where she found the variable currents in the two main channels (Bashi Channel and Balintang Channel) made keeping trim very tricky. On 28 October she was attacked by an ASW aircraft with no effect beyond a little fright for her lookouts. for the next two weeks, in constantly poor weather, she found no enemy shipping except the hospital ship "Hikawa Maru".

On 13 November she noticed increasing air ASW activity. In the early morning of 14 November she entered the Bashi Channel and around noon she detected a northbound convoy of four freighters with escorts. She attacked fro convert|3100|yd, firing four torpedoes. As "Halibut" submerged and turn away the crew heard a "loud, fast buzzing noise" which was quickly followed by five explosions (apparently "jikitanchiki"-equipped aircraft). The submarine went down to convert|325|ft|m as she detected the sonar of two escorts when a sudden near explosion severely damaged the conning tower, which was abandoned. This was followed by another series of very close explosions which damaged equipment in the control room and a second series of blasts over the forward battery compartment which drove "Halibut" down to convert|420|ft|m and damaged the torpedo room, forward battery room, and the main air bank, "one of the most devastating [attacks] of the war", [Blair, "Silent Victory", p. 771.] ; as air pressure rose to 52 psi the crew were forced to seal the afflicted section and slowly release the pressure into the rest of the ship. No further attacks occurred and "Halibut" was able to moved sluggishly up to around convert|300|ft|m, her nominal crush depth. The crew toiled with repairs and when night came she resurfaced and headed towards her sister ships, the radar was repaired although she was without depth gauges, main compasses, gyros, radio, and a number of other systems, although most of the damage was actually to the hull and its fittings. At around 2130 hrs she encountered USS|Pintado|SS-387|3 of the coordinated attack group working to the north of "Halibut". After transferring a message to ComSubPac "Pintado" was ordered to escort "Halibut" all the convert|1500|mi|km to Saipan. "Halibut" made a single brief dive during the journey to Saipan, this was the last time she was ever submerged. At noon on 19 November she entered Tanapag Harbor.

The gallant submarine received the Navy Unit Commendation for her performance on this patrol.

Fate

"Halibut" arrived at Pearl Harbor on 1 December. It was quickly determined that her damage was too pervasive to justify repair. She was sent to New London where she could be used as an alongside school ship. Her command was transferred to Guy Gugliotta and she left Pearl on 5 December arriving at San Francisco, California on 12 December.

She sailed 16 February 1945 for Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She was decommissioned 18 July 1945 and was sold for $23,123 as scrap on 10 January 1947 to Quaker Shipyard and Machinery Company of Camden, New Jersey.

"Halibut" received seven battle stars for World War II service, she had steamed over convert|110000|mi|km, sunk twelve ships and damaged at least nine others. War patrols 3 through 7, 9 and 10 were designated successful.

The battle flag of the "Halibut", along with photos of her crew and other artifacts, can be seen at the USS "Bowfin" Submarine Museum and park, next to the USS "Arizona" Memorial Visitor Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

References

* Galantin, I. J. "Take Her Deep!" (Pocket Books, 1987) ISBN 0-671-66126-4
*DANFS|http://history.navy.mil/danfs/h1/halibut-i.htm

External links

*
* [http://hazegray.org/danfs/submar/ss232.txt hazegray.org: USS "Halibut"]
* [http://www.bowfin.org/ The USS "Bowfin" Museum and Park]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2978.html "Halibut" chronology at uboat.net]