USS Seadragon (SS-194)

USS "Seadragon" (SS-194), a "Sargo"-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the seadragon.

Her keel was laid on 18 April 1938 by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was christened and launched on 21 April 1939, sponsored by Mrs. J.O. Richardson (wife of the former Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet), and commissioned on 23 October 1939 with Lieutenant John G. Johns in command.

Operational history

Following a shakedown cruise off the east coast and in the Caribbean Sea, "Seadragon" returned to New England and, on 23 May 1940, departed New London, Connecticut, for the Philippine Islands. With Commander, Submarine Division 17 (ComSubDiv 17) embarked, she arrived at Cavite on 30 November and commenced training operations as a unit of the Asiatic Fleet. A year later, she prepared for overhaul; and, by 8 December 1941 (7 December east of the International Date Line), she had started her yard period at the Cavite Navy Yard.

Two days later, on 10 December, she and sister ship , on 23 September. She arrived at Saipan to top off on 3 October. On 4 October, "Shark" and "Blackfish" continued on to the wolfpack's assigned area in the northern China Sea. "Seadragon", delayed by the need for repairs, did not depart until 5 October. On 9 October, she arrived off Batan Island, established contact with "Shark" and "Blackfish", and took position in a scouting line in the pack's assigned area.

On the night of 21 October and the morning of 22 October, the group went after an enemy warship formation lead by an aircraft carrier. At 06:15 on 24 October, "Shark" reported a contact, and "Seadragon" headed for the scene. At 07:30, the contact was sighted through the high periscope, but it proved too distant. At 09:20, "Seadragon" sighted three enemy merchantmen in a loose column with a torpedo boat destroyer and an airplane as escorts. At 10:55, she fired four torpedoes at the lead freighter.

The first torpedo broached and ran erratic, alerting the escort which started for "Seadragon". "Seadragon" rigged for depth charging. Soon thereafter, two torpedo explosions were heard, and, at 11:01, the first of eight depth charges was dropped. At 11:54, "Seadragon" went to periscope depth. The escort was milling around picking up survivors four miles (6 km) astern. The remaining merchant ships were ahead of the submarine and making only two or three knots. As "Seadragon" prepared to fire again, the destroyer rejoined the formation. At 11:14, "Seadragon" fired four more torpedoes. Three hits were observed. The submarine's second target of the day sank in less than two minutes.

"Seadragon" went deep. Fifteen depth charges followed. At 13:10, the submarine returned to periscope depth. The deck of the sole remaining freighter was crowded. The freighter was smoking heavily and moving slowly. The escort circled the freighter. At 14:04, "Seadragon" fired. The first torpedo tore off the freighter's bow. The rest of the ship went under quickly. At 14:05, the first of 25 depth charges was dropped.

Postwar examination of Japanese records identified the sunken ships as the cargo ship, "Eiko Maru", and the passenger-cargomen "Taiten Maru" and "Kokuryu Maru".

At 18:58, "Seadragon" tried unsuccessfully to raise "Shark". She had been sunk after attacking the contact of her 06:15 transmission.

On 26 October, "Seadragon" headed toward Luzon. On 27 October and 28 October, she searched for downed aviators; and, on 29 October, she was ordered to return to Midway.

Twelfth patrol, December 1944 – January 1945

Arriving at her destination on 8 November, she commenced refit; and, on 3 December, she headed west for her 12th war patrol. The patrol took her back into Japanese waters where she hunted enemy shipping and searched for downed aviators into January 1945. On 10 January, she moved into the Bonin Islands, where she continued those two roles. On 19 January, she set a southerly course; and, on 22 January, she arrived at Guam to complete her last war patrol.

The next day, "Seadragon" continued on to Pearl Harbor, and, after refit, returned to California to provide training services to naval air units. In May, she was transferred back to the Atlantic Fleet and for the final months of the war, provided training services at Guantanamo Bay and Key West, Florida. In September, she moved north to New London, Connecticut, thence to Boston, Massachusetts, where she was decommissioned on 15 November 1945. Less than four months later, on 8 February 1946, she was recommissioned to assist in the inactivation and preservation of submarines, including U-boats, at Hingham, Massachusetts. On 29 October 1946, she was again decommissioned and berthed as a unit of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet where she remained until strickenk from the Naval Vessel Register on 30 April 1948.

Awards

"Seadragon" earned 11 battle stars during World War II.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s8/seadragon-i.htm

External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq87-3a.htm history.navy.mil: "Appendectomy Performed on Fourth War Patrol of USS Seadragon, 1942"]