USS Darter (SS-227)

USS|Darter|SS-227, a "Gato" class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the darter, any of many small American fresh-water fishes, closely related to the perch family. Her keel was laid down on 20 October 1942 by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 6 June 1943 (sponsored by Mrs. E. B. Wheeler), and commissioned on 7 September 1943 with Commander William Shirley "Gin" Stovall, Jr. (Class of 1929) in command.

Patrols in the Pacific

"Darter" put out from New London, Connecticut, on 31 October 1943 for Pearl Harbor, arriving 26 November. On 21 December, she cleared harbor on her first war patrol, bound for the heavily traveled shipping lanes south and west of Truk. This patrol was twice interrupted for repairs, at Pearl Harbor from 29 December 1943 – 3 January 1944, and at Tulagi and Milne Bay from 30 January – 8 February. She performed a reconnaissance of Eniwetok on 12 January 1944, and the next day scored a torpedo hit on a large ship, only to receive a severe depth-charging from her target’s escorts. She stood by on patrol during the carrier air strikes on Truk of 16 – 17 February, then fueled at Milne Bay on her way to refit at Brisbane between 29 February and 17 March.

On her way to her second war patrol north of Western New Guinea and south of Davao, "Darter" topped off fuel at Milne Bay on 21 – 22 March. On 30 March she sank a cargo ship, then patrolled off New Guinea during Allied landings on its coast. She put in to Darwin to refuel on 29 – 30 April, then returned to her patrol area until 23 May when she arrived at Manus. Refitted, she put out for action waters once more 21 June on her third war patrol off Halmahera and Mindanao. She sank "Tsugaru", a large minelayer, off Morotai on 29 June, and again endured a heavy depth charge barrage as a result of her attack.

Fourth and last War patrol

Returning to Brisbane on 8 August 1944, "Darter" cleared on her fourth and last war patrol. She searched the Celebes Sea and South China Sea, returned to Darwin to fuel and make minor repairs 10 September, and put back to the Celebes Sea. She put in to Mios Woendi on 27 September for additional fuel, and sailed on 1 October with USS|Dace|SS-247|3 to patrol the South China Sea in coordination with the forthcoming invasion of Leyte. She attacked a tanker convoy on 12 October, and on 21 October headed with "Dace" for Balabac Strait to watch for Japanese shipping moving to reinforce the Philippines or attack the landing forces.

In the outstanding performance of duty which was to bring both submarines the Navy Unit Commendation, "Darter" and "Dace" made contact with the Japanese Center Force approaching Palawan Passage on 23 October 1944. Immediately, "Darter" flashed the contact report, one of the most important of the war, since the location of this Japanese task force had been unknown for some days. The two submarines closed the task force, and with attacks on the cruisers of Center Force, initiated the Battle of Surigao Strait phase of the decisive Battle for Leyte Gulf. "Darter" sank Admiral Takeo Kurita’s flagship "Atago", then seriously damaged another cruiser, "Takao". With "Dace", she tracked the damaged cruiser through the tortuous channels of Palawan Passage until just after midnight of 24 – 25 October when "Darter" grounded on Bombay Shoal coord|9.406|N|116.984|E.

As efforts to get the submarine off the shoal began, a Japanese destroyer closed (apparently to investigate), but then sailed on. With the tide receding, all "Dace"’s and "Darter"’s efforts to get her off failed. All confidential papers and equipment were destroyed, and the entire crew taken off to "Dace". When the demolition charges planted in "Darter" failed to destroy her, "Dace" fired torpedoes which exploded on the reef due to the shallow water. "Dace" did, however, score 21 hits with her convert|4|in|mm|sing=on gun. USS|Rock|SS-274|3 was called in and fired ten torpedoes at "Darter" with similar lack of success. Finally, USS|Nautilus|SS-168|3 arrived on 31 October and scored 55 hits with her convert|6|in|mm|sing=on guns. Her report states, "It is doubtful that any equipment in DARTER at 1130 this date would be of any value to Japan - except as scrap. Estimated draft of DARTER - 4 feet." Apparently the Japanese got no use out of her, for her hulk was still remarkably intact in 1962.

"Dace" reached Fremantle safely with "Darter"’s men on 6 November. In order to retain their high "esprit d'corps", the entire "Darter" crew was ordered to take over the submarine USS|Menhaden|SS-377|3, then building at Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

In addition to the Navy Unit Commendation, "Darter" received four battle stars earned during her four war patrols, the last three of which were designated as "successful". She is credited with having sunk a total of 19,429 tons of Japanese shipping.

ee also

*List of U.S. Navy losses in World War II.
*List of military figures by nickname

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/d1/darter-i.htm

External links

* [http://hazegray.org/danfs/submar/ss227.htm hazegray.org: USS "Darter"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08227.htm navsource.org: USS "Darter"]
* [http://www.rddesigns.com/ww2/darter.html Sinkings by boat: USS "Darter"]
* [http://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-darter-227.htm On Eternal Patrol: USS "Darter"]