USS Shark (SS-314)

USS|Shark|SS-314, a "Balao"-class submarine, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the shark, a large marine predator.

History

Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, on 28 January 1943. She was launched on 17 October 1943 (sponsored by Mrs. Albert Thomas, wife of Honorable Albert Thomas, United States Congressman from the Eighth District of Texas), and commissioned on 14 February 1944 with Commander Edward Noe Blakely in command.

Following shakedown off New London, Connecticut, "Shark" transited the Panama Canal and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 24 April 1944 for final training in the Hawaiian area. Her first war patrol commenced on 16 May 1944 and was conducted in waters west of the Mariana Islands as part of a coordinated attack group with submarines USS|Pintado|SS-387|3 and USS|Pilotfish|SS-386|3. Early on the morning of 2 June, "Shark" submerged ahead of an enemy convoy and fired a spread of torpedoes at a Japanese tanker. Although all missed the original target, the torpedoes continued on to hit and sink another enemy vessel, the 4,700-ton cargo ship, "Chiyo Maru". After evading an ensuing depth charge attack, the submarine continued her patrol.

On 4 June, "Shark" began tracking another heavily escorted convoy, and, in maneuvering for attack, encountered a patrolling destroyer dead ahead. Upon failing in a maneuver for a "down-the-throat" shot, the submarine passed down the port side of the enemy at convert|180|yd|m and fired four torpedoes toward a heavily laden cargo ship. She was rewarded with four solid hits that quickly sent "Katsukawa Maru" to the bottom. After escaping from the aroused escort ships, "Shark" surfaced and continued the chase. She caught up with the convoy on the afternoon of 5 June, and after nightfall, let go a spread of six torpedoes which sank the 3,080-ton freighter, "Tamahime Maru", and the 7,006-ton passenger-cargo ship, "Takoka Maru". "Shark" again evaded the escort ships, then surfaced near midnight, but was unable to catch up with the convoy. The remainder of the patrol was unproductive, and the submarine returned to Midway Island for refit on 17 June.

"Shark" put to sea on 10 July for her second war patrol, this time in the waters off the Volcano Islands and Bonin Islands. On 19 July, she fired four torpedoes at an enemy convoy, but they missed their mark as the convoy made a sharp "zig" away. On 1 August, "Shark" was again frustrated in an attack on a Japanese convoy when, while moving into firing position, three escorts forced her to take evasive action, allowing the convoy to escape. The following afternoon, the submarine set course for Iwo Jima where she took up lifeguard station in support of carrier airstrikes.

On the afternoon of 4 August, "Shark" rescued two airmen from a crashed USS|Lexington|CV-16|3 torpedo bomber. She terminated her lifeguard duties on 19 August and touched at Midway Island before arriving at Pearl Harbor ten days later.

"Shark" was lost during her third war patrol, probably in the vicinity of Luzon Strait, while participating in a coordinated attack group with submarines USS|Seadragon|SS-194|3 and USS|Blackfish|SS-221|3. On 24 October, "Seadragon" received a message from "Shark" stating that she had made radar contact with a single freighter, and she was going in to attack. This was the last message received from the submarine. She was reported as presumed lost on 27 November.

"Shark" received one battle star for World War II service.

Japanese records examined after the war indicate that on 24 October 1944, in Luzon Strait, Japanese destroyer "Harukaze" made contact with a submerged submarine and dropped depth charges. After losing and regaining the contact, the destroyer dropped another 17 depth charges which resulted in “bubbles, heavy oil, clothes and cork” coming to the surface.

Trivia

*The novel and fictional movie "Up Periscope" is about a US Navy submarine "USS Shark".

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s11/shark-vi.htm

External links

*navsource|08/08314|Shark
* [http://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-shark-314.htm On Eternal Patrol: USS "Shark"]