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[[Image:Latorre01.jpg|thumb|250px|'''Vice Admiral Juan José Latorre''']]
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'''Juan José Latorre Benavente''' ([[Santiago de Chile|Santiago]]; [[March 24]], [[1846]] - [[July 9]], [[1912]]) Chilean Vice Admiral, one of the principal actors of the [[War of the Pacific]], and hero of the [[Battle of Angamos]].
|style="text-align: center" colspan="2"|[[image:IIH.png|300px|insert caption here]]
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!style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy;"| Career
!style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy;"| [[image:usnjack.png|USN Jack]]
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|Ordered:
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|-
|Laid down:
|[[10 November]] [[1941]]
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|Launched:
|[[30 June]] [[1942]]
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|Commissioned:
|[[1 September]] [[1942]]
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|Fate:
|sunk as a target on [[19 June]] [[1970]]
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|Struck:
|[[30 June]] [[1969]]
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!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; background: navy;"|General Characteristics
|-
|Displacement:
|1525 tons surfaced, 2424 tons submerged
|-
|Length:
|311 feet 8 inches
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|Beam:
|27 feet 3 inches
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|Draft:
|16 feet 10 inches
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|Speed:
|20.25 knots surfaced, 8.75 knots submerged
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|Complement:
|80 officers and men
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|Armament:
|one five-inch (127 mm) gun, one 40 mm cannon, one 20 mm cannon, two .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machineguns, ten 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
|}
'''USS ''Tunny'' (SS/SSG/APSS/LPSS-282)''', a [[Gato class submarine|''Gato''-class submarine]], was the first submarine of the [[United States Navy]] to be named for the [[tunny]], any of several oceanic fishes resembling the [[mackerel]]. Her keel was laid down on [[10 November]] [[1941]] at [[Vallejo, California]], by the [[Mare Island Navy Yard]]. She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on [[30 June]] [[1942]] sponsored by Mrs. Frederick G. Crisp, and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on [[1 September]] [[1942]] with Lieutenant Commander Elton Watters Grenfell in command.
==Early life==
Following shakedown training out of [[California]] ports, ''Tunny'' arrived in the [[Hawaiian Islands]] on [[12 December]] [[1942]]. After an additional week of training and two weeks of availability, she got underway from Submarine Base, [[Pearl Harbor]], on [[12 January]] [[1943]] for her first war patrol. For nearly a week, rough seas hampered the progress of the submarine. Then, as she approached the [[Ryukyu Islands]], sea traffic increased. Sightings of [[sampan]]s became frequent, and ''Tunny'' often dove to avoid detection by suspicious-looking trawlers.
Son of Elías Latorre and of Nicomedia Benavente, the oldest of eight brothers. After the early death of his father, three of his younger brothers were taken by the paternal family in [[Peru]], where they were raised. Later on, one of the brothers participated also in the [[War of the Pacific]], but on the Peruvian side.
At the age of nine, in [[1855]], he won a scholarship to the Naval Academy. Appointed midshipman on [[July 15]], [[1861]]. He served on the ''Esmeralda'' during the [[Chincha Islands War]] and participated in the [[Battle of Papudo]], where the Spanish shooner ''Covadonga'' was captured, and in the [[Battle of Abtao]].
At 0530 on [[26 January]], ''Tunny'' sighted masts and a stack over the horizon indicating a possible target. During the day, she lessened the distance between herself and her quarry; and, near dusk, she closed a 400-ton trawler. Finding the prey not worth a [[torpedo]], the submarine surfaced and opened fire with her deck gun. Soon, darkness forced her to discontinue the attack, and she continued on her way.
On [[February 12]], [[1873]] was promoted to first lieutenant, and given command of the ''Toltén'' first, and the ''Magallanes'' later. It was in this later ship that he was going to make his name as one of the ablest naval commanders of the coming war. During his patrols of the extreme southern region of Chile, he was involved in a diplomatic incident with [[Argentina]] and Britain, when he captured several foreign ships that were operating in the Chilean area with an Argentinian licence, chief among them the ''Jeanne Amelie'' and the ''Devonshire''. He was also faced with the mutiny of the city of [[Punta Arenas]], where he was able to rescue his old friend, governor [[Diego Dublé Almeida]].
On [[29 January]], she began patrolling off [[Taiwan|Formosa]]. An hour and a half before midnight on [[31 January]], her periscope at last disclosed a worthwhile target, a freighter approaching [[Takao Ko]]. ''Tunny'' fired two "fish" from her bow tubes, but the freighter made a radical change of course which enabled her to evade the torpedoes. When her target counterattacked and dropped two [[depth charge]]s, ''Tunny'' broke off the attack and submerged.
== War of the Pacific years ==
On [[1 February]], ''Tunny'' set her course for the [[China]] coast, running on the surface. As darkness fell on [[2 February]], she was only hours from [[Hong Kong]], expecting to make landfall on [[Tamkan Island]] by daybreak. At [[2130]], she made [[radar]] contact; and, through the night, drew closer to her as yet unseen quarry.
===Naval Battle de Chipana===
A light rain was falling and visibility was poor when, half an hour before morning twilight, ''Tunny'' began a [[radar]] approach. Rapidly shoaling water less than 20 fathoms (37 m) deep and land masses on two sides of the submarine limited her maneuverability. At 2200 yards, the extreme phosphorescence of the water illuminated her wake and betrayed her presence to the enemy ship, which began signaling the unidentified intruder with a blinker light. Despite her detection, ''Tunny'' continued the approach until she was only 1000 yards from the target and then fired three torpedoes. The Japanese ship, now discernible as a loaded tanker, began to maneuver radically and opened fire on the submarine. Undeterred, ''Tunny'' submerged and continued the attack, firing a second volley from her stern tubes. One of these torpedoes hit the side of the tanker with a thud, but without explosion, and a small column of water erupted just forward of the tanker's bridge. Duds and prematures were a problem for American submarines early in [[1943]], and verification that this torpedo had indeed hit the tanker, but failed to detonate, was forthcoming when members of the tanker's crew dashed to the spot in question and began examining the impact area with flashlights. Despite continuous fire from the ship and the proximity of land, ''Tunny'' managed to stay within firing range of her target by traveling at full speed. After the tanker successfully evaded <i>Tunny</i>'s third salvo, the submarine fired a last torpedo from 1600 yards as the intended victim reached the passage into Hong Kong. Following this disappointing conclusion to her attack, ''Tunny'' dove in anticipation of search planes which appeared within two hours and continued their surveillance throughout the day.
While in command of the ''Magallanes'', he was the first to come face to face with the Peruvian navy at the [[Battle of Chipana|Naval Battle de Chipana]]. On [[April 12]], [[1879]], he crossed paths with the Peruvian ships ''Unión'' and ''Pilcomayo'', who tried to capture it. Outgunned, Latorre decided to escape. During the ensuing persecution, he noticed that the speed of the two Peruvian ships was greatly different, and that the ''Pilcomayo'' was falling considerably behind.
Once the Peruvian ''Union'' was alone, he turned his ship around, and opened fire. The battle thus ensued. The Peruvian aim was disastrous, due to their lack of training, but the Chilean aim was only marginally better. At one point, the ''Unión'' started spewing white smoke from one of its sides. This led the Peruvian captain to think his ship had been seriously hit, and gave up the persecution, allowing the weaker ''Magallanes'' to escape unharmed. In fact the whole incident was caused by the overheating of one of the boilers.
After dark on [[3 February]], while patrolling [[Lema Channel]], ''Tunny'' made [[radar]] contact with a sizable target. On this very dark night, visual identification was impossible; but, at 2005, the submarine approached to 900 yards and made
a three-torpedo attack. The sound of the target's screws ceased immediately, and ''Tunny'' claimed to have sunk this
unidentified ship which had been seen only on [[radar]]. When the submarine surfaced at daybreak the following day, the
submariners discovered an unexpected visitor on deck — a
six-foot black and yellow striped snake.
===Second Naval Battle of Iquique===
On [[4 February]], ''Tunny'' set her course for [[Shantou|Swatow]], keeping to the shoreline in hopes of intercepting shipping. En route, she passed a large hospital ship well marked and brilliantly lighted. On [[6 February]] and [[7 February]], ''Tunny'' patrolled off Swatow. Numerous [[junk]]s plying the Formosa and Swatow banks at all hours added to the hazards imposed by shallow water, and an inoperable fathometer (depthmeter) made it impossible for ''Tunny'' to approach the shore closer than six miles.
After the disastrous reduction of the Peruvian navy at the First [[Battle of Iquique|Naval Battle of Iquique]], presidente [[Mariano Ignacio Prado|Prado]] of Peru ordered Admiral [[Miguel Grau|Grau]] to harass the Chilean shipping lines and to try to disrupt their commerce. The Admiral, on the ''Huascar'', decided to go on a night raid to the port of [[Iquique]], to try and destroy the ''Abtao''. He arrived on the night of [[July 9]], and not finding his prey decided to go after the transport ship ''Matías Cousiño.''
Latorre, who was commanding the ''Magallanes'' decided to fend off the attack, in spite of the difference in strength of both ships (260 tons versus 1130). Admiral Grau tried to sink the smaller ship thrice, using his ram, but in spite of his ability the ''Magallanes'' was able to keep him at bay long enough for the ironclad ''Cochrane'' to show up, after which the ''Huascar'' decided to retreat back to [[Arica]].
Early on the morning of [[8 February]], she went deep to avoid a plane revealed by [[radar]]. When she surfaced, she
discovered a freighter 10,000 yards off her beam. She shadowed the target during the day and, after sunset, made
her approach and launched two torpedoes from a distance of 830 yards. Due to bad runs, neither of these took effect,
but they did alert the freighter, which opened fire on ''Tunny''. The submarine fired two shots from her bow tubes,
but one torpedo missed, and the other circled around to the right. ''Tunny'' then drew ahead for a surface approach and
fired three more torpedoes. Two of these found the mark; but one put on an amazing show, veering sharply first to the
left and then to the right, before hitting the target. The ''Kusayama Maru'', a heavily-laden, 5000-ton cargo ship sank by
the stern in 20 minutes; ''Tunny'' had scored her first confirmed kill. As she proceeded on toward [[Takao]], a
searchlight suddenly pierced the dark not far ahead, and ''Tunny'' dove to avoid detection.
=== [[Battle of Angamos|Naval Battle of Angamos]] ===
The next day, ''Tunny'' sighted a large transport. Undetected by two nearby patrol vessels and a plane, she made her approach and scored two hits on the transport with her remaining torpedoes. However, the ship did not sink and later left the area.
[[Image:Angamos.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Battle of Angamos|Naval Battle of Angamos]]]]
On [[September 6]], [[1879]] he is promoted to commander of the ironclad ''Cochrane'', the strongest unit of the Chilean fleet. His fame was such that he moved in with all his crew. His first mission was to eliminate the threat of the ''Huascar'', who was impeding alone any invasion of the Peruvian coastline.
On the night of [[October 7]] he was informed that the ''Huascar'' had been seen near the port of Huasco and was moving north. A trap was then set. The Chilean fleet was divided into 2 groups. The first division was in charge of Commander [[Galvarino Riveros]] and made up of the ''Blanco Encalada'', ''Covadonga'' and the ''Matías Cousiño'' (the last one loaded with coal), who would try to follow Admiral Grau pushing him towards the second division that would be waiting further north. In the early hours of [[October 8]], the plan went into effect. When the ''Huascar'' and the ''Union'' saw the Chilean ships blocking their way south they decided to turn back north. A few hours later, they met the ''Cochrane'' who was waiting according to plan. Admiral Grau was forced to present battle, while the ''Union'' got away.
On [[11 February]], ''Tunny'' set her course for [[Midway Island]]. En route, she used a combination of 20-millimeter and five-inch
gunfire to sink a 100-ton fishing trawler. On [[20 February]], she made contact with the harbor escort and proceeded to moor at
[[Midway Island]], completing her first aggressive and successful patrol. She later continued on to [[Hawaii]], arriving at [[Pearl Harbor]] on [[24 February]] [[1943]].
The ''Cochrane'' continued advancing over the ''Huascar'' without answering its fire until it was very close to the enemy, in order not to lose speed. When it finally attacked, the onslaught was ferocious. The second shot destroyed the command tower of the ''Huascar'', killing Admiral [[Miguel Grau Seminario|Grau]] and leaving the monitor without a rudder. The fight continued for another hour, but the arrival of the ''Blanco Encalada'' with the rest of the Chilean fleet made any resistance totally useless. The ''Huascar'' was captured and became a part of the Chilean fleet.
After refitting by tender [[USS Sperry (AS-12)|''Sperry'' (AS-12)]] and three days of training, ''Tunny'' departed the [[Hawaiian Islands]] on [[18 March]], paused at [[Midway Island]] for replacement of her periscope, and got underway for [[Wake Island]] on [[24 March]]. Later, Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, would describe <i>Tunny</i>'s second war patrol as belonging "in that exceptional category
of one of the outstandingly aggressive patrols of the war."
== Later years ==
On [[27 March]] [[1943]], ''Tunny'' arrived off [[Wake Island]] and operated within a 200-mile circle all day, flooding down the
After returning to Chile, in [[1882]] he married Julia Moreno Zuleta, whom he met on one of the many parties given in his honor after the war. They had three children. On [[June 5]], [[1884]] he is promoted to Rear-Admiral. In [[1886]] he was appointed Commander General of the Navy. Presidente [[José Manuel Balmaceda]] sent him on an official mission to Europe to supervise the construction of new ships for the Chilean navy. While in [[England]], the [[Chilean Civil War]] broke out. He chose to remain loyal to president Balmaceda and was dismissed after the Congressional triumph. He remained in exile in Europe until [[1894]].
decks awash when within 30 miles of the island. Before dawn the next morning, she closed to within ten miles of the
Japanese-held island and watched as its awakening occupants turned on their lights. A motor torpedo boat and two patrol
boats passed by less than 600 yards from the submarine without detecting her presence. Trailing these vessels,
''Tunny'' came upon a cargo ship, and all hands scrambled to battle stations. Shortly after sunrise, the submarine
launched her attack, firing two torpedoes from a range of 700 yards. The first found its mark and blew the stern off
the enemy ship, but the buoyancy of the lightly loaded vessel kept it afloat. ''Tunny'' was maneuvering at periscope
depth to avoid depth charges dropped across her bow at a range of 300 yards when the first of several aerial bombs
fell close aboard. The submarine dove to 280 feet. When she attempted to surface an hour later, ''Tunny'' was again
driven down by an aerial adversary. Later in the morning, traveling submerged at 150 feet, she set her course for her assigned patrol area.
After his return, he was twice elected senator for the Balmacedista party ([[1894]]-[[1900]], [[1900]]-[[1906]]), and was reinstated in the navy. He was appointed member of the Council of State by president [[Federico Errázuriz Echaurren]] in [[1897]] and minister of foreign affairs in [[1898]]. A few years before his death he was promoted to Vice Admiral and was made a Commander of the French [[Legion of Honor]].
On [[31 March]], she entered the patrol area in the [[Caroline Islands]], and, on [[1 April]] [[1943]], she conducted submerged
patrols off [[North Pass Island]], [[Truk]], and later in the day on the Japanese naval base's western approaches. Failing to find
any action in these areas, she surfaced late in the afternoon on [[2 April]] and set her course for the channel between [[Puluwat Island]] and [[Pulap Island]]. Later that day, as she patrolled off [[Alet Island]], ''Tunny'' made [[radar]] contact with a
ship dead ahead. Heading in for a flank attack, she sighted a [[Momo class destroyer|''Momo''-class destroyer]] 1000 yards astern of her chosen target. ''Tunny'' fired three torpedoes from 960 yards and noted a hit in the forward hold of the Japanese cargo ship
before diving to 300 feet to avoid the attention of the [[destroyer]]. Minutes later, a series of nine depth charges tumbled down in search of the submarine, but exploded at too shallow a depth to achieve their purpose. Some 15 minutes later, as ''Tunny'' started up to take a look, she was jolted by a deep-set depth charge which caught her at 260 feet, but caused only minor damage -- a small price to pay for the sinking of ''Toyo Maru Number 2''. Before midnight, the destroyer gave up the search, and the submarine surfaced and set her course for the [[Namonuito]] group to the north.
{{start box}}
Late on [[4 April]], ''Tunny'' headed west to intercept traffic
{{s-off}}
reported north of [[McLaughlin Bank]]. On [[7 April]], while
{{succession box
patrolling in that area, the submarine took advantage of a
| title=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile#Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cult|Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cult]]
rain squall to approach within 1000 yards of a
| before=[[Raimundo Silva]]
[[radar]]-tracked target. She then fired two torpedoes at the
| after=[[Ventura Blanco]]
''Kosei Maru'', an 8000-ton passenger-cargo ship, scoring a hit
| years='''1898-1899'''}}
amidships and one aft, and dove immediately to escape the
{{s-mil}}
inevitable wrath of the escorting [[Hibiki class destroyer|''Hibiki''-class destroyer]]
{{succession box
which had been patrolling just ahead of the now-stricken
| title=[[Chilean Navy|Navy General Commander]]
transport. The ensuing depth charge counterattack continued
| before=[[Domingo Toro]]
until the destroyer lost contact with the submarine in a
| after=[[Luis Uribe]]
heavy rain squall. Having added a third cargo ship to her
| years='''1886-1887'''}}
list of kills, ''Tunny'' retired from the scene of the attack.
{{end box}}
[[Category:1846 births|Latorre, Juan José]]
On [[8 April]], the submarine surfaced in a downpour to
[[Category:1912 deaths|Latorre, Juan José]]
continue patrols north of [[West Fayu Island]]. Later that day,
[[Category:Chilean military personnel|Latorre, Juan José]]
she set her course to intercept a convoy reported to be
[[Category:Chilean admirals|Latorre, Juan José]]
southwest of [[Truk]]. At 2228 on [[9 April]], she made [[radar]]
[[Category:People of the War of the Pacific|Latorre, Juan José]]
contact with a formation less than three miles distant and
went to four engines to maneuver into position for an
attack. In a few minutes, the formation changed course,
putting ''Tunny'' in position to slow down to two-thirds speed
and head in, flooded down to decks awash to avoid detection.
As the convoy became visible, <i>Tunny</i>'s commanding officer,
Commander James A. Scott, could hardly believe his luck. On
the starboard bow was a large [[aircraft carrier]], to port two
auxiliary carriers, and on each bow of the formation, a
[[destroyer]]. Given this perfect setup, ''Tunny'' maneuvered to
swing the bow on twin targets, but her plans were disrupted
when three small boats similar to motor torpedo boats
appeared only 300 yards off her port bow. ''Tunny'' quickly
dove to 40 feet, turned right, ninety degrees, and fired
four torpedoes from her stern tubes at one of the auxiliary
carriers from a distance of 880 yards. As she turned her
attention to other targets, four torpedo explosions sounded through the night.
Signaling from her new target gave executive officer
Lieutenant Commander Roger Keithly at the conn a final check on the
target's bearing, and ''Tunny'' released a salvo of six
torpedoes from her bow tubes at the large carrier. Her
surprise attack completed, ''Tunny'' immediately dove amidst the
cacophony of depth charges and churning screws. The depth
charges rocked the submarine but did no damage; and the
crackling and grinding noises heard throughout the ship, as
well as on [[sonar]], led those on board the submarine to
believe that their "fish" had found their mark. In
all this noise and confusion, ''Tunny'' unobtrusively slipped
away to the north. Later, examination of Japanese records
showed that this attack was ruined by prematures and duds,
and that damage to the enemy had been minor. However, the
skill and daring with which the raid was conducted remained
an example of excellence and prompted the Commander,
Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, to commend <i>Tunny</i>'s commander
for his actions on this patrol as "an illustrious example of
professional competence and military aggressiveness."
An hour and a half after midnight on [[10 April]], the
submarine surfaced and set her course to return to her
patrol area. While approaching North Pass about 25 miles
out of Truk on [[11 April]], ''Tunny'' dove when a searchlight
suddenly broke the night, 500 yards ahead on the starboard
bow. No depth charges followed, and the source of the
light -- not sizable enough to be detected on [[radar]] -- was
presumed to be a small boat.
Early on the afternoon of [[11 April]], a contact, at first
thought to be a patrol boat, turned out to be a Japanese
submarine. The designation symbol of the enemy submarine
was emblazoned on her sail, spelling out
[[Japanese submarine I-9|I-9]] in large white characters. Boldly taking the offensive, ''Tunny''
fired her three remaining forward "fish" at the submarine,
only to see the vessel turn away and parallel the course of
the torpedoes. ''Tunny'' then began her own
evasive procedures, going deep and away from the Japanese
submersible -- and none too soon. Minutes later, she tracked
two torpedoes which passed harmlessly astern. An enemy
plane added bombs to <i>Tunny</i>'s immediate concerns, but she
rigged for silent running and weathered the attack by
remaining submerged until after nightfall.
That same evening, as ''Tunny'' lay on the surface in the
bright moonlight charging her batteries, she made [[radar]]
contact with a ship moving at 18 knots. Within minutes, the
contact materialized into an enemy destroyer steaming on the
starboard bow. ''Tunny'' dove to 44 feet and began to swing for
a stern shot when the belligerent destroyer increased speed
to a thundering 30 knots and headed in from a distance of
less than 1400 yards. As the submarine dove for 400 feet,
the explosions of nine depth charges fairly close by pursued
her. Silent running and a quick reversal of course
eventually shook off the menacing destroyer, and ''Tunny''
returned to the surface after the moon set, noting only
minor damage from the attack.
In the days that followed, ''Tunny'' patrolled off [[East Fayu Island]] and north of [[Mogami Bank]] before setting her course for [[Saipan]] on [[15 April]]. Her surveillance of
[[Magicienne Harbor]] disclosed that it was not in use. Seeking
targets, the submarine passed through [[Saipan Channel]] and
later discovered two cargo ships in [[Garapan Harbor]].
Prevented from attacking by the presence of intervening
reefs, ''Tunny'' departed the area and moored in the lagoon at
[[Midway Island]] on [[23 April]] for a welcome rest. So aggressive had
been her handling on this eventful patrol that not one of
her firing ranges exceeded 1000 yards. She was awarded the
[[Presidential Unit Citation]] for this outstanding patrol.
After refitting at [[Midway Island]], ''Tunny'' continued on to [[Hawaii]]
for additional repairs. She departed [[Pearl Harbor]] on [[25 May]]
[[1943]] and, after fueling at [[Johnston Island]], got underway on
[[27 April]] for [[Eniwetok]]. Her first contact with the enemy on
this third war patrol came early in the afternoon on [[31 May]]
when she dove to avoid a [[radar]] contact whose speed
identified it as a plane. As ''Tunny'' passed 300 feet, a bomb
exploded over her after torpedo room breaking lights and
thermometers, flooding the after torpedo tubes, and causing
miscellaneous other damage. An unsatisfactory makeshift
repair of the broken bridge speaker prompted a note in the
war patrol report that "the only dependable communication
system was the open hatch and a powerful set of lungs."
Other repairs were completed before nightfall, and ''Tunny''
continued on her way. She patrolled off [[Eniwetok]] for two
days; then moved on to her assigned area, arriving at [[Truk]]
on [[6 June]].
As this patrol progressed, ''Tunny'' discovered that
antisubmarine action by the Japanese at Truk had shifted to
aerial detection. On [[7 June]], her first day of patrol, she
was harassed by a single float biplane and an ineffectual
Japanese destroyer. ''Tunny'' found the enemy biplanes a great
nuisance, since her [[radar]] detected them late or not at all.
Soon she came to regard the aircraft as an arch-enemy which
thwarted attacks on convoys by hovering overhead and guiding
possible targets around the submarine, out of firing range.
On [[14 June]], as ''Tunny'' cruised on the surface following a
submerged patrol east of [[Murilo Island]] in the Hall group,
one of her lookouts sighted a convoy bearing 090 degrees.
Made up of two small freighters and a large transport and
accompanied by two destroyers, the convoy was a tempting
target. As ''Tunny'' made her approach, an unobserved escort
vessel suddenly challenged her with a searchlight and
several rounds of four-inch fire which fell astern. The
submarine dove to 300 feet but continued her approach. She
then surfaced and fired four torpedoes at the transport from
a range of 3400 yards. Three explosions and a tremendous
cloud of smoke and water over the target indicated that
''Tunny'' had damaged the enemy vessel. The submarine dove to
avoid the escorts, but no depth charging ensued. Shortly
after midnight, as she ran on the surface attempting to
intercept the convoy, an undetected vessel fired shots which
splashed astern. ''Tunny'' dove again.
As June wore on, ''Tunny'' continued patrols as far as [[Saipan]] without success. On [[26 June]], she conducted routine and photographic reconnaissance of [[Saipan Harbor]] and [[Tinian Channel]] and, later that day, surfaced to patrol the Truk-Empire shipping lanes east of [[Rota Island]]. Patrolling off [[Harnum Point]] and [[Rota harbor]] on [[28 June]], ''Tunny'' sighted a converted gunboat zigzagging madly, went to battle stations, and dispatched the enemy vessel with a salvo of three torpedoes from 1500 yards. Sighting an armed trawler bearing down on her, the submarine dove. Those on board felt the concussion of three sharp explosions close aboard, perhaps from aerial bombs, as ''Tunny'' went deep and rigged for silent running, maneuvering to avoid the trawler. Seconds later, two heavy explosions marked the death throes of <i>Tunny</i>'s most recent victim. ''Tunny'' was chased down again by the trawler when she attempted to surface an hour later. Returning to periscope depth some three hours after the attack, her commanding officer at the periscope was relieved to find no sign of the trawler, but his relief quickly turned to alarm when the periscope revealed a close-up of the bomb bay of a [[Mitsubishi 97]] at 300 feet, directly overhead. This time ''Tunny'' waited four hours before surfacing again 13 miles from [[Guam]].
She patrolled off Guam until [[4 July]] when she received orders to leave the area. Early the next day, she set her course for [[Johnston Island]]. Japanese aircraft continued to badger the submarine for two days as she proceeded toward Hawaii. After taking on fuel and provisions at Johnston Island on [[11 July]], she completed her third patrol at Pearl Harbor on [[14 July]].
After refitting and three days of training, ''Tunny'' departed [[Hawaii]] on [[5 August]] for [[Midway Island]]. She arrived at [[Midway Island]] on [[9 August]] and was again underway on [[10 August]]. On [[18 August]], she sighted [[Pagan Island]] and [[Alamagan Island]]; and, on [[22 August]], she entered her assigned area in the [[Palau Islands]] and began patrols. Early in the morning of [[24 August]], she sighted a six-ship convoy as it emerged from [[Toagel Mlungui Pass]]. ''Tunny'' trailed the convoy until she could obtain a good firing position and, at moonrise on [[25 August]], she submerged to 40 feet and began her approach. At 0140, she fired three torpedoes and then another two in rapid
succession. She then ducked her periscope and dove to avoid
being rammed by the first target. The convoy passed
overhead as ''Tunny'' dove deep in expectation of depth charges.
She heard her torpedoes explode at the end of their run, but
the absence of depth charges was both welcome and
unexpected. Near dawn, ''Tunny'' made another attack, launching
six torpedoes at ships of the convoy without success.
Meanwhile, a destroyer escort had joined the convoy.
Alerted to <i>Tunny</i>'s presence, she now bore down on the
submarine. ''Tunny'' dove, and, for the next two hours, the
enemy ship remained overhead pinging and tracking. The
destroyer escort dropped two patterns of six depth charges
close by the submarine but finally gave up the search. At
noon, ''Tunny'' came to periscope depth and, finding no sign of
the convoy, set her course for [[Toagel Mlungui]], securing from
battle stations after an exhausting 15 hours.
At mid-morning on [[26 August]], she spotted two vessels
with a submarine chaser escort approaching [[Toagel Mlungui Pass]] and launched a five-torpedo attack. As ''Tunny'' dove, the screws of the first ship were heard to stop; and, shortly
thereafter, two depth charges exploded overhead. Two
minutes later, another pattern of depth charges exploded all
around the submarine. A small fire broke out in the
maneuvering room, causing main power to be lost momentarily.
In order to check the fire, the main motors were stopped for
one minute; then started again. Although the fire was
small, dense smoke from burning insulating varnish made it
difficult at first to assess the damage. Meanwhile, <i>Tunny</i>'s
bow planes jammed and the submarine climbed to 200 feet,
then went into a steep glide which took her down to 380 feet
before control was regained. Within five minutes, coolly
efficient damage control parties had restored operating
conditions to nearly normal, and the submarine began her
retirement to the southwest. Once again the sound of screws
caused tense moments for those on board ''Tunny'', but this time no depth charges fell.
Early that evening, ''Tunny'' surfaced and headed away from
the heavily-traveled lanes she had been patrolling in order
to assess her damages and effect repairs. Inspection
disclosed considerable damage to the bow, ripped-up plating
aft of the torpedo room, and sheared-off rivets and bolts.
The torpedo room pressure hull was badly dished in between
frames; and this damage in turn immobilized the bow plane
tilting gears. The explosions had jammed the gyro spindles
in the stern torpedo tubes, impaired the usefulness of sound
and [[radar]] gear, and caused other damage visible throughout
the ship. Sailors inspecting topside found fragments of the
destructive depth charges scattered over the deck.
For two days, her crew labored to restore her to order
and make the necessary repairs. Having done everything
within his means to restore ''Tunny'' to normal operating
condition, her commanding officer found her still short of
combat readiness. Her bow planes, despite all efforts, were
still inoperative; her bow buoyancy tank unusable; and
various other problems, which could not be remedied at sea,
remained. Thus, on [[29 August]] [[1943]], she departed her patrol
area leaving these hunting grounds to other submarines in
better condition. The war-scarred submarine moored at [[Pearl Harbor]] on [[8 September]].
After a preliminary assessment of battle damage, ''Tunny'' departed [[Pearl Harbor]] on [[11 September]] [[1943]]. She arrived at [[Hunters Point]] on [[17 September]] for overhaul and repairs and remained there until [[2 February]] [[1944]]. Then, repairs and tests completed, she departed the West Coast. ''Tunny'' returned to [[Hawaii]] a week later, underwent voyage repairs and training, and departed [[Pearl Harbor]] for her fifth war patrol on [[27 February]].
She stopped at [[Midway Island]] on [[2 March]], got underway the next day for the [[Palau Islands]], and entered her patrol area on [[15 March]]. On [[20 March]], a persistent observation plane kept ''Tunny'' down for three hours off the entrance to [[Toagel Mlungui]] and dropped eight light bombs without damaging the submarine. In the following days, the submarine patrolled the northern and western approaches to the islands.
On [[22 March]], <i>Tunny</i>'s [[radar]] picked up what proved to be
a large convoy. Day was breaking, and ''Tunny'' was maneuvering
for a position ahead when an escorting destroyer appeared on
the [[radar]] at 14,000 yards. The enemy soon sighted the
submarine and challenged her with a blinker. ''Tunny'' took
advantage of a nearby rain squall for concealment and
continued to close the convoy, keeping a watchful eye on the
destroyer. Despite bad visibility and the pinging of the
escort, ''Tunny'' continued her approach and soon found herself
in the midst of a group of tankers and cargo ships. Choosing two heavily loaded cargo ships for her targets, she launched a six-torpedo attack and heard or observed hits on
both. Immediately, attention on board ''Tunny'' was diverted
when a small tanker nearly collided with the submarine.
''Tunny'' now obtained a setup on a destroyer moving at high
speed across her stern, fired four Mark 18 torpedoes, then
dove quickly even as depth charges from a nearby trawler
exploded on the port quarter. During the next four hours,
the Japanese ships dropped 87 depth charges in an effort to
finish off the submarine but without effect. Late in the
day, ''Tunny'' surfaced and began a futile search for stragglers
and cripples from the morning's attack. She found only debris and an oil slick.
At 2119 on [[23 March]], while patrolling off [[Angaur Island]],
''Tunny'' picked up a [[radar]] contact which she identified by
sight as a large [[I-class submarine]]. For nearly an hour and
a half, ''Tunny'' and the enemy submarine maneuvered for
position, each attempting to prevent the other from
obtaining a shot. Then, at 2324, ''Tunny'' fired four torpedoes
from a range of 1900 yards, swung hard to starboard to
prevent a collision, and dove to avoid a possible return
attack. Before the hatch was closed, two hits were heard
and felt and a flash was seen inside <i>Tunny</i>'s [[conning tower]].
For one terrible moment, observers on board ''Tunny'' feared
that their own submarine had been hit. As ''Tunny'' dove to 150
feet and began circling the area, the screws of the enemy
submarine stopped, and a crackling racket began and
continued for an hour. When the noise ceased, ''Tunny''
surfaced and cleared the area, but [[Japanese submarine I-42]]
had met her end.
''Tunny'' returned to waters off [[Toagel Mlungui]] and resumed
patrols. On the morning of [[29 March]], she observed a large
number of small vessels leaving [[Malakal Harbor]], none worth
an attack. Apparently, the enemy had somehow received word
of the Fifth Fleet's impending bombing attack on Japanese
installations in the [[Caroline Islands]] and made a desperate attempt
to clear the area. Late in the afternoon, a larger
formation appeared: the 63,000-ton
[[Japanese battleship Musashi|battleship ''Musashi'']], the [[light cruiser]] [[Japanese cruiser Oyodo|''Oyodo'']], and three [[destroyer]]s, also fleeing the expected aerial bombardment. After a daring
approach, ''Tunny'' fired six torpedoes at the battleship from
her bow tubes. The torpedoes passed directly under an alert
destroyer of the screen which immediately hoisted flags to
warn the battleship, swung parallel to the torpedo tracks,
and made a run on the submarine. ''Tunny'' went deep and ran
for the southwest while the destroyer dropped 38 depth
charges in a short, but concentrated counterattack. Toward
sunset, the submarine lost contact with the formation.
Later that night, she encountered what she thought to be the
same force and was held down for two hours by one of the
escorting ships. Hits by two of <i>Tunny</i>'s torpedoes had
damaged but failed to slow the powerful battleship.
At 0200 on [[30 March]], ''Tunny'' arrived on station to begin
lifeguard duties for the Fifth Fleet's air attack on the
[[Palau Islands]]. At 0700, a series of explosions followed by the
appearance of heavy smoke from the vicinity of the harbor
indicated that American planes were finding their mark.
During the morning, more than 100 planes passed over the
submarine on their return from the strike. Then, as ''Tunny''
circled on station shortly after noon, two American torpedo
bombers approached. One sheared off for a strafing attack
which was not completed; the other went into a steep glide
and released a bomb from an altitude of 300 feet.
Incredulous watchers on the submarine saw the bomb cross
over the deck gun on the bow, pass the bridge at what
appeared to be no more than arm's length, and strike the
water with a tremendous impact, only ten yards to starboard
of the forward engine room. The entire ship lifted with a
snap as if it had collided with an underwater object, and an
explosion followed some seconds later, throwing personnel
and gear in all directions in the maneuvering and after
torpedo rooms. Damage to the main control cubicle and to
<i>Tunny</i>'s remaining torpedoes resulted. ''Tunny'' completed
repairs during the night, and the next morning manned her
lifeguard station as before, only a little more wary of
"friendly" aircraft.
''Tunny'' departed the [[Palau Islands]] on [[2 April]], stopped at [[Milne Bay]] on [[7 April]], and arrived in [[Australia]] on [[11 April]]. She received the [[Presidential Unit Citation]] for this patrol.
Following refit, the submarine departed [[Brisbane]] on [[29 April]] and set her course for [[New Guinea]]. She underwent voyage repairs at [[Milne Bay]], then proceeded via [[Langemak Bay]]
to her patrol area in the [[Mariana Islands]]. She arrived in the patrol area on [[11 May]] and, in the days that followed, encountered many enemy planes as she patrolled off [[Saipan]] and [[Guam]].
On [[17 May]], she received a report from submarine [[USS Sand Lance (SS-381)|''Sand Lance'' (SS-381)]]
of a convoy in the area and set out to intercept it. Late in the afternoon, she sighted the smoke
of her quarry; and, just after sunset, the masts came into view. The convoy consisted of three cargo ships escorted by a like number of destroyers. Racing against fading twilight, ''Tunny'' made her approach; launched a spread of three torpedoes at the second ship of the column; then rapidly fired three more at the last cargo ship. Before the converging escorts forced her down, ''Tunny'' observed that a hit had left the last ship of the column down by the stern, emitting clouds of dense black smoke. Although the escorting vessels dropped 81 depth charges, none fell close, and ''Tunny'' withdrew to the southeast, having scored her sixth kill of the war, a 4900-ton cargo ship, the ''Nichiwa Maru''. Shortly after midnight, ''Tunny'' surfaced and saw an ill-fated cargo ship, the victim of ''Sand Lance'', ablaze from stem to stern. Frequent minor explosions punctuated the night as the ship went down in the darkness.
As ''Tunny'' continued patrols in the [[Mariana Islands]], she sighted
numerous aircraft and noted explosions and burning
ships -- apparently the work of sister ship
[[USS Silversides (SS-236)|''Silversides'' (SS-236)]]. At this time, however, planes attached to enemy
convoys seemed effective in detecting ''Tunny'' and routing
convoys around her, out of range of her torpedoes.
On [[8 June]], she rendezvoused with submarines
[[USS Pilotfish (SS-386)|''Pilotfish'' (SS-386)]]
and [[USS Pintado (SS-387)|''Pintado'' (SS-387)]]
to form a coordinated attack group, the "Blair Blasters." The three submarines formed a scouting line for a patrol across the western Pacific to the [[South China Sea]]. ''Tunny'' passed through [[Balintang Channel]] on [[14 June]] and sighted [[Luzon]] the next morning. While returning through [[Balintang Channel]] on [[16 June]], she made a surface approach on a small [[sampan]] and sank it with gunfire. She conducted patrols in the [[Philippine Sea]] until [[22 June]] when she parted company with the attack group. On [[29 June]], she fueled at [[Midway Island]]; then proceeded to [[Oahu]], having traveled over 14,500 miles on her sixth war patrol.
After refitting, she departed [[Pearl Harbor]] on [[4 August]] [[1944]] as a member of a coordinated attack group called "Ed's Eradicators." With [[wolf pack]] members
[[USS Barb (SS-220)|''Barb'' (SS-220)]] and
[[USS Queenfish (SS-393)|''Queenfish'' (SS-393)]],
she set her course, via [[Midway Island]], for the [[South China Sea]]. She arrived in her patrol area on [[25 August]]. Her first action came hours after midnight on [[31 August]] when the wolf pack attacked a convoy. ''Queenfish'' was the first to score a hit, and ''Tunny'' witnessed the explosion of a tanker, the victim of her sister submarine. As ''Tunny'' maneuvered in the bright moonlight, she was suddenly startled by gunfire, which seemed to those on board to come from all directions. She dove and avoided damage from the depth charges which soon followed. Later on the same day, a hit by ''Barb'' alerted the convoy's air escort to <i>Tunny</i>'s presence; and she was forced down again without opportunity to launch her torpedoes. Time after time, the submarine surfaced only to be forced down by escorting planes as the attack on the convoy continued into the evening.
A second disappointing day came on the heels of the first. ''Tunny'' patrolled submerged for most of [[1 September]] in order to avoid enemy aircraft. Late in the afternoon, she was advancing westward on a scouting line formed by the wolf pack, when she sighted a plane dead ahead and about six miles distant. She immediately began to dive, but 90 seconds later, as she passed 110 feet, two bombs hit close aboard aft, sending the ship upward at an eight degree angle and causing extensive damage. As the third and fourth bomb exploded, ''Tunny'' was already heading for 300 feet to assess her damages.
Inspection disclosed that the bombs had dished in the
hull plating in the vicinity of the after torpedo room and
the maneuvering room, causing a leak in a vent riser. Less
than ten minutes after the Japanese plane had been sighted,
the commanding officer decided to discontinue the patrol.
Throughout the ship, sheared off valves and bolts, damaged
meters, clocks, and gauges attested to the force of the
bomb's explosion. In addition, all three radio antennae
were down, a leak in her pressure hull had been aggravated,
and <i>Tunny</i>'s rudder action indicated possible damage. She
set her course for [[Balintang Channel]] and surfaced late in
the day on [[2 September]]. ''Tunny'' continued to sight Japanese
airplanes as she made her way to Hawaii. She completed this
patrol on [[17 September]] at [[Pearl Harbor]].
''Tunny'' departed [[Oahu]] for [[California]] on [[20 September]]; and, on [[26 September]], she arrived at [[Hunter's Point]] for battle damage repairs and an overhaul. She returned to [[Hawaii]] in January [[1945]] and, after a training period departed [[Pearl Harbor]] on [[3 February]] for her eighth war patrol.
On [[14 February]], she entered [[Tanapag Harbor]] and
moored to submarine tender
[[USS Fulton (AS-11)|''Fulton'' (AS-11)]]
for repairs to her
main engine. Later in the month, she conducted [[sonar]] tests
out of that port. On [[5 March]], she departed [[Saipan]] and, in
the days that followed, was slowed by heavy seas as she
proceeded to her patrol area in the [[Ryukyu Islands]].
On [[13 March]] and [[14 March]], she conducted a special
reconnaissance mission off the [[Nansei Shoto]] in preparation
for landings planned for [[Okinawa]] on [[1 April]]. On [[14 March]],
''Tunny'' plotted over 230 mines which she detected on [[sonar]] as
she traveled through the hazardous waters at 150 feet. On
[[15 March]], all hands breathed a sigh of relief as ''Tunny'' got
underway for her patrol area, her special mission safely and
successfully completed.
Her pursuit of a distant convoy ended in disappointment
on [[18 March]], when a change of course allowed the cargo ships
and their escort to slip away from ''Tunny'' around sunset. For
two days, the submarine patrolled off [[Amami Oshima|Amami Ōshima]]; then,
on [[23 March]], she took up a lifeguard station. Days later, as
''Tunny'' searched for a downed flier, a twin-float enemy plane
took her by surprise and dropped two bombs. One fell quite
close but caused only minor damage to the submarine. As the
month drew to its close, ''Tunny'' rescued two fliers from
[[aircraft carrier]]
[[USS Intrepid (CV-11)|''Intrepid'' (CV-11)]]
and one from
[[USS Bennington (CV-20)|''Bennington'' (CV-20)]]
as those ships took part in the assault on [[Okinawa]].
On [[1 April]], ''Tunny'' completed her lifeguard duties and
set her course for [[Midway Island]]. En route, she sank a 200-ton
lugger with her deck gun. After stopping at [[Midway Island]], she
arrived at [[Oahu]] on [[14 April]].
Following refitting and a week of [[sonar]] and approach
training, ''Tunny'' departed [[Pearl Harbor]] on [[14 April]] for her
ninth war patrol. She stopped at [[Guam]] for repairs and
additional [[sonar]] exercises, then got underway on [[28 May]].
Together with submarines [[USS Skate (SS-305)|''Skate'' (SS-305)]]
and [[USS Bonefish (SS-223)|''Bonefish'' (SS-223)]], ''Tunny'' formed the second group of "Hydeman's
Hellcats" known as "Pierce's Polecats." On [[2 June]], ''Tunny''
passed through the [[Nansei Shoto]] and, as she approached
[[Kyushu]] two days later, encountered increasing small boat
traffic. On [[5 June]], ''Tunny'' passed through [[Korea Strait]],
repeating the hair-raising task of mine detection by [[sonar]],
this time in [[Nishi Suido]]. She plotted over 80 mines; then
continued on to conduct patrols on the western shore of [[Honshu]].
Operating in the supposedly inviolable waters of the
[[Sea of Japan]], the wolf pack attacked shipping and made
exploratory attempts to enter Japanese harbors. Late on [[9 June]], ''Tunny'' attacked a cargo vessel. One torpedo hit the enemy vessel with a thud but failed to explode, and ''Tunny''
discontinued the attack. In the harbor entering phase of
the patrol, ''Tunny'' closed the breakwater of [[Etomo Ko]] to 8000
yards (7.3 km) shortly before midnight on [[12 June]]. Town and
waterfront lights provided illumination, but no suitable
target could be found, and the submarine cleared the harbor
before midnight. A few minutes later, ''Tunny'' approached
within 5000 yards of the harbor mouth at [[Uppuri Wan]] but
discreetly withdrew when searchlights located and then
brilliantly illuminated the intruder.
On [[16 June]], ''Tunny'' sighted numerous rafts filled with
the Japanese survivors of a successful action by ''Bonefish''
and later took prisoner a Japanese chief petty officer who
had escaped from the sinking ship. On the following day, as
''Tunny'' and ''Bonefish'' closed a [[radar]]-located target, ''Tunny''
suddenly found herself the object of gunfire, with the
closest shot falling only 200 yards off her port beam. She
quickly changed course and eluded both the gunfire and the
depth charges which followed. On [[19 June]], shallow coastal
water foiled <i>Tunny</i>'s attack on a 4,000-ton cargo ship.
''Tunny'' rendezvoused with ''Skate'' on [[23 June]] to depart the [[Sea of Japan]]. She remained off [[Hokkaido]] for two days on the chance that she might be able to aid ''Bonefish'', missing since her request to make a daylight submerged patrol of [[Toyama Wan]] some days earlier. On [[27 June]], ''Tunny'' discontinued her vigil; proceeded via the [[Kuril Islands]] and [[Midway Island]]; and arrived at [[Pearl Harbor]] on [[6 July]].
The submarine then made her way back to the west coast. ''Tunny'' was decommissioned on [[13 December]] [[1945]] and placed in the Mare Island Group, 19th Fleet.
[[Communism|Communist]] aggression in [[Korea]] placed new demands on the resources of the Navy and led to <i>Tunny</i>'s being placed in commission, in reserve, on [[28 February]] [[1952]]. She saw no service at this time, however, and was decommissioned in April [[1952]]. On [[6 March]] [[1953]], she was placed in commission for the third time. Converted to carry guided missiles, she was reclassified with [[hull identification symbol]] SSG-282 and served as a [[Regulus missile]] submarine for nearly 12 years.
For the first four of those years, she operated out of [[Point Mugu]], contributing to the development of the [[Regulus missile]] system. Except for a short period of type training, ''Tunny'' engaged entirely in the launching and guidance of Regulus missiles for purposes of missile evaluation in the development of the system. In [[1957]], she shifted her base of operations to [[Hawaii]] where she conducted deterrent patrols and fired exercise missiles.
In May [[1965]], the Regulus missile system was phased out, and ''Tunny'' was redesignated with [[hull identification symbol]] SS-282. She remained in the Hawaiian operating area until the end of the year, conducting training exercises and providing various other services. In [[1966]], she was converted to a troop-carrying submarine and redesignated with [[hull identification symbol]] APSS-282. In February [[1967]], ''Tunny'' began missions in unconventional warfare, operating off the coast of Vietnam. She conducted reconnaissance in preparation for amphibious assault operations and gathered navigational and oceanographic information. Ideally suited for transporting small teams for specialized operations as well as for gathering information, she participated in [[Operation Deckhouse VI]].
On [[1 January]] [[1968]], the veteran submarine was reclassified with [[hull classification symbol]] LPSS-282. She was decommissioned on [[28 June]] [[1969]], and, on [[30 June]] [[1969]], her name was struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]]. She was sunk as a target on [[19 June]] [[1970]].
''Tunny'' received nine [[battle star]]s and two [[Presidential Unit Citation]]s for her [[World War II]] service. She received five [[battle star]]s for her operations during the [[Vietnam War]].
See [[USS Tunny|USS ''Tunny'']] for other ships of the same name.
== References ==
{{DANFS}}
{{Gato_class_submarine}}
[[Category:Gato class submarines|Tunny]]
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