USN · SS

Wahoo

Sunk

Gato-class submarine, SS-238, the first ship of the name. Mare Island Navy Yard. Laid down 28 June 1941, launched 14 February 1942, commissioned 15 May 1942. Lieutenant Commander Marvin G. Kennedy had her until 31 December 1942, when Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker Morton relieved him. Lost with all hands in La Pérouse Strait on 11 October 1943, in an air and surface attack. Not a mine. Not credited to one ship. Declared overdue on 2 December 1943 and struck on 6 December 1943. Six battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation.

Class	Gato class
Type	Submarine (SS)
Hull	SS-238
Builder	Mare Island Navy Yard
Launched	1942-02-14
Commissioned	1942-05-15
Fate	Sunk. In La Pérouse Strait on 11 October 1943, by an air and surface attack, while she was trying to leave the Sea of Japan. Not a mine. Not credited to one ship. Lost with all hands. The Naval History and Heritage Command counts seventy-nine men. Declared overdue on 2 December 1943 and struck on 6 December 1943.
Armament (class)	Fleet submarine. A deck gun forward of the conning tower.
Command	Kennedy, Marvin G. Captain from commissioning, 15 May 1942; Relieved on 31 December 1942 Morton, Dudley Walker Captain from 31 December 1942; Lost with her on 11 October 1943

Laid down, displacement, length, beam, draft, speed, and complement are not stored for each hull, so this table leaves them out.

The armament line is the class drawing, not a measurement of this hull.

USS Wahoo (SS-238) off Mare Island Navy Yard on 14 July 1943. U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photograph 19-N-48937. Public domain.

The pictures on this page are the originals.

Command

MKKennedy, Marvin G.Captain from commissioning, 15 May 1942Relieved on 31 December 1942 DMMorton, Dudley WalkerCaptain from 31 December 1942Lost with her on 11 October 1943

Crew stories

No stories submitted yet. Submit a Story.