USSBonefish(SS-223)

For other ships with the same name, seeUSS Bonefish.

History
United States
Builder	Electric Boat Company,Groton, Connecticut
Laid down	25 June 1942
Launched	7 March 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs. F. A. Daubin
Commissioned	31 May 1943
Fate	Sunk by Japanese vessels inToyama Bay,Honshū,18 June 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	Gato-classdiesel-electricsubmarine
Displacement	1,525 long tons (1,549 t) surfaced 2,424 long tons (2,463 t) submerged
Length	311 ft 9 in (95.02 m)
Beam	27 ft 3 in (8.31 m)
Draft	17 ft (5.2 m) maximum
Propulsion	4 ×General MotorsModel 16-248V16Diesel enginesdrivingelectric generators 2 × 126-cellSargobatteries 4 × high-speedGeneral Electricelectric motorswithreduction gears two propellers 5,400shp(4.0MW) surfaced 2,740 shp (2.0 MW) submerged
Speed	21 knots (39 km/h) surfaced 9 kn (17 km/h) submerged
Range	11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) surfaced at 10 kn (19 km/h)
Endurance	48 hours at 2 kn (3.7 km/h) submerged 75 days on patrol
Test depth	300 ft (90 m)
Complement	6 officers, 54 enlisted
Armament	10 × 21-inch (533 mm)torpedotubes 6 forward, 4 aft 24 torpedoes 1 × 4-inch (102 mm) / 50caliberdeck gun Bofors 40 mmandOerlikon 20 mmcannon

USSBonefish(SS-223)was aGato-classsubmarine,the firstUnited States Navyship to be named for thebonefish.

She had a busy career in the Pacific against Japanese shipping after being launched and commissioned in May 1943. She was sunk in June 1945 after sinking a ship on her eighth cruise.

Operational history

Bonefish's keel was laid down by theElectric BoatCompany ofGroton, Connecticuton 25 June 1942. She was launched 7 May 1943 (sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth S. Daubin, wife of Rear AdmiralFreeland A. Daubin), andcommissionedon 31 May 1943, Lieutenant CommanderThomas W. Hoganin command.

The submarine conducted shakedown training out ofNew London, Conn.,andNewport, R.I.,until 23 July, when she set out for thePacific.She transited thePanama Canalon 4 August and arrived atBrisbane,Australia, on the 30th. Following a week of training out of that port, she again got underway for more days of drills inMoreton Bay.The submarine departed there on 16 September for her first war patrol.

First patrol, September – October 1943

After transitingBalabac Straiton 22 September,Bonefishcontinued on to her patrol area in the central part of theSouth China Sea.Three days later, the submarine attacked aconvoyof eight ships, scoring three hits on a freighter before the escorts forced her to go deep to avoid adepth chargeattack.Bonefishencountered another convoy on 27 September and launched four torpedoes at the lead ship, the largest of the five, and sank the 9,908 tontransportKashima Maruand damaged theChihaya Maru.The escort ships pursuedBonefish,but she was able to dive and elude her attackers. On 6 October, the boat approached a third convoy and scored hits on two heavily laden cargo vessels. Again forced to go deep to avoid the counterattack, she failed to evaluate the damage that her torpedoes had done to the targets. On 10 October, in her last action of the patrol,Bonefishfired a spread of four torpedoes at two ships of a convoy offIndochina,sending both the 4,212 ton cargo shipIsuzugawaand the 10,086 ton transportTeibi Maruto the bottom. On 14 October theBonefishsank a Japanese sailing vessel in theMakassar Strait.Bonefishconcluded her first war patrol back atFremantle,Western Australia,on 21 October.

Second patrol, November – December 1943

After refit and training, the submarine got underway on 22 November for the South China Sea and her second war patrol. She entered theFlores Seaon 28 November and, the next day, intercepted two enemy ships.Bonefishmade a submerged approach and launched four torpedoes. Two of the four — one hit amidships and another struck the freighter under her mainmast — sent the 4,646 ton cargo shipSuez Marudown rapidly by the stern. The escort increased speed and headed forBonefish,but the sub went deep and escaped the barrage of depth charges. Unknown toBonefish,Suez Maruwas carrying 414 British and 133 DutchPOWs.MinesweeperW.12picked up the Japanese survivors although recently released documents state that W.12 machine-gunned the surviving POWs (a minimum of 250) in the water,

On 1 December, the boat sighted a convoy of three ships with two escorts hugging theCelebescoast. In two separate attacks, the submarine scored a hit on a large passenger/cargo shipNichiryo Maruwhich later sank and another on a destroyer escort which apparently survived.

Bonefishconducted a submerged patrol ofSandakan Harbor,Borneo,from 4 – 6 December and then sailed forTarakan.On 11 December, she surfaced to engage small cargo vesselToyohime Maruwith gunfire, scoring several hits before a mechanical problem put her gun out of action. The next day, the boat made a submerged approach on an unidentified Japanese vessel and fired six torpedoes, scoring one hit;Bonefishnever learned the fate of her target. She cleared the area and arrived at Fremantle on 19 December.

Third patrol, January – March 1944

Following refit and training, the submarine sailed from Fremantle on 12 January 1944 to conduct her third war patrol. While operating in the vicinity ofMakassar Straiton 22 January,Bonefishencountered a large sailing vessel. The stranger's crew of seven acted suspiciously as the submarine approached, and despite repeated orders to do so, the crew refused to abandon ship. WhenBonefishopened fire with her machine guns, the natives leaped overboard. As the vessel began to sink, Japanese troops emerged from below decks;Bonefishcounted 39 men going over the side.

On 6 February, the submarine sighted a convoy composed of at least 17 ships. As she maneuvered into attack position,Bonefishselected a largeoileras her primary target and launched four bow "fish" at it. She fired the other two bow tubes at a cargo ship and then tried to swing her stern into position to fire her after tubes. With escorts charging her, the boat suddenly lost depth control and ducked herperiscopebelow the water. Nine tons of water rushed into her forward torpedo room before the proper valves were secured.Bonefishmanaged to evade the escorts, and her crew heard explosions which they interpreted as at least two hits on the oiler and one on the cargo ship. Nevertheless, it seems that neither target sank.

The submarine next trained hertorpedo tubeson a convoy of 13 ships which she contacted on 9 February inCamranh Bay.Although detected by aJapanesedestroyer,Bonefishsucceeded in firing five torpedoes at the ex-whale-factorytankerTonan Maru No. 2before making an emergency dive in shallow water.The submarine escaped damage from both the destroyer's depth charges and from aerial bombs which enemy aircraft dropped, but they prevented her from observing the results of her attack. (TheTonan Maruwas hit but quickly repaired.) Following this action, she continued to seek targets for more than a month before returning to Fremantle on 15 March.

Fourth patrol, April – May 1944

Underway again on 13 April,Bonefishheaded for theCelebes Seaand her fourth war patrol. On 26 April, she intercepted a convoy of four ships steaming along theMindanaocoast. The submarine maneuvered into a position suitable to attackTokiwa Maru,launched four torpedoes, and then turned to evade the escorts. Two torpedoes struck the 806 ton passenger/cargo ship amidships and aft, sinking her. The next day,Bonefishfired a spread of four torpedoes at a cargo ship headed forDavao Gulfbut, in spite of three hits, failed to sink the target.

While in theSulu Seaon 3 May,Bonefishapproached a convoy but was forced to dive when an enemy plane dropped two depth bombs which exploded close aboard. The boat sustained minor damage and surfaced to make repairs, but two Japanese ships began to close in on her.Bonefishwent deep once again and rigged for the depth charges, 25 in all. When her pursuers left the area, so didBonefish.She moved to the northern approach toBasilan Strait.She attacked a convoy in those waters on 7 May, firing four torpedoes at an escort vessel, but could not observe the results.

On 14 May,Bonefishapproached a convoy of three tankers and three escorting destroyers, steaming offTawitawiin thePhilippinesand headed forSibutu Passage.The submarine fired five torpedoes. One hit under the bridge of a tanker and another struck under the stack, enveloping the ship in smoke and flames. The destroyers converged onBonefishfor counterattack, but she escaped into the depths. Postwar records show that, while her torpedoes only damaged the tanker, they sank one of the escorting destroyers,Inazuma,which was known for having rescued 376 survivors fromHMSExeterand 151 fromUSSPopeduring theSecond Battle of the Java Sea.

Bonefishthen set course for Sibutu Passage on a reconnaissance mission. She sighted a Japanese task force consisting of threebattleships,oneaircraft carrier,threeheavy cruisers,and onelight cruiser,screened by eightdestroyers.The submarine relayed the information, then continued her reconnaissance. She again sighted and reported the same task force on the 17th, this time anchored inTawitawi Bay.Upon completing this mission, she headed for Australia and arrived atFremantleon 30 May.

Fifth patrol, June – August 1944

Under the command of Lt. Cmdr. Lawrence L. Edge, the submarine began her fifth war patrol on 25 June and headed again for theCelebes Sea.On 6 July, she surfaced to destroy a wooden-hulledschoonerby gunfire. She then cleared the area and, the next day, engaged and destroyed another small ship with gunfire. Later that same day, the boat fired eight torpedoes at a small cargo ship, scoring several hits. On 8 July, she used her guns to touch off a blazing fire in a small, inter-island steamer and, two days later, sank asampanwith gunfire.

On 29 July,Bonefishcommenced tracking a large, but empty, tanker with escorts and, early the next morning, gained a favorable attack position. She fired six torpedoes and scored four hits. The target,Kokuyo Maru,immediately settled by the stern, andBonefishheaded for the traffic lanes north ofSibutuand Tawitawi. On 3 August, she damaged a tanker with one torpedo hit. She set course for Fremantle the next day, ending her patrol there on 13 August.

Sixth patrol, September – October 1944

With her crew refreshed and her provisions and ammunition replenished,Bonefishgot underway on 5 September for theSibuyan Sea.After three days there without encountering any enemy ships, she departed those waters on 24 September. Four days later, while patrolling offMindoro,the submarine sighted a large, heavily laden tanker escorted by two destroyers. She fired all of her bow torpedoes and heard and felt the hits on the 2,068 ton Japanese shipAnjo Maru.Bonefishtracked the target whose rapidly falling speed indicated her distress until the crippled tanker's escorts forced the boat to retire. A postwar examination of Japanese records confirmed thatAnio Marusank later that day.

During the later part of this patrol,BonefishjoinedFlasher(SS-249)andLapon(SS-260)in forming acoordinated attack group.Patrolling in the vicinity ofCape Bolinaoon 10 October, the boats attacked a convoy of cargo ships, andBonefishscored three hits for undetermined damage. Four days later, while en route to a lifeguard station, she sank cargo shipFushimi Maru.On 18 October, the submarine rescued two naval aviators. She departed her lifeguard station the next day, stopped atSaipanfor fuel on the 27th, and continued on toPearl Harbor,where she arrived on 8 November.

FromHawaii,Bonefishcontinued on toSan Francisco, California,where she underwent overhaul at theBethlehem Steel Submarine Repair Basinfrom 18 November 1944 to 13 February 1945. Then, after refresher training offMonterey, Calif.,she returned to Pearl Harbor where she conducted exercises until 20 March.

Seventh patrol, March – May 1945

Bonefishthen set sail viaGuamfor theEast China Seaand her seventh war patrol. Despite thorough coverage of the waters assigned her, she made few contacts and each of these was a small antisubmarine vessel. On Friday, 13 April, she attempted to sink a patrol vessel, but the target's radical maneuvers enabled it to escape. While on lifeguard duty offKorea's southern coast on 16 April,Bonefishrescued two Japanese aviators who had been shot down by a Navy plane. The USS Bonefish then completed a "special mission". On 7 May, the submarine returned toApra Harbor,Guam, ending another successful war patrol.

Eighth patrol, May – June 1945

Upon completion of refit on 28 May,Bonefishgot underway in company withTunny(SS-282)andSkate(SS-305),as part of "Pierce's Pole Cats", commanded byTunny's skipper, Commander George E. Pierce. Equipped with a newmine-detecting device, the submarines were ordered to penetrate theSea of Japanto sever the last of the Japanese overseas supply lines.Bonefishsuccessfully threaded her way through the minefields byTsushima Islandas she transited theKorea Straitto enter the Sea of Japan for an offensive patrol off the west central coast ofHonshū.

During a rendezvous withTunnyon 16 June,Bonefishreported sinkingOshikayama Maru,a 6,892 ton cargo ship. In a second rendezvous two days later, she requested and received permission to conduct a daylight submerged patrol ofToyama Bay,a bay farther up the Honshū coast. The attack group was to depart the Sea of Japan viaLa Perouse Straiton the night of 24 June.Bonefishdid not make the scheduled pre-transit rendezvous. Still,Tunnywaited in vain offHokkaidōfor three days. On 30 July,Bonefishwas presumed lost.

Japanese records reveal that the 5,488 ton cargo shipKonzan Maruwas torpedoed and sunk in Toyama Wan on 18 June and that an ensuing severe counterattack by Japanese escorts, theOkinawa,CD-63,CD-75,CD-158andCD-207,brought debris and a major oil slick to the water's surface. There can be little doubt thatBonefishwas sunk in this action. She was the second to last United States Submarine lost in the war, withBullhead(SS-332)being lost in August 1945.

Awards

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  Navy Unit Commendation– five awards, for her first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth war patrols
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  Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medalwith sevenbattle starsforWorld War IIservice
• World War II Victory Medal

See also

• List of U.S. Navy losses in World War II

References

• This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.The entries can be foundhereandhere.

External links

• Photo galleryofBonefishat NavSource Naval History
• On Eternal Patrol: USSBonefish
• Kill record: USSBonefish