Any WWII US Submarine researchers here?

[Captain Hornet]

I have in my personal library the 18 volume series by Admiral Samuel Elliot Morison along with several other books he wrote. I would be happy to try to find any info you may be looking for . as info on a certin boat. Let me know what you need, mabee I can help. Captain Hornet

 

[jlrhiner]

Digi-shot,
The insignia for the submariner was gold for all ranks until they had completed a succesful war patrol (e.g. when the sub sinks an enemy vessel or accomplishes another mission of equal importance) At that time they were awarded their "War Patrol" dolphins, which were silver.

Well, I dug the book out and it shows enlisted men wearing both the metal insignia and an embroidered one. The cloth one is both dark thread and gold thread, with the war service insignia being silver. (The way I'm reading it, they were real silver with gold and silver stars indicating amount of patrols).

 

[Texas Star]

Although it is possible that the Royal Navy had more subs in the Atlantic than did the US Navy, I'm guessing that the amount of German shipping didn't warrant extensive use of subs in the Atlantic. Japan had to do far more shipping.

Of course, Germany did operate many U-boats, but destroyers were what were used to counter them!

T-Star

 

[B17]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I did contact the Sub Base Museum in Groton, CT and just received an email back from them:

...there were only 6 "Atlantic" based subs, all part of "Squadron 50"... the SHAD, BARB, HERRING, BLACKFISH, GUNNEL, and GURNARD.

I was aware of only 2 (Herring & Gunnel). The GUNNEL was very instrumental in "Operation Torch" (Allied invasion of Vichy-controlled French North Africa).

I'm helping someone research a USN medal bar, complete with gold submarine "Dolfins", numerous ribbons with battle stars and a French Croix de Guerre Medal.

Hi Digi-shots,

I believe there were more than just the boats you listed which operated in the Atlantic.
Squadron 50 was sent to the British Isles after a decision by Roosevelt to have six new fleet subs operate out of Scotland as a political move to support the British during the Battle of the Atlantic. The Sqdn 50 boats also supported Operation Tourch in North Africa.

During 1942-43 especially during the first few months of 1942 when the German U-Boats were operating off our east coast in Operation Drumbeat, quite a number of US subs were sent into the Atlantic to try and stop them. He is a list of assigned boats:

Barracuda
Bass
Bonita
Mackerel
Marlin

R-1
R-5
R-7
S-11
S-12
S-13
S-14
S-15
S-16
S-17
S-18
S-21
S-22
S-24
S-26
S-29
S-30
S-31
S-32
S-33

In October 1942 (North Africa)
Barb
Blackfish
Gunnel
Herring
Shad

In November 1942
Gurnard

In April 1943
Haddo
Hake

I hope this information helps ... Was the person being researched, a sub commander?

Bob

 

[SASABERANGER]

Linda,
You have to remember that we didn't get into the war for two years after it started in Europe.
We were a pretty self sufficient nation at that time and did more exporting than importing and when the war broke out our immediate goal was the defeat of Japan. We did not shift goals until later in the war.
Japan was a major importing nation and very much dependent upon shipping hence the major submarine push out of Pearl Harbor.
We were pretty much alone in the Pacific war as most of the Allied assets were destroyed like ours at Pearl Harbor. Australia and New Zealand were in the thick of things, but with limited naval assets, and the British Pacific Fleet was all but destroyed at the same time as Pearl Harbor .
Since Germany did not import much in the early stages of the war we did not need a large submarine force in the Atlantic to knock out their merchant fleet. So most of that action was left to the Brits and
other allies in the North Atlantic and English Channel area.
After the opening stages of the war almost crippled the merchant fleets of the US and England we concentrated on developing Anti Submarine Warfare assets and tactics. The use of hunter killer submarines really didn't come about until after the end of WWII when we started to knock heads with the Russians.
Since there were very few German merchant ships in the Atlantic we used surface assets to control them and not Atlantic based submarines. There were a few subs in the Atlantic Fleet, but not like the "Submarine Forces Pacific".
I just finished "Lost Subs" that gives some of the WWII history as well as the developmental history of subs in general. Great read and great pictures and art work.
If you would be interested in reading it send me an email to:
[email protected] with your address and I would happily send it your way.
I served with the last diesel boat squadron in the US Navy. We refurbished the entire squadron and then sent most of them to Argentina and Turkey. A few saw action in the Falkland war with the Argentine Navy.
We were disbanded in 1972.
Thom Braxton
SWCA #1474