Sam Spade's San Francisco

I received an email from Roberta Guise who would like me to remind the community that a long-standing U.S. Naval tradition, the Lost Boat Memorial, will take place aboard the USS Pampanito, a WWII submarine, which is permanently docked at Pier 45 near Fisherman's Wharf.

In the photo: USS Pampanito returns home through the Golden Gate. Click to enlarge in a separate window.

USS Pampanito (SS-383) is a World War II Balao class Fleet submarine museum and memorial that is open for visitors daily at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. Pampanito made six patrols in the Pacific during World War II during which she sank six Japanese ships and damaged four others.

The ceremony will take place at 5 PM on Memorial Day Monday and is free of all charge to everyone who wants to attend and honor the lost sailors of the United States Navy Submarine Service. A performance of echo taps will be performed in honor of the 52 submarine boats lost along with the lives of 3,5000 brave American submariners.

Following is a list of the boats and crews that will be honored at the ceremony. This list is provided courtesy of San Francisco Maritime National Park Association. Thank you.

Click on a boat name to read the names of the United States Navy submariners lost with their boat.

UNITED STATES SUBMARINE LOSSES

The decisive role played by the Silent Service during WW II is often overlooked, or the significance of their contribution is not fully understood. The Submarine Service represented only 1.6% of all Navy personnel during the war but they accounted for over 55% of all Japanese ships sunk, including one-third of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Submariners paid a high price for this accomplishment, however, with the highest percentage causality rate of any branch of the service, almost 23%. Fifty-two U.S. submarines were lost during WW II with over 3,500 men. Forty additional men were lost either from gunfire or tragic mishap. It should always be remembered that these men were all volunteers.

Below is a list of each of the fifty-two submarines lost during WW II. Click on a boat name to read the names of the United States Navy submariners lost with their boat.

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Submarines Lost on Patrol During World War II

1941
USS SEALION (SS-195)
1942
USS S-36 (SS-141)
USS S-26 (SS-131)
USS SHARK (SS-174)
USS PERCH (SS-176)
USS S-27 (SS-132)
USS S-39 (SS-144)
USS GRUNION (SS-216)
1943
USS ARGONAUT (SS-166)
USS AMBERJACK (SS-219)
USS GRAMPUS (SS-207)
USS TRITON (SS-201)
USS PICKEREL (SS-177)
USS GRENADIER (SS-210)
USS RUNNER (SS-275)
USS R-12 (SS-89)
USS GRAYLING (SS-209)
USS POMPANO (SS-181)
USS CISCO (SS-290)
USS S-44 (SS-155)
USS DORADO (SS-248)
USS WAHOO (SS-238)
USS CORVINA (SS-226)
USS SCULPIN (SS-191)
USS CAPELIN (SS-289)
1944
USS SCORPION (SS-278)
USS GRAYBACK (SS-208)
USS TROUT (SS-202)
USS TULIBEE (SS-284)
USS GUDGEON (SS-211)
USS HERRING (SS-233)
USS GOLET (SS-361)
USS S-28 (SS-133)
USS ROBALO (SS-273)
USS FLIER (SS-250)
USS HARDER (SS-257)
USS SEAWOLF (SS-197)
USS SHARK II (SS-314)
USS TANG (SS-306)
USS ESCOLAR (SS-294)
USS ALBACORE (SS-218)
USS GROWLER (SS-215)
USS DARTER (SS-227)
USS SCAMP (SS-277)
1945
USS SWORDFISH (SS-193)
USS BARBEL (SS-316)
USS KETE (SS-369)
USS TRIGGER (SS-237)
USS SNOOK (SS-279)
USS LAGARTO (SS-371)
USS BONEFISH (SS-223)
USS BULLHEAD (SS-332)
ADDITIONAL LOSSES

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Other U.S. Submarine Losses

Submarining is a dangerous business. Below are submarines lost during peacetime. There have also been tragic mishaps that have taken the lives of submariners in the service of their country which include the Cochino (SS-345) in 1949, Bonefish (SS-582) in 1988, USS San Francisco (SSN-711) in 2005, USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (SSN-708) in 2007.
1915 - USS F-4 (SS-23)
1917 - USS F-1 (SS-20)
1919 - USS G-2 (SS-27)
1920 - USS H-1 (SS-28)
1923 - USS O-5 (SS-66)
1925 - USS S-51 (SS-162)
1927 - USS S-4 (SS-109)
1939 - USS SQUALUS (SS-192)
1941 - USS O-9 (SS-70)
1963 - USS THRESHER (SSN-593)
1968 - USS SCORPION (SSN-589)
Remember: 5 PM, Memorial Day Monday, Pier 45 near Fisherman's Wharf


Resources:
USS Pampanito
San Francisco Maritime National Park Association
History of the USS Pampanito
On Eternal Patrol - dedicated to the crews lost while serving as U.S. submariners.
Final Patrol: Boats Lost 1941-1945 - from Cmdr., Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet
The Sub Report - daily source for submarine news and events
Memorial Day San Francisco 2008 at the Presidio
U. S. Navy
Submarine Warfare Division, Office of the CNO, U. S. Navy
The Pacific Submarine Campaign in WWII, U.S. Navy
National World War II Memorial, Washington, D.C.



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