The USS Devilfish a veteran of four war patrols during World War II, was built by Cramp Shipbuilding Corp., in Philadelphia, PA, during 1942 and 1943.

She is named for a fish of enormous size, which has a flat body, and strongly resembles a Skate or Stingray.

The Devilfish was launched on May 30, 1943. She was commissioned on September 1, 1944 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Commander E.C. Stephan, assumed first command.

I was assigned to the Devilfish in late June of 1944. We, the pre-commissioning crew, lived on a barge moored at the shipyard. We were present and witnessed the final phase of her construction, the launching, the final outfitting, and the trial trip.

The crew moved on board a few days prior to the commissioning.

I remained on the Devilfish for all of her four war patrols.

On September 6, 1944, we left the Navy Yard for the Submarine Base in New London, CT, arriving on the 7th.

On October 10, 1944, after shakedown and a training period, we left New London, bound for Key West, FL, and temporary duty with the fleet sonar school. We departed Key West on November 2, 1944, passed through the Panama Canal to Balboa, C.Z. While there we conducted training operations, which included torpedo-firing practice.

We sailed from Balboa on November 15, in company with USS Threadfin and USS Boarfish, enroute to Pearl Harbor.

We arrived at the Submarine Base in Pearl Harbor, on December 2,1944, and underwent additional training.

On December 31, 1944, we left Pearl Harbor on our first war patrol. In the words of Capt. Stephan, "Off to war in a 44', home in 45'."

We stopped at Saipan on January 12, 1945, and topped off the fuel tanks. Loaded provisions, and left Saipan on Jan. 15. Our first patrol area was in the waters of Kii Suido and Bungo Suido, off the coast of Japan. Unfortunately we had no contacts with enemy shipping, and we were never in a position to give aid to downed aviators. We did observe a great deal of enemy air activity during this patrol.

We arrived at Guam on February 15, 1945 after a 44-day patrol, and moored alongside the USS Proteus (AS-19), for refit. The crew went off to rest camp for two weeks.

On March 3, 1945 LCDR S.S. Mann Jr. PCO on the first patrol relieved CDR E.C. Stephan as Commanding Officer. A training period was conducted from March 3 to March 15.

On March 15, we commenced our second war patrol, with LCDR Mann as Commanding Officer, and LCDR N.G. Harrison Jr. Executive Officer. We proceeded, in company with USS Spadefish (SS-411), to Saipan.

The Devilfish was designated Task Unit 17.1.1 and assigned to conduct patrol in the waters between Tokyo Bay and the Northern Nanpo Shoto Island's, and to provide lifeguard service.

On March 16,1945, at 1645 we left Saipan enroute to the patrol area, running on the surface through the night.

March 18 to March 19 continued enroute to patrol area. March 20, 1945 we made a trim dive at 0623.

At 0800 the bridge watch consisted of, myself, QM of the watch, the OOD LT Victor Krygowski, the JOOD LTjg Charles C. Rust, and three lookouts on the periscope shears.

At 0842, Krygowski said to Rust, "Hey Rusty, there's a plane back there," pointing astern. "Do you think we ought to dive?" Rust replied, "Yes!" Krygowski then shouted, "Dive! Dive! and sounded 2 blasts on the diving alarm. I counted all 3 lookouts as they went down the hatch, then OOD Krygowski, then the JOOD. Rust, I jumped in the hatch grabbed the lanyard as I went, pulling the hatch lid with me. When I reached up to spin the wheel to engage the dogs and secure the hatch watertight, seawater was slopping in. We were going down fast. While we were passing 50 feet, we heard a small explosion, which sounded like a light bomb, and not close.

In the patrol report the Capt. wrote, "In about ten seconds water commenced pouring through the bottom of the SJ mast and through the APR lead in. We were able to close off the latter leak, but could do nothing about the SJ. Water came in at such a rate, the drain pump could just keep up with it. We leveled off at 80 feet.

The conning tower bilge filled rapidly and a regular waterfall came down the hatch into the control room. In order to prevent a fire, circuits were pulled to the tower equipment, which was being showered.

We piled all loose canvas, rain clothes, etc. over the electrical equipment in the conning tower. In a while, we managed to trough the water from the SJ mast into the periscope well, and thus decreasing the cascade into the control room.

It was difficult to imagine how so small an explosion could have done so much damage. Prior to surfacing, we discovered that the SD and APR were inoperative. Number 2 periscope could not be raised. Number 1 periscope could be raised, but neither trained or seen through.

Because of the extensive damage, we decided to repair what we could while submerged and wait until dark to surface.

We surfaced on a course for Saipan. As usual, on surfacing, I opened the hatch and was the first topside. I looked all around the horizon, nothing in sight, then I looked at the deck and the periscope shears. There were lots of pieces of aluminum, some large, some small, all over the cigarette deck.

I picked up a small piece of the aluminum, about 2" long, and about 1" wide, and put it in my pocket. I still have it.

By then the lookouts, the Capt., the Exec., and the OOD, were also topside.

In the patrol report, Capt. Mann stated, "The following damage was found topside: -SD and SJ radar masts sheared completely off. An eight-inch hole in the after periscope shears. APR and VHF antenna destroyed. Underwater loop destroyed. Upper periscope bearings distorted.

Amazingly enough, the searchlight was intact. Draped across the shears were several pieces of aluminum which looked like part of a plane wing section. On the cigarette deck we found a piece of tubing which looked like a section of a plane landing gear. Closer examination revealed Japanese symbols on some of the pieces. A nameplate in Japanese was also found.

It never occurred to us that we had been the victim of a suicide attack until we had surfaced. Decided to attempt no topside repairs during darkness, as we felt we might make matters worse. As it was, we could dive, in an emergency to 90 feet."

March 21, 1945. At 0830 we sighted the USS Tinosa (55 283) on opposite course, exchanged calls.

At 0900 sawed off the SJ mast and plugged the opening with a wooden plug, in hopes this would stop some of the leakage. We closed off the SD mast at the bottom, although it was not leaking badly. No other repairs at sea are practicable.

March 24, 1945, rendezvoused with the escort, DEE 966. At 1308 we moored to the Submarine Tender USS Fulton, in Tanapang Harbor; Saipan.

The weather to and from station was, in general, very bad. The sea was rough to stormy ninety percent of the time. (Force 4-7).

The prevailing wind and seas were from the east, making for extremely wet bridge watches. Much green water was taken over the bridge. The heavy seas accounted for numerous bruises and lacerations.

One lookout sustained a broken kneecap, when he was swept off the lookout platform by a very high wave.

I was standing by the railing and felt him bump against me. I grabbed his arm and held him on deck as the water drained off, keeping him from being washed overboard, and possibly saving his life, then I helped him down the hatch. Expert treatment was administered by our Pharmacist Mate.

On numerous occasions green water was taken down the conning tower hatch into the conning tower, and into the control room. Green water taken down the engine air induction caused grounding of the Auxiliary Generator and other electrical grounds.

The Following damage was done by the collision with an enemy plane on March 20,1945.

a. Both periscopes damaged mechanically and optically, the bearings seriously misalign.

b. The SJ mast torn away, lower antenna assembly damaged causing bad leak.

c. SD upper insulator and whip were destroyed and the hoisting mechanism was rendered inoperative.

d. The SD, SJ, and sound gear in the conning tower were grounded out, and salted by flooding.

e. The VHF and SPA antenna was destroyed.

This is the only known incident where a Kamikaze plane crash-dived a US Navy submarine, during World War II.

After arrival in Saipan on March 24, temporary repairs, including one working periscope, were effected. Devilfish continued on to Pearl Harbor, arriving April 6, 1945.

The combat insignia was authorized for the 2nd patrol. Refitting was commenced by Submarine Tender Bushnell on May l2, 1945.

On May 20, 1945, Devilfish got underway from Pearl Harbor for our 3rd War Patrol. After a short stop at Midway Island for voyage repairs, we proceeded to our assigned patrol area.

Orders were to conduct offensive patroI of the entrance to Tokyo Bay, and after several days to patrol another position on lifeguard duty. There were no opportunities to rescue downed aviators, and we proceeded to patrol the Bungo Suido area.

On June 16, an enemy submarine with a midget submarine mounted on her deck, just forward of the conning tower, was picked up by sound. Heavy seas and murky weather allowed only two quick looks by periscope. A rapid set up was made and two torpedoes were fired from the stern tubes. Both missed and the enemy submarine submerged. We were unable to regain contact after a long surface search. DeviIFish then moved to a new lifeguard station.

On July 2, 1945 we rendezvoused with the USS Trepang, the USS Springer, and the USS Sea Robin. We took aboard a total of nine Army aviators and one Navy appendicitis case for transportation to Guam.

On July 7, 1945, after a 48 day patrol we moored alongside the Submarine Tender Fulton (AS-11), at Guam, to be refitted by Submarine Division 342.

On August 2nd, we got underway from Guam to commence our fourth war patrol, enroute to the vicinity of Nanpo Shoto, to perform lifeguard and patrol duty. We arrived on station August 7, 1945.

On August 10, we dove at 0512 and studied the small Japanese Island, Tori Shima, for location of an early warning radio and radar installation, used by the Japanese to warn the mainland of an approaching US air raid.

At 0952 we surfaced with our stern toward the Island. As Capt. Mann said, "So we' re in position to run if we need to."

We bombarded the Island from a distance of 3500 yards.

When we started the bombardment the shells landed on the hillside above the installation. The Japanese came running out of the caves in the hill, and ran downhill, then several shells landed below them, and they ran back uphill. They lust didn't know where to run. There was no return fire of any kind. We fired 44 rounds of 5" ammunition. Several rounds fell right on the installations, and we are sure we destroyed their ability to relay any warnings. At 1015 we ceased firing, and proceeded to our lifeguard station.

August 15, 1945, at 1106 we receive msg. CSP 15144 (serial 32), ordering cease-fire, but to continue lifeguarding.

August 16, 1945, at 1750 received msg. CSP 10516, ordering Devilfish to proceed to Midway Island.

On August 22, 1945 we arrived at Midway and moored alongside the Submarine Tender Aegir.

When we got to Midway, my enlistment was up and also by the point system, I was eligible for discharge From the US Navy. I told Capt. Mann I wanted out.

I and several others in the crew were transferred to a repair ship leaving for San Francisco. That ended my tour on the USS DevilFish.

On September 1, 1945, the Devilfish got underway enroute to San Francisco. She arrived at Hunter's Point September 11, 1945. She later entered dry-dock to undergo preparations for placing the ship in reserve status.

In January 1947, the Devilfish was placed out of commission, in reserve at Mare Island, California.