Submarine USS S-44 (SS-155)

The keel of USS S-44 (SS-155) was laid down on 19 February 1921 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation...a subcontractor of the Electric Boat Company of New York City, New York...at Quincy, Massachusetts. The submarine was christened by Mrs. Hugo E. Grieshaber and launched on 27 October 1923. The S-boat was commissioned on 16 February 1925 with Lieutenant Arnold H. Bateman in command.

When commissioned, the S-42 Class coastal submarine torpedo boat was 225 feet 3 inches in length overall; had an extreme beam of 20 feet 8 inches; had a normal surface displacement of 906 tons, and, when in that condition, had a mean draft of 16 feet. Submerged displacement was 1,126 tons. The hulls were riveted. The designed compliment was four officers and thirty-four enlisted men. The boat could operate safely to a depth of 200 feet. The submarine was armed with four 21-inch torpedo tubes...installed in the bow. Twelve torpedoes were carried. One 4-inch/50 caliber deck gun was installed. The full load of diesel oil carried was 46,363 gallons, which fueled two 600 designed brake horsepower Model 8-EB-15NR diesel engines manufactured by the New London Ship and Engine Company at Groton, Connecticut...which could drive the boat...via a diesel direct drive propulsion system...at 14.5 knots on the surface. Power for submerged propulsion was provided by a main storage battery, divided into two sixty-cell batteries, manufactured by the Electric Storage Battery Company (EXIDE) at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...which powered two 750 designed brake horsepower main propulsion motors manufactured by the Electro Dynamic Company at Bayonne, New Jersey...which turned propeller shafts...which turned propellers...which could drive the submarine at 11 knots for a short period of time when operating beneath the surface of the sea. Slower submerged speeds resulted in greater endurances before the batteries needed to be recharged by the engines and generators.

USS S-44 (SS-155) operated off the New England coast of the United States into the summer of 1925. In late August, the S-boat departed the United States Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut, for Panama, and, on 5 September, arrived at the Naval Submarine Base at Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone to join Submarine Division 19. With that division, the submarine conducted training exercises, participated in fleet problems and joint Army-Navy maneuvers, and made good will visits to various Caribbean Sea, Pacific Ocean, and Latin American ports until the spring of 1927. From that time to December of 1930, she operated out of San Diego with her division, interrupting exercises off southern California twice for fleet problems in Hawaiian waters.

During December of 1930, USS S-44 was transferred to the Territory of Hawaii where her division, now Submarine Division 11, was homeported for four years. The S-boats then returned to San Diego; and, in 1937, the submarines were shifted back to Coco Solo.

In the spring of 1941, as American involvement in World War II increased, the Panama S-boats were ordered back to the east coast of the United States for overhaul. With USS S-42 (SS-153) and USS S-46 (SS-157), USS S-44 proceeded to the submarine base at Groton, Connecticut, and, thence, in November, to the Philadelphia Navy Yard at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where her overhaul work was done.

On 7 December 1941, the Japanese attacked units and facilities in the Territory of Hawaii...thus plunging the United States into World War II as an active participant.

Following completion of overhaul in the City of Brotherly Love, USS S-44 conducted sea trials into the new year of 1942; and, on 7 January, the S-boat got underway and transited to the Panama Canal Zone. Arriving there on the 16th of January, she departed Balboa on the 24th with USS S-21 (SS-126), USS S-26 (SS-131), and USS S-28 (SS-133) to conduct a security patrol in the western approaches to the Panama Canal. Within a few hours, however, the submarine was engaged in rescue operations for USS S-26...which had been rammed and sunk by USS PC-460.

From Panama, the division, now Submarine Division 53, was ordered to the Southwest Pacific Ocean area. USS S-44 transited the Pacific Ocean and arrived at Brisbane, Australia, on 14 April 1942. Under the command of Lieutenant John R. 'Dinty' Moore, USS S-44 had the luxury of air-conditioning, with the unit having been bought by the workers of the Philadelphia Navy Yard...and installed by members of the ship's force. With this innovation, the S-boat was certainly the envy of the other "Sugar" boat crews as temperatures in these older submarines sometimes reached unbearable levels when operating in tropical climates.

Nine days after arriving at Brisbane, USS S-44 got underway from alongside submarine tender USS Griffin (AS-13), which was moored to New Farm Wharf near Brisbane, on 23 April 1942, and commenced her first war patrol. She was to patrol the area between New Britain and New Ireland, but, just three days out, her port main engine started to give trouble and had to be shut down. Then followed nearly thirty-six hours of backbreaking work before the engine could finally be placed back in commission and the patrol resumed.

On the 29th of April, USS S-44 began running submerged during the day and surfacing at night to recharge batteries and allow fresh air into the boat. By 2 May, the submarine was in her patrol area in New Britain-New Ireland waters. Six days later, she sighted a ship through a haze of rain; fired two torpedoes; missed; and attempted to close for another attack. The surface ship soon outdistanced her. The next afternoon, the S-boat attempted to close a destroyer, east of Adler Bay; but, again, was easily outrun. On the 10th, off Cape Saint George, she closed another target but was sighted and attacked.

During the late afternoon of the 12th, fifteen miles from the cape, the submarine sighted a merchantman and a trawler escort. For the first time, the weather, her position, and the target's course were in her favor. Four torpedoes were fired; two hit the target. "Shoei Maru," a salvage vessel of 5,644 tons, went under. Her escort went after USS S-44 and delivered sixteen or more depth charges ...none of which were close. On the 14th, the submarine headed for home, and arrived at Brisbane on the 23rd of May 1942.

Overhaul followed; and, on 7 June 1942, USS S-44 again moved out of Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Australia, on a course set for the Solomons. Within the week, the S-boat was on patrol off Guadalcanal, operating from that island to Savo Island and to Florida Island. A few days later, she shifted south of Guadalcanal, and, on the 21st, sent the 2,626-ton converted gunboat "Keijo Maru" to the bottom in an attack to the west of Gavutu. The force of the explosion, the rain of debris, and the appearance and attack of a Japanese antisubmarine warfare (ASW) plane forced USS S-44 down. At 1415, USS S-44 fired her torpedoes at the gunboat. At 1418, the enemy plane dropped a bomb which exploded close enough to bend the holding latch to the conning tower, allowing in thirty gallons of sea water; damaging the depth gauges, gyro-compass, and ice machine; and starting leaks. Her number one periscope was thought to be damaged; but, when the submarine surfaced for repairs, the "trouble" was found to be caused by a Japanese seaman's coat wrapped around the head of the periscope.

Three days later, USS S-44 was in Lunga Roads. On the 26th, poor weather set in and blanketed the area until the S-boat turned for home. She departed her patrol area on the 29th and arrived back in Moreton Bay on 5 July 1942.

USS S-44 departed Brisbane again on 24 July 1942. Cloudy weather, with squalls, set in. On the 31st, the submarine commenced patrolling in the Rabaul-Tulagi shipping lanes. The next day, the S-boat sighted a convoy off Cape Saint George, but heavy swells hindered depth control and speed, and precluded her from attacking the convoy.

From Cape Saint George, USS S-44 moved up the east coast of New Ireland to North Cape and Kavieng, where she waited.

On 7 August 1942, the Allied offensive opened with landings on the beaches of Guadalcanal, Tulagi, Gavutu, and Florida Islands. On 9 August, off Savo Island, Cruiser Division 6 of the Imperial Japanese Navy inflicted one of the worst defeats of the war on Allied surface ships. The next morning, the victorious cruisers neared Kavieng.

At 0750, USS S-44 sighted the formation, four heavy cruisers; their track less than 900 yards away. At 0806, she fired four torpedoes at the rear ship, only 700 yards away. By 0808, all four torpedoes had exploded; "Kako" was sinking; and USS S-44 had begun her escape. By 0812, Japanese destroyers had started depth charging, but without success. The 8,800-ton Japanese heavy cruiser "Kako," was, at that time, the largest Japanese warship sunk by a submarine of the United States Navy.

Three days later, USS S-44 was again fighting heavy swells. Her damaged bow planes required three hours to rig; after which they remained out. On the 23rd of August 1942, the S-boat concluded her war patrol by mooring at Brisbane...where she received a warm welcome and Commanding Officer Moore was awarded the Navy Cross.

Commanding Officer Moore was also rewarded by being given command of fleet-type submarine USS Sailfish (SS-192). The new commanding officer of USS S-44 was Lieutenant Commander Reuben Whitaker.

On 17 September 1942, USS S-44 began her fourth war patrol. The following day, a hydrogen fire blazed in her forward battery compartment, but was extinguished in three minutes. On the 23rd, the submarine began surfacing only at night; and, two days later, she assumed patrol operations off New Georgia to intercept Japan's Faisi-Guadalcanal supply line. During the patrol, her hunting was hindered by Japanese aerial and surface antisubmarine patrols and her own operational capabilities, which were further limited by material defects and damage inflicted during depth chargings.

On the morning of 4 October, USS S-44 damaged a Japanese destroyer, then survived an extensive depth charge attack with seemingly minor damage. The next day, however, when she submerged, the submarine began taking on water. She surfaced, made repairs on the high induction valves, then submerged to fifty feet. Leaks were found in her motor room and torpedo room flappers. The latter were jacked shut, but the former continued spraying water onto the two main motors. Within an hour, four Japanese destroyers had moved into the area. USS S-44 went to 70 feet. The leak worsened. The motors were covered with canvas and sheet rubber and the crew waited for the destroyers to pass over her position. As they disappeared, USS S-44 came up to fifty-five feet and repairs were made on the flapper valves. That night, further repairs were made while the submarine was surfaced off Santa Isabel Island; and, by midnight, the S-boat was enroute back to her patrol area. On the 7th of October, bad weather set in; and, on the 8th, she departed the area, transited back to Australia...arriving in Moreton Bay, Brisbane, on the 14th of October.

Lieutenant Commander Whitaker was in line to command a fleet-type submarine and left USS S-44...but no fleet-type submarine became available. So he received orders to report to USS Flying Fish (SS-229) as executive officer. It was a bitter disappointment to him, but he was to go on to command the top-scoring United States submarine, USS Flasher (SS-249). The new commanding officer of USS S-44 was Lieutenant Commander Francis E. Brown, who had survived the grounding and loss of his previous command, USS S-39 (SS-144).

A month later, USS S-44 departed Brisbane and transited eastward to the United States. During early January of 1943, the submarine moved through the Panama Canal, the Caribbean Sea, and up the eastern seaboard of the United States to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. There, from April to June, she underwent overhaul; then, in July, she retransited the Panama Canal en route to San Diego and further north to the Aleutians.

USS S-44 arrived at Dutch Harbor on 16 September 1943. On the 26th of September, the S-boat departed Attu on her last war patrol. One day out, while en route to her operating area in the northern Kurils, she was spotted and attacked by a Japanese patrol plane. Suffering no damage, she continued west. On the night of 7 October, the submarine made radar contact with a "small merchantman" and closed in for a surface attack. Several hundred yards from the target, her deck gun fired and was answered by a salvo. The "small merchantman" was a destroyer-type vessel. The order to dive was given, but USS S-44 failed to submerge. The S-boat took several hits--in the control room, in the forward battery room, and elsewhere.

USS S-44 (SS-155) was ordered abandoned. A pillow case was put up from the torpedo room hatch as a flag of surrender, but the new Japanese escort ship "Ishigaki" continued firing as the submarine went down. Lieutenant Commander Brown and fifty-four of his crew were lost with the S-boat, but, by some miracle, two crewmembers survived. Chief Torpedoman's Mate Ernest A. Duva and Radioman Third Class William F. Whitmore were picked up by the Japanese and received harsh treatment at the hands of their captors. Taken initially to Paramushiro, then to the Naval Interrogation Camp at Ofuna, the two submariners spent the last year of World War II working in the Ashio copper mines. They were repatriated by the Allies at the end of that war.

The following fifty-five members of USS S-44's crew made the final dive with their boat:

Billy M. Beck, Seaman First Class

Tobias R. Biller, Seaman First Class

Francis E. Brown, Lieutenant Commander...the commanding officer

Leo E. Butters, Chief Ship's Cook

Charles F. Calvert, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Patrick A. Carrier, Electrician's Mate Third Class

Tom Cleverdon, Chief Pharmacist's Mate

Thomas O. Cooper, Seaman Second Class

Paul P. Cutright, Motor Machinist's Mate First Class

William Dillow, Chief Motor Machinist's Mate

William H. Ellis, Electrician's Mate Third Class

William E. Erhart, Seaman First Class

Rhollo R. Fees, Motor Machinist's Mate First Class

Earl D. Ferrell, Yeoman Second Class

David E. Gander, Fireman First Class

Frank George, Fireman First Class

Fred Giles, Junior, Fireman First Class

Frederick E. Gillen, Junior, Seaman Second Class

Curtis Glenn, Cook Second Class

Edward W. Godfrey, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Tommie L. Goodin, Fireman Third Class

Junior L. Green, Fireman Third Class

Anthony Harasimowicz, Chief Electrician's Mate

Holly J. Howard, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Nicholas A. Hugyo, Motor Machinist's Mate First Class

Philip J. Jaworski, Gunner's Mate Second Class

Clidie N. Johnston, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Lyle N. Klink, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Arthur L. Miller, Chief Motor Machinist's Mate

Herman M. Mitchell, Signalman Second Class

William I. Morris, Torpedoman's Mate Third Class

Clarence E. Moss, Gunner's Mate First Class

Benjamin M. Nash, Ensign

Thomas S. Parr, Junior, Signalman Second Class

F. K. Queen, Lieutenant Junior Grade

Billy M. Queen, Ship's Cook Second Class

Robert G. Quinn, Lieutenant...the executive officer

Eugene M. Rauch, Electrician's Mate Third Class

Russell G. Rodgers, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Lloyd J. Rodin, Seaman Second Class

Harry Rosenberg, Radioman Third Class

John V. Rubits, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

James H. Sloan, Junior, Fireman First Class

Arthur E. Smith, Torpedoman's Mate Third Class

Charles W. Smith, Electrician's Mate First Class

George F. Smith, Chief Signalman

John R. Stephens, Radioman First Class

James T. Stephenson, Junior, Lieutenant Junior Grade

Harold A. Stromsoe, Chief Torpedoman's Mate

Dale R. Thompson, Motor Machinist's Mate Second Class

Frank A. Turner, Junior, Quartermaster Third Class

Joe A. Velebny, Torpedoman's Mate First Class

Robert L. Warburton, Seaman First Class

George S. Wester, Seaman First Class

John C. Wood, Fireman First Class

USS S-44 (SS-155) was avenged on 31 May 1944 when USS Herring (SS-233) torpedoed and sank "Ishigaki."

USS S-44 (SS-155) received two battle stars for her services during World War II.

---end---