OCTOBER
28 October 1923 O-5 (SS 66) 3 killed – While in the Canal Zone O-5 (SS 66 ) was struck on the starboard side of the Control Room by the steamer SS Abangarez of the United Fruit Company, which opened a large hole 3 were killed and 16 escaped. Two were trapped in the forward torpedo room Henry Breault and Lawrence Brown. Engineers and Divers were able to raise the boat high enough to expose the forward hatch and rescued the two trapped sailors. It was later learned that Brown was on his way to escape Breault realized Brown was still in the torpedo room and he returned to assist him. Brown was awarded the Medal of Honor.
7 October 1943 SS 155 56 killed, 2 survivors taken prisoner. On her fifth War Patrol she was spotted by a Japanese Escort in the Kuril Islands and shelled. An attempt to submerge failed. As the crew waved a pillow case to surrender the Escort continued shelling; all but two of the crew survived and were taken prisoner of War.
11 October 1943 SS 328 Wahoo 80 killed all hands lost While on her seventh War Patrol Wahoo was attacked while transiting the Soya (La Perouse) Strait between Japan and Russia. The wreck was discovered in 2006 in 213 feet of water by a direct hit from an aerial bomb near the conning tower.
12 October 1943 SS 248 Dorado 77 killed, all hands lost while in route to Panama Canal Zone. Naval Court of Inquiry concluded it was highly likely Dorado was sunk by friendly fire. An air attack made by a PBM Mariner aircraft from Patrol Squadron 210 of Guantanamo Bay which had an incorrect description of a restricted Bomb area designated to protect against such a misidentification.
3 October 1944 SS 197 Seawolf 100 killed, all hands lost: Was most likely lost to friendly fire after Seawolf, operating in the Morotai area, failed to report her position.
17 October 1944 SS 294 Escolar 82 killed all hands lost suspected mine off Tsushima Strait in the Yellow Sea. A study of Japanese records after the war suggest she may have been sunk by Escort Destroyer Number 38 after a barrage of approximately 30 Depth charges.
24 October 1944 SS 227 Darter grounded Palawan Passage (Leyte Gulf) no loss of life
24 October 1944 SS 314 Shark 87 killed all hands lost. Shark was operating with USS Seadragon in late October on Lifeguard duty. Shark reported she was about to engage a freighter and sank a prison ship, the Arisan Maru which had no markings that it was a prison ship carrying American Prisoners. In the same engagement the Japanese Destroyer Harukaze used depth charges to sink Shark in the Luzon Strait.
25 October 1944 SS 306 Tang 78 killed 9 survived as POWs. While concluding her Fifth War patrol, Tang fired her last of 24 torpedoes, which broached, circled back to the left and struck Tang. Of the nine officers and men on the bridge only three survived, including the CO O’Kane, others who escaped Tang swam through the night until picked up eight hours later, 78 others perished. O’Kane was among nine who were taken prisoner. After the war O’Kane was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Pictured SS 155