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USS Crevalle (SS-291)
Encyclopedia
USS Crevalle (SS/AGSS-291), a Balao-class
submarine
, was a ship of the United States Navy
named for the crevalle, the yellow mackerel
, a food fish, found on both coasts of tropical America, and in the Atlantic as far north as Cape Cod. "Crevalle" is pronounced "cre-VAL-ley," with the accent on the second syllable.
Crevalle was launched 22 February 1943 by Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine
; sponsored by Mrs. C. W. Fisher; and commissioned 24 June 1943, Lieutenant Commander H. G. Munson in command.
, Australia
, from New London
11 October 1943, and after replenishing there and at Darwin
, put to sea 27 October on her first war patrol, in the Sulu
and South China Sea
s. On 15 November she sank a passenger-cargo ship of almost 7,000 tons, and made two more attacks on merchant ships before returning to Fremantle
, Australia, for refit 7 December.
Her second war patrol, in the South China Sea from 30 December 1943 to 15 February 1944, found her attacking a submerged Japan
ese submarine on 7 January, only to know the frustration of premature torpedo explosion. In a hazardous special mission, she laid mines
off Saigon on 14 and 15 January, and on 26 January sent a Japanese freighter to the bottom. A surface action with a small patrol boat on 11 February sank the enemy craft, and on 15 February, Crevalle fired at several targets in a large convoy
, prudently clearing the area before the results of her firing could be verified.
on another daring special mission.
She rescued 40 refugees here, including 28 women and children, and 4 men who had survived the Bataan Death March
and made their escape. She also took off the family of an American missionary
, who having seen his family to safety, returned ashore at the last minute to continue his ministry among the guerrillas
. Along with her passengers, Crevalle recovered a group of important documents (the Japanese "Z plan
"), and transferred all she could spare in the way of supplies to the guerrillas. In May 1944, while returning with her passengers to Darwin, Crevalle was spotted by a Japanese bomber on the third day of the journey. With four working torpedoes Capt. Walker maneuvered to attack, but was severely depth-charged by a Japanese convoy, a special ordeal for the passengers. The periscopes and radar were knocked out. They were landed safely at Darwin 19 May, 8 days after leaving the Philippines. Crevalle sailed on to refit at Fremantle.
For her fourth war patrol, Crevalle returned to the South China Sea, as well as cruising off the northern Philippines, between 21 June and 9 August 1944. In company with three other submarines for most of this patrol, Crevalle joined in a 30-hour pursuit and attack on a convoy on 25 July and 26 July, sinking one freighter, and polishing off another already crippled by one of her groups. Two days later, Crevalle inflicted heavy damage on another freighter.
hatches open, washing the lookout overboard. The flow of water through the upper hatch, which was latched opened, prevented anyone in the conning tower from closing it. The lower hatch to the control was blocked by a piece of floor matting.
At 150 foot the hatch was seen to close and lock. The ship continued diving to 190 foot at an angle that reached 42 degrees down. With communications out, an alert machinist's mate, Robert L. Yeager, saved the submarine by backing full without orders. The pump room, control room and conning tower flooded completely, and all electrical equipment was inoperative. Yeager received the Silver Star
for his action.
Bringing the submarine under control, her men surfaced and were able to recover the lookout, but not Lt. Blind. It was later determined that the stern planes had jammed in the full dive position causing the sudden dive. With Fritchen having been washed off the bridge when the submarine dived, it was concluded that Blind had hung on the ship, and sacrificed his life in unlatching the upper conning tower hatch, saving the submarine. Blind posthumously received the Navy Cross
for his action. Blind, a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
, had married a woman in Australia
only two weeks before his death.
Crevalle made her way back to Fremantle 22 September, and sailed on to an overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard
, followed by training at Pearl Harbor
.
, she took up a lifeguard station during air strikes preparing for the Okinawa invasion
, then on 23 April – 25 April, made a hazardous search for a minefield believed to be located near the southern entrance to the Tsushima Strait
s.
She returned to Guam
to refit from 3 May to 27 May, then sailed for her seventh war patrol in the northeast section of the Sea of Japan
. She sank a freighter a day on 9 June, 10 June, and 11 June, and on 22 June inflicted heavy damage on an escort ship. Returning to Pearl Harbor 5 July, she got underway once more on 11 August, but received word of the end of hostilities before entering her assigned patrol area. She called at Guam and Saipan
before returning to Pearl Harbor 10 September, then on 13 September, cleared for New York City
, arriving 5 October.
, her assigned home port, 27 March 1946. She cruised to the Canal Zone
and the Virgin Islands
before being placed out of commission in reserve at New London 20 July 1946.
Recommissioned 6 September 1951, Crevalle took part in training, exercises, and fleet operations along the East Coast
and in the Caribbean
until 19 August 1955, when she was again placed out of commission in reserve at New London. Again recommissioned 11 April 1957, she resumed her East Coast and Caribbean operations through 1960.
Crevalle was reclassified an Auxiliary Research Submarine AGSS-291 in 1960. She was decommissioned, 9 March 1962. Crevalle was struck from the Naval Register, 15 April 1968, and sold for scrap
, 17 March 1971.
All of Crevalles war patrols, save the interrupted fifth, were designated as "successful", and the first four won her the Navy Unit Commendation
for distinguished performance of duty as well as four battle stars. Her last two war patrols were recognized with one battle star awarded for the Okinawa operation. She is credited with having sunk a total of 51,814 tons of shipping, and shared in the credit for an additional 8,666 tons.
Balao class submarine
The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
, was a ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
named for the crevalle, the yellow mackerel
Crevalle jack
The crevalle jack, Caranx hippos is a common species of large marine fish classified within the jack family, Carangidae...
, a food fish, found on both coasts of tropical America, and in the Atlantic as far north as Cape Cod. "Crevalle" is pronounced "cre-VAL-ley," with the accent on the second syllable.
Crevalle was launched 22 February 1943 by Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine
Kittery, Maine
Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
; sponsored by Mrs. C. W. Fisher; and commissioned 24 June 1943, Lieutenant Commander H. G. Munson in command.
First and second war patrols, October 1943 – February 1944
Crevalle arrived at BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, from New London
Naval Submarine Base New London
Naval Submarine Base New London is the United States Navy's primary submarine base, the "Home of the Submarine Force", and "the Submarine Capital of the World".-History:...
11 October 1943, and after replenishing there and at Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, put to sea 27 October on her first war patrol, in the Sulu
Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.Sulu Sea contains a number of...
and South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
s. On 15 November she sank a passenger-cargo ship of almost 7,000 tons, and made two more attacks on merchant ships before returning to Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
, Australia, for refit 7 December.
Her second war patrol, in the South China Sea from 30 December 1943 to 15 February 1944, found her attacking a submerged Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese submarine on 7 January, only to know the frustration of premature torpedo explosion. In a hazardous special mission, she laid mines
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
off Saigon on 14 and 15 January, and on 26 January sent a Japanese freighter to the bottom. A surface action with a small patrol boat on 11 February sank the enemy craft, and on 15 February, Crevalle fired at several targets in a large convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
, prudently clearing the area before the results of her firing could be verified.
Third and fourth war patrols, April – August 1944
On 16 March 1944 while refitting at Fremantle, Commander F. D. Walker assumed command, and on 4 April, Crevalle sailed for the South China Sea. She sank a freighter 25 April, and an oiler 6 May, and on 11 May surfaced off Negros Island in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on another daring special mission.
She rescued 40 refugees here, including 28 women and children, and 4 men who had survived the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
and made their escape. She also took off the family of an American missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, who having seen his family to safety, returned ashore at the last minute to continue his ministry among the guerrillas
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
. Along with her passengers, Crevalle recovered a group of important documents (the Japanese "Z plan
Z Plan (Japan)
The Z Plan is a set of captured World War II documents describing Japanese military plans to counterattack the Americans in the central Pacific ocean for one last decisive battle...
"), and transferred all she could spare in the way of supplies to the guerrillas. In May 1944, while returning with her passengers to Darwin, Crevalle was spotted by a Japanese bomber on the third day of the journey. With four working torpedoes Capt. Walker maneuvered to attack, but was severely depth-charged by a Japanese convoy, a special ordeal for the passengers. The periscopes and radar were knocked out. They were landed safely at Darwin 19 May, 8 days after leaving the Philippines. Crevalle sailed on to refit at Fremantle.
For her fourth war patrol, Crevalle returned to the South China Sea, as well as cruising off the northern Philippines, between 21 June and 9 August 1944. In company with three other submarines for most of this patrol, Crevalle joined in a 30-hour pursuit and attack on a convoy on 25 July and 26 July, sinking one freighter, and polishing off another already crippled by one of her groups. Two days later, Crevalle inflicted heavy damage on another freighter.
Fifth war patrol, September 1944
Refitted once more at Fremantle, Crevalle put to sea on her fifth war patrol 1 September 1944. Ten days later, she surfaced after a routine trim dive. A lookout, Bill Fritchen, was first through the hatch followed closely by the Officer of the Deck, Lt. Howard James Blind. Fifteen seconds later, the boat took a sharp down angle, and submerged with the upper and lower conning towerConning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
hatches open, washing the lookout overboard. The flow of water through the upper hatch, which was latched opened, prevented anyone in the conning tower from closing it. The lower hatch to the control was blocked by a piece of floor matting.
At 150 foot the hatch was seen to close and lock. The ship continued diving to 190 foot at an angle that reached 42 degrees down. With communications out, an alert machinist's mate, Robert L. Yeager, saved the submarine by backing full without orders. The pump room, control room and conning tower flooded completely, and all electrical equipment was inoperative. Yeager received the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
for his action.
Bringing the submarine under control, her men surfaced and were able to recover the lookout, but not Lt. Blind. It was later determined that the stern planes had jammed in the full dive position causing the sudden dive. With Fritchen having been washed off the bridge when the submarine dived, it was concluded that Blind had hung on the ship, and sacrificed his life in unlatching the upper conning tower hatch, saving the submarine. Blind posthumously received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for his action. Blind, a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
, had married a woman in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
only two weeks before his death.
Crevalle made her way back to Fremantle 22 September, and sailed on to an overhaul at Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located 25 miles northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates the peninsula shipyard from the main portion of the...
, followed by training at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
.
Sixth and seventh war patrol, March – July 1945
The submarine put to sea on her sixth war patrol from Pearl Harbor 13 March 1945. Cruising in the East China SeaEast China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
, she took up a lifeguard station during air strikes preparing for the Okinawa invasion
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
, then on 23 April – 25 April, made a hazardous search for a minefield believed to be located near the southern entrance to the Tsushima Strait
Tsushima Strait
is the eastern channel of the Korea Strait, which lies between Korea and Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.The Tsushima Strait is the broader eastern channel to the east and southeast of Tsushima Island, with the Japanese islands of Honshū to the east and northeast, and...
s.
She returned to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
to refit from 3 May to 27 May, then sailed for her seventh war patrol in the northeast section of the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
. She sank a freighter a day on 9 June, 10 June, and 11 June, and on 22 June inflicted heavy damage on an escort ship. Returning to Pearl Harbor 5 July, she got underway once more on 11 August, but received word of the end of hostilities before entering her assigned patrol area. She called at Guam and Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
before returning to Pearl Harbor 10 September, then on 13 September, cleared for New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, arriving 5 October.
Post-war service
After a repair period, Crevalle reported at New LondonNaval Submarine Base New London
Naval Submarine Base New London is the United States Navy's primary submarine base, the "Home of the Submarine Force", and "the Submarine Capital of the World".-History:...
, her assigned home port, 27 March 1946. She cruised to the Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
and the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
before being placed out of commission in reserve at New London 20 July 1946.
Recommissioned 6 September 1951, Crevalle took part in training, exercises, and fleet operations along the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and in the Caribbean
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
until 19 August 1955, when she was again placed out of commission in reserve at New London. Again recommissioned 11 April 1957, she resumed her East Coast and Caribbean operations through 1960.
Crevalle was reclassified an Auxiliary Research Submarine AGSS-291 in 1960. She was decommissioned, 9 March 1962. Crevalle was struck from the Naval Register, 15 April 1968, and sold for scrap
Scrap
Scrap is a term used to describe recyclable and other materials left over from every manner of product consumption, such as parts of vehicles, building supplies, and surplus materials. Unlike waste, scrap has significant monetary value...
, 17 March 1971.
All of Crevalles war patrols, save the interrupted fifth, were designated as "successful", and the first four won her the Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
for distinguished performance of duty as well as four battle stars. Her last two war patrols were recognized with one battle star awarded for the Okinawa operation. She is credited with having sunk a total of 51,814 tons of shipping, and shared in the credit for an additional 8,666 tons.