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USS Dorado (SS-248)
Encyclopedia
USS Dorado (SS-248), a Gato-class submarine
, was the first submarine of the United States Navy
to be named for the dorado, also known as the dolphinfish or mahi-mahi
.
Her keel was laid down on 27 August 1942 by the Electric Boat
Company of Groton, Connecticut
. She was launched
on 23 May 1943 (sponsored by Mrs. Ezra G. Allen), and commissioned
on 28 August 1943, Lieutenant Commander
Earle Caffrey Schneider in command.
, on 6 October 1943 for the Panama Canal Zone
. She did not arrive.
The standard practice of imposing bombing restrictions within an area 50 nmi (92.6 km) ahead, 100 nmi (185.2 km) astern, and 15 nmi (27.8 km) on each side of the scheduled position of an unescorted submarine making passage in friendly waters had been carried out and all concerned had been notified. However, the crew of a PBM Mariner
of Patrol Squadron 210 out of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, assigned to provide air coverage on the evening of 12 October had received an incorrect description of the restriction area, 11 nmi (20.4 km) out of place.
At 2049 local time, under a moon-lit but stormy sky, that plane attacked an unidentified submarine
that it believed was outside the restriction area with three Mark-47 depth charge
s and a 100 lb (45.4 kg) Mark-4 Mod-4 demolition bomb. About two hours later, the plane sighted a second submarine
with which it attempted to exchange recognition signals. This second submarine fired upon the plane.
A convoy scheduled to pass through the restricted area surrounding Dorado on the evening of 12 October reported no contact.
Air searches were begun immediately after 14 October, her scheduled date of arrival. Widely scattered oil slicks with occasional debris were found. Subsequently the Board of Investigation held in Guantánamo Bay, and the more formal Naval Board of Inquiry
held at the Washington Navy Yard
, found that the "widely scattered oil slicks" were actually oleous in nature and not bunker oil or fuel - most probably rotting vegetation like seaweed
. All of the "occasional debris" was determined not to have come from Dorado.
At both the Board of Investigation and the Court of Inquiry, the aircrew testified that they were certain that both submarines they had attacked were U-boat
s. Despite the circumstantial evidence, there are reasons to doubt that Dorado was sunk by the Mariner. Because the crew knew that Dorado was operating in the area, they carefully observed their two targets before attacking. Prior to the first attack, the four crewmen of the aircraft observed the surfaced submarine for 12 minutes, noting:
Post-war examination of Kriegsmarine
records indicate that the submarine first attacked by the Mariner may have been U-518
, though that boat's logs do not record the attack. It is possible that the attack went unnoticed by the boat; of the three depth charges and one 100 pound bomb that were dropped, one depth charge was a confirmed dud, one was dropped too low to arm, and neither the third depth charge nor the bomb were seen to explode. After the attack, the Mariner searched the area for 20 minutes, but saw no explosions, bubbles, or debris.
The second submarine, attacked by the Mariner two hours later, was certainly U-214
; her log book, captured after World War II
, describes firing at the aircraft.
On 8 October, five miles off Colón
, U-214 laid a minefield of 15 mines. One of these may have sunk the United States Navy submarine on or about 14 October.
that stuck up out of the sandy bottom just off the Mexican coast—a handy reference point, especially easy to spot when the rising or setting sun threw the sail's silhouette across the white sand. However, since the 1970s, drifting sand has covered the site. Dorados buoyancy problems are cited to support the possibility that the bombing killed her crew, but left the boat in a buoyant condition so that she did not sink to the ocean floor, but rather drifted some 900 nmi (1,666.8 km) in the currents of the Caribbean Sea
until she grounded in the shallow water near the coast.
A memorial to Dorado has been constructed in the Veterans Memorial Park in Wichita, Kansas
on the Arkansas River
.
A 614-page book entitled "USS DORADO (SS-248): On Eternal Patrol" was published by Douglas E. Campbell in November 2011. ISBN 978-1-257-95155-0
Gato class submarine
The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...
, was the first submarine 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...
to be named for the dorado, also known as the dolphinfish or mahi-mahi
Mahi-mahi
The mahi-mahi or common dolphinfish is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. It is one of only two members of the Coryphaenidae family, the other being the pompano dolphinfish...
.
Her keel was laid down on 27 August 1942 by the Electric Boat
Electric boat
While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion...
Company of Groton, Connecticut
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 23 May 1943 (sponsored by Mrs. Ezra G. Allen), and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 28 August 1943, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Earle Caffrey Schneider in command.
Service history
Dorados sea trials proved the readiness of the crew, and she sailed from New London, ConnecticutNew London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, on 6 October 1943 for the Panama 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...
. She did not arrive.
The standard practice of imposing bombing restrictions within an area 50 nmi (92.6 km) ahead, 100 nmi (185.2 km) astern, and 15 nmi (27.8 km) on each side of the scheduled position of an unescorted submarine making passage in friendly waters had been carried out and all concerned had been notified. However, the crew of a PBM Mariner
PBM Mariner
The Martin PBM Mariner was a patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War period. It was designed to complement the PBY Catalina in service. A total of 1,366 were built, with the first example flying on 18 February 1939 and the type entering service in September 1940.-Design and...
of Patrol Squadron 210 out of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, assigned to provide air coverage on the evening of 12 October had received an incorrect description of the restriction area, 11 nmi (20.4 km) out of place.
At 2049 local time, under a moon-lit but stormy sky, that plane attacked an unidentified 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...
that it believed was outside the restriction area with three Mark-47 depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
s and a 100 lb (45.4 kg) Mark-4 Mod-4 demolition bomb. About two hours later, the plane sighted a second 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...
with which it attempted to exchange recognition signals. This second submarine fired upon the plane.
A convoy scheduled to pass through the restricted area surrounding Dorado on the evening of 12 October reported no contact.
Air searches were begun immediately after 14 October, her scheduled date of arrival. Widely scattered oil slicks with occasional debris were found. Subsequently the Board of Investigation held in Guantánamo Bay, and the more formal Naval Board of Inquiry
Naval Board of Inquiry
A Naval Board of Inquiry is a type of investigative court proceeding conducted by the United States Navy after the occurrence of an unanticipated event that adversely affects the performance, or reputation, of the fleet or one of its ships or stations.- Convening the board :Depending on the...
held at the Washington Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard
The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...
, found that the "widely scattered oil slicks" were actually oleous in nature and not bunker oil or fuel - most probably rotting vegetation like seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
. All of the "occasional debris" was determined not to have come from Dorado.
At both the Board of Investigation and the Court of Inquiry, the aircrew testified that they were certain that both submarines they had attacked were U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s. Despite the circumstantial evidence, there are reasons to doubt that Dorado was sunk by the Mariner. Because the crew knew that Dorado was operating in the area, they carefully observed their two targets before attacking. Prior to the first attack, the four crewmen of the aircraft observed the surfaced submarine for 12 minutes, noting:
- it was 48 nmi (88.9 km) from where they had been told to expect Dorado to be and 34 nmi (63 km) from where Dorado really was supposed to be
- it was heading almost 90 degrees off from Dorado’s base course
- it had no guns on the fore deck where Dorado carried a five-inch (127 mm) gun
- it had an entirely grooved deck where Dorados deck was grooved only near the conning towerConning towerA 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....
- it had a "knob-like" object on the front of the conning towerConning towerA 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....
, almost certainly the Biscay Cross radar detector installed on Type IX U-boats
Post-war examination of Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
records indicate that the submarine first attacked by the Mariner may have been U-518
Unterseeboot 518
German submarine U-518 was a Type IXC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.She saw considerable early success during World War II from her launch in 11 February 1942 until she was sunk on 22 April 1945....
, though that boat's logs do not record the attack. It is possible that the attack went unnoticed by the boat; of the three depth charges and one 100 pound bomb that were dropped, one depth charge was a confirmed dud, one was dropped too low to arm, and neither the third depth charge nor the bomb were seen to explode. After the attack, the Mariner searched the area for 20 minutes, but saw no explosions, bubbles, or debris.
The second submarine, attacked by the Mariner two hours later, was certainly U-214
Unterseeboot 214
German submarine U-214 was a Type VIID mine-laying U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II.Laid down on 5 October 1940 by Germaniawerft in Kiel, the boat was commissioned on 1 November 1941 with Kapitänleutnant Günther Reeder in command...
; her log book, captured after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, describes firing at the aircraft.
On 8 October, five miles off Colón
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
, U-214 laid a minefield of 15 mines. One of these may have sunk the United States Navy submarine on or about 14 October.
Syneca Research Group
The Syneca Research Group describes an unusual possible fate for Dorado: they assert the boat's sea trials were marred by a fire, a submerged grounding, and difficulties in diving the boat and keeping her submerged. They also believe they have evidence that aircraft pilots in the early 1970s were familiar with the remains of a submarine 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....
that stuck up out of the sandy bottom just off the Mexican coast—a handy reference point, especially easy to spot when the rising or setting sun threw the sail's silhouette across the white sand. However, since the 1970s, drifting sand has covered the site. Dorados buoyancy problems are cited to support the possibility that the bombing killed her crew, but left the boat in a buoyant condition so that she did not sink to the ocean floor, but rather drifted some 900 nmi (1,666.8 km) in the currents of the Caribbean Sea
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 she grounded in the shallow water near the coast.
A memorial to Dorado has been constructed in the Veterans Memorial Park in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
on the Arkansas River
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
.
A 614-page book entitled "USS DORADO (SS-248): On Eternal Patrol" was published by Douglas E. Campbell in November 2011. ISBN 978-1-257-95155-0
External links
- The Syneca Research Group's discussion of Dorado is published at http://www.ussdorado.com
- On Eternal Patrol: USS Dorado