USS Corvina

USS ''Corvina'' (SS-226), a ''Gato''-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the corvina.

Construction and commissioning

''Corvina''′s keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut, on 21 September 1942. She was launched on 9 May 1943, sponsored by Mrs. LaRene P. Christie, wife of Rear Admiral Ralph. W. Christie, commander of submarine operations in Fremantle, Australia, and commissioned on 6 August 1943.

Service record

Clearing New London, Connecticut, on 18 September 1943, ''Corvina '' arrived at Pearl Harbor on 14 October. She put out from Pearl Harbor on her maiden war patrol 4 November, topped up her fuel tanks at Johnston Island two days later, and was never heard from again.

Her assignment had been a dangerous one: to patrol as closely as possible to the heavily guarded stronghold of Truk and to intercept any Japanese sortie endangering the forthcoming American invasion of the Gilbert Islands. Japanese records report that Japanese submarine ''I-176'' launched three torpedoes at an enemy submarine south of Truk on 16 November, claiming two hits which resulted in the explosion of the target. The submarine was reported as presumed lost on 23 December 1943. Her loss with her crew of 82 was announced 14 March 1944, making ''Corvina'' the only American submarine to have been sunk by a Japanese submarine in the entire war.

In popular culture

The 1951 John Wayne film ''Operation Pacific'' makes reference to the loss of ''Corvina''. In the film, the fictitious ''Gato''-class submarine USS ''Thunderfish'' makes an impromptu rendezvous with ''Corvina'' after ''Corvina'' reported problems with her Number 4 diesel engine. The submarines exchange engine parts and the commanding officers also exchange films, Lieutenant Commander Duke E. Gifford (played by Wayne) offering ''George Washington Slept Here'' and ''Corvina''′s captain offering "a submarine picture," later revealed to be the 1943 film ''Destination Tokyo''. Later, while the crew of ''Thunderfish'' is watching ''Destination Tokyo'', Gifford tries to figure out the source of torpedo explosions reported by ''Thunderfish''′s sonar operator. The following day, ''Thunderfish'' comes across wreckage, and discovers the case containing ''George Washington Slept Here'', revealing that ''Corvina'' had been sunk. ''Thunderfish''′s radar then reports a single contact, and the submarine submerges. Gifford discovers "one I-type Jap submarine" while looking through the periscope. ''Thunderfish'' then engages, torpedoes, and sinks the Japanese submarine, avenging the loss of ''Corvina''.

See also

* List of U.S. Navy losses in World War II

References

External links

On Eternal Patrol: USS ''Corvina''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corvina (SS-226)
Gato-class submarines
World War II submarines of the United States
Lost submarines of the United States
World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean
Ships built in Groton, Connecticut
Ships sunk by Japanese submarines
1943 ships
Warships lost in combat with all hands
Maritime incidents in November 1943
Submarines sunk by submarines