USS Grampus (SS-207)

USS ''Grampus'' (SS-207) was the eighth ''Tambor''-class submarine to be commissioned in the United States Navy in the years leading up to the country's December 1941 entry into World War II. She was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for ''Grampus griseus'', also known as Risso's dolphin, a member of the dolphin family Delphinidae. Her World War II service was in the Pacific Ocean. She completed five war patrols in the following 14 months, and is credited with sinking over 45,000 tons of Japanese merchant shipping and warships. She was declared lost with all hands in March 1943; of the twelve ''Tambor''-class submarines, only five survived the war. She received three battle stars for her World War II service.

Construction and commissioning

''Grampus''′s keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on December 23, 1940, sponsored by Mrs. Clark H. Woodward, and commissioned on May 23, 1941 at New London, Connecticut.

Operational history

Pacific

After shakedown in Long Island Sound, ''Grampus'' sailed to the Caribbean Sea with on September 8 to conduct a modified war patrol, returning to New London, Connecticut, on September 28. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor found ''Grampus'' undergoing post-shakedown overhaul at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, but soon ready for war on 22 December, she sailed for the Pacific, reaching Pearl Harbor on February 1, 1942, via the Panama Canal and Mare Island.

On her first war patrol from February 8, 1942 to April 4, 1942, ''Grampus'' sank an 8636-ton tanker Kaijo Maru No.2 March 4, 1942, the only kill of her short career, and reconnoitered Kwajalein and Wotje atolls, later the scene of bloody but successful landings. ''Grampus second patrol en route to Fremantle, Australia, and her third patrol from that base were marred by a heavy number of antisubmarine patrol craft off Truk Lagoon and poor visibility as heavy rains haunted her path along the Luzon and Mindoro coasts.

Taking aboard four coast watchers, ''Grampus'' sailed from Fremantle on October 2, 1942 for her fourth war patrol. Despite the presence of Japanese destroyers, she landed the coast watchers on Vella Lavella and Choiseul islands while conducting her patrol. This patrol, during the height of the Guadalcanal campaign, took ''Grampus'' into waters teeming with Japanese men-of-war. She sighted a total of four enemy cruisers and 79 destroyers in five different convoys. Although she conducted a series of aggressive attacks on the Japanese ships, receiving 104 depth charges for her work, ''Grampus'' was not credited with sinking any ships. On October 18, 1942 ''Grampus'' even scored a direct hit on the '' Yura'', but the torpedo failed to explode. She returned to Australia on November 23.

''Grampus fifth war patrol, from December 14, 1942 to January 19, 1943, took her across access lanes frequented by Japanese submarines and other ships. Air and water patrol in this area was extremely heavy and although she conducted several daring attacks on the 41 contacts she sighted, ''Grampus'' again was denied a kill.

Sinking

In company with ''Grayback'', ''Grampus'' departed Brisbane on February 11, 1943 for her sixth war patrol, from which she failed to return; the manner of her loss still remains a mystery. Japanese seaplanes reported sinking a submarine on February 18 in ''Grampus''′s patrol area, but ''Grayback'' reported seeing ''Grampus'' in that same area on March 4. ''Grampus'' is believed to have damaged the Japanese merchant ship ''Keiyo Maru'' (6,442 GRT) on February 19 and the Japanese minesweeper on February 27, 1943. On March 5, 1943, the Japanese destroyers and conducted an antisubmarine attack near Kolombangara island. A heavy oil slick was sighted there the following day, indicating that ''Grampus'' may have been lost there in a night attack or gun battle against the destroyers. The Japanese destroyers had by then already been sunk in the Battle of Blackett Strait, a night action with U.S. light cruisers and destroyers.

When repeated attempts failed to contact ''Grampus'', the submarine was declared missing and presumed lost with all hands. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on June 21, 1943.

See also

* John R. Craig

References

*

Further reading

*

External links

On Eternal Patrol: USS ''Grampus''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grampus (SS-207)
Tambor-class submarines
World War II submarines of the United States
Lost submarines of the United States
Missing submarines of World War II
Ships built in Groton, Connecticut
1940 ships
Warships lost in combat with all hands
Maritime incidents in March 1943
Submarines sunk by Japanese warships