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Allied Warships

Sculpin (SS-191)

Submarine of the Sargo class


USS Sculping during the war

NavyThe US Navy
TypeSubmarine
ClassSargo 
Pennant191 
Built byPortsmouth Navy Yard (Kittery, Maine, U.S.A.) 
Ordered 
Laid down7 Sep, 1937 
Launched27 Jul, 1938 
Commissioned16 Jan, 1939 
Lost19 Nov, 1943 
Loss position10.00N, 152.50E (See a map)
 
HistoryUSS Sculpin (Cdr. F. Connaway) is heavily damaged by the Japanese destroyer Yamagumo (offsite link) about 150 miles north of Truk, Caroline Islands in position 10º00'N, 152º50'E. The submarine is forced to surface and is eventually scuttled by her own crew. Capt. J.P. Cromwell, the embarked submarine squadron commander in Sculpin, familiar with secret details of upcoming operations, decides to go down with the ship rather than risk capture and inevitable interrogation. For his decision to accept certain death, Cromwell is posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. 

Noteable events involving Sculpin include:

8 Dec, 1941
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) left Manila for her first war patrol. She was ordered to patrol north of Luzon.

22 Jan, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) ended her first war patrol at Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies.

30 Jan, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) leaves Surabaya for her second war patrol.

4 Feb, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) torpedoes and damages the Japanese destroyer Suzukaze (offsite link) off Staring Bay, south of Kendari, Celebes in position 04º00'S, 123º00'E. (see map)

17 Feb, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) is damaged by depth charges.

28 Feb, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) ends her second war patrol at Exmouth Bay, Australia. After making repairs she continued on to Fremantle.

13 Mar, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) leaves Fremantle for her 3th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off the Moluccas.

27 Apr, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) ends her 3th war patrol at Fremantle.

29 May, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) leaves Fremantle for her 4th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the South China Sea.

17 Jul, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) ended her 4th war patrol at Fremantle.

8 Sep, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) departs Brisbane, Australia for her 5th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the Bismarck Sea.

28 Sep, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) torpedoes and damages the Japanese seaplane carrier Nisshin east of Kokoda Island off New Britain in position 03º47'S, 151º36'E. Sculpin is damaged by depth charges but is able to continue her patrol. (see map)

7 Oct, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese troop transport Naminoue Maru (4731 GRT) off Rabaul in position 03º14'S, 150º01'E. (see map)

14 Oct, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese transport ship Sumiyoshi Maru (1921 GRT) about 75 nautical miles south-west of Kavieng, New Ireland in position 03º51'S, 151º21'E. (see map)

26 Oct, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) ends her 5th war patrol at Brisbane.

18 Nov, 1942
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) departs Brisbane for her 6th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off Truk in the Caroline Islands.

8 Jan, 1943
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) ends her 6th war patrol at Pearl Harbour. She is ordered to the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard in San Francisco, California for an overhaul.

24 May, 1943
With her overhaul completed USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) leaves Pearl Harbour for her 7th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in Japanese home waters off the vcoast of Honshu.

19 Jun, 1943
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) sinks the Japanese guardboat Miyasho Maru No.1 (79 GRT) and sailing vessel Sagami Maru (135 GRT) with gunfire off Inubozaki, Japan in position 37º11'N, 142º30'E. (see map)

4 Jul, 1943
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) ends her 7th war patrol at Midway.

25 Jul, 1943
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) left Midway for her 8th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol of Formosa.

9 Aug, 1943
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) torpeodes and sinks the Japanese passenger / cargo ship Sekko Maru (3183 GRT) east off northern Formosa in position 24º55'N, 122º00'E. (see map)

17 Sep, 1943
USS Sculpin (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Chappell) ended her 8th war patrol at Midway.

5 Nov, 1943
USS Sculpin (Cdr. F. Connaway) left Pearl Harbour for her 9th war patrol. She and two other submarines were ordered to patrol north of Truk, to intercept and attack Japanese forces leaving Truk to oppose the forthcoming invasion of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands. As Commanding Officer of this wolfpack Sculpin carried Capt. J.P. Cromwell aboard.




Back from the Deep

LaVO, Carl

Books dealing with this subject include:

Back from the Deep, LaVO, Carl, 1998


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