| Navy | The US Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | Sargo |
| Pennant | 191 |
| Built by | Portsmouth Navy Yard (Kittery, Maine, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 7 Sep 1937 |
| Launched | 27 Jul 1938 |
| Commissioned | 16 Jan 1939 |
| Lost | 19 Nov 1943 |
| Loss position | 10.00N, 152.50E (See a map) |
| History | USS 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. |
Commands listed for USS Sculpin (191)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | ||
| 1 | Lt. Warren D. Wilkin, USN | 16 Jan 1939 | ??? | |
| 2 | Lt.Cdr. Lucius Henry Chappell, USN | < Dec 41 | Sep 43 ? | |
| 3 | Cdr. Fred Connaway, USN | < Nov 43 | 19 Nov 1943 (+) | |
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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.
 tale of two subs, A Jonathan J. McCullough |
Books dealing with this subject include:
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