Harry Holt Greer, Jr., USN
| Born | 14 Feb 1911 | Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA | |
| Died | 26 May 1973 | (62) | ?, New York, USA |
| Ranks
Retired: 1 Jul 1964 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Harry Holt Greer, USN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| USS Seahorse (304) | T/Cdr. | Submarine | 3 Nov 1944 | 25 Sep 1945 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Submarine USS Seahorse (304)
4 Nov 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1200W/4, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) departed Pearl Harbour for San Francisco.
12 Nov 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) arrived at the Mare Island Navy Yard from Pearl Harbour. At the Mare Island Navy Yard she was taken in hand for refit.
18 Jan 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted trials / exercises off San Francisco during which she was escorted / assisted by USS King (Lt. R.J. O'Neill, USNR).
5 Feb 1945
During 5/6 February 1945, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off San Francisco during which she was escorted / assisted by USS King (Lt. R.J. O'Neill, USNR).
10 Feb 1945
Around 0900U/10, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) departed Mare Island / San Francisco for Pearl Harbour. She was escorted out by USS PC-790
(Lt. J.L. Sharp, USNR)
18 Feb 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0945VW/18, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) arrived at Pearl Harbour from Mare Island / San Francisco.
23 Feb 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour.
24 Feb 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour.
25 Feb 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour.
27 Feb 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour.
28 Feb 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour.
1 Mar 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
During 1/2 March 1945, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour.
3 Mar 1945
During 3/4 March 1945, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) and USS Cabrilla (T/Lt.Cdr. H.C. Lauerman, USN) conducted exercises, including night exercises, off Pearl Harbour together with USS Pruitt (Lt. D.B. Harby, USNR) and USS Florikan (Lt. D. Hima, USN).
9 Mar 1945
Around 1330VW/9, USS Tigrone (T/Cdr. H. Cassedy, USN), USS Bullhead (T/Cdr. W.T. Griffith, USN) and USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) departed Pearl Harbour for their 1st (both USS Tigrone and USS Bullhead) and 7th war patrol respectively. They were ordered to proceed to Guam to top off with fuel, provisions and receive orders.
They were escorted until 2000VW by USS PC-1256 (Lt. B.W. Partridge, Jr., USNR).
19 Mar 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1600K/19, USS Tigrone (T/Cdr. H. Cassedy, USN), USS Bullhead (T/Cdr. W.T. Griffith, USN) and USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) arrived at Guam from Pearl Harbour.
They had been joined around 1220K/19, by USS Haddock (T/Cdr. W.H. Brockman, Jr., USN), which returned from her eleventh war patrol, and their escort, the patrol vessel USS PC-824 (Lt. J.D. Ludwig, USNR). (2)
20 Mar 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN, with Vice-Admiral C.W. Lockwood, USN on board) conducted exercise off Guam with USS Greenlet (Lt.Cdr. J.T. Hodgson, Jr., USN). (3)
21 Mar 1945
Around 1315K/21, USS Tigrone (T/Cdr. H. Cassedy, USN), USS Bullhead (T/Cdr. W.T. Griffith, USN), USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) and USS Blackfish (T/Cdr. R.F. Sellars, USN) departed Guam for their patrol area. [For USS Blackfish this is her eleventh war patrol.]
They were to patrol in the South China Sea or East China Sea (USS Seahorse).
They were escorted out by USS PC-1256 (Lt. B.W. Partridge, Jr., USNR) until 2000K/21.
The submarines remained in company until 25 March. (4)
24 Mar 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 0945I/24, in the Philippine Sea, in position 21°00'N, 132°29'E, a B-24 Liberator was sighted and detected by the SD radar by USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN). IFF was exchanged. One minute later the aircraft turned towards and another minute later the aircraft strafed Seahorse and also dropped depth charges.
USS Seahorse submerged. She surfaced 15 minutes later. Some minor damage had been caused. (3)
29 Mar 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1958H/29, to the north of Formosa, in position 25°33'N, 121°39'E, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) sighted what are thought to be three patrol boats proceeding southwards (180°) at 8 knots. They were evaded. (3)
5 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 0408H/5, south-west of the Tsushima Strait, in position 33°32'N, 128°47'E, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) sighted a lighted fishing vessel at a range of three nautical miles. It was avoided. (3)
6 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 0542H/6, west of the Tsushima Strait, in position 33°53'N, 128°51'E, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) sighted black smoke in the direction of the south-east end of Tsushima Island proceeding in an easterly direction. The smoke indicated a coal burner.
Soon afterwards it was seen that the vessel proceeded up the east side of Tsushima Island, out of range.
At 0800H/6, the sound of two sources of pinging was picked up in the direction of the southern end of Tsushima Island.
At 1022H/6, it was noticed that the ' pingers ' were getting closer. Rigged for depth charging and silent running.
At 1130H/6, the current was setting USS Seahorse towards Tsushima Island and the ' pingers '. T/Cdr. Greer decided to bottom USS Seahorse and wait it out.
At 1220H/6, the ' pingers ' passed overhead, one down the port side and one down the starboard side.
At 1233H/6, USS Seahorse came of the bottom as the screws were fading out.
At 1935H/6, USS Seahorse surfaced and set course to the south to join the hunt for the Japanese Fleet units that had came out for a raid on landing operations off Okinawa. (3)
9 Apr 1945 (position 33.21, 127.36)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) heavily damaged and most likely sank a small junk of about 50 tons with gunfire in position 33°21'N, 127°36'E.
1753I/9 - Sighed sticks on the horizon through the high periscope. Headed for them at full speed. The sticks turned out to be the masts of a typical three-masted junk.
1855I/9 - Opened fire with 5" and 40mm. Later ran alongside and pumped .50cal into the junk but it did not catch fire. The junk was subsequently left in a hopelessly damaged condition probably sinking.
16 rounds of 5", 28 rounds of 40mm and 250 rounds of .50cal had been used.
12 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1934I/12, in position 33°51'N, 127°59'E, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) obtained radar contact on several fishing vessels, and / or picket boats at a range of 4000 to 5000 yards. Five or six were present. They were avoided. (3)
13 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 0410I/13, in position 34°00'N, 126°49'E, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) sighed the lights of three fishing vessels and / or picket boats. They were avoided. (3)
14 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1233I/14, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) picked up the sound of screws.
At 1246I/14, in position 33°17'N, 127°43'E, a medium sized transport and three nice looking and new escort vessels was sighted. Commenced approach. All three escorts were on the port side of the target and thus between the submarine and the transport. Enemy course was 265° at 8 knots.
At 1259I/14, the first escort passed abeam at a range of 2000 yards.
At 1312I/14, the transport passed ahead with 90° angle on the bow at a range of 3800 yards.
At 1347I/14, the approach was broken off.
At 1530I/14, USS Seahorse surfaced and sent out a contact report to USS Bonefish (T/Cdr. L.L. Edge, USN) and USS Crevalle (T/Cdr. E.H. Steinmetz, USN) which were also operating in the area. USS Seahorse commenced an end around run.
At 1545I/14, the SD radar obtained contact on an aircraft at a range of 2 miles. The aircraft was not sighted and was believed to be 'in the sun'. USS Seahorse submerged.
At 1600I/14, the attempted end around run was given up. (3)
16 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1359I/16, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) picked up the sound of pinging.
At 1424I/16, in position 33°43'N, 128°30'E, a small patrol boat was seen crossing ahead. Contact was lost at 1518I/16. (3)
18 Apr 1945
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) is damaged by depth charges in Tsushima Strait in position 33°45'N, 128°26'E and is forced to terminate her patrol.
The attackers were the Japanese frigates Kaibokan 14 and Kaibokan 132 which were on an A/S patrol. They were later joined by Kaibokan 16 (all links are offsite links).
0302I/18 - Picked up radar interference at 060° and 315°. Both were very similar to SJ radar interference and it was thought to be USS Crevalle (T/Cdr. E.H. Steinmetz, USN) but from subsequent events it became apparent that the radar interference came from the Japanese.
0512I/18 - Obtained radar contact on two small at 8000 yards. The radar interference was very strong and steadied on the submarine.
0514I/18 - Dawn was breaking and two escorts were seen in the haze. Opened out at full speed. The escorts were larger then PC-type patrol vessels but not as large as destroyers. The range opened up slowly as smoke was seen pouring from the escorts.
0530I/18 - The nearest escort opened fire. Four rounds were fired. The splashes landed 4000 yards astern.
0536I/18 - Submerged and changed course 90° and rigged for silent running and depth charging. Went to 300 feet.
0543I/18 - Fired two decoys.
0615I/18 - Pinging of the escorts was drawing astern.
0620I/18 - The enemy were changing course. The bearing was now steady at 180°.
0625I/18 - The first of 9 depth charges was dropped in quick succession. They were very close. The submarine was knocked down to 400 feet and then bottomed at 470 feet and damage reports came in making it clear that quite some damage had been sustained. The Japanese, fortunately lost contact after the attack.
0750I/18 - Heard a third ' pinger '.
0815I/18 - Two depth charges were dropped fairly close. From the damage reports it was now obvious that serious damage had been sustained and that the patrol would have to be terminated.
1430I/18 - The enemy dropped 18 to 20 more depth charges not too far away. They seemed to be searching in a large circle just to the north.
1753I/18 - 17 more depth charges were dropped. The third 'pinger' disappeared around this period.
2100I/18 - The two remaining pingers were still heard but at quite a considerable distance. Made preparations to surface.
2236I/18 - All quiet now so surfaced. All engines were functioning and course was set for Guam. Radar interference made it apparent that the enemy escorts had detected the submarine and were chasing but by 0235I/29 the enemy were well astern. All the time the crew were making emergency repairs. (5)
27 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0530K/27, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) made rendezvous with USS Sea Dog (T/Cdr. E.T. Hydeman, USN) and USS Torsk (T/Cdr. B.E. Lewellen, USN) and their escort USS Downes (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Yost, USNR). They then set course for Guam where they arrived around 0830K/27.
27 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Between 27-30 April 1945, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) was taken in hand for battle / emergency repairs at Guam by USS Proteus (T/Capt. C.N. Day, USN).
30 Apr 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1930K/30, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) departed Guam for Pearl Harbour.
12 May 1945
Around 0950VW/12, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) arrived at Pearl Harbour from Guam. She was then taken in hand for battle damage repairs and refit by the Navy Yard and Submarine Division 104.
14 May 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Finback (T/Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr., USN) and USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) were docked in No.3 graving dock at the Pearl Harbour Navy Yard.
3 Jun 1945
USS Finback (T/Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr., USN) and USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) were undocked.
1 Jul 1945
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour with USS Howard (Lt.Cdr. F.W. Diehl, USNR).
They then both joined USS Perch (T/Lt.Cdr. C.D. McCall, USN), USS Macabi (T/Cdr. A.H. Dropp, USN), USS Pruitt (Lt. D.B. Harby, USNR) and USS Darby (Lt.Cdr. M.W. Martin, USNR) for night exercises.
2 Jul 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) and USS Perch (T/Lt.Cdr. C.D. McCall, USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour with USS Darby (Lt.Cdr. M.W. Martin, USNR) and USS PC-817 (Lt. H.R. Stern, Jr., USNR).
3 Jul 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) carried out exercises off Pearl Harbour together with USS Chew (Lt.Cdr. J.J. Mannion, USNR) and USS Darby (Lt.Cdr. M.W. Martin, USNR). These included night exercises.
4 Jul 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Balao (T/Lt.Cdr. R.K. Worthington, USN), USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) carried out exercises off Pearl Harbour together with USS Darby (Lt.Cdr. M.W. Martin, USNR) and USS Florikan (Lt. D. Hima, USN).
9 Jul 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour.
12 Jul 1945
Around 1330WX/12, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) departed Pearl Harbor for her 8th war patrol. She was to patrol of the Izu Islands, Japan but was to proceed to Saipan to top off with fuel and provisions first before proceeding to her patrol area. (6)
24 Jul 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1100L/24, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) and USS Pipefish (Lt.Cdr. A.L. Redon, USNR) arrived at Saipan coming from Pearl Harbour and Midway respectively.
They were escorted in by USS LCI(L)-583 (Lt.(jg.) M. Warner, USCGR) which had joined around 0610L/24.
26 Jul 1945
Around 1200K/26, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) and USS Pipefish (Lt.Cdr. A.L. Redon, USNR) departed Saipan for their patrol area in the Bonin Islands where they were mostly employed on lifeguard duties. They were escorted out, until 1600K/26, by USS SC-1048 (Lt.(jg.) C. Smith, USNR).
The submarines parted company with each other only around 1535K/31. (6)
16 Aug 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1706K/16, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) received orders to terminate her patrol and proceed to Midway. Course was set accordingly. (6)
22 Aug 1945
Around 0830X/22, USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) ended her 8th war patrol, which had been uneventful, at Midway. (6)
25 Aug 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Bushnell (T/Capt. H.C. Fish, USN), USS Steelhead (T/Lt.Cdr. R.B. Byrnes, USN), USS Tinosa (T/Cdr. R.C. Latham, USN) and USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) departed Midway for San Diego. (7)
4 Sep 1945
USS Tinosa (T/Cdr. R.C. Latham, USN) and USS Seahorse (T/Cdr. H.H. Greer, Jr., USN) arrived at Hunters Point, San Francisco from Midway.
Sources
- http://www.homeofheroes.com/members/02_NX/citations/03_wwii-nc/nc_06wwii_navyG.html
- Report of seventh war patrol of USS Seahorse + Report of first war patrol of USS Bullhead + Report of first war patrol of USS Tigrone
- Report of seventh war patrol of USS Seahorse
- Report of eleventh war patrol of USS Blackfish + Report of seventh war patrol of USS Seahorse + Report of first war patrol of USS Bullhead + Report of first war patrol of USS Tigrone
- Report of seventh war patrol of USS Seahorse + Imperial Japanese Navy website
- Report of eight war patrol of USS Seahorse
- War diary of USS Bushnell for August 1945
You can help improve officers Harry Holt Greer's page
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this officer.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve his page.