Submarine

Patrol Summary

Patrol Summary

USS Bowfin (SS-287)

Bowfin's Last Battle Flag

Explanation of Symbols

- Maru Japanese Maru (Merchant Ship) Sunk Maru

- Japanese Maru (Merchant Ship) Damaged

- Maru Small Japanese Merchant Ship Sunk

- Vichy Vichy French Ship Sunk on Second Patrol

- IJN Japanese Military Ship Sunk

- IJN Japanese Military Ship Damaged

- PUC Presidential Unit Citation - earned for Second Patrol

- NUC Navy Unit Commendation - earned for Sixth Patrol

- PPUC Philippine Presidential Unit Citation -earned for First Patrol

- Star One Star per War Patrol (9)

- Crane, Bus, & Pier Sunk at Minami Daito on Sixth Patrol

USS Bowfin's battle flag graphically depicts the successes of nine war patrols, which are represented by the nine stars located below the bowfin fish mascot firing a torpedo. Bowfin claimed 39 Japanese merchant ships and four Japanese military ships sunk, depicted by white flags with solid red circles (the national flag of Japan) and white flags with solid red rising suns (the Imperial Japanese Navy flag), respectively. The single French flag represents a Vichy French merchant ship - Van Vollenhoven - which was sunk off Saigon in convoy with Japanese ships. Flags with white centers are for ships that are claimed damaged, but not sunk.

Bowfin’s four World War II commanding officers believed that she sank 179,646 tons (34 large vessels, plus 10 more under 500 tons) and damaged 33,934 tons (five large vessels plus two smaller ones) for a total of 213,580 tons sunk or damaged. The Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee (JANAC) of 1947 credited Bowfin with 67,882 tons sunk (16 vessels of that tonnage plus 22 smaller craft). The JANAC reassessment dimmed Bowfin’s glory no more than that of most other submarines. JANAC reassessments continue to be challenged by many who believe that Japan’s remaining WWII records were less than accurate and by some who know the JANAC reassessments in some instances disallowed claims even though trained observers saw the disputed vessels sink. Of the 288 U.S. submarines which saw combat duty during WWII, 188 of them had JANAC officially credited sinking records. USS Bowfin remains a legend, for among these 188 submarines, Bowfin ranks 17th in tonnage and 15th in number of ships sunk. Fifty-two of 288 combat submarines (almost one out of five) and 3,505 out of 14,750 WWII U.S. submariners (almost one out of four) began their "eternal patrols" before Japan surrendered.

**Verified Sinkings by USS Bowfin**
*Date*	*Name of Vessel*	*Type of Vessel*	*Tonnage*	*Location*	*Commanding Officer*
25 Sep 1943	Kirishima Maru	Passenger-Cargo	8,120	9-44N, 111-56E	J. H. Willingham
26 Nov 1943	Ogurasan Maru	Tanker	5,069	12-48N,109-34E	W. T. Griffith
26 Nov 1943	Tainan Maru	Cargo	5,407	13-02N, 109-28E	W. T. Griffith
27 Nov 1943	Van Vollenhoven	Cargo	691	13-01N, 109-30E	W. T. Griffith
28 Nov 1943	Sydney Maru	Passenger-Cargo	5,425	12-46N, 109-42E	W. T. Griffith
28 Nov 1943	Tonan Maru	Tanker	9,866	12-46N, 109-42E	W. T. Griffith
17 Jan 1944	Shoyu (Shoyo?) Maru	Cargo	4,408	18-00N, 118-37E	W. T. Griffith
10 Mar 1944	Tsukikawa Maru	Cargo	4,470	1-30N, 128-17E	W. T. Griffith
24 Mar 1944	Shinkyo Maru	Cargo	5,139	5-27N, 125-38E	W. T. Griffith
24 Mar 1944	Bengal Maru	Cargo	5,399	5-27N, 125-38E	W. T. Griffith
22 Aug 1944	Tsushima Maru	Passenger-Cargo	6,754	29-32N, 129-31E	J. Corbus
17 Feb 1945	Coast Defense Vessel No. 56	Frigate	750	33-53N, 139-43E	A. K. Tyree
1 May 1945	Chowa Maru	Passenger-Cargo	2,719	41-06N, 144-28E	A. K. Tyree
8 May 1945	Daito Maru No. 3	Cargo	880	39-37N, 142-07E	A. K. Tyree
11 Jun 1945	Shinyo Maru No. 3	Passenger-Cargo	1,898	39-23N, 128-59E	A. K. Tyree
13 Jun 1945	Akiura Maru	Cargo	887	39-13N, 128-07E	A. K. Tyree

Totals: 16 Vessels for 67,882 tons sunk

According to research done by CDR John Alden, USN (Ret.) as published in the Second Edition of his United States and Allied Submarine Successes in the Pacific and Far East During World War II, Bowfin's war record could be updated as follows:

*Date*	*Name of Vessel*	*Type of Vessel*	*Tonnage*	*Location*	*Commanding Officer*
25 Sep 1943	Kirishima Maru	Passenger-Cargo	8,267	9-44N, 111-56E	J. H. Willingham
26 Nov 1943	Ogurasan Maru	Tanker	5,069	12-48N,109-34E	W. T. Griffith
26 Nov 1943	Tainan Maru	Cargo	5,407	13-02N, 109-28E	W. T. Griffith
26 Nov 1943	Beryl (Vichy French)	Passenger-Cargo	671	South China Sea	W. T. Griffith
27 Nov 1943	Van Vollenhoven (Vichy French)	Cargo	691	13-01N, 109-30E	W. T. Griffith
28 Nov 1943	Tonan Maru	Tanker	9,866	12-46N, 109-42E	W. T. Griffith
28 Nov 1943	Sydney Maru	Passenger-Cargo	5,428	12-46N, 109-42E	W. T. Griffith
17 Jan 1944	Shoyo Maru	Cargo	4,408	18-00N, 118-37E	W. T. Griffith
10 Mar 1944	Tsukikawa Maru	Cargo	4,673	1-30N, 128-17E	W. T. Griffith
24 Mar 1944	Bengal Maru	Cargo	5,399	5-27N, 125-38E	W. T. Griffith
24 Mar 1944	Shinkyo Maru	Transport	2,672	5-27N, 125-38E	W. T. Griffith
14 May 1944	Miyama Maru*	Cargo	4,667	08-55N, 133-42E	J. Corbus
10 Aug 1944	Seiyo Maru	Transport	197	Minami-Daito	J. Corbus
22 Aug 1944	Tsushima Maru	Passenger-Cargo	6,754	29-32N, 129-31E	J. Corbus
4 Sept 1944	Hinode Maru #6	Picket	245	31-55N, 152-00E	J. Corbus
16 Feb 1945	Coast Defense Vessel No. 56	Frigate	940	33-52N, 139-42E	A. K. Tyree
17 Feb 1945	Nanshin Maru #28	Picket Boat	83	Mikomoto Lt.	A. K. Tyree
2 Mar 1945	Chokai Maru	Picket Boat	135	34-16N, 139-39E	A. K. Tyree
4 Mar 1945	Fukuyu Maru #1	Picket Boat	152	Not Given	A. K. Tyree
1 May 1945	Chowa Maru	Passenger-Cargo	2,719	41-06N, 144-28E	A. K. Tyree
8 May 1945	Daito Maru No. 3	Fishing Vessel	880	39-37N, 142-07E	A. K. Tyree
11 Jun 1945	Shinyo Maru No. 3	Passenger-Cargo	1,898	39-23N, 128-59E	A. K. Tyree
13 Jun 1945	Akiura Maru	Cargo	887	39-13N, 128-07E	A. K. Tyree

*May have been torpedoed by USS Aspro (SS-309)

Revised totals would show that Bowfin sank 23 ships for a combined total of 72,108 tons.

In addition, CDR Alden lists two more unidentified vessels that Bowfin may have sunk, and one large seaplane carrier/tanker that was damaged by a Bowfin torpedo. Mines laid by Bowfin on her third patrol may have sunk or severely damaged at least two other ships. Thirteen small craft were also sunk by her deck guns.

Secrets of the Sub

The Very First Sub Ever

The First Submarine Ever

There were many countries around the world developing submarines in the 17th and 18th century both for wartime use and for commercial purposes. In the United States, we say the Turtle, developed by a Yale University professor, David Bushnell, was our first submarine. Designed to deliver an underwater mine with a timed fuse, it's original purpose was to break the blockade of the British Navy in New York harbor in 1776, during the War of Independence. Almost a hundred later the Confederate States Ship Hunley with a crew of nine men braved the waters of Charleston, South Carolina harbor to attack and sink the Union Ship USS Housitanic. The weapon used was a mine mounted on a spar jutting from the bow of the submarine. Again, the purpose was to break the blockade of a harbor but within 40 years, the United States started the submarine explosion with the Simon Lake, SS-1, in 1900 , designed as a scouting ship for America's emerging battle fleets. In less than 20 years, the first world war would see the island nation of Great Brritain brought to her knees by German commerce raiding submarines and submarines , large and small being developed by many nations.