Patrol 8

Submarine

Patrol 8

USS Bowfin (SS-287) - Patrol 8

Hell's Bells
23 April 1945 to 15 May 1945 tyree-a-k

USS Bowfin traveled from Guam to northern Honshu/Hokkaido, and then back to Guam for refit by Fulton. Prior to Bowfin’s departure for her eighth patrol, VADM Charles Andrews Lockwood, Jr., USN, ComSubPac, rode on board to observe training. Original patrol orders were to proceed alone and without a coding machine, via the heavily mined Tsushima Straits, to the Sea of Japan and, upon successful arrival there, to radio ComSubPac to report the track they had followed through the mined area, mines detected, etc., and then to patrol the Sea of Japan. However, two days out of Guam, Bowfin received a message canceling those orders and instead, instructing her to rendezvous with returning USS Sea Dog (SS-401) to get her coding machine and publications for a brief patrol off the east-north-east coast of Honshu before returning to Guam in preparation for her ninth patrol. Bowfin did sink an enemy merchant ship on 1 May, after which its escorts dropped 22 depth charges over several nerve-wracking hours and drove Bowfin dangerously deep. Using her special FM sonar, called "Hell's Bells" by the crew because of the chilling gongs it gave off when a mine was detected, Bowfin conducted investigations of minefields near the eastern entrance to Tsugaru Strait, where several U.S. submarines had been lost. On 7 May, Bowfin sank another merchant ship and damaged another following an end-around run which skirted the charted mine fields.

USS Bowfin was underway for 5,649 miles during her eighth patrol. Commanding Officer Tyree and higher authorities believed Bowfin sank 9,300 tons (two large vessels) and damaged 4,000 tons (one large vessel). The post-war Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee (JANAC) credited USS Bowfin with sinking only 3,399 tons (two large vessels). CDR Tyree was awarded the Legion of Merit with combat "V".

Secrets of the Sub

Hawaii Themed Submarines

USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642) was launched on 16 January 1965 and commissioned on 10 December 1965. This submarine holds the name for King Kamehameha the Great. It is fitting that one of our submarines bear the name of this striking figure in Hawaiian history. His people were intrepid seafarers and knowledge of stars, winds and currents still arouse wonder and admiration. For much of USS Kamehameha's service, she was based in Rota, Spain conducting deterrence patrols during the Cold War. Commissioning gifts to the submarine are on display at the museum.

USS Honolulu

USS Honolulu (SSN-718), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States to be named for Honolulu, Hawaii. She was launched on 24 September 1983 and commissioned on 6 July 1985. Honolulu’s patrols are commemorated by ten surfboards signed by the crews aboard her at the time. One of the four surfboards held at Bowfin Park is on display in the museum.

USS Hawaii

The USS Hawaii (SSN 776) is the first commissioned vessel of its name. Launched June 17, 2006 and Commissioned May 5, 2007 she is fortunate to be homeported in her namesake state. The submarine was named to recognize the tremendous support the Navy has enjoyed from the people and state of Hawaii, and in honor of the rich heritage of submarines in the Pacific.

Hawaii is the third of the Virginia Class submarines. The Virginia-class of attack submarines surpasses the performance of any current projected threat submarine, ensuring U.S. undersea dominance well into the next century.

Bowfin Museum collections include models of all three submarines.