USS BOWFIN HISTORY

PATROL 8

PATROL 8 – HELL’S BELLS

23 April 1945 to 15 May 1945

Bowfin’s eighth war patrol took the crew to the northeastern part of the Japanese mainland between the main island of Honshu and the island of Hokkaido. Bowfin had originally received orders to proceed alone and without a coding machine, via the heavily mined Tsushima Strait, to the Sea of Japan. Upon successful arrival, they were to radio COMSUBPAC to report the track they had used through the mined area, the number of mines detected, and then to patrol the Sea of Japan. However, two days out of Guam, Bowfin received a message canceling those orders and instructing her to rendezvous with USS Sea Dog (SS-401) to get her coding machine and classified publications for a brief patrol off the northeast coast of Honshu before returning to Guam in preparation for her ninth patrol.

With the coding machine in their possession, Bowfin left USS Sea Dog and headed for the assigned area. On 1 May, just off the southeastern coast of Hokkaido, Bowfin sighted smoke on the horizon, and as the sun rose several targets emerged. The main target was a small freighter with an escort; Bowfin aimed at the freighter and launched two torpedoes, one of which hit and sank the vessel. The escort came to life and dropped 21 depth charges over Bowfin, but luckily did no damage to the boat. The waiting game ended, and eventually the escort left Bowfin alone.

This patrol also consisted of Bowfin gathering intelligence on the mines that were in this area. Several boats had been lost and it was Bowfin’s job to map out where the mines were. Bowfin had been outfitted with special mine detecting equipment that would pinpoint their locations. Using her special FM sonar, called “Hell’s Bells” by the crew because of the chilling gong-like sound it gave off when a mine was detected, Bowfin probed the minefields near the eastern entrance to Tsugaru Strait for about two weeks before receiving orders to return to Guam and prepare for a special mission.

PATROL 8 SUMMARY

USS Bowfin was underway for 5,649 miles during her eighth patrol. CDR Tyree and higher authorities believed Bowfin sank 9,300 tons (two large vessels) and damaged 4,000 tons (one large vessel). JANAC credited USS Bowfin with sinking 3,399 tons (two large vessels). CDR Tyree was awarded the Legion of Merit with valor.

 

Albert Kenny, Bkr3c, who served on Bowfin for patrols 4-9.

BOWFIN TIMELINE

LAUNCHING & COMMISSIONING

On 15 December 1941, eight days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Portsmouth Navy Yard was given the order to start construction on the new Balao class fleet submarines. The third boat of the class was to bear the name USS Bowfin (SS-287). Her keel was laid on…Read More

PATROL 1

PATROL 1 – SECRET MISSION 25 August 1943 to 10 October 1943 After the launching of Bowfin she headed west towards Australia from Portsmouth via the Panama Canal, which she passed through on 15 July 1943. Then on 10 August 1943 Bowfin sailed into Fremantle. From Fremantle, Bowfin traveled over…Read More

PATROL 2

PATROL 2 – PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION 1 November 1943 to 9 December 1943 On USS Bowfin’s second war patrol they sailed from Fremantle towards the South China Sea with a new commanding officer, LCDR Walter Thomas Griffith. This was LCDR Griffith’s first war patrol as commanding officer, before he had…Read More

PATROL 3

PATROL 3 – AN ADMIRAL ABOARD 8 January 1944 to 5 February 1944 On 8 January 1944 Bowfin and crew steamed away from Fremantle and set course for the Celebes Sea, yet again. The valiant crew was departing for their third war patrol and their second patrol with LCDR Griffith.…Read More

PATROL 4

PATROL 4 – THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED 28 February 1944 to 1 April 1944 USS Bowfin left Fremantle for Darwin on 28 February 1944 as she started her fourth war patrol. This time she would be patrolling in the Celebes Sea, in between the Philippines and Indonesia, rather than…Read More

PATROL 5

PATROL 5 – TOUGH LUCK 25 April 1944 to 21 June 1944 USS Bowfin set off from Fremantle for her fifth war patrol on 25 April 1944 and this time she and her crew started the 4,000-mile journey to Palau and the surrounding areas. Unbeknownst to the crew, this war…Read More

PATROL 6

PATROL 6 – SIGHTED BUS, SANK CRANE 16 July 1944 to 13 September 1944 Once Bowfin had received a refit at Pearl Harbor she and her crew were headed out for their sixth war patrol on 16 July 1944. First stop, Midway, where Bowfin rendezvoused with USS Fulton (AS-11), the…Read More

PATROL 7

PATROL 7 – ZOOMIES WITH SQUIDS 25 January 1945 to 25 March 1945 After training and testing at Pearl were complete the crew embarked for Bowfin’s seventh war patrol on 25 January 1945. This patrol largely took place in the waters east of the Japanese mainland, and Bowfin’s secondary assignment…Read More

PATROL 8

PATROL 8 – HELL’S BELLS 23 April 1945 to 15 May 1945 Bowfin’s eighth war patrol took the crew to the northeastern part of the Japanese mainland between the main island of Honshu and the island of Hokkaido. Bowfin had originally received orders to proceed alone and without a coding…Read More

PATROL 9

PATROL 9 – OPERATION BARNEY 24 May 1945 to 4 July 1945 Upon their return to Guam, the crew of Bowfin got as much rest and relaxation as possible in the short time allocated before their final war patrol. This patrol consisted of a secret mission designated Operation Barney that…Read More

POST-WAR

POST-WAR SUMMARY 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)…Read More