USS Grampus (SS-207)

Construction and commissioning

Grampus′s keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on December 23, 1940, sponsored by Mrs. Clark H. Woodward, and commissioned on May 23, 1941 at New London, Connecticut.

Operational history

Pacific

After shakedown in Long Island Sound, Grampus sailed to the Caribbean Sea with on September 8 to conduct a modified war patrol, returning to New London, Connecticut, on September 28. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor found Grampus undergoing post-shakedown overhaul at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, but soon ready for war on 22 December, she sailed for the Pacific, reaching Pearl Harbor on February 1, 1942, via the Panama Canal and Mare Island.

On her first war patrol from February 8, 1942 to April 4, 1942, Grampus sank an 8636-ton tanker Kaijo Maru No.2 March 4, 1942, the only kill of her short career, and reconnoitered Kwajalein and Wotje atolls, later the scene of bloody but successful landings. ''Grampus''' second patrol en route to Fremantle, Australia, and her third patrol from that base were marred by a heavy number of antisubmarine patrol craft off Truk Lagoon and poor visibility as heavy rains haunted her path along the Luzon and Mindoro coasts.

Taking aboard four coast watchers, Grampus sailed from Fremantle on October 2, 1942 for her fourth war patrol. Despite the presence of Japanese destroyers, she landed the coast watchers on Vella Lavella and Choiseul islands while conducting her patrol. This patrol, during the height of the Guadalcanal campaign, took Grampus into waters teeming with Japanese men-of-war. She sighted a total of four enemy cruisers and 79 destroyers in five different convoys. Although she conducted a series of aggressive attacks on the Japanese ships, receiving 104 depth charges for her work, Grampus was not credited with sinking any ships. On October 18, 1942 Grampus even scored a direct hit on the Yura, but the torpedo failed to explode. She returned to Australia on November 23.

*Grampus''' fifth war patrol, from December 14, 1942 to January 19, 1943, took her across access lanes frequented by Japanese submarines and other ships. Air and water patrol in this area was extremely heavy and although she conducted several daring attacks on the 41 contacts she sighted, *Grampus'' again was denied a kill.

Sinking

In company with Grayback, Grampus departed Brisbane on February 11, 1943 for her sixth war patrol, from which she failed to return; the manner of her loss still remains a mystery. Japanese seaplanes reported sinking a submarine on February 18 in Grampus′s patrol area, but Grayback reported seeing Grampus in that same area on March 4. Grampus is believed to have damaged the Japanese merchant ship Keiyo Maru (6,442 GRT) on February 19 and the Japanese minesweeper on February 27, 1943. On March 5, 1943, the Japanese destroyers and conducted an antisubmarine attack near Kolombangara island. A heavy oil slick was sighted there the following day, indicating that Grampus may have been lost there in a night attack or gun battle against the destroyers. The Japanese destroyers had by then already been sunk in the Battle of Blackett Strait, a night action with U.S. light cruisers and destroyers.

When repeated attempts failed to contact Grampus, the submarine was declared missing and presumed lost with all hands. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on June 21, 1943.

References

References

1. (1991). "Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants". [[Greenwood Press]].
2. ''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 305–311
3. "Allied Warships: Grampus (i) (SS-207) Submarine of the Gar class". uboat.net.