“The small potatoes in the bottom of the farmer’s bushel basket are what keep the big potatoes up on top for the world to see”

“We aregoing out thereto sink ships - but we are coming back.”

Steve Gimber Upon taking command, Australia, 1944.

“Official statistics disclose nothing of the courage and determination displayed by her officers and men in the face of imminent peril; nor of the blind frustrations felt when perfectly set and fired torpedoes smash into their target and absolutely nothing happens.

Division of Naval History Navy Department Washington, D.C.

                                                                    Written and Compiled By:
                                                            LT. Nathan S. Henderson, Jr., USN (ret)
                                                              Ex-RM1c - USS POMPON (SS-267)
 
 

War Patrol and Dates

Patrol 1 07/10/43 08/22/43 Truk

Patrol 2 09/12/43 11/15/43 South China Sea

Patrol 3 11/29/43 01/28/44 South China Sea

Patrol 4 02/22/44 04/10/44 Halmahera Island

Patrol 5 05/06/44 06/25/44 Empire.  Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu

Patrol 6 07/19/44 09/03/44 Empire. Honshu to Sea of Okhotsk

Patrol 7 01/06/45 2/11/45 Yellow Sea

Patrol 8 03/30/45 05/24/45 China, Formosa

Patrol 9 06/18/45 07/22/45 Truk

Anecdotes and stories of interest

Epilogue
 

Synopsis First War Patrol of USS Pompon (SS-267)

Patrol Area: Truk Islands, and to form a scouting line between Truk Islands and New Guinea in support of Seventh Fleet Operations.

Thursday, 07/10/43. 1530 hours. Departed Brisbane, Australia for enemy waters.

Wednesday, 07/16. 2308 hours. Sighted two torpedoes fired at us by Japanese Submarine. Evaded. Torpedoes passed ahead 400-500 yards. Position lat. 06-09(5), long 153-59(E).

Thursday, 07/17. Passed through strait between Green and Buka Islands in Solomons. Multiple patrol boat and aircraft contacts.

Sunday, 07/20. Entered assigned patrol area.

Wednesday, 07/23. Ship contact with a decoy vessel ("Q" ship). Tracked but stayed clear.

Friday, 07/25. Ship contact. Two large AK’s with PC escort. Tracked and made approach. Fired spread of four torpedoes from stern tubes at smaller of two, and spread of four torpedoes from bow tubes at larger target. 640 yard run on former and 725 on latter. Two hits on first contact, and he started settling. Three hits on second target, which broke in half and sank. (Sank Thames Maru, 5,871 tons, transport. Heavily damaged Kinsen Maru, 3,081 tons). Depth charge attack by escorting vessel.

Saturday, 08/09. 1550 hours. Sighted Japanese submarine surfacing on our port quarter about 12,000 yards distant. We submerged, as did he. Never regained contact.

Wednesday, 08/13. Heading back for base. Running short of fuel.

Thursday, 08/14. Transited strait between Green and Buka Islands. Multiple patrol boat and aircraft contacts.

Monday, 08/18. 1425 rendezvoused with submarine rescue vessel COUCAL at Jomard Pass in the Louisiade Archipelago to take on fuel. Received 15,000 gallons, and at 1725 hours underway again for Brisbane, Australia.

Tuesday, 08/19. Exchanged calls with USS Drum outbound for patrol.

Friday, 08/22. Moored alongside USS Fulton in Brisbane, Australia at 1036 hours.

First war patrol completed.
 
 
 

Synopsis Second War Patrol of USS POMPON (SS 267)

Patrol area: South half of South China Sea. (South of 7 degrees North latitude).

Friday, 09/12/43. 1100 hours.  Underway from Brisbane, Australia for patrol area via Darwin, Australia and Timor Pass, Flores Sea, Makassar Strait, Celebes Sea, Sibutu passage, Sulu Sea, and Balabac Pass.  Exchanged calls with BALAO, inbound.

Tuesday, 09/16.  While running on the surface, a friendly (?) Liberty Ship opened fire at us.  Saturday, 09/20. Refueled at Darwin.  Underway next morning.  Transited Timor passage following evening.  Numerous air and patrol boat contacts.  Started all day dives while transiting Flores Sea and approaching Makassar Strait.

Sunday, 09/28. Transited Makassar Strait to Celebes Sea.  Heavy weather, poor visibility, and undependable SJ radar delayed transit of Sibutu passage.  Sighted ship contact, smoke on the horizon, but lost it in rainsqualls.

Monday, 09/29.  Transited Sibutu passage to Sulu Sea.

Tuesday, 09/30, Remained East of Balabac Pass due poor visibility, heavy weather, bad radar, and doubtful navigational fix.

Wednesday, 10/01. Still East of Balabac Pass for the same reasons. Sighted large Naval Auxiliary, 3 PCS and 1 Kuri class Destroyer as escorts.  Made approach and fired four torpedoes at low power.  Three, possibly four prematures about 300 yards out of the tubes. Depth charges.  Went deep to evade.

Thursday, 10/02. Sighted same Destroyer again about 0800 hours.  Went to battle stations, but he never got closer than 6,000 yards. Late afternoon sighted Banguey Island, Got a navigational fix, then transited Balabac pass into the South China Sea.

Friday, 10/03. Entered assigned patrol area.

Friday, 10/10. High speed ship contact.  Sighted masts of ship at 12 miles.  His speed checked at 17.5 knots.  Went to full speed to get ahead of him.  Tried for over 7 hours but visibility was poor in numerous rainsqualls. He apparently changed course.  Never saw him again.

Tuesday, 10/14.  Sighted convoy of 3 ships, 1 large AK, 1 medium AK, 1 medium AO.  Made approach, and while getting lined up on the large AK, he zigged directly at us.  Changed course and fired four stern shots at the tanker on a 70 port track, 700 yard range.  Depth set at 12 feet.  Magnetic exploders inoperative. Saw two torpedoes strike tanker, but not explode.  He sounded his whistle in short blasts and turned away, as did the other ships. We went deep and evaded.  The escort never made contact on us, dropped no charges.  Two and a half hours later, surfaced and took off in hot pursuit of these ships.  Finally sighted them at 4 a.m. the next morning in bright moonlight.  Start end around but broke off when we started getting into shallow water.  Abandoned chase.

Sunday, 10/19. Sank floating mine with 20MM gunfire.

Monday, 10/20. 2057 hours.  Radar reported rainsquall.  Rainsquall fired a torpedo that passed 100 yards ahead of us as we evaded.

Friday, ‘10/24. Left patrol area and headed for Perth, Australia via Balabac pass, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, Makassar Strait, Lombok pass, and Exmouth Gulf.

Thursday, 10/30.  Transited Lombok pass at night, full speed on four main engines.  Numerous patrol boats.

Sunday, 11/02.  Refueled at Exmouth Gulf.

Wednesday, 11/05. Moored starboard side to North Wharf, Freemantle, Australia.

Second war patrol completed.

Addendum to synopsis of Pompon’s Second War Patrol.

The forwarding endorsements on the War Patrol Report showed some degree of criticism.  Paragraph (3) of Commander Submarine Squadron Sixteen, Captain J.M. Haines, stated:

“The use of low power shots at prospective firing ranges of less than 5500 yards for the Mark 14 Mod 3 torpedo, as used in the attack on 1 October is not considered sound practice.  Too much time was afforded the target to avoid, even had the torpedoes functioned properly.  As it was, the enemy was warned and immediate pursuit was out of the question.”

Commander Task Force 71, Rear Admiral Christie stated:

“62.5% of the torpedoes fired by Pompon failed to function properly.  The three prematures out of four torpedoes fired on the first attack influenced POMPON to inactivate the magnetic feature of the exploder of the remaining torpedoes.  This practice is not encouraged by the Force Commander.  Mark 6 Mod 4 exploders are now used by submarines of this Force.  The protective bias on the thyratron of exploders has been increased to 2.5 volts at 2800 rpm.  It is believed these modifications will improve performance and eliminate the disappointing exploder failures experienced by the POMPON.”

Our Patrol Report had stated that at 1555 hours on October 1,

“Fired four torpedoes from forward tubes set at low power, at a range of 3960 yards, depth setting 14 feet, zero gyro angle, 130 degree starboard track, using a longitudinal spread. 19 seconds after firing first torpedo, felt heavy explosion close aboard, followed by at least two and possibly three more explosions at about the same interval.  Saw heavy explosion short distance ahead of us as last torpedo was fired.  The first three torpedoes definitely were prematures.  Opinion divided as to the fourth torpedo. Some people claim they heard four explosions.”

And at 1814 hours on 14 October,

“Fired 4 torpedoes from stern tubes at tanker, 70 port track, 700 yard range, 182 degree gyro.  Torpedoes set to run at 12 feet, magnetic exploders inoperative.  30 seconds after firing first torpedo, saw it hit directly under the bridge.  (Tanker had bridge and engines aft).  Small column of spray shot up but no explosion.  Nothing but the air flask exploded.  A dud.  Saw second torpedo which was smoking, hit about 30 yards forward of the bridge.  Same result.  Another dud.  Did not observe the third and fourth torpedoes.  They probably missed ahead.  Posit: Lat. 05-54(N), Long. 104-08(E).  When first torpedo hit, tanker turned away and began blowing whistle in short blasts.  Other two ships turned away also.  Very discouraging to see two torpedoes hit and not explode.  A week ago the BONEFISH reported two duds on an attack in the area north of us.”

Editorial comment: ComSubPac, a month or more earlier, had already ORDERED all of his boats to deactivate the magnetic exploder.  Additionally, tests had been run, and modifications made on the contact exploder.  BARB had been sent out on patrol from Pearl Harbor in September with a full load of WORKING torpedoes due to Admiral Lockwood’s efforts.  It should be noted that Admiral Christie, Commander Submarines Southwest Pacific, was the ex-commanding officer of the Naval Torpedo Station Newport where the torpedo troubles had started, and was obviously quite defensive at this time.  Several months later he ordered the TF71 boats to deactivate the magnetic exploder.
 
 

Synopsis Third War Patrol of USS Pompon (SS-267)

Patrol area: South China Sea in vicinity of French Indo China.

11/29/43. Underway from Fremantle, Australia at 1500 hours enroute Exmouth Gulf for refueling.  Refueled at Exmouth Gulf on 12/02, then underway again for patrol area.

12/06/. Transited Lombok pass on the surface at full speed on four main engines between 0100 and 0400 hours.  Numerous contacts.

12/08/. Transited Makassar Straits - thence Sibutu Pass and Sulu Sea.

12/11. In South China Sea. Battle surfaced and sank two patrol boats.  Executive Officer and Gunnery Officer boarded second one and picked up Japanese service records and documents.

12/13. Laid minefield off of Southern tip of French Indo-China.  Laid 11 Mk XII mines at lat 08-50(N), Long 106-50(E).

12/22. Sighted Hibiki class destroyer.  Went to battle stations and attempted to close, but could not get nearer than 8,000 yards.  Surfaced and tried end-around, but could not regain contact because of high target speed.

01/08/44. Started return trip to base.  South China Sea - Mindoro Strait - Sulu Sea - Sibitu Pass -Celebes Sea (stop here for five day additional patrol near Palmas Island, S.E. of Davao Gulf.

01/16. Ship contact 05-40(N), 127-00(E).  Tanker.  Closed to 10,000 yards.  Had to break off due to our low fuel state.

01/17. Enroute Darwin for fuel via Molukka sea - Arafura Sea.

01/22. Refueled at Darwin.  Only 750 gallons of fuel remaining when we arrived.

01/23 - 01/28. Enroute Fremantle, Australia.

01/28. 0807 hours.  Moored starboard side to a nest alongside tender PELIAS.

Third war patrol completed.
 
 

Synopsis Fourth War Patrol if USS Pompon (SS-267)

Patrol area: Halmahera Island thence Pearl Harbor via Ascension and Midway.

Monday, 02/09/44. Change of command. Lieutenant Commander Stephen Henry Gimber, USN  (USNA ‘35) relieved Commander Earle Clifford Hawk, USN (USNA ‘28) as commanding officer.  The new captain, in his speech to the crew, said that there are big potatoes, and there are little  potatoes.  In the farmer’s bushel basket, the little potatoes are the ones that hold the big potatoes up.  He also said that we were going out to do our job against the enemy, but that we were coming back.  The crew welcomed this new commanding officer with enthusiasm.

Sunday, 02/22. 1315 hours underway.  02/25. Moored to fuel barge in Exmouth Gulf.  GAVE THEM 53,605 gallons of fuel.  Remained overnight.  Underway the next morning for Darwin, Australia where we arrived on Monday, 03/01.  Exchanged a faulty torpedo for a good one, and took on 80,642 gallons of fuel. 1800 hours underway for enemy waters.  Wednesday, 03/03. Entered patrol area in vicinity of Halmahera Island.

Monday, 03/08.  Ship contact.  Sighted, tracked, and made approach on a large ship target that was identified as a properly marked hospital ship of the Hikawa Maru type.  Took periscope pictures.  Broke off approach. LTJG Carl Armstrong was later heard to have made a tongue-in-cheek comment, “Captain, we should have put at least one torpedo into them.  They would have abandoned ship by the thousands - and they wouldn’t have been on crutches.” The suspicion was prevalent that the Japanese were using hospital ships as troop transports.  Tuesday, 03/09. Ship contact. 3 ships, a PC, a minelayer, and a Destroyer.  Tracked all day and made approach and fired a spread of four torpedoes at 2334 hours.  No hits.  Torpedoes were believed to have run under the targets due to their shallow draft.

Enemy anti-submarine activity was heavy throughout our stay in the area, both patrol boats, and aircraft.  We had at least one plane contact each day, and were bombed at least once each day.  One plane, in particular, was very consistent.  Each morning at around 9 a.m. he would show up - drop one bomb - and go on his way.  The crew’s nickname for this interloper was, “Washing Machine Charlie”.

Thursday, 03/25. 2030 hours departed our assigned area and started long trek to Pearl Harbor via Ascension and Midway Islands.

Tuesday, 04/06.  1015 hours.  Arrived Midway Island.  Offloaded 18 torpedoes.  Took on 28,804 gallons of fuel. 1615 hours.  Underway for Pearl Harbor.

Saturday, 14/10. 1142 hours. Moored at Sub Base, Pearl Harbor, T.H.

Fourth war patrol completed.
 
 

Synopsis Fifth War Patrol of USS Pompon (SS-267)

Patrol area:  Empire. Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu.

Refitted at Pearl Harbor prior to patrol.  Received JP sonic sound gear, Sj(a) radar, radar intercept receiver, and 4” deck gun in place of 3” deck gun.

Thursday, 05/06/44 underway at 1330 hours for enemy waters via Midway Island.  Arrived Midway on Monday, 05/10 at 0740 hours.  Received 18,630 gallons of fuel.  Departed Midway at 1555 hours for patrol area.

Tuesday 05/18.  Sighted probable friendly submarine via high periscope watch.  When challenged he promptly submerged.

Thursday 05/20.  Entered patrol area.

Friday 05/28.  Ship contact on a Destroyer.  Unable to close inside of 7,000 yards.

Port shaft is developing a squeal between 40 - 80 RPM.  Is getting progressively worse.

Ship contact on a medium tanker, lat. 32-43(N), long 132-39(E).  Closed to 3,340 yards and fired a spread of three torpedoes (2 Mk 23, 1 Mkl4-3A).  Saw two torpedoes broach at about 2,600 yards even though depth set at 6 feet, and sea calm. No hits.

05/29.  Sighted floating mine.  Attempted to sink with small arms fire.  At 2200k replaced gasket on M.B.T. #6 was leaking, and causing a pronounced starboard list.

Sunday, 05/30.  Ship contact at 0832 hours.  Small AP, estimated 2-3000 tons.  Lat. 32-15(N) long 134-11(E).  Escorted by aircraft.  Made approach, and at 0856 hours fired a spread of three torpedoes.  Hit amidships, broke in half, and sank almost immediately.  1030 hours first depth charge of an estimated 60 depth charges that were dropped during day.  Went deep to evade.  These charges were much more powerful that those previously encountered.  Heavy rumble instead of sharp cracking sound.  Hull trembled, and rushing sound of water through the superstructure on several occasions.  No echo ranging detected on known frequencies, leading to the assumption that the three to five surface contacts were listening and vectoring in aircraft for the actual attacks. 1709 hours.  Last depth charge. 1910 hours.  Last screw contact lost.

06/06. Ship contact.  Small AK. 34-05(N), 137-1 iF. Unable to close track.

06/10. Ship contact.  A Chidori and a “Q” ship in company as decoys.  Avoided.

06/14. Same contact.

Friday 06/18.  Departed area enroute Midway Island.

06/22-23.  Fire in #4 Main Motor.  Jumped motor out, and proceeding with #3 Main Motor on port shaft.

Friday 06/25. Arrived Midway Island. Patrol #5 completed at 0922 hours.

Summary of Noontime position reports while in patrol area:
 05/20 30-00(N), 137-19(E) 06/04 33-11(N) 137-37(E)
 05/21 30-31(N) 134-40(E) 06/05 33-28(N) 136-55(E)
 05/22 30-16(N) 132-49(E) 06/06 34-05(N) 137-11(E)
 05/23 31-28(N) 131-29(E) 06/07 34-06(N) 137-13(E)
 05/24 31-18(N) 131-31(E) 06/08 34-05(N) 137-40(E)
 05/25 32-27(N) 132-02(E) 06/09 33-47(N) 139-51(E)
 05/26 31-38(N) 132-38(E) 06/10 34-18(N) 140-23(E)
 05/27 31-50(N) 132-11(E) 06/11 33-58(n) 139-54(E)
 05/28 32-42(N) 132-39(E) 06/12 34-20(N) 138-47(E)
 05/29 32-34(N) 135-09(E) 06/13 33-39(N) 139-47(E)
 05/30 33-14(N) 134-30(E) 06/14 33-34(N) 139-19(E)
 05/31 31-40(N) 135-45(E) 06/15 34-34(N) 139-41(E)
 06/01 31-51(N) 136-46(E) 06/16 33-08(N) 140-02(E)
 06/02 31-58(N) 136-48(E) 06/17 32-30(N) 140-28(E)
 06/03 33-37(n) 136-40(E)

Additional patrol comment by Commanding Officer:
“The condition of the port shaft though not serious enough to require leaving station rendered it inadvisable to seek out the enemy in closely confined coastal waters.  Thus after our experience of the 30th we avoided the vicinities from which small craft could be called on short notice.  This necessarily eliminated the opportunities for taking a crack at the coastal traffic and our activity was confined to seeking out bigger game in the more open traffic lanes, but without further results.

Fifth war patrol completed.
 
 

Synopsis Sixth War Patrol of USS Pompon (SS-267)

Prior to patrol:  Refitted at Midway Island. Repaired badly burned commutator and brushes of #4 Main Motor.  Dry-docked in ARD-8.  Straightened slightly bent blade tips on both propellers.  Repacked port shaft and eliminated loud squeak.

Patrol area:  Empire.  East Coast of Honshu, Kuriles, and Sea of Okhotsk.

Monday, 07/19/44. 0930 hours underway for enemy waters.

Monday, 07/26. Entered patrol area.

Tuesday, 07/27.  Sank 400 ton trawler by gunfire.  Slight opposition by small caliber guns.

Wednesday, 08/04.  Visibility only 100 yards.  Upon surfacing, SD contact at 3 miles.  Immediately resubmerged.  Received two aerial bombs close aboard.

Saturday, 08/07. 2043 hours.  Fired a spread of four torpedoes at radar contact.  No hits.  Position lat. 46-09(N), long 150-04(E). Large pip, but never visible at 4,000 yards.

Monday night, 08/09.  LTJG Paine went over the side in a shallow water diving outfit to plug overboard discharge of #3 sanitary tank so sea valve disk could be replaced.  Unsuccessful in locating proper discharge.  Repairs accomplished by placing 4 pounds pressure in Forward Engine Room while repairing valve assembly.  Ticklish because we were unable to dive for about 20 minutes.  (LTJG Paine later received the Bronze Star Medal for his efforts.)  (It is also of parenthetical interest that LTJG Paine later became “Doctor Paine”, and was the administrator of NASA at the time of the first moon landing.)

Tuesday, 08/10. Ship contact at 0345 hours.  Large unidentified surface vessel escorted by air contact.  Tracked all day and identified as Russian by his lights at 2130 hours.  During chase, #1 Main Motor had to be jumped out due heavy sparking.  Starboard shaft secured until noon following day when #1 Main Motor repairs were completed.

Wednesday, 08/12.  Ship contact.  Enemy convoy consisting of one AO of about 8,000 tons, one AO or AK of about 2,200 tons, one AK of about 4,000 tons, and two AMS as escorts was sighted in the afternoon.  It was decided to await darkness for a night surface radar attack.  At 2340 three torpedoes were fired at an escort with the large AO and the small AO in line and overlapping behind.  The escort evaded, but two torpedoes hit the large AO for heavy damage.  Pompon had immediately started coming left after the first spread, and fired a spread of three at the AK.  The torpedo from #6 tube went erratic, and made a circular run with Pompon as its target.  Maneuvered radically to avoid- the torpedo came within 200 yards on our starboard quarter. In the meantime, the other torpedoes had performed admirably, and two hits were obtained on the AK.  He broke in half and sank immediately.  The closer escort had changed his course to head straight for us, and the other escort fell in behind.  He opened fire with his deck gun, and the shells were bursting around us.  We fired four electric torpedoes from the stern tubes.  A possible hit was obtained on the second escort vessel for he did not participate in the subsequent depth charge attack.  The CO sent the lookouts below, and only a couple of moments later pulled the plug.  The #1 escort came over the top and dropped 14 depth charges.  By then we were at over 350 feet down.  Had a good bathythermograph layer, and avoided at high speed.  Last contact with him was at 0051 hours on the 13th.  We surfaced at 0154 hours, and attempted to search for the remnants of the convoy.  Broke off search due to unreliable charts and soundings of less then 35 fathoms 10 miles off the coast.  Position lat. 50-28(N) long 144-09(E).

Saturday, 08/15.  Two more ship contacts identified as Russian.

Tuesday, 08/25.  Departed patrol area enroute Pearl Harbor via Midway Island.

Monday, 08/30.  Moored Midway at 1100 hours.  Offloaded torpedoes, fueled.  1630 hours underway for Pearl Harbor in company with RASHER.

Friday, 3 September. 1000 hours moored Sub Base, Pearl Harbor.

Sixth War Patrol completed.
 
 

Synopsis Seventh War Patrol of USS Pompon (SS-267)

Departed San Francisco Sunday 5 December 1944 enroute Pearl Harbor.

Sunday, 12/12.  Arrived Pearl Harbor. Monday, 12/13. Departed Pearl Harbor enroute Majuro, Marshall Islands.

Wednesday, 12/14. Arrived Majuro.  Rescued a 62 year old Hawaiian fisherman, Costo Elestricimo, enroute who had been drifting in a broken down motor sampan for 42 days.  He had been living on raw fish, and what little rain water he could catch.  The crew affectionately nicknamed him, “Electrician”.  Sank his boat by gunfire to prevent a hazard to navigation.  We then spent three weeks in Majuro for voyage repairs and refresher training in preparation for patrol.

Patrol area: Yellow Sea.

Thursday, 01/06/45.  Departed Majuro in company with Spadefish, Atule, Jallao enroute Saipan for refueling.  “Friendly” aircraft dropped a pair of bombs about 8 hours out of Majuro.

Friday, 01/14. Arrived Saipan.  Sunday, 01/16 departed Saipan enroute enemy waters.

Saturday, 01/22.  Entered patrol area.  We are a unit of a loosely coordinated wolfpack, “Underwood’s Urchins”.  Normal patrol procedures, but submarine contacting enemy is responsible for alerting other boats and calling them in.

Five floating mines sighted during day and night. (additional mines sighted 22nd, 23rd 24th, two on the 25th, and on 02/01).

Thursday, 01/27. 1755 hours.  Ship contact on a convoy of 2 large AKs, 1 large AP, and 4 escorts - one possibly a DD.  Sent contact report by radio to Spadefish and Atule.
1932 hours. Submerged for approach in bright moonlight.  Had to maneuver to evade escort, so did not shoot. 2035 hours.  Surfaced for end around.

Friday, 01/28. 0027 hours.  Submerged for second try.  Believe Spadefish in contact on other side of convoy.  Convoy appears to be suspicious due flashing light signals.  0047 hours escort flashed red truck lights, double pinged, shifted to short scale, and swung directly towards us.  Went to 200 feet and released false target (NAE).  He took off after it along with one of the other escorts.  0218 hours.  Surfaced to chase again.  Saw the flare-up of large explosions.  Apparently Spadefish had fired successfully.  (Spadefish was subsequently given credit for having sunk a 7000 ton converted seaplane tender and one escort vessel of 700 tons).  We were gratified in that we had at least pulled two of the escort vessels out of position enabling Spadefish to get in.

0250 hours. Commenced tracking another large AP which was maneuvering radically at high speed and heading for shallow water.  0414 hours we had pulled up abeam of transport when he sighted us in the bright moonlight and opened fire. He was within one hour of water too shallow for us to operate in, and it would have taken us four hours to get into position, so gave up chase.  Two escorts were trailing astern of AP.

Saturday, 01/29. 0715 hours.  Upper conning tower hatch jammed open during a dive.  Pump room flooded completely, control room to about 2 feet above deck before lower conning tower hatch could be shut.  Conning tower flooded.  Used quantities of H.P. air to get back to the surface.  LTJG Carl Armstrong and Chief Pharmacist’s Mate Gray were given credit for getting the hatches finally secured, thus probably saving POMPON from a watery grave.

Pompon in desperate straits.  All equipment in the pump room, including both high pressure air compressors, low pressure blowers, and very importantly, the radio transmitter high voltage motor generator.  Master and auxiliary gyros and all radars also inoperative as well as power steering, power rigging for bow planes, I.C. power and emergency lighting throughout the boat.  Cleared water from boat by an all hands bucket brigade up the after battery hatch, and by placing engine room lube oil pump on suction on the trim line.

Made three emergency all day dives on Sunday, 01/30, Monday, 01/31, and on Tuesday, 02/01.  Attempted as many repairs as possible by ship’s force with limited quantity of spare parts.  One low pressure blower in commission, but erratic, can receive radio signals but can transmit only on VHF (line of sight only). Master gyro back in commission.  Biggest problem is High Pressure Air. Impossible to make more, so transferred H.P. air from all torpedoes into the air banks.  Plan to transit Nansei Shoto south of Akuseki Shima to get into the open Pacific.  But first  at 1345 hours on Tuesday, 02/01 sighted GATO at 1345 hours on surface heading for patrol station.  Fired recognition flares, but unable to get his attention.  1430 Surfaced in a rough sea and attempted further to get his attention.  Couldn’t chase because it would take us almost an hour to get blown up and up to speed using low voltage only on the turbo blow system.  1510- hours. Resubmerged until dark.

1900 hours.  Surfaced in heavy seas.  Used almost all of our H.P. air. Ran with the sea and headed for the slot through Nansei Shoto into the open Pacific.

Wednesday, 02/02. 0020 hours.  Just what we did not need!  Sight contact on a convoy of at least three ships and three escorts while we were entering the pass.  They came out of one rainsquall as we came out of another.  We changed course and attempted to evade.  The nearest escort sighted us, and challenged.  We made a slow dive and scrambled for depth.  He dropped three depth charges, and ran to catch up with his convoy.  We stayed submerged for the rest of the night and day until 1845 hours when we surfaced in a rough sea east of Nansei Shoto.  #1 LP Blower burned out.

Thursday, 02/03.  All day dive. #2 LP  Blower back in commission.  Made decision to head for Midway Island due to our inability to transmit by radio.  Guam is much nearer, less than a thousand miles, and Midway is some 2,100 miles to the east.  The people in Guam have a bad habit of shooting at unidentified submarines, however.  Plan to dive during daylight hours until clear of the Bonins.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday 02/03, 04 and 05.  Submerged during daylight hours.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 02/06, 07, 08, 09, 10.  Underway on the surface for Midway.

Friday, 02/11. 1030 hours.  Sighted and exchanged calls with POGY (SS-266).  She turned around and escorted us back in to Midway, where we arrived on the second 02/11.

We pulled in with our decks almost awash, and carrying a hefty port list.  The Commodore on Midway said that this was probably the most damaged submarine that had ever made it back in to Midway.

The crew fully expected that we would be routed back to Pearl, and thence to the States for shipyard repairs of our extensive damage(s).  We were caught completely by surprise when the word came in the next morning by radio that we were to remain in Midway, and that necessary parts would be flown out to us. We remained for over six hectic weeks.
 

Seventh War Patrol completed
 
 

Synopsis Eighth War Patrol of USS Pompon (SS-267)

Prologue: CDR Stephen H. Gimber, USN (USNA ‘35), was relieved as Commanding Officer by LCDR John R. Bogley, USN (USNA ‘38) Tuesday, March 1st, 1945 at Midway Island.  3 officers were transferred, 4 replacements received.

Patrol area:  East China Sea and Formosa Straits.

Wednesday, 03/30. 1500 hours.  Underway for 8th war patrol via Guam.

Friday, 04/08.  Entered Apra Harbor, Guam in company with BALAO, returning from her 8th war patrol.

Sunday, 04/10.  Underway for enemy waters.

Tuesday, 04/12.  Exchanged calls with SEA DEVIL and TENCH.

Thursday, 04/14.  Sighted floating mine.  (First of 16 floating mines sighted while on station).

Friday, 04/15. 0424 hours.  Plane contact. Submerged.  (First of 106 enemy plane contacts while on station).

Saturday, 04/16.  Transited pass into East China Sea south of AKUSEKI Jima.  (Same pass we used during our 7th patrol for ingress and egress to East China Sea and Pacific Ocean.)

Thursday, 04/2 1.  Sighted many fishing junks during morning while running on surface. One sighted us and maneuvered erratically to get clear.  30 minutes later we had a plane contact, and submerged.  Several hours later we had to reverse course in order to get clear of fishing nets the junks had laid across our bow.  At 1838 hours, we had sight contact on two CHIDORIs at 7,000 yards with a 3rd coming over the horizon.  They were pinging, then listening. Is interesting to note they were exactly where we would have been had we not had to maneuver to clear the fishing nets.  Water only 150 feet deep here, so went to 100 feet, found a bathythermograph layer, and put them astern.

Saturday, 04/23. 1327 hours.  Ship contact.  Tracked and identified as a Japanese Hospital Ship, properly marked, and conducting herself in accord with international law.  2230 hours. Received message from COD setting up a rendezvous.

Sunday, 04/24. 2345 hours.  As we approached rendezvous position, heard distant pattern of 13 depth charges ahead.

Monday, 04/25. 0015 hours.  Heard 9 more depth charges ahead. 0139 hours.  One more depth charge.  Sounds of distant light screws.  0900 hours.  At rendezvous.  No COD. 2215 hours.  Radio message from COD.  (Note that extremely heavy and effective Japanese jamming was prevalent on all of the wolfpack radio frequencies throughout this patrol).

Tuesday, 04/26.  Rendezvous with COD.  Exchanged information via Walkie Talkie.  COD had attempted to call us in on her contacts, but couldn’t get through the jamming.  She received the worst depth charging she had received thus far during WWII.

Wednesday, 04/27. 0330 hours.  Received request from COD for rendezvous to help search for two men lost over the side during a fire in the after torpedo room.  0750 hours through 2210 hours.  Searched in company with COD.  Results negative.  Note that one Japanese seaplane, “Sally” passed ahead of us at ONE MILE during our surface search.  We were ready to dive, but he did not see us.

Monday, 05/16. 2000 hours.  Departed area heading for Guam.

Tuesday, 05/17.  Rendezvoused with RAY and took aboard 10 rescued airmen from downed PBM for transportation to Guam. Sea was calm.  POMPON proceeded at 5 knots, RAY came alongside to port.  Bows were secured with #1 and #2 lines.  Used engines to keep sterns apart. Men stepped aboard, bow to bow. Following is a list of survivors:

LT Eugene C. Dixon,
LT Marvin E. Hart
Ensign William H. Rumburg, Jr.
Armknecht, Raymond H. AOM3c
Clark, John H,. ARM3c
DeCain, Dante D. ARM2c
Graf, Robert G. AOM3c
Parshall, Robert C. AMM2c
Spring, Kent E. AMM3c
Worley, Carl L. AOM3c

0755 hours. Completed transfer of personnel.

Wednesday, 05/18. 1700 hours.  Clear of AKUSEKI pass, heading East.

Tuesday, 05/24. 0732 hours.  Moored alongside Apollo in Apra Harbor, Guam.

Eigth war patrol completed.
 
 

Synopsis Ninth War Patrol of USS POMPON (SS-267)

Patrol area:  Truk. Lifeguard Mission.

Saturday, 06/18. 1100 hours.  Underway for Truk Atoll in company with USS RABY (DE-698).

Sunday, 06/19. Rendezvous with LAPON.  Exchanged information and took over Life Guard services. Released escort.

Tuesday, 06/21.  Liberator strike.

Saturday, 06/25.  Two B-29 strikes.

Monday, 06/27  Liberator strike.

Tuesday, 07/05.  B-29 strike.

Wednesday, 07/06.  Sighted aircraft approaching from stern.  Single engine float.  Identified visually at 2 miles as enemy “JILL”.  Submerged in a hurry.

Wednesday, 07/13.  Thunderbolt strike.

Friday, 07/15.  B-29 strike.

Thursday, 07/21.  Rendezvous with USS HERNDON (DD-638).  Escorted to Guam.

Friday, 07/22. 0720. Moored Apra Harbor, Guam.

Ninth war patrol completed.

Pompon departed Guam on 22 August, 1945, only one week after hearing first news of the surrender, and only 12 days after her scheduled departure on her tenth war patrol.  Her destination this time was Pearl Harbor for further routing to New Orleans via the Panama Canal.  Arriving in New Orleans, the next three weeks were spent on open house for the public and liberty for the crew.  This was followed by an open house at Lake Charles, Louisiana.  Pompon became the first submarine in history to transit the Calcasieu River to Lake Charles.

In early October, Pompon departed Lake Charles for New London, Connecticut.  Arriving in New London, Pompon moored to the Fulton (AS-11) at State Pier in New London.  It is interesting to note that she had also moored alongside Fulton upon arrival in Brisbane, Australia and prior to proceeding on her first war patrol.

The first week of January 1946 Pompon departed for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for overhaul and preservation in preparation for decommissioning.  All machinery was overhauled, deactivated, mothballed.  Even the screws were removed and stored/mounted topside.  Pompon was then towed back to the Sub Base, New London for final inspection, and decommissioning.
 
 

Anecdotes and stories of interest
 

Anecdote from Al Brown:

Refer to the 5th War Patrol. We were near Muroto Zaki light on Shikoku.  There was a town nearby.  Now jump to about 1987.  Steve Gimber phoned me to say that he had been called by a Japanese writer, asked if he were CO of the Pompon in the above sinking and could he come to visit Steve at his home in Nashua.  It seems that this writer was looking into the faults, lies, bad faith, errors, or whatever of the Japanese military during the war.  He learned that the ship we sank was carrying troops and that the Japanese captain had requested to go around the western side of Japan because he felt there was too much danger from U.S. Submarines on the Pacific (eastern) side.  His request was denied.  (That is item one that triggered the writer).  After the ship was sunk, the Naval authorities immediately told the people in the nearby village to do nothing and say nothing.  (That is item two that triggered the writer).  The writer claimed that many of the troops could have been saved by the local villagers and fishermen.  (My comment here I saw the ship go down.  After the hit, Steve turned to me saying, “Here Al, take a look”.  I looked, and in the something like 20 seconds I was looking the ship broke in the middle and was going down with the bow and stern sticking up.  So my conclusion was that nobody had much of a chance to get off).  Back to Steve’s interview he told the story, answered questions and was televised for Japanese TV.  The writer told Steve that the town had put up a monument to the troops that were drowned in that sinking.  (So we have a monument to that piece of work although having read interviews about what it was like on ships that were sunk by submarines, I am not too happy about having drowned a lot of people).  The writer asked Steve if anybody else saw the sinking and Steve replied that I was the only one -- since the ship went down so fast and also because we had to go deep fairly fast.  He called me to say that I might be called by the Japanese.  They never did call.

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Above attack from POMPON fifth war patrol report:
30 May

0832 I SHIP CONTACT #5. Lat. 33-15(N), Long. 134-11(E). Attack #2.  Successful. Sunk small AP 2-3000 tons.  Target identified as small single stack AP, came up from South passing close to Muroto Zaki and was about 2-3000 yards off the beach at time of attack.  No surface escort.  Plane escort sighted 3 or 4 times during early stages of approach.  Apparently broke off just inside of Muroto Zaki.

0854 I Lost power on bow planes for a few minutes.  Diving Officer did a nice job during attack.

0856 I Fired three bow shots.  Normal speed spread, 94 starboard track, torpedo run 2,300 yards, gyro angles 9 R, 9.5 R, and 9 R, depth set 8 feet.
 

0857 I Bulls eye!  One hit amidships and he literally disintegrated, breaking in half and sinking almost immediately.  Numerous breaking up noises were heard, in addition two other explosions which were probably the other torpedoes on the beach.

1030 I First explosion of a long series, 50 - 60, which lasted until 1709.  Went deep under a triple layer, two negative and one positive, sharp gradients - the most unusual Bathythermograph Card we had ever seen.
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Al Brown’s brief Curriculum Vitae:
Harvard Business School, Columbia University Graduate Faculties - Physics.  (Cryogenics). Bell Telephone Laboratories 1951-1957 Systems Engineering Department - Communications.  Aviation 1940 -various - National aviation policy/programming & Air Traffic Control for US (FAA), for Government of Israel and World Bank. Special Assistant to the Director, U.S. Bureau of the Budget in 1963 and 1964. Planning Research Corporation, Manager Transportation and Urban Systems - mainly economic and policy studies. ORSA – Chairman Transportation Science Section. Consultant in small business development to various companies in U.S. and gave seminars to Governments and Private (in Micronesia (Truk, Ponape, Palau, Yap & Marshall Islands).  Director, officer and a major stockholder in TCR Inc., a small successful data processing company.
 
 
 

Robert I. Gray, CphM. Seventh War Patrol - “Wet Dive”.

I was in the conning tower and had just been relieved from the radar watch when I heard Carl Armstrong, the OOD, shout, “Clear the bridge”, and the klaxon sounded.  The lookouts passed through the conning tower to the control room to man the planes.  Carl Armstrong shouted, “Here comes the water” as he was flushed from the upper conning tower hatch where he was pulling on the lanyard and attempting to close the upper hatch.  He was flushed through the lower conning tower hatch to the control room.  I recall that the helmsman was also flushed off of his feet and down to the control room.

Water continued rushing through the conning tower and into the control room, for the lower hatch was still open.  I rushed over to secure the lower hatch, and the navigator, Walter Wahlin, yelled, “Get the hell out of my way,” knocking me away from the hatch, and he disappeared down through the hatch to the control room.  I moved quickly and succeeded in closing the hatch, however the force of the water prevented me from withdrawing my left hand, and the hatch pinned it fast. I felt like drowning rat.  My thoughts were, “I have to get out of here and up to the periscope shears.”

With my right hand I tried to raise the hatch to get my pinned hand free.  The first attempt was to no avail.  Then I really thought I was a drowning rat.  With super-human effort I made another try, and with the Lord’s help pulled the hatch off my hand.  (I later learned that when I lifted the hatch off of my left hand I had lifted the three crew members off of their feet who were attempting to close the hatch from below.)  At that point in time the flooding suddenly stopped, for we had surfaced.  Daylight shone through the upper hatch. I fell back on a stool.  There was about three feet of water in the conning tower.

I could see the lower hatch opening, and jumped over to slam it shut because I thought the control room was flooded and abandoned.  However, it was the captain, Steve Gimber, and several members of the crew.

I finally left the conning tower, looking down and seeing that the pump room hatch was open, and the pump room had been completely flooded.
 

Editor’s comments: Doc Gray received the Navy and Marine Corps medal for his actions in securing the lower hatch.  The medal was presented by Admiral Lockwood, ComSubPac, on 9 June, 1945.  The citation, signed by James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy, stated:

“For heroic conduct while serving on board the USS Pompon, during the seventh war patrol in the Pacific War Area, on January 29, 1945.  When one of his officers was thrown to the deck by the force of the solid stream of water rushing in through the conning tower hatch which failed to close during a routine dive, GRAY remained in the flooding compartment, braving the imminent danger of drowning and succeeded in securing the conning tower hatch.  His initiative and courageous actions undoubtedly prevented the loss of depth control and the possible destruction of the ship and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

For the President,

James Forrestal
Secretary of the Navy

Doc left the Pompon and the Navy in October of 1945. Attended the University of Alabama where he received his BS and MS degrees in Bacteriology.  Was employed by the State Department of Health. and hospitals in Alabama and Florida.  Employed by Tampa General Hospital from 1959 through 1983, where he retired in August of 1983. Enlisted in the Naval Reserve as a Chief Hospital Man.  Commissioned in the Medical Service Corps of the Reserve in 1949.  Several tours of Active Duty for Training at the Naval Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and at the Submarine Base in New London.  Retired from the Reserve as a Commander in 1978.
 
 

Frank Walls memories of POMPON:

Football, basketball, and snow in Manitowoc.  Drydock in Panama where I got stuck in a ballast tank.  The seas Panama to Auckland.  The “Dud” torpedoes.  The smell of asparagus near the end of the 3rd patrol.  Washington’s desserts and Walter’s good humor.  The leave in Perth when 3 or 4 of us flew South to the fishing camp.  Minelaying where I was sure I could see the bottom.  The mirage in the South China Sea when a whole convoy was visible 43 degrees above the horizon.  The night surface attack when the torpedo circled - and all that followed.  The night Wahlin and I got invited to the crew’s party at the Royal Hawaiian.  Making XO.  The night Bevill and I saw the two torpedoes.  The smell of jasmine as we neared Bali.  The day in Midway we went skin diving and I mis-navigated and got us in the Marine firing range and they started shooting at us.  The day that Bill Mendenhall, Ben Franklin, and I drew straws for a transfer to new construction.  Bill Mendenhall drew the short straw.
 

Frank left POMPON at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in November of 1944.  Went to San Diego where he took command of S-40.  Had orders in hand back to Pearl Harbor for the PCO pool - due to report on 15 August, 1945 -when the bomb was dropped.  The orders were cancelled, and Frank stayed with S-40, taking her to Mare Island for decommissioning in November of 1945.  He was discharged from the Navy that month.  He put his degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Utah to work when he was employed as Chief Engineer, White Mountain Mining and Milling Co, in Warren, NH from 1947 to 1951.  Followed by employment as Chief Engineer, Lynn Sand and Stone Co. in Swampscott, MA 1951-1 953, Chief Engineer Wells-Lamson Quarry Company, Barre, VT from 1954 to 1964, Vice President Kelley Construction Inc., Barre, VT 1964 to 1970m President and Partner, E.F. Wall & Associates, General Contractors, Montpelier, VT 1976 to 1980, Partner and Chairman of the Board of the same firm from 1980 to 1984.  Moved to Punta Gorda, Florida that year, and even though semi-retired served as a Consultant to the Wall Construction firm from 1984 to 1987.  Retired in November of 1988, and bought ranch in Thayne, WY. Summered in Wyoming and wintered in Florida through 1992. 1997.  Bought ranch and moved to Idaho.
 
 

Hank Henderson’s memories of POMPON.

There are many memories associated with my POMPON days, commencing with five months and three days in Manitowoc and continuing through all nine war patrols.  Helped set up the base radio station in Manitowoc where we operated somewhat illegally.  We used a four letter “N” call as if w were another ship.  Our transmitter was an OLD TAR-2 model that I believe had come off the Beaver, an old tender.  It was so antique that the alternate mode of operating was spark gap transmission.  Was a miracle that we ever got it on the air.  Conducted operations with Peto and Pogy while they were on Lake Michigan.  Also “went to sea” on board the Coast Guard ship Tamarack to teach their people how to operate the new fangled sound gear, which they had just received.  The water on the lake was extremely rough the first time.  I think I was the only person on board who was not sea sick.  One memory of Manitowoc still causes me to chuckle these many years later.  It happened after we left, so we were not directly involved.  At any rate, the Master at Arms of the barracks was a first class boatswains s mate - a naval reservist.  He had great difficulty in getting the submarine sailors up at reveille, no doubt due to the friendly natives, the late hours, etc.  Nobody, however, knew what his civilian occupation was, that is until the circus came to town.  Seems that he was a wild animal trainer.  He brought one of his trained bears into the barracks to assist in reveille (the local newspaper had been forewarned, and had a reporter and photographer on site).  The bear would walk up to a sleeping sailor’s bunk, sniff around his head until he opened an eye, and then pure terror took charge.  They had pictures of sailors running in panic down the street in their skivvies.  A close friend in Manitowoc sent me the article and pictures while we were in Australia.  I remember, too, that while we were transiting Makassar straits, close to the shores of Borneo, a wild canary flew into the boat.  It made its home in the radio shack for a couple of days.  One evening, though, as I was copying a FOX broadcast, a feather flew over my shoulder, then another, then a whole bunch of them The poor little critter was sitting on a fan, and had fallen in.  We placed him in a sock and buried him at sea.  On the sixth run during our night surface attack, my battle station - as always -was on the sound gear in the conning tower.  We were engaged in a running gun battle with one of the escorts of the convoy we had just attacked.  (He was “Gunning”, we were “Running”, hence the term “Running gun battle.”.  The captain pulled the plug and we started down.  Seemed like the depth gauge was hung up at about 35 feet for hours, but it was only seconds.  At any rate, he came over the top after we were down and rolled a couple of charges.  The packing in #2 periscope sprang a leak, and that ice-cold Sea of Okhotsk water hit me in the back of the neck.  The skipper, Steve Gimber, was still chuckling about that many years later.  He said that I turned almost a complete summersault, but never stopped reporting the target’s bearings.  We all have special memories, too, of that most successful patrol - the seventh - in which the success was really measured by our even getting back to port.  When the diving alarm sounded for that memorable dive, I was just stepping from the after battery compartment into the control room.  When the water started coming down, I automatically reached out behind me and closed and dogged the hatch, thus insuring watertight integrity.  The thought hit me only seconds later when I was up to my elbows in water, that I could have just as easily closed the hatch from the other side. I asked myself, “Why”, and the answer came back, “Training”.  The action was, as I said earlier, automatic.  Strictly a reflex action.  I then realized that those endless hours of training that we had all undergone almost constantly were for good purpose.  Then, too, there was that memory of our last patrol - life guard at Truk.  I was aware that intelligence had told us that all enemy aircraft in the area were neutralized, so it was pretty much a milk run.  Our pilots were coming over almost daily.  Their chatter on the VHF radio was almost incessant - they even sang songs.  “Dear Old Gal” was one of their favorites.  I, at this time, was standing Chief of the Watch watches on the hydraulic manifold in the control room in preparation for my advancement to Chief Radioman on the 10th patrol.  I heard the OOD shout, “Clear the bridge” -and there was a definite sense of urgency in his voice.  I hardly waited for the “Green board, pressure in the boat”, before I opened the vents and we started down.  Seems that a single aircraft - nothing unusual - had wiggled his wings while he was coming in, as most of the friendlies did - but then when he winged over and started in, the big old “Meatballs” flashed in the sun.  We made one of the fastest dives the boat had ever made.  Ah yes, memories.

I left the boat in Guam on the day the war ended, August 15th, 1945.  I was sent to Japan as prize crew aboard the ex-Jap submarine, 1-14.  I witnessed the surrender ceremony aboard Missouri from a vantage point only a few hundred yards away.  Many things happened to me in succeeding years, but suffice it to say that I finally retired from the Navy on June 30, 1964 as a very senior Lieutenant of the line, and proud wearer of gold dolphins.  I earned my BS and MA degrees in my post-retirement years.
 
 
 

EPILOGUE

POMPON, as we knew her, was decommissioned and mothballed as a unit of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, New London Group on May 11, 1946.

Five and a half years later, on 11 December 1951, POMPON was taken to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard to be converted as the first of a new Migraine III Radar Picket Submarine class.  The conversion was extensive in that she was cut in half, and a new 30’ section was added between the Control Room and Forward Battery compartments.  This new section was known as the “Air Control Center”, and commonly referred to as the “CIC”.  Four of the original thin skin Manitowoc boats were so configured, POMPON, RASHER, RATON, and ROCK.

POMPON was recommissioned as SSR-267 on June 15, 1953 in Philadelphia.  After a shakedown cruise and training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, she was homeported in Norfolk, Virginia as a unit of Submarine Squadron Six.  Local operations and frequent deployments to the Caribbean and European areas kept her busy until she was again decommissioned at Charleston, South Carolina on February 2, 1959.

She was stricken from the Navy List on April Fool’s Day of 1960 (04/01/60).

POMPON was scrapped by the Commercial Metals Company on November 25, 1960.

POMPON may be gone, but she lives on the hearts, minds, and memories of all those who were privileged to serve aboard her. The “Peaceful ‘P”’ always brought us back.
 

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