[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by MrMojok69

I have read in several different places about a lot of US sub commanders being relieved in the early days of WWII. Relieved for nonaggression, passivity, and so on. The commander of the Wahoo, prior to Morton, for example. when he came back.

be sure of all your facts when making a blanket-statement impuning the fighting honor of distinguished officers of the US Navy

Marvin Granville Kennedy was born in Huntsville, Missouri on September 12, 1905, son of Marvin G. and Erma McCrary (Forster) Kennedy. He attended Henrietta High School before his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy from his native state in 1925. As a Midshipman he played varsity soccer, winning his NA award and varsity lacrosse, receiving his numerals. He was graduated and commissioned Ensign on June 8, 1930.
Following graduation he joined the USS IDAHO and in 1931 received a commendatory letter in connection with the IDAHO's winning the Battle Efficiency Pennant that year. Detached from that battleship in January 1932, he was then ordered to the Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut for submarine training. Upon completing the course in June 1932, he had successive service in the submarines S-35, S-34 and S-45 until June 1936. He was aboard the S-34 when she was awarded the Torpedo "E" for the years 1934-1935 and 1935-1936.
Returning to the United States he attended the course in general line at the Postgraduate School, Annapolis, Maryland, after which he had duty afloat from July 1938 in the USS CHICAGO. Detached from that cruiser in March 1939, he then assisted in the fitting out of the USS HAMMANN at the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Kearny, New Jersey. He joined her as Engineer Officer upon her commissioning, August 11, 1939 and in March 1941 transferred to the USS NARWHAL to serve as her Executive Officer until March 1942.
He was in charge of fitting out the USS WAHOO at the Mare Island Navy Yard and assumed command of that submarine upon her commissioning on May 15, 1942. He was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his actions while in command of that submarine during her Second War Patrol (for sinking a a Japanese submarine and a 5644 ton freighter. His silver star commendation reads in part: " The President of the US takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star for gallantry and intredidity as Commanding officer of USS WAHOO during the second war patrol of that submarine... quickly swinging into action at 900 yard in squally weather and launching a daring attack destroying the the enemy submarine by torpedo fire while enemy personnel were on the bridge. His bold aggressive tactics and courageous devotion to duty to the fulfillment of an important mission were in keeping ith the highest traditiions pf the US Navy").
Relieved of command of the WAHOO in December 1942, he joined the staff of Commander Service Force, Southwest Pacific. From April 1943 to April 1944 he served as Repair Officer in the USS BUSHNELL. He then was given command of the USS GUEST and earned a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Silver Star Medal for his actions during operations off Guam, the Palau Islands and during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Jeeze! more "nonaggression, passivity, and so on"
Returning to the United States in August 1945, he reported as Professor of Naval Science at the University of South Carolina at Columbia with additional duty as Commanding Officer of the V-12 and ROTC units there as well as the V-12 units at the Medical College of the University of South Carolina. He remained there until the summer of 1948 when he became Commander Destroyer Division 122.
During 1949 and 1950 he was Recorder, Board of Inspection and Survey, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington, D.C. He continued to serve in that capacity until August 1950 when he was assigned duty as Senior Engineer Member, Board of Inspection and Survey, Pacific Coast Section, with headquarters at San Francisco, California. In December, 1951 he joined the staff of the Commandant, Twelfth Naval District, also at San Francisco. Captain Kennedy continued to serve in that assignment until he was transferred to the Retired List of the U.S. Navy and advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral on the basis of combat awards on October 1, 1952.
In addition to the Silver Star Medal and Gold Star, Rear Admiral Kennedy received the American Defense Medal; the American Campaign Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; and the World War II Victory Medal.

Rear Admiral Kennedy died on February 9, 1997 at the age of 91.

[LEFT]

Originally Posted by YellowFin

Being unsuccessful as a submarine commander doesn't necessarily reflect the skills of the commander, all though it might.
All successful military action relies on intelligence. Commanders failing in the field might also have had to do with a lack of intelligence on where to find the enemy early in the war.

To assess whether a commander was simply too cautious I believe only reading the patrol logs can give us hints today,

Indeed!

Originally Posted by BigWalleye

Do you have accounts of multiple US submarines being assigned to the same patrol area? I thought this was not done early in the war, because of the threat from Japanese subs. Any sub encountered in the patrol area could be presumed hostile. If you have accounts to the contrary, I'd be interested in reading them.

I don't know about double-teaming allied subs but I'd bet the japs on board the Wahoo's target thought it was another of their own in the 'poor visibility and rain squalls" cited in LTCD 's commendation to be caught on the surface like that....the Silver Star notwithstanding, neither the submarine nor the frighter claimed by a 'nonagressive' Kennedy could be verified after the war...