USS Salmon

[MadMike]

From The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships-

SALMON's eleventh and last war patrol was conducted in

company with submarines TRIGGER (SS-237) and STERLET

(SS-392) as a coordinated attack group in the Ryukyu

Islands. This patrol began on 24 September. On 30 October,

SALMON attacked a large tanker that had been previously

damaged by TRIGGER. This tanker was protected by four

antisubmarine patrol vessels which were cruising back and

forth around the stricken ship. SALMON fired four torpedoes

and made two good hits, but was forced to dive deep under a

severe depth charge attack by the escorts. She leveled off

at 300 feet but was soon forced to nearly 500 feet due to

damage and additional pounding of the depth charges. Unable

to control leaking and maintain depth level, she battle

surfaced to fight for survival on the surface.



The enemy seemed wary and held their distance while

sniffing out the situation, and gave SALMON's crew a few

precious minutes to correct a bad list and to repair some of

the damage. The vessels began to close, but SALMON showed

an aggressive stance, turned on the attackers and passing

within 50 yards down the side of one, raked her with 20mm.

gunfire and her deck gun. Apparently killing the topside

personnel of the patrol escort which came to a stop, SALMON

then exchanged fire with a second which again seemed to

hesitate at some distance for reinforcement from the other

two which were coming to the scene. SALMON began sending

out plain language directions for all other subs in the

vicinity to attack, giving the position of the action. This

probably further discouraged the enemy who, fearing other

submarines in the area, began milling around pinging on

sound gear. SALMON took advantage of a rain squall and

slipped away.



Other than the damage caused by depth charges, SALMON

suffered only a few small caliber hits from the enemy

vessels. Escorted by STERLET, TRIGGER, and SILVERSIDES

(SS-236), she made it to Saipan. She was given one third

credit for the 10,500-ton tanker, JINEI MARU which was

eventually sunk by a STERLET torpedo. On 3 November, she

moored alongside submarine tender FULTON (AS-11), in Tanapag

Harbor, Saipan.



On 10 November, SALMON stood out from Saipan, in

company with HOLLAND, and sailed via Eniwetok and Pearl

Harbor to San Francisco. On 26 January 1945, she departed

from San Francisco with submarine REDFISH (SS-395) and

proceeded via the Panama Canal to Portsmouth, N.H. where she

arrived on 17 February.



After repairs and overhaul at the Portsmouth Navy Yard,

SALMON was assigned as a training vessel for the Atlantic

Fleet. After the war's end, SALMON was slated for disposal

and was decommissioned on 24 September. Struck from the

Navy list on 11 October, she was scrapped on 4 April 1946.



SALMON was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for

extraordinary heroism against enemy surface vessels during

her eleventh war patrol in restricted, enemy-held waters of

the Pacific.



SALMON earned nine battle stars for World War II

service in the Asiatic-Pacific area.



Yours, Mike