Hull Number: SS-219
Last Captain: LCDR John A. Boles Jr
Date Lost: 16 February 1943
Location: Off the island of New Britain
Fatalities: Fatalities: 74. The chief pharmacist mate had been killed earlier on the patrol and one Japanese airman who had been taken prisoner died in the sinking.
Cause: Air and ASW forces
Construction
Amberjack was a Gato class submarine completed at the Electric Boat Company in Groton, CT in June of 1942.
Loss Narrative
Amberjack began her third patrol after an abbreviated upkeep period, and wasn’t fully ready for sea. The refit was just 12 days long, rather than the typical three to four weeks, due to the need for operational submarines for combat. She began the patrol by sinking a large schooner by gunfire. Then she was involved in a night gun battle with a 4,000-ton freighter. In this engagement, the chief pharmacist mate, who had gone to the bridge to treat an injured officer, was killed. Amberjack then torpedoed the freighter which sank after a huge explosion. However, this could not be confirmed in postwar audits and Amberjack was not credited with either the schooner or the freighter.
On 14 February, Amberjack reported that she had picked up a Japanese airman as a prisoner and that she had been forced to submerge by two destroyers. Japanese records indicate that a submarine was attacked on 16 February by a sub chaser which then guided other ships to the site. Since USS Grampus (SS-207) was also sunk at about the same time and in the same area, it is highly probable, but not certain, that this sinking was of the Amberjack.
On 14 February, Amberjack reported that she had picked up a Japanese airman as a prisoner and that she had been forced to submerge by two destroyers. Japanese records indicate that a submarine was attacked on 16 February by a sub chaser which then guided other ships to the site. Since USS Grampus (SS-207) was also sunk at about the same time and in the same area, it is highly probable, but not certain, that this sinking was of the Amberjack.
Prior History
On her first patrol, Amberjack had torpedoed a large tanker which was claimed as sunk. However, the tanker had settled into the mud and would be repaired. The tanker would later be sunk by LCDR Bernard Clarey in command of the USS Pintado (SS-387). Ironically, Clarey had been executive officer on Amberjack’s first patrol when the tanker was damaged.
On Amberjack’s second patrol, as she had been preparing to head back to base, she was ordered to Espiritu Santo. There she picked up 9,000 gallons of aviation fuel, two hundred 100-pound bombs and 15 Air Corps personnel, and successfully delivered them to Tulagi. Secret missions such as this were particularly hazardous because other U. S. forces would not know the boat was a “friendly”.
Amberjack was lost on her third war patrol. JANAC credited her with two sinkings for 5,225 tons total for her WW2 service.
On Amberjack’s second patrol, as she had been preparing to head back to base, she was ordered to Espiritu Santo. There she picked up 9,000 gallons of aviation fuel, two hundred 100-pound bombs and 15 Air Corps personnel, and successfully delivered them to Tulagi. Secret missions such as this were particularly hazardous because other U. S. forces would not know the boat was a “friendly”.
Amberjack was lost on her third war patrol. JANAC credited her with two sinkings for 5,225 tons total for her WW2 service.
Submarine Photo
Captain Photo
LCDR John A. Boles Jr