Hull Number: SS-177
Last Captain: LCDR Augustus H. Alston
Date Lost: 3 April 1943
Location: Likely off Shiramuka lighthouse on the northern tip of Honshu, the largest of the Japanese home islands
Fatalities: 74
Cause: Uncertain – Likely air and ASW forces
Construction
Pickerel was a Porpoise class submarine completed by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, CT in January of 1937.
Loss Narrative
Pickerel began her seventh war patrol when she sailed from Midway on 22 March 1943. Her orders were to patrol the area to the northeast of Honshu. She was never heard from again.
During the JANAC review after the war, Japanese records showed an attack on a submersible. Naval aircraft first spotted the boat on 3 April and attacked with a bomb. The aircraft then directed a minelayer and a converted auxiliary subchaser to the site. They dropped 26 depth charges on the suspected submarine. Oil was reported to have come to the surface at the location of the attack. Pickerel was the only submarine in the area.
However, Japanese records also showed that their subchaser IJN CH-13 was sunk on 3 April in that area and the cargo ship Fukuei Maru was sunk 7 April. Again, Pickerel was the only American submarine in the area. She received credit for these sinkings after she was thought to have been sunk. It is possible that she survived the depth charging on 3 April, only to succumb later to operational problems or even to damage from the depth charge attack.
During the JANAC review after the war, Japanese records showed an attack on a submersible. Naval aircraft first spotted the boat on 3 April and attacked with a bomb. The aircraft then directed a minelayer and a converted auxiliary subchaser to the site. They dropped 26 depth charges on the suspected submarine. Oil was reported to have come to the surface at the location of the attack. Pickerel was the only submarine in the area.
However, Japanese records also showed that their subchaser IJN CH-13 was sunk on 3 April in that area and the cargo ship Fukuei Maru was sunk 7 April. Again, Pickerel was the only American submarine in the area. She received credit for these sinkings after she was thought to have been sunk. It is possible that she survived the depth charging on 3 April, only to succumb later to operational problems or even to damage from the depth charge attack.
Prior History
Pickerel had sunk a cargo ship on her second war patrol, under a prior commanding officer and an auxiliary vessel on her sixth under LCDR Alston. She claimed sinking two sampans on the sixth patrol, but credit was given only for vessels over 500 tons. She also damaged a freighter on her fifth war patrol when en route to Mare Island for an overhaul. Her other war patrols were not successful.
Pickerel was lost on her seventh war patrol. JANAC credited her with four sinkings for 6,472 tons total for her WW2 service.
Pickerel was lost on her seventh war patrol. JANAC credited her with four sinkings for 6,472 tons total for her WW2 service.
Submarine Photo
Captain Photo
LCDR Augustus H. Alston