USS Kete (SS-369)

Kete was a Balao class submarine completed by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company at Manitowoc, WI in July of 1944.

Kete departed Guam for her second patrol on 1 March 1945. She was assigned to the area around the Nansei Shoto. In addition to the usual hunt for Japanese shipping, Kete was to report on the weather and stand by for lifeguard duties. On the night of 9 to 10 March, Kete sank three cargo ships. On the night of 14 March, she attacked what was reported to be a minelayer but with no success. Since she had only three torpedoes left, Kete was ordered back to Pearl Harbor via Midway. The message was acknowledged on 19 March. Kete sent a weather report the next day. However, she did not arrive at Midway on 31 March as expected. Her loss could have been due to operational problems, a mine or unreported enemy action.

Kete’s first war patrol began at Pearl Harbor on 31 October 1944. She reached her assigned area in the East China Sea on 4 November. However, extreme weather and problems with her bow planes forced her to sail to Saipan for repairs. She sailed from Saipan on 24 December and resumed her patrol on 28 December. She provided lifeguard services from 1 January until the 27th of the month. On 12 January, Kete tried to contact a submarine that was thought to be the USS Swordfish (SS-193). Shortly after that, Kete heard a barrage of explosions, which is now thought to be the demise of Swordfish. After collecting weather data, she ended the patrol at Guam on 30 January 1945.

Kete was lost on her second war patrol. JANAC credited her with three sinkings for 6,881 tons total for her WW2 service.