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USS Albacore SS-218

The USS Albacore was a Gato-class submarine launched on February 17, 1942, and commissioned on June 1, 1942. She served in World War II, and was lost in 1944.

For her services in World War II, the USS Albacore was awarded nine battles stars and a Presidential Unit Citation for four of her patrols.

The USS Albacore in World War II

The Albacore began her first patrol on August 28, 1942. Operating out of Pearl Harbor, she arrived in the waters surrounding Truk several days later. Her first combat action came on September 13, when she fired torpedoes at several cargo vessels, hitting one and missing the other. On October 1, she scored two hits on a Japanese tanker, and on October 10 attacked a freighter, which was presumed downed. The next day she was attacked and chased by several Japanese units, including a plane and two submarine chasers. After almost seven hours, she managed to escape her pursuers and surface to exit the area, arriving at Midway Island on October 20 for a refit.

With the refit completed, the USS Albacore was ready for her second patrol, which commenced on November 11. She was assigned to patrol along New Guinea's east coast. Her second patrol included events similar to her first. After spying convoy vessels on November 24, she fired several times but scored no hits. Two days later, she again became a target when she was depthcharged by two Japanese destroyers. The destroyers gave up the chase after two hours, and the USS Albacore continued on her patrol, heading to Madang, via Vitiaz Strait. On December 18, while stationed near Madang, she discovered a transport and destroyer, and downed the light cruiser Tenryu, which became the second Japanese cruiser to be downed by an American submarine in WWII. The Albacore's next port of call was Brisbane, Australia, where she arrived on December 30.

She departed Melbourne on January 20, 1943 after undergoing an engine overhaul, and commenced her third patrol. Returning to the north coast of New Guinea, she encountered a number of targets, beginning with a frigate and destroyer on February 20, both of which she has been credited with downing. Following this success she was drydocked for further repairs before embarking on her fourth patrol in the Solomon and Bismarck Islands. During this patrol she recorded no hits, despite sighting a number of convoys, and she returned to Brisbane on May 26.

During her fifth and sixth patrols, the USS Albacore attacked convoys in the waters off the Solomon and Bismarck Islands in July. In September, while on her sixth patrol, she attacked and downed the convoy ship Heijo Maru before returning again to Brisbane.

In her seventh patrol, which began on October 12, the USS Albacore sustained substantial damage when she was bombed on November 10. Losing auxiliary power and lighting, she was forced to submerge for several hours before returning to the surface. The damage she took was not so severe that a return to dock was necessary, however, and the needed repairs were carried out while she remained on patrol.

The eighth patrol of the USS Albacore was an eventful one. After locating a damaged Japanese light cruiser, she attempted to attack, but was spotted by Japanese destroyers, and was bombarded with a four-hour-long barrage of depthcharges. After enduring this ordeal she emerged in good shape, and on November 25 she sank the Kenzan Maru, Japanese Army transport ship. After relocating to waters north of the Bismarck Islands, she began pursuing targets on January 12, 1944, and with some strategic aid from other Navy ships, sank the destroyer Sazanami. After several uneventful weeks of patrolling, she departed for the Mare Island Navy Yard in California for an overhaul.

The USS Albacore left California for her ninth patrol on May 5, 1935, reaching Pearl Harbor on May 13. After two weeks spent on training and further repairs, she commenced patrolling on May 29, in the waters around the Mariana Islands and Palau Islands. On June 18 and 19, the Albacore carried out a potentially dangerous move southwest of the Marianas in the hopes of intercepting a Japanese task force. On the morning of June 19, she raised her periscope to find that she had moved to a position in the middle of a group of Japanese vessels led by the flagship Taiho, the newest and largest vessel in Japan's fleet. The Albacore fired six times, and was immediately attacked by three destroyers. One of the Albacore's shots found its mark in the Taiho itself, and the submarine managed to submerge just in time, as more than two dozen depthcharges began raining down on her location.

Ironically, the U.S. Navy did not become aware of the Taiho's fate for several months, and in fact the Albercore's skipper was convinced the sub had missed, losing a prime opportunity to down the ship. It wasn't until several months later that it was discovered that the Taiho had been downed.

The Loss of the USS Albacore

The USS Albacore departed Pearl Harbor for the last time on October 24, 1944. She refueled on October 28 at Midway Island, and after leaving the island was never seen nor heard from again.

Japanese Naval records indicate that the USS Albacore may have been struck by a naval mine near Hokkaido on November 7. The explosion was witnessed by a Japanese patrol boat. The Albacore was presumed lost on December 21, 1944, and she was removed from the Naval Register on March 30, 1945.

United States Navy vessels, including ships as well as submarines, often contained large amounts of asbestos, as the substance was once used extensively as an insulator and fire-proofing material. Many people who served onboard these vessels, or were involved in building, repairing, or outfitting them, have subsequently developed asbestos-related diseases due to asbestos exposure. If you've developed an asbestos-related disease as a result of involvement with Navy vessels, contact us for information about your legal options.

Submarines Index

USS Albacore SS 218 USS AmberJack SS 219 USS Angler SS 240 USS Apogon SS 308 USS Archer-fish SS 311 USS Argonaut-SM-1 USS Argonaut SS 475 USS Aspro SS 309 USS Atule SS 403 USS Balao SS 285 USS Bang SS 385 USS Barbel SS 316 USS Barbero SS 317 USS Barb SS 220 USS Barracuda SS 163 USS Bashaw SS 241 USS Bergall SS 320 USS Besugo SS 321 USS Billfish SS 286 USS Blackfin SS 322 USS Blackfish SS 221 USS Blenny SS 324 USS Blower SS 325 USS Blueback SS 326 USS Bluefish SS 222 USS Bluegill SS 242 USS Boarfish SS 327 USS Bonefish SS 223 USS Bonita SS 165 USS Bowfin SS 287 USS Bream SS 243 USS Brill SS 330 USS Bugara SS 331 USS Bullhead SS 332 USS Bumper SS 333 USS Burrfish SS 312 USS Cabezon SS 334 USS Carbonero SS 337 USS Hake SS 256 USS Hammerhead SS 364 USS Harder SS 257 USS Hardhead SS 365 USS Hawkbill SS 366

USS Herring SS 233 USS Hoe SS 258 USS Icefish SS 367 USS Jack SS 259 USS Jallao SS 368 USS Kete S 369 USS Kingfish SS 234 USS Kraken SS 370 USS Lagarto SS 371 USS Lizardfish SS 373 USS Loggerhead SS 374 USS Macabi SS 375 USS Mackerel-204 USS Manta SS 299 USS Mapiro SS 376 USS Marlin SS 205 USS Mingo SS 261 USS Moray SS 300 USS Muskallunge SS 262 USS Narwhal SS 263 USS Nautilus-ss-0024 USS Paddle SS 167 USS Pampanito SS 383 USS Parche SS 384 USS Pargo SS 264 USS Perch SS 176 USS Permit SS 178 USS Peto SS 265 USS Pickerel SS 177 USS Picuda SS 382 USS Pike SS 173 USS Pilotfish SS 386 USS Pintado SS 387 USS Pipefish SS 388 USS Pirahna SS 389 USS Plaice SS 390 USS Plunger SS 179 USS Pogy SS 266 USS Pollack SS 180 USS Pomfret SS 391 USS Pompano SS 181 USS Pompon SS 267 USS Porpoise SS 172

USS Puffer SS 268 USS Queenfish SS 393 USS Quillback SS 424 USS Rasher SS 269 USS Raton SS 270 USS Ray SS 271 USS Razorback SS 394 USS Redfin SS 272 USS Redfish SS 395 USS Robalo SS 273 USS Rock SS 274 USS Ronquil SS 396 USS Runner SS 275 USS Runner SS 476 USS S-1 SS 105 USS S-20 SS 125 USS S-46 SS 157 USS Sailfish SS 192 USS Salmon SS 182 USS Sand Lance SS 381 USS Sargo SS 188 USS Saury SS 189 USS Sawfish SS 276 USS Scabbardfish SS 397 USS Scamp SS 277 USS Scorpion SS 278 USS Sculpin SS 191 USS Sea Cat SS 399 USS Sea Devil SS 400 USS Sea Dog SS 401 USS Seadragon SS 194 USS Sea Fox SS 402 USS Seahorse SS 304 USS Sealion SS 195 USS Seal SS 183 USS Sea Owl SS 405 USS Sea Poacher SS 406 USS Searaven SS 196 USS Sea Robin SS 407 USS Seawolf SS 197 USS Segundo SS 398 USS Sennet SS 408

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