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USS Bonefish SS-223

The USS Bonefish SS-223 was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. It was launched on May 7 1943 and commissioned by the U.S. Navy on May 31. The name ‘Bonefish' comes from a group of fish that includes the sturgeon and the dogfish. The sub was the first ship to carry the name.

Built as a Gato class submarine, the USS Bonefish was a little over 311 feet long and 27 feet wide. Her crew consisted of six officers and 54 enlisted men. On the surface she could reach speeds of up to 21 knots and travel at nine knots when under water. She was driven by four electric motors provided by General Electric. The electricity for the motors, and two 126-cell batteries, was supplied by four V16 diesel engines by General Motors. She had six forward torpedo tubes and four aft. She also had one 4 inch, 50 caliber gun and four machine guns on her deck to use when on the surface.

The USS Bonefish ran a total of eight patrols during World War II. She started out after launch performing shakedown maneuvers off the east coast of America. After it was confirmed that everything was ship-shape, the Bonefish set out for the Pacific Ocean, traveling through the Panama Canal. She reached Brisbane, Australia on August 30 and spent a week or so in training maneuvers. She set out for her first patrol in the middle of September.

Her patrol area was the central part of the South China Sea and it was only a couple of days after she set out that she saw her first action. On September 25, the sub attacked a convoy made up of about eight ships. She was able to hit one of the freighters three times before having to dive to avoid enemy depth charges. Two days later, she came across another convoy. This time, she was able to confirm the sinking of an enemy transport ship called the Kashima Maru. Once again, she was able to elude the counterattacking ships. Twice more in October, the Bonefish met with the enemy. Each time, she was able to confirm hits on enemy vessels and each time she was able to get away safely. During one of the attacks, she had to dive before she could ascertain how much damage she caused with her torpedoes. During the other attack, though, she was able to confirm the sinking of a cargo ship and a transport ship. Her first patrol ended when she returned to Australia at the end of October.

Her second patrol took place in November and December of 1943, her third lasted from January to March of 1944 and her fourth took place in April and May of 1944. All of them were as action packed as the first. She was in the Flores Sea during the second patrol and sank a cargo ship and a passenger-cargo ship. She also damaged several other vessels, with both torpedoes and her deck guns. She was able to get away cleanly each time, but wasn't always able to confirm the extent of the damage to her targets. Her third patrol took her to an area near the Makassar Strait. While there, she spotted a large sailing ship and ordered the crew to abandon her. When the crew refused, sub trained her deck guns on the boat and opened fire. The sailing ship's crew finally went overboard and, and it began to sink, about 39 Japanese military personnel followed. Two more times the sub fired on enemy ships and made a clean getaway, but was unable to confirm the amount of damage.

The USS Bonefish performed four more patrols of various waters between June of 1944 and June of 1945. During these eight patrols, the sub met with the enemy several times. She was able to confirm damage to at least four enemy ships and probably scored on a few others. It is also known that she sank at least eight different enemy vessels with both torpedoes and her deck guns. On October 18, 1944, the Bonefish was able to rescue two downed Allied pilots. On April 16, 1945, she pulled two Japanese pilots from the water who had been shot down by Navy planes. Up until June 19, 1945, the Bonefish had managed to score on enemy ships and make good her escape. That day however, she and her crew were lost. It was found by examining Japanese war records that large cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in Toyama Wan. The counterattack by the Japanese was severe and resulted in debris and oil rising to the surface. The USS Bonefish and her crew received Navy Unit Commendations for five of her eight patrols and seven Battle Stars for her service during World War II.

Many of the men who served aboard ships and subs that had been built during the beginning and middle of the 1900s were exposed to asbestos. The poor ventilation on most subs, especially, circulated the asbestos dust throughout the ship. There are two primary asbestos-related diseases, which can take up to fifty years after exposure to show up. They are called asbestosis and mesothelioma, and they are both deadly. If you have any questions about either of these diseases, or asbestos exposure in general, please feel free to contact us for more information.

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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