USS Gunnel SS-253 Port side view 1945
ss-253 image

War Patrols Overview

War Patrol Dates

Patrol #

From

To
1
 October 19, 1942 December 7, 1942
2
 May 28, 1943 July 3, 1943
3
 November 17, 1943 January 7, 1944
4
 February 5, 1944 April 6, 1944
5
 May 3, 1944 July 4, 1944
6
 July 29, 1944 September 22, 1944
7
 October 21, 1944 December 28, 1944
8
 June 13, 1945 July 24, 1945




Submarine Combat Insignia

For Successful combat operations against the enemy on this patrol, all crew members are authorized to wear the Submarine combat Insignia (all patrols marked in red)


Mt. Fuji through Gunnel's periscope
View of Mt. Fuji through GUNNEL's periscope. Sometime in 1943.


 
 
War Patrol Maps

 
 

Attacks on enemy shipping

Patrol

Date
Time

Longitude
Latitude

Type
Tonnage

Name

Result

2

 6/15/43
0155 (I)		 33-55 N
127-38 E		 AK
7,497 Tons		 Koyo Maru
Sunk

2

 6/19/43
0632 (I)		 32-40 N
126-37 E		 AK
7,210 Tons		 Tokiwa Maru Sunk

2

 6/19/43
2130 (I)		 32-40 N
126-37 E		 DE
900 Tons		 Wakatake class Sunk

2

 6/19/43
1000		 32-40 N
126-31 E		 DE
450 Tons		 Tsubame Survived

3

 12/2/43
2257		 26-03 N
147-50 E		 DE
? Tons		 Unkown Zuiho class
Aux. Aircraft Carrier		 Survived

3

 12/4/43
0052		 29-45 N
145-54.5 E		 AK
10,000 Tons		 Hiyoshi Maru Sunk

7

 11/8/44
0700		 16-10 N
118-56 E		 DE
840 Tons		 Sagi Sunk

7

 11/17/44
0100		 17-36 N
110-33 E		 AO
459 Tons		 Banshu Maru Sunk

7

 11/17/44
0300		 316-56 N
110-30 E		 DE
840 Tons		 Hiyordi Sunk

7

 11/17/44
0400		 16-56 N
110-30 E		 AO
5623 Tons		 Shunten Maru Sunk

7

 11/17/44
0600		 17-05 N
110-42 E		 AK
4000 Tons		 Unknown Maru Sunk

The last time the GUNNEL saw the medium AK that was attacked on 11/17/44 it was down by the stern and listing. Because of this it was listed as damaged, not sunk. Research shows that this MARU was seen to sink by the PAMPANITO (SS 383) in position 19-06N, 111-08E and GUNNEL's records have now been updated to reflect this fact.


A word about Japanese ship names.


One of our sharp eyed readers, George Mertz, pointed out that both the GUNNEL and HARDER claimed the KOYO MARU. Although this may seem unlikely, in actuality there were 3 KOYO MARUs sunk by U.S. submarines during the war and there may well have been a fourth, the KOYU MARU. They were verified from Japanese records after the war by the Joint Army Navy Assessment Committee who established the official record of shipping sunk.

The first of the Koyo Maru's was sunk by the GUNNEL, skipper Jack McCain on 6/15/43 at 33-55N, 127-38E. It appears on page 220 of the ONI 208J recognition manual. It was a split superstructure Mast/Funnel/Mast (MFM), raised bow freighter of 6435 tons gross, 8717 dead weight, L 400 feet. Seventeen in class built 1919-1926.

The second Koyo Maru was sunk by the HARDER, Skipper Sam Dealey on 9/9/43 at 35-20N, 140-40E. It appears on page 139 of ONI 208J. It was a MFM freighter of 3010 tons gross, 4801 dead weight, L 311 feet. four in class built 1897-1920.

The third Koyo Maru was sunk by the SNOOK, Skipper C. Triebel on 2/23/44 at 28-58N, 141-15E. It appears on page 240 of ONI 208J. It was a MFMK freighter of 5471 tons gross, 8661 dead weight, L 400 feet. Eleven in class built 1917-1921.

The Koyu Maru was sunk by the GAR, Skipper George Lautrup on 1/29/44. It was rated as 5325 tons. Because there were two systems for transliteration of Japanese into English, that one could very well have been Koyo Maru also.

During the war we seldom knew for certain the name of the ship we attacked. Some times we claimed the wrong ship, and some of us felt short changed when the official list was established and ships we were sure sunk weren't listed. We were also confused when as in this case so many Koyo Marus showed up. The inscrutable oriental as they used to say.


Line with ship
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Copyright @ 1997 - 2007 James M. Lavelle