USS Tang (SS-306)

Tonight is October 29th 2006 ... 5 days 62 years ago a USN Submarine was sank by its own torpedo ... the last one fired to take out a Japanese merchant vessel somewhere around the Formosa Island (now Taiwan) she discovered on her patrol. The USS Tang (SS-306) a Balao Class Diesel-Electric Submarine.

She was born in Mare Island Naval Shipyard, her keel laid down 15th January 1943 and was launched on 17th August thereafter --hey ... precisely 2 years after that we had our independence day :D-- later commisioned on 30th November 1943 by USN. Her command was given to Lt.Cmdr. Richard O'Kane, a former XO of USS Wahoo (SS-238). First patrol order was around Caroline-Mariana Islands in the Pacific and served mostly in Far East.

She had a tremendous achievement during her career before her torpedo worked against her. A total of 227,800 tons and damaging 4,100 tons logged by her, an unexcelled record among USN Subs at that time.

On 10th and 11th October 1944 she sank Joshu Go and Ota Maru and continue patrol until 23rd October night when discovered a large convoy consisting 3 tankers, a freighter, a transport and numerous escorts. Planning a surface attack, she fired her torpedoes and scored hits but a transport would not allow her to waltz on sinking the others by attempting to ram her. O'Kane quickly evade the frantic transport and another tanker which had the same idea as the transport. Seeing escorts flanked onto her, she quickly disengage and rushed to open water.

The day after .. 24th October she patrolled on periscope depth and surfaced at night, on the way to Turnabout Island her RADAR showed a large scale of blips indicating another large convoy. This time she spotted tankers with aircrafts on its deck and transports with crated aircraft on its bow and stern. The escorts were then suspicious and immediately ordered their companions to flare up the sky. Tang choose a 3 decks transport, a small transport and a tanker as her targets and then fired her fishes which eventually found their targets. A destroyer which pursuing her was also destroyed either by her torpedo(es) or by nearby destroyer's shell fire.

One crippled transport was leftover and immobile ...

O'Kane decided to take her out with her last 2 torpedoes --he didn't know that one of this torpedo caused catastrophe disaster to her--. After few and careful adjustments he ordered his torpedomen fire that last fishes. One fish was running hot but another fish somewhat changed it course converge-circling Tang. O'Kane realized this emergency situation and quickly brought her to emergency speed avoiding the circling torpedo. Unfortunately, O'Kane intention was unable to save her and her crew; the circling fish finally hit her stern. The explosion was violent and crew were forced to assemble at her bow. Survivors were rescued from a Japanese destroyer escort and later inflicted tortures. They spent their live in POW camp until the end of war. O'Kane was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour.

All 24 of her torpedoes were fired ... 22 hit its mark, one miss, and ... the last one took her life away.

Balao Class Submarine has the technical specification as below:

Displacement	1526 / 2414 BRT
Length	312 feet
Complement	6 + 60 men
Armament	ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes. one 4"/50 deck gun. one 40mm gun. two .50 cal. machine guns.
Max speed	20.25 / 8.75 kts knots (surfaced/submerged)
Engines	Diesel / Electric 2 shafts
Power	5400 / 2740 (surfaced/submerged)
Notes on class	This class saw extensive service in the Pacific in the war, along with their siblings the Gato-class boats they served as the backbone of the US Submarine Service

Here are the names of USS Tang's crew:

USS TANG (SS 306) Sailors Lost 10-24-1944

Accardy, J. G. SM3

Adams, R. F. STM2

Allen, D. D. MOMM2

Anderson, P. E. TM3

Andriolo, C. RM2

Anthony, H. F1

Ballinger, W. F. CTM

Bauer, E. C. Y3

Beaumont, E. H. LT

Bergman, E. F. RM1

Bisogno, F. N. TM3

Boucher, W. J. TM3

Bresette, B. V. QM3

Bush, J. EM2

Chiavetta, B. S1

Clark, W. J. QM3

Coffin, R. J. EM3

Culp, J. H. CEM

Darienzo, A. J. EM2

DeLapp, M. V. CMOMMA

Dorsey, W. E. MOMM1

Enos, F. M., Jr. LTJG

Eriksen, L. H. F1

Fellicetty, D. C. Y3

Finckbone, B. H. EM2

Fluker, J. W. TM1

Foster, J. M. TM1

Galloway, W. C. TM2

Gentle, T. E. F1

Gorab, G. J., Jr. EM3

Gregg, O. D. COX

Hainline, H. W. QM3

Harms, F. G. MOMM2

Haws, G. O. F1

Henry, J. F. F1

Heubeck, J. H. LTJG

Hudson, A. L. CMOMMA

Ijames, H. W., Jr. RCM3

Imwold, S. S. MOMM2

Jenkins, D. M. Y3

Jones, S. W. CQM

Kaiser, L. C. MOMM3

Kanagy, J. T. EM1

Kassube, J. T. COX

Key, J. A. SC3

Knapp, R. B. FC3

Kroth, R. J. LTJG

Lane, L. R. EM1

Larson, P. I. CPHMA

Lee, R. P. RM3

Llewellyn, L. H. RM2

London, C. W. F1

Loveless, C. MOMM1

Lytton, E. MOMM1

McMorrow, R. V. MOMM1

McNabb, J. J. F1

Parker, J. J. CCSA

Pearce, B. C., Jr. ENS

Raiford, R. M. CK3

Reabuck, F. J. F1

Rector, D. D. GM3

Reinhardt, E. F1

Roberts, J. L. SC3

Robertson, G. L. MOMM2

Smith, S. G., Jr. QM3

Springer, F. H. LT

Stepien, E. F. S1

Sunday, F. L. EM3

Vaughn, P. B., Jr. COX

Wadsworth, C. W. TM3

Walker, H. M. ST3

Weekley, L. S. CTMA

Welch, R. E. QM2

White, J. M. GM1

Williams, W. H. Y2

Wines, P. T. LTJG

Wukovich, G. MOMM1

Zofcin, G. MOMM1

Survivors

Caverly, F. M. RT1

DaSilva, J. B. MOMM2

Decker, C. O. MOMM3

Flanagan, H. J. LTJG

Liebold, W. R. CBMA

Narrowanski, P. TM3

O'Kane, R. H. CDR

Savadkin, L. LT

Trukke, H. O. TM2