Museum
| On Eternal Patrol #1 |
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On Eternal PatrolChester Payne
After boot camp, Chester volunteered for the submarine service. While on submarine duty. he was injured, and spent several months in the hospital in New London, Connecticut. He then was transferred to the Pacific, and was able to meet his brother George in the Hawaiian Islands. His submarine, USS Flier (SS-250), hit a mine while traversing the Balabac Staits south of Palawan in the Philippines. Although eight men survived the sinking and were rescued by the submarine USS Redfin (SS-272), Chester was lost with his remaining shipmates.
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Chester Payne was born on July 15, 1925, in Albert, Oklahoma. He was one of four brothers who served in the Armed Forces during World War II. After graduating from Tulare Union High School in Tulare, California, Chester worked at Johnnie's Bar-B-Q until he enlisted in the Navy in October of 1941.
Secrets of the Sub
| Submarine Rescues |
Submarine RescuesA critical task performed by the US submarine force during World War II, was the rescuing of downed pilots and air crews; They were so efficient at it, that they rescued 520 US airmen from the Pacific Ocean waters. One of those rescued, went on to become President of the United States.
Former US President George H. W. Bush Sr. He was rescued by the USS Finback after being shot down while he was on an air strike mission over Chichi Shima in the Bonin Islands during 2 September 1944.
Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Richard H. O'Kane (center), poses with the twenty-two aircrewmen that Tang rescued off Truk during the carrier air raids there on 29 April-1 May 1944. The photograph was taken upon Tang's return to Pearl Harbor from her second war patrol, in May 1944. |
