Patrol 4

Submarine

Patrol 4

USS Bowfin (SS-287) - Patrol 4

The Hunter & Hunted
28 February 1944 to 1 April 1944 griffith-w-t

USS Bowfin traveled from Fremantle to Darwin, then through the Celebes Sea and finally, back to Fremantle for refit by Orion. This fourth patrol was especially plagued with prematurely exploding and erratic running torpedoes. While she was en route from Darwin to the assigned patrol area, Bowfin attacked a convoy of four ships and two escorts on 10 March in the Obi Strait. Heavy escort coverage and faulty, prematurely exploding torpedoes resulted in only one damaged enemy vessel and a severe depth charge attack being made on Bowfin. The following day, attempts by the enemy to take the damaged ship in tow were frustrated by a second attack by Bowfin in which another ship was damaged and the previously damaged ship was sunk. Bowfin received another heavy depth charge attack and had a chain or grapnel hook dragged across her hull in an attempt to pull her to the surface. With all torpedoes expended, Bowfin put into Darwin on 14 March to reload torpedoes. She returned to sea the next day and on 18 March she fired 6 torpedoes, all of which missed a Japanese cargo ship escorted by two submarine chasers. This action resulted in a 16-depth charge enemy attack which shook Bowfin and her crew. That afternoon Bowfin fired four torpedoes at the same target from her stern tubes, but all missed. On 24 March after tracking a five-ship convoy for six hours, Bowfin made a night surface attack and sank two cargo vessels and damaged another before expending all of her torpedoes.

USS Bowfin was underway for 9,272 miles during her fourth patrol. Commanding Officer Griffith and higher authorities believed Bowfin sank 20,982 tons (three large vessels) and damaged 11,464 tons (two large vessels). JANAC credited USS Bowfin with 15,008 tons sunk (three large vessels). CDR Griffith was awarded a Silver Star.

Change of Command - 15 April 1944

CDR Griffith was relieved by CDR John Corbus, USNA class of '30. Corbus had previously served as C.O. of USS Herring (SS-233) with Subron 50 in the Atlantic, then had one war patrol in the Pacific and finally one patrol as C.O. of USS Haddo (SS-255). CDR Griffith returned to Portsmouth to commission a new fleet submarine, USS Bullhead (SS-332), which he commanded until the end of her second war patrol. CDR Griffith finished the war as an Assistant Operations Officer to ComSubPac, VADM Charles A. Lockwood, Jr.

Secrets of the Sub

Hawaii Themed Submarines

USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642) was launched on 16 January 1965 and commissioned on 10 December 1965. This submarine holds the name for King Kamehameha the Great. It is fitting that one of our submarines bear the name of this striking figure in Hawaiian history. His people were intrepid seafarers and knowledge of stars, winds and currents still arouse wonder and admiration. For much of USS Kamehameha's service, she was based in Rota, Spain conducting deterrence patrols during the Cold War. Commissioning gifts to the submarine are on display at the museum.

USS Honolulu

USS Honolulu (SSN-718), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States to be named for Honolulu, Hawaii. She was launched on 24 September 1983 and commissioned on 6 July 1985. Honolulu’s patrols are commemorated by ten surfboards signed by the crews aboard her at the time. One of the four surfboards held at Bowfin Park is on display in the museum.

USS Hawaii

The USS Hawaii (SSN 776) is the first commissioned vessel of its name. Launched June 17, 2006 and Commissioned May 5, 2007 she is fortunate to be homeported in her namesake state. The submarine was named to recognize the tremendous support the Navy has enjoyed from the people and state of Hawaii, and in honor of the rich heritage of submarines in the Pacific.

Hawaii is the third of the Virginia Class submarines. The Virginia-class of attack submarines surpasses the performance of any current projected threat submarine, ensuring U.S. undersea dominance well into the next century.

Bowfin Museum collections include models of all three submarines.