laststandonzombieisland

Gato-class USS Herring (SS-233) Hunters Point 12 October 1943 USN photo 268-43-S4

Naval History and Heritage Command this week confirmed the identity of the wreck site of the Gato-class fleet boat USS Herring (SS-233), lost about a mile south of Point Tagan on Matsuwa Island in the Kuriles during the early morning hours of 1 June 1944, while on her Ninth War Patrol, a rare case of a submarine being sunk by coastal artillery.

She carried her entire crew to the bottom.

As detailed by NHHC:

Herring was last seen during the evening of May 31, 1944, by USS Barb (SS-220) when the submarines met to delineate patrol areas off the Kurile Islands. In the early morning hours of June 1, 1944, Barb’s crew recorded the sound of distant depth charges exploding and took it as evidence of an attack associated with Herring. During this time, Herring attacked and sank Iwaki Maru and Hiburi Maru.

Later, Japanese shore batteries reported sighting and firing upon a submarine that had grounded near the site of the two sinkings. Records indicate the batteries scored two direct hits on the conning tower as the submarine backed away into the fog. Evidence of both the grounding and the conning tower hits are visible on the Herring’s surviving wreckage. Herring was presumed lost when she failed to report to Midway on July 13, 1944.

(Photo: Chris Eger)

And so we remember.

There are no roses on sailors’ graves,
Nor wreaths upon the storm-tossed waves,
No last post from the King’s band,
So far away from their native land,
No heartbroken words carved on stone,
Just shipmates’ bodies there alone,
The only tributes are the seagulls sweep,
And the teardrop when a loved one weeps.