February 4th - On This - USN Submarine Service

1943 - PCU BALAO (SS-285) commissioned USS BALAO (SS-285) at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME; Lieutenant Commander R. H. Crane commanding.

1944 - 

The Bronze Star Medal was authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It is awarded to members of all branches of military service and may be awarded either for combat heroism or for meritorious service against enemies of the United States.

1945 - 

USS BARBEL (SS-316) commanded by Lt. Cmdr. C.L. Raguet, departed Fremantle for her fourth war patrol on January 5, 1945. She proceeded to Exmouth Gulf, conducting training exercises en route. Having topped off with fuel, she left Exmouth Gulf on January 8th, and proceeded via Lombok Strait, Java Sea, and Karimata Strait to patrol an area in the South China Sea. At dark on February 16th she was to leave her area and commence her return to Fremantle.

On January 13th, BARBEL was directed to join USS BLUEGILL (SS-242) and USS BREAM (SS-243) in covering the western approaches to Balabac Strait. On 27 January she was ordered to form a wolf pack with USS PERCH (SS-313) and USS GABILAN (SS-252) to cover the western approaches to Balabac and southern entrance to Palawan Passage.

On February 3, 1945, BARBEL sent a message to USS TUNA (SS-203), USS BLACKFIN (SS-322) and GABILAN reporting numerous aircraft contacts daily. BARBEL had been attacked by aircraft three times with depth charges, and would transmit a message “tomorrow night” giving information. This was the last contact with BARBEL. TUNA reported on February 6, 1945, that she had been unable to contact BARBEL for 48 hours, and that she had ordered her to rendezvous on February 7th. The rendezvous was not accomplished and TUNA reported her search unsuccessful on February 7th, 1945.

Japanese records indicate that on February 4th, 1945 a plane attacked a submarine scoring a hit near the bridge with one of two bombs dropped. It appears almost certain that this attack sank BARBEL.

BARBEL sank 10 ships for 55,200 tons and damaged two ships for 14,000 tons during her three completed patrols. Her first was made in the Nansei Shoto chain. She sank three medium freighters, a large freighter of 19,600 tons, and a large tanker. In the same area on her second patrol, BARBEL sank a freighter and two escort vessels. She also damaged another freighter and a tanker. During her third patrol, conducted in the South China Sea, BARBEL sank two medium freighters.

Eighty-one men were lost with BARBEL that day.

She was the forty-sixth U.S. submarine loss of World War II.

BARBEL received three battle stars for her World War II service.

1945 - PCU CHOPPER (SS-342) launched at Electric Boat Company, Groton, CT; sponsored by Mrs. G. S. Beebe.

1967 - USS CLAMAGORE (SS-343) collided with the catamaran Mango outside of San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico.

1970 - 

PCU FINBACK (SSN-670) commissioned USS FINBACK (SSN-670) at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, VA.

1971 - 

 PCU HAWKBILL (SSN-666) commissioned USS HAWKBILL (SSN-666) at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.

1991 - 

The Pentagon earmarked $2.8 billion for a SEAWOLF nuclear powered attack submarine in their fiscal year 1992 budget.

2005 - 

The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS CHICAGO (SSN-721) arrived at Navy Base Kitsap, Bangor, WA, for a scheduled availability period conducted by the Bangor Intermediate Maintenance Facility and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.