February 8th - On This Date - USN Submarine Service

1911 -  

PCU SEAL (later G-1) (SS-19½) launched at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, Newport News, VA; sponsored by Miss Margaret V. Lake, daughter of the submarine pioneer.

1942 -  

USS S-37 (SS-142) sighted a destroyer in the evening, which was thought to be an advance guard unit for enemy forces en route to Makassar City.

At 1800 the destroyer, allowed to pass unmolested, disappeared to the northwest. Thirteen minutes later, the mast and upper works of three destroyers in column were sighted: distance 5 miles, estimated speed --15 knots.

A half-hour's wait brought no transports or cargomen into view, and S-37 went after the destroyer formation. Moving on the surface, she closed the destroyers, all four in column, distance 8,000 yards. All torpedoes were readied and at 1946 she commenced her approach. A minute later, she sighted another closer formation of four destroyers, distance 4,000 yards, plus the dim outlines of three large ships resembling transports: distance three miles, on a northerly course.

At 1951, S-37 changed course to go after the transports. By 2010, however, the destroyers to the submarine's starboard had increased speed to maintain cover for the transports as the formation turned and crossed ahead of the submarine at 4,000 yards. By 2030, S-37, unable to gain an unimpaired shot at the transports, shifted to attack the destroyers. Between 2036 and 2040, she fired one torpedo at each destroyer. Thirty seconds after firing the third torpedo, she observed a hit between the stacks of the third destroyer, and, as black smoke rose, the destroyer buckled in the middle and the mid-ship portion rose approximately 20 feet above the bow and stern. Natsushio was going down and S-37 became the oldest U.S. submarine to sink an enemy warship.

1944 - 

 USS TROUT (SS-202) stood out of Pearl Harbor, HI, departing on her eleventh and last war patrol. TROUT topped off with fuel at Midway on the 16th and headed via a great circle route toward the East China Sea. She was never heard from again.

1944 - 

PCU AMBERJACK (SS-522) keel laid as AMBERJACK at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA

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1944 - 

PCU GRAMPUS (SS-523) keel laid as GRAMPUS at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.

1944 - 

PCU PICKEREL (SS-524) keel laid as PICKEREL at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.

1944 - 

 PCU GRENADIER (SS-525) keel laid as GRENADIER at Boston Navy Yard, Boston, MA.

1965 - 

PCU PUFFER (SSN-652) keel laid as PUFFER at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation, Pascagoula, MS.