USS S-31 (SS 136) was EB 73 C Design

She was built by United Iron Works;
Her keel was laid 13 April, 1918;
She was launched 28 December, 1918;
Her Sponsor was Mrs. George A. Walker;
She was commissioned 8 March, 1923;
Her first Skipper was LT William A. Heard

History:

7 December, 1937 - After serving with the Asiatic Fleet, U-31 was decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard;
18 September, 1940 - Recommissioned;
7 December, 1941 - Assigned to submarine and anti-submarine training, based out of New London;
January 1942 - Underway for the Panama Canal Zone to conduct defensive patrols in the approaches. U-31 completed two patrols prior to proceeding to San Diego to prepare for duty in the Aleutians.
7 July, 1942 - Began first offensive patrol (third war patrol) out of Dutch Harbor, Aleutians. LCDR Thomas F. Williamson, commanding.
10 August, 1942 - While returning from third patrol, Williamson received fatal chest wounds when a MARK X emergency flare exploded.
26 August, 1942 - Two attacks by American patrol planes and inclement weather were experienced during the fourth patrol, which ended on 28 September.
26 October, 1942 - During the fifth patrol, LCDR Robert F. Sellars, commanding; scored two hits for two torpedoes fired during a daytime-submerged-periscope attack and sank the 2,864 ton cargoman KEIZAN MARU 500 miles west of Attu. This was the only ship confirmed sunk by S-Boats in all of 1942, and the first confirmed success of an S-Boat operating out of Dutch Harbor as noted in post-war Japanese records.
11 November, 1942 - In route to San Diego to provide training services to the West Coast Sound School until 3 January, 1943, followed by an overhaul in February and then on to Pearl Harbor.
11 March, 1943 - Departed Pearl Harbor for sixth war patrol; which was conducted while enroute to training duties with ASW forces in South Pacific. Reconnoitered Kwajalein Atoll and arrived Noumea, New Guinea on 9 April. Relieved from provided services as a target for destroyer/ASW training in order to conduct her seventh war patrol. After transporting and landing a reconnaisance team on Aneityum in the New Hebrides, and firing three torpedoes at an I-Class submarine (all misses), S-31 resumed training exercises in the Noumea area.
22 August, 1943 - Departed for the St. George Channel area for her eighth war patrol. This, her final war patrol, terminated in Brisbane, Australia for overhaul.
December 1943 - Returned to ASW training duties in the area of New Caledonia until ordered back to San Diego in July 1944, for overhaul and services to the West Coast Sound School for the remainder of her commission.
19 October, 1945 - Decommissioned in San Francisco and struck from the Navy List.

USS S-31 received one Battle Star during World War II.

WAR PATROLS OF USS S-31 (SS 136)

1st war patrol extended from 10 March, 1942 through 31 March, 1942; from PA Canal Zone to PA. Duration was 21 days; no sinkings.

2nd war patrol extended from 14 April, 1942 thru 13 May, 1942; from PA Canal Zone to PA. Duration 29 days; no sinkings

3rd war patrol extended from 7 July, 1942 thru 10 August, 1942; from DH Bering Sea to DH. Duration 24 days; no sinkings It was during this patrol that LCDR Williamson received his fatal wounds.

4th war patrol extended from 26 Aug, 1942 to 28 Sept, 1942; from DH Adak to DH. Duration was 33 days; no sinkings.

5th war patrol extended from 13 October, 1942 thru 8 November, 1942; from DH Kurils to DH. Duration 26 days during which time the 2,864 ton Japanese transport KEIZAN MARU was sunk on 26 October at 50.10N x 155.44E.

6th war patrol extended from 14 April, 1943 to 2 May, 1943; from DH Attu to DH. Duration was 19 days; no sinkings.

7th war patrol ran from 5 July, 1943 to 26 Aug, 1943; from PH New Hebrides to NO. Duration was 21 days; no sinkings

8th war patrol extended from 22 August, 1943 to 18 September, 1943; from NO Solomons to BA. Duration was 27 days; no sinkings.

LCDR T. F. Williamson was the commander for the first three war patrols - he was killed during the third patrol. LCDR R. F. Sellers was the Skipper for patrols #4 through #8.

USS S-31 (SS 136) was decommissioned 19 October, 1945 and stricken on 1 November, 1945. The boat was sold for scrap in May of 1946 to Salco Iron and Metal in San Francisco, California.

A special THANKS ! to COB KEN HENRY (1468-1990) for a lot of the detail information for all these S-Boat profiles.