USS S-36 (SS 141) was EB 73C Design

She was built by United Iron Works;
Her keel was laid 10 December, 1918;
She was launched 3 June, 1919;
Her Sponsor was Miss Helen M. Russell;
She was commissioned 4 April, 1923;
Her first Skipper was LT Leon O. Alford

The history of USS S-36

4 November, 1925 she reported for duty to the Submarine Base, Cavite Philippine Islands, for duty;

11 December, 1941 she was already at sea when notified that war had started. With LT John R. McKnight commanding, USS S-36 began patrolling the approaches to Bolinao Harbor on the west coast of Luzon in Lingayen Gulf;

20 December, 1941 Her first war patrol completed, and being sixteen years old, she was made ready to depart from Philippine waters;

30 December, 1941 she departed on her second war patrol, which was to be in the area of the Verde Islands Passage;

1 January, 1942 - LT McKnight carried out a daytime underwater periscope approach and fired one torpedo. He claimed a hit and the sinking of an unidentified enemy passenger- cargo ship, est. at 5,000 tons. This ship was moored to the seawall at Calapan, Mindoro. There was no confirmation of any sinking;

20 January, 1942 USS S-36 struck Taka Bakang Reef in Makassar Strait off the southern Celebes while on her second war patrol, LT McKnight in command. All hands were rescued by the Dutch launch ATTLA, which later transferred them to SS SIBEROTE which was also a Dutch ship, and they were taken to Makassar City then on to Surabaya for reassignment. The wreck of USS S-36 was destroyed by American forces.

According to official US Navy records, ‘Stranded on Taka Bakang Reef off southern Celebes. Forward battery room was holed and flooded, causing generation of chlorine gas. Ship was abandoned and destroyed by U.S. forces on 21 January, 1942.’

WAR PATROLS OF USS S-36 (SS 141)

1st war patrol ran from 8 December to 20 December, 1941; the boat patrolled from CV Luzon to MR; duration 12 days; no sinkings;

2nd war patrol ran from 30 December, 1941 to 20 January, 1942; the boat patrolled from MT Phil. but she did not complete this patrol. Duration was 21 days with no sinkings when the boat was lost on Taka Bakang Reef; no loss of life.

USS S-36 was commanded by LT J. R. McKnight on both patrols;

USS S-36 was awarded one BATTLE STAR in World War II.

According to another US Navy source;

‘On her second patrol starting on 30 December 1941, S-36 had completed one daring, successful attack, on a small transport moored in Calapan Harbor, Mindoro P.I. She was proceeding to Surabaya, Java. N.E.I. in accordance with instructions received from ComSubAf when, at 0404 on 20 January 1942, S-36 grounded on Taka Bakang Reef in Makassar Strait west of Southern Celebes. Her forward battery flooded and appeared to be generating chlorine gas, and the situation seemed grave enough to LT J. R. McKnight, Commanding Officer, to necessitate sending out a plain language message that she was aground and sinking. USS SARGO, nearing Surabaya, received the message and tried to relay it, but after five hours of unsuccessful trying, she turned back to help S-36.

When headquarters at Surabaya finally received the message, SARGO returned there, and a PBY plane was sent to ascertain the conditions. By the time the plane arrived the Commanding Officer felt that, with assistance, he could salvage his ship; none of the crew were transferred to the plane at this time, and it went to Makassar City to request assistance from Dutch authorities. The next morning a launch arrived from Makassar, and two officers and 28 men were transferred to her, the remainder of the crew staying on board in the hope that S-36 might be hauled clear.

Conditions became progressively worse, and when the Dutch steamer SIBEROET arrived on the afternoon of 21 January 1942, the Commanding Officer decided to abandon S-36 and destroy her. All officers and men were saved and arrived at Surabaya on 25 February in SIBEROET.

The first patrol of S-36 had been productive of no sinkings, but for the patrol on which she was lost she was credited with a 5,000 ton ship sunk.’

Thanks to Chief KEN HENRY (1468-1990) for a lot of the details that go into these histories of the S-Boats.