Built by: Mare Island Naval Shipyard
Design: Government
Keel laid: 19 July 1939
Launched: 2 October 1940
Sponsor: Mrs. W. L. Friedell
Commissioned: 6 January 1941
First Skipper: LCDR John J. Crane

On 7 December 1941. the date on which the United States entered World War II, USS TUNA was in the Mare Island Shipyard for an overhaul and it wasn't until the following February that she arrived on station at the Bungo Suido - the famous Bungo Straits etched in history in the book (later movie) `RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP!' by Captain EDWARD L. BEACH (1163-+-1989).

Later, in March, U.SS TUNA under command of LCDR J. L. DeTar, sank her first ship, the 1,244 ton TAKI MARU. TUNA was returning to her homeport from Japanese waters at the time of the Battle of Midway.

In mid-July, USS TUNA (now under LCDR A. H. Holtz) moved north into the frigid waters of the Aleutian Islands as part of a task group of eight modern submarines plus five old S-Boats and four other S-Boats recently arrived. These boats were part of a plan to have submarines in position off the Aleutians to intercept and sink Japanese shipping that were attempting to run for open sea during an American bombing attack. The attack was scheduled for 22 July over Kiska.

Later, in August, USS TUNA carried a US Army Colonel and a group of men from Dutch Harbor to Adak, putting them ashore at Kuluk Bay on the evening of 25 August.

The following year, on 15 March, Holtz and TUNA scored again, sinking the 4,697 ton KUROHIME MARU.

In October, USS TUNA was one of three boats in a pack known as "Roach's Raiders" heading for Luzon Strait from Saipan.

Window on the Boat?

There is an old joke about submarines with windows, but USS TUNA did indeed, have a window! JAMES WARD (3161-1993) rode USS TUNA and he wrote this:

"USS TUNA (55 203) built in 1940 at Mare Island did indeed have a window. This port was in the gun access door in the rear of the conning tower. Our sonar equipment was adjacent to this door and I would sometimes amuse myself with sitting a sonar watch by watching the sunlight filter through the water. It also fascinated me to see us break water when we surfaced.

During one severe aircraft attack, four charges were dropped. Three were so loud, I did not even hear the fourth one. The first charge blasted open the door. The second charge blasted it shut but warped. The glass part remained intact. I left the TUNA in November 1943 to report on board USS RASHER (55 269) and subsequently found out that the door along with the glass port were replaced and made into an integral part of the conning tower.

You are right, Harry. There are thousands of stories that submarine sailors can tell and just a little jogging of the memory will bring it out. I had forgotten about the glass port on the TUNA and now I wonder how many pre WW II boats had these 'windows'"

EDITOR NOTE - Check the next page to see who it was that dropped these four charges on USS TUNA. HINT - it was NOT the Japanese!

Sinkings by USS TUNA

Under L. F. De Tar
04.05.42 unknown freighter 4,000 GRT
15.05.42 TOYOHAR4 MARU freighter 805 GRT

Under A. H. Holtz
30.03.43 KUROHIME MARU freighter 4,697 GRT

Under J. T. Hardin
12.12.43 TO.SEI MARU freighter 5,484 GRT

USS TUNA (SS 203) was decommissioned 11 December 1946 and used as one of the targets at the atomic bomb test at Bikini atoll. She was stricken from the Navy List in 1948.

We hope more veterans like JIM WARD will come forward and tell us their memories of the War. Please don't take them with you when you get your `Final Orders' and depart on your `Eternal Patrol'. You owe that to the history of your Silent Service.

Remember - save your vacation time for our Last Patrol!

Who Did It? Who Bombed USS TUNA?

Here is the official US Navy report on the attack and subsequent major damage to USS TUNA on 29 July 1943 while she was off Woodlark Island at 08° 02'S x 152° 07'E.

"Detected while running surfaced at night by RAAF CATALINA. Submerged immediately and received four bombs close aboard while passing from 70 to 110 feet. Second bomb detonation caused loss of both main and auxiliary power. Bow and stern planes were shifted to hand power. Propulsion power was restored between 200 and 250 foot depth and by backing emergency and blowing tanks descent was checked at 365 foot depth. Hydraulic power was lost and tank vents were not opening in time to prevent broaching so TUNA surfaced. Ship took 18° list. Conning tower door leaked badly. Both batteries showed full voltage ground. Both periscopes were disabled. No 2 low pressure blower was deranged. All main vent valve gaskets leaked. Miscellaneous other damage of minor nature occurred. Patrol was terminated."

EDITOR NOTE - In case you haven't picked up on the facts here, that plane was an American built CATALINA given to the Australian Air Force. OOPS! Major error!