Chain of Command
Under the United States Pacific Fleet Organization on 1 May 1945
Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas Fleet Adm. C. W. Nimitz (3) Deputy Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas Vice Admiral J. H. Towers (15)
Commander Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet Vice Admiral C. A. Lockwood, Jr. (23)
Task Force 17 Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet V. Adm. C. A. Lockwood, Jr. (23)
SUBMARINE SQUADRON FOURTEEN ComSubRon 14 Capt. W. D. Wilkin (1435)
SUBMARINE DIVISION ONE FORTY-TWO ComSubDiv 142 Comdr. D. L. Whelchel (3226)
SS 235 SHAD Lt. Cdr. L. V. Julihn (5158)
12 Aug 1944 With her overhaul completed USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol south of Honshu in Japanese home waters.
19 Sep 1944 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) torpedoed and sank the Japanese coast defence ship Isojima (2526 tons, former Chinese cruiser Ning Hai, offsite link) about 85 nautical miles from Hachiji Jima in position 33°40'N, 138°20'E.
21 Sep 1944 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) torpedoed and sank the Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Fumi Maru No.2 (304 GRT) east of Shinto, Japan in position 34°45'N, 139°40'E.
1 Oct 1944 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) ended her 7th war patrol at Midway.
4 Nov 1944 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) departed from Midway for her 8th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the East China Sea.
5 Jan 1945 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) ended her 8th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
31 Jan 1945 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 9th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in Luzon Strait.
30 Mar 1945 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) ended her 9th war patrol at Guam.
Other Memories
USS Shad earned six battle stars for World War II service. USS SHAD endured a lengthy depth charging by the other Japanese escorts.
After returning to Pearl Harbor on 11 May 1944, Shad underwent further repair work and training before departing on 12 August for her seventh war patrol, which she conducted in waters surrounding the Japanese home islands. While off Honshū on 30 August, the submarine attacked a heavily laden freighter escorted by two small patrol craft. Although there was evidence of one hit, exact results were unknown due to a severe counterattack that forced the submarine to leave the area, giving the freighter a chance to escape. On 16 September, Shad fired four torpedoes, damaging a large transport. Following this attack, the submarine endured two hours of steady depth charging.
On 19 September, Shad torpedoed and sank escort ship Ioshima, and, as expected, was forced to endure another lengthy depth charging. On 22 September, Shad narrowly escaped destruction by maneuvering around two torpedoes, probably fired by an enemy submarine. One passed just under her bow and the other about 20 yards (18 m) ahead. After a typhoon-racked passage from the patrol area, Shad terminated her seventh patrol at Midway on 1 October.
Eighth and ninth war patrols- Shad spent her eighth war patrol as a unit of a coordinated attack group with Redfish and Thresher, in the area off the northeast coast of Formosa and in the East China Sea. Other than a few inconsequential contacts with small enemy vessels, the patrol was uneventful, and the submarine returned to Pearl Harbor on 5 January 1945.
Following repair work and recuperation for the crew, Shad departed Pearl Harbor on 31 January for her ninth war patrol. She refueled at Saipan on 12 February and then departed with Peto and Thresher for another wolf pack to patrol the Luzon Strait. During this patrol, the Shad attempted three attacks but all were thwarted. Twice the coming of dawn forced her to dive to evade enemy aircraft, and once patrolling escort ships forced her to leave the vicinity of an anticipated victim. On 5 March, Shad again was on the receiving end of an enemy torpedo attack, with three torpedoes passing just ahead of her bow. After this unproductive patrol, the submarine arrived at Apra Harbor, Guam, on 30 March.
On the night of 17 May, the submarine contacted a large freighter and two escorts. Shad fired three torpedoes and quickly got out of range. One torpedo hit forward on the freighter Chosan Maru, blowing her bow completely off, and the target settled quickly to the bottom. The escorts gave chase, but Shad escaped and resumed patrol.
On 11 July, Shad departed Midway on her 11th and final war patrol, consisting of lifeguard duty off Marcus Island. On 15 August, she received word of the cessation of hostilities and returned to Midway on 22 August.
Tenth war patrol, August to October 1944. On her tenth war patrol, Shad operated as part of yet another coordinated attack group with Balao, Dragonet, and Spikefish, this time in the Yellow and East China Seas.
Shad earned six battle stars for World War II service.
Chain of Command
The Submarine Tender, provided support facilities to perform maintenance and repair on submarines outside of major shipyard availability periods. Tenders had a crew of specially trained navy personnel, could use these facilities to provide upkeep and resupply support for the Fleet. The tender is seagoing naval vessel that routinely performs their mission while deployed all over the world. Thus, the ability of the submarine fleet to remain on-station is further enhanced by our ability to forward-deploy repair and maintenance activities.
Best Moment
Arriving back at Fremantle on 14 October, Tuna refitted alongside Pelias (AS-14).
Chain of Command
1 Jan 1944 USS Tuna (Lt.Cdr. J.T. Hardin) ended her 9th war patrol at Pearl Harbor. She was ordered to the Hunters Point Navy Yard for an overhaul.
Other Memories
Following her ninth patrol, Tuna proceeded across the Pacific to Hunters Point Navy Yard in California, where she arrived on 6 April 1944 for a major overhaul.
Criteria The Silver Star may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, is cited for gallantry in action, against an enemy of the United States whil... The Silver Star may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, is cited for gallantry in action, against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or, while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.The required gallantry, while of a lesser degree than that required for the award of a Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction. MoreHide
Comments Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander L... Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Lawrence Virginius Julihn (NSN: 0-78824), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as Assistant Approach Officer of the U.S.S. THRESHER (SS-200), during a War Patrol of that Submarine in enemy-controlled waters during World War II. His aggressive spirit, excellent judgment and resourcefulness, and coolness under counter-attacks were outstanding and were of great assistance to the Commanding Officer during attacks which resulted in the sinking of 20,000 tons of enemy tankers and the damaging of 18,000 tons of shipping, including a destroyer. His outstanding courage and leadership were an inspiration to the officers and men in his ship. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 0573 (February 18, 1944)
Criteria The Silver Star may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, is cited for gallantry in action, against an enemy of the United States whil... The Silver Star may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, is cited for gallantry in action, against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or, while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.The required gallantry, while of a lesser degree than that required for the award of a Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction. MoreHide
Comments Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Silver Star to Lieutenant Comma... Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Lawrence Virginius Julihn (NSN: 0-78824), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. SHAD (SS-235), during the SEVENTH War Patrol of that Submarine in enemy-controlled waters, from 12 August 1944 to 1 October 1944. Penetrating escort screens to launch aggressive and well planned torpedo attacks, Commander Julihn sank an enemy freighter of 5,500 tons, a 600-ton torpedo boat, and 800-ton patrol gunboat, and damaged an additional 4,000-ton enemy ship. Despite strong enemy countermeasures which included aerial bombs, and on one occasion torpedo attacks, he maneuvered evasively and escaped, bringing his ship to port undamaged. His professional skill, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Pacific Fleet Board Awards: Serial 80 (January 5, 1945)
Description The Marshalls lie in two roughly parallel chains about 100 miles apart. The eastern, or "sunrise," chain contains the large atolls of Mille, Maloelap, and Wotje. The western, or "sunset," chain includThe Marshalls lie in two roughly parallel chains about 100 miles apart. The eastern, or "sunrise," chain contains the large atolls of Mille, Maloelap, and Wotje. The western, or "sunset," chain includes Jaluit, Kwajalein, Rongelap, Bikini, and Eniwetok. Both chains have numerous smaller atolls. An atoll normally consists of a perimeter of flat coral islands surrounded by reefs with a lagoon in the center. The lagoons are generally navigable since the coral reefs usually have breaks which permit seaborne traffic to enter and exit the atoll with comparative ease. There are 32 separate island groups in the Marshalls with 867 reefs, spread over 400,000 square miles of ocean. Kwajalein, the world's largest coral atoll, with over 90 islands, is located in the geographic center of the Marshalls and is approximately 2,100 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor. The islands generally are narrow and flat and only two to three miles in length. Even the larger islands rise only about twenty feet above sea level. Although some of the small islands are barren, most have heavy undergrowth, and the larger ones also have coconut palms, breadfruit trees, and scrub pines. On most islands road networks were primitive or nonexistent in 1942, but one or more islands in each major group were large enough to accommodate an airstrip. Even prior to World War II the Japanese had constructed barracks, airfields, piers, and other military installations on many of the islands, and during 1942 and 1943 they were hard at work fortifying them further.
Faced with conducting operations across vast stretches of water on mostly unimproved islands, Admiral Nimitz developed an operational concept of seizing one island chain to support operations in the next chain. Before attacking the Marshall Islands, Nimitz's forces therefore had seized Tarawa and Makin in the Gilbert Islands, some 565 nautical miles south of the Marshalls, in November 1943. The U.S. Army's 27th Infantry Division had secured Makin against only light Japanese resistance, but the U.S. 2d Marine Division took strongly fortified and defended Tarawa only after suffering some of the heaviest American casualty rates of the war.
The seizure of the Gilberts, especially the invasion of Tarawa, marked the first time an American force had assaulted a heavily fortified enemy beachhead from the sea, and despite sound amphibious doctrine, problems were apparent. Instances of inadequate air support due to poor communications and coordination, ineffective naval gunfire especially during the preinvasion bombardments, and inadequate quantities of equipment and materiel, as well as a shortage of amphibian tractors, all cost lives and demanded immediate solutions for the rest of the campaign. However, the landings, especially those at Tarawa, showed that the U.S. Navy and amphibious forces were capable of securing such isolated outposts with relative speed despite strong opposition.
The U.S. victories at Tarawa and Makin achieved the mission of reducing the distance aircraft would have to travel to reach the Marshalls. U.S. warplanes could now conduct and carry out combat and photographic missions deep within enemy territory. Without that advantage, the campaign against the Marshalls, Operation Flintlock, would have been much more difficult and costly.
he Marshall Islands Campaign (31 January-22 February 1944) was the first time that the Americans captured pre-war Japanese territory, and was made up of two main parts - Operation Flintlock, the conquest of Kwajalein and Operation Catchpole, the conquest of Eniwetok.
The invasion of the Marshall Islands was one of the earlier American war aims in the Pacific, but it soon became clear than the existing Allied bases were too far from the islands. In order to gain bases nearer to the Marshalls, the Americans invaded the Gilbert Islands, leading to the battles of Makin and Tarawa.
The Marshall Islands consist of 32 island groups, split into two main chains. The north-eastern chain is known as Ratak, or sunrise, while the south-western chain is called Ralik, or sunset. The two chains were around 100 miles apart, and run north-west to south-east for several hundred miles. The largest atolls in the Ratak chain are Mille, Maloelap and Wotje, while Jaluit, Kwajalein, Rogelap, Bikini and Eniwetok are the main atolls on the Ralik chain. Most of the islands are low lying coral reefs formed into atolls, including some of the largest in the world. The Marshall Islands had been part of the Spanish Empire until the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, when they were sold to Germany. They were then conquered by Japanese during the First World War, and became a Japanese mandate after the war.
In August 1943 Admiral Nimitz asked the Joint Chiefs of Staff to give him official orders to invade the Marshalls. On 1 September they responded with an order to him to seize and control the Marshalls, and at the end of the operation to have seized or controlled Wake, Eniwetok and Kusaie (the eastern-most of the Caroline Islands). The operation had four official aims - to prepare to gain control of the Carolines, to inflict loses on the enemy, to improve the security of the lines of communication and to support operations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. At this stage the invasion was to begin on 1 January 1944 (or when allowed by the campaign in the Gilberts). The 4th Marine Division, 22nd Marine Regiment (reinforced) and 7th Infantry Division were allocated to the invasion at this point.
The original plan was to invade Wotje, Maloelap and Kwajalein at the same time, in order to knock out two thirds of the Japanese air force in the islands. Most of the other airfields, mainly on Jaluit and Mille, could be neutralized from those islands. Nimitz then suggested bypassing Wotje and Malolap,and focusing on Kwajalein, in the centre of the Marshalls. Although this plan was opposed by most of his subordinates, Nimitz got his way and the new plan was confirmed on 14 December 1943. The invasion was now scheduled for 31 January 1943. On 26 December, at the request of Admiral Spruance, Majuro, at the eastern end of the Marshalls, was added as an objective.
The Japanese had airfields on several of the islands. The most dangerous during the invasion of the Gilbert Islands was on Mille, simply because it was the nearest to them. Maloelap posed the biggest threat to operations within the Marshals, as there was a large and well defended airfield on Taroa, the largest island in the atoll. Roi Island was almost entirely dominated by the airfield built there. Wotje was a major Japanese base, again with an airfield.
The islands came under heavy and persistence air attack by long range B-24s, and later by aircraft based on Tawara and Makin. They were also subjected to one major naval air attack on 4 December, but this was cut short after it became clear that the Japanese defenders still had teeth - one carrier was even hit by a torpedo, although survived.
D-Day for Operation Flintlock was 31 January. This saw a long series of smaller islands around Kwajalein and Roi-Namur captured (including Carlson, Carlos, Carter, Cecil and Chauncey). Majuro Atoll was also occupied, this time without any resistance.
The three main invasions were then launched on 1 February. General Holland Smith's 5 Amphibious Corps attacked Kwajalein Atoll in the middle of the islands while General Harry Schmidt's 4th Marine Division landed on Roi and Namur, 45 miles to the north-west.
None of the Japanese garrisons held out for long. Roi was taken on 1 February. Namur was secured by noon of 2 February. Between them these two attacks cost the Americans 190 dead and 547 wounded, while the Japanese lost 3,500 dead and 264 captured. The fighting on Kwajalein lasted a little longer, but the island was secured by 4 February. This time the Americans lost 177 dead and 1,000 wounded, the Japanese 3,800 killed.
These quick conquests convinced Admiral Nimitz to bring Operation Catchpole - the invasion of Eniwetok, 400 miles to the north-west, forward by two months. On 18 February General John Walker's 22nd Marine Regiment landed on Engebi. On 19 February the 106th Regiment, 27th Infantry (General Thomas Walker) landed on Eniwetok. Once again the battle was short, and the island was secured by 21 February. Finally, Parry Island was conquered on 22 February, after a single day of fighting against what was meant to be the strongest garrison in the group.
In the aftermath of these battles most of the smaller atolls in the Marshalls were conquered, mainly without any fighting. The only exceptions were Wotje, Mille, Jaluit and Maloelap, which were left alone and allowed to wither on the vine for the rest of the war.
The Americans soon turned the Marshall Islands into a major air and naval base. An airfield was built on Dalap Island (Majuro), and was used to raid to the remaining Japanese held islands. The Navy also built a fleet anchorage and medical facilities.
The Japanese airfield on Roi was repaired and enlarged. It was soon in regular use, and was officially commissioned on 15 May.
The airfield on Kwajalein Island was soon turned into a 6,300ft heavy bomber field. Naval facilities were also built on the island. This airfield was used for the USAAF raids on Truk.
The airstrip on Engebi in Eniwetok was ready to take three B-25 squadrons by 5 March. A 6,000ft field on Eniwetok Island was completed by 20 March. Eniwetok was also used as a fleet anchorage.
The bases in the Marshalls were used to secure American communications in the area, but also as a base for attacks on the Marianas Islands, the first position within the inner ring of Japanese defences to be attacked.
Chain of Command
US Navy Submarine, Tambor Class (SS 200) Built by Electric Boat Co. 14 Feb 1943 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) attacked the Japanese submarine I-162 (offsite link) off the Lesser Sundas in position 06°05'S, 105°47'E. Thresher fires two torpedoes, unfortunately one is a dud and the other misses.
21 Feb 1943 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese transport ship Kuwayama Maru (5724 GRT) off Soembawa Island, Netherlands East Indies in position 07°53'S, 119°13'E. The damaged Japanese ship sank the following day.
2 Mar 1943 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) torpedoed and sank the Japanese tanker Toen Maru (5332 GRT) in the southern Makassar Strait, Netherlands East Indies in position 03°29'S, 117°17'E.
10 Mar 1943 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) ended her 7th war patrol at Fremantle.
4 Apr 1943 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. H. Hull) departed from Fremantle for her 8th war patrol.
23 May 1943 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. H. Hull) ended her 8th war patrol at Fremantle.
1 Jul 1943 While on her 9th war patrol USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. H. Hull) attacked a Japanese convoy off the northwest coast of Celebes, in the Straits of Makassar. She torpedoed and damaged the Japanese destroyer Hokaze (offsite link) in position 00°43'N, 119°34'E and torpedoed and sank the Japanese transport ship Yoneyama Maru (5274 GRT) in position 00°20'N, 119°32'E about 40 nautical from Balikpapan. Hokaze is grounded in Sibaya harbour, Celebes, to prevent her from sinking and to permit her to be salvaged.
9 Jul 1943 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. H. Hull) lands men, 500 pounds of stores and 40,000 rounds of ammunition on the west coast of Negros near Catmon Point. Thresher now left the Philippines and proceeded to Pearl Harbor where she was to end her 9th patrol. After arriving at Pearl Harbor Thresher was ordered to the Mare Island Navy Yard for an overhaul.
Other Memories
Seventh War Patrol - After arriving back in Fremantle on 10 January 1943, the boat got underway 15 days later for her seventh war patrol, with four torpedoes short of a normal load. At 11:00 on 14 February, Thresher made contact with a Japanese I-boat east of Thwartway Island. She launched two torpedoes; one was a dud, and the other exploded on the ocean bottom. Turning north and firing deck guns, Thresher's adversary soon disappeared over the horizon.
Proceeding to the Flores Sea, Thresher intercepted a three-ship convoy escorted by two anti-submarine vessels on 21 February. One of the sub's two torpedoes hit the stern of a transport. Thresher then evaded 13 depth charges before returning to periscope depth a little more than an hour later. She observed her target lying dead in the water while barges lightered troops to an undamaged mate. As escorts searched the waters nearby, Thresher closed and torpedoed the second transport, which had stopped to transfer survivors. Two loud explosions reverberated in the background as the boat dived to avoid possible countermeasures.
The following day, Thresher returned to celebrate Washington's Birthday by finishing off the first transport which jack-knifed into a "V" shape and sank within three minutes.
Thresher prowled for more game and came upon a tanker and a freighter on 2 March. A single torpedo hit on the 5,232-ton tanker and it sank. The freighter, sighting torpedo wakes, took evasive action to avoid being hit. Then, a nearby escort arrived on the scene and kept Thresher at bay while the target escaped. The boat subsequently concluded this patrol arriving at Fremantle on 10 March.
On her return to base, her skipper roundly criticized the torpedoes, especially the failure to sink the I-boat. Admiral Ralph W. Christie denied it and relieved him.
Eighth and ninth war patrols - Her eighth war patrol (commanded by Harry Hull, Class of 1932), lasting 4 April to 23 May 1943, was uneventful, but her ninth saw the boat score another kill. Off Balikpapan, Borneo, she sighted a three-ship convoy, escorted by a sole destroyer (Hokaze) on the night of 30 June 1943. After an unrewarding try with a trio of torpedoes, Thresher dodged the escort's depth charging attack and returned for another attempt. Tracking with radar, Thresher set a tanker ablaze from stem to stern and scored hits on a 5,274-ton passenger freighter in the Makassar Strait.
Heading for Tambu Bay on the morning of 5 July, Thresher tracked a tanker. Chasing her quarry along the Sulawesi (Celebes) coast, the submarine lurked nearby until the escort left. Thresher then closed, loosed three torpedoes, and scored one hit on the bow of the enemy vessel. This blow failed to stop the tanker, which fired her guns to keep Thresher at bay as she escaped at high speed.
Four days later, Thresher arrived off Catmou Point, Negros Island. Under cover of darkness, the boat surfaced and delivered 500 pounds (230 kg) of stores and 40,000 rounds of ammunition to Filipino guerrillas. Receiving intelligence documents in return, Thresher got underway for a resumption of her patrol shortly before midnight on 9 July. She soon departed the Philippines and sailed via Midway Island and Pearl Harbor to the west coast for a major overhaul at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California.
Criteria The Silver Star may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, is cited for gallantry in action, against an enemy of the United States whil... The Silver Star may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States, is cited for gallantry in action, against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or, while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.The required gallantry, while of a lesser degree than that required for the award of a Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross, must nevertheless have been performed with marked distinction. MoreHide
Comments Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Lawrence Virginius Julihn (NSN: 0-78824), ... Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Lawrence Virginius Julihn (NSN: 0-78824), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Assistant Approach Officer of the U.S.S. THRESHER (SS-200), in action against enemy forces from 7 December 1941 to 10 March 1943. During this period of successful operations, Lieutenant Commander Julihn skillfully analyzed the torpedo problem while his ship, in constant danger of attack by hostile surface vessels and aircraft, was engaged in numerous actions against enemy shipping. Through his outstanding professional ability he rendered invaluable assistance to his Commanding Officer in sinking nine enemy vessels, totaling 54,000 tons, and in damaging another 41,000 tons. He performed additional duties as Torpedo Officer, operating the torpedo data computer thoroughly and accurately. His courageous and effective supervision of his depth charge station during twenty attacks by hostile forces greatly aided in the prevention and control of damage to his vessel. The exemplary conduct and valiant devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Julihn under extremely hazardous conditions were an inspiration to his associates and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander, 7th Fleet: Serial 01244 (June 25, 1943)
Criteria The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal decoration awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard (when operating under the control of the Navy) in the grade of captain (or colonel in th... The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal decoration awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard (when operating under the control of the Navy) in the grade of captain (or colonel in the Marine Corps) and below who have actively participated in ground or surface combat. MoreHide
Description The principal eligibility criterion is that the individual must have participated in a bona fide ground or surface combat fire-fight or action during which he/she was under enemy fire and his/her perf... The principal eligibility criterion is that the individual must have participated in a bona fide ground or surface combat fire-fight or action during which he/she was under enemy fire and his/her performance while under fire was satisfactory. Service in a combat area does not automatically entitle a service member to the CAR. The following amplifying remarks are furnished as guidance.
(a) Personnel in riverine and coastal operations, assaults, patrols, sweeps, ambushes, convoys, amphibious landings, and similar activities who have participated in fire fights are eligible.
(b) Personnel assigned to areas subjected to sustained mortar, missile, and artillery attacks actively par ticipate in retaliatory or offensive actions are eligible.
(c) Personnel in clandestine or special opera tions such as reconnaissance, SEAL teams, EOD teams, and Mine Countermeasures operations are eligible when the risk of enemy fire was great and was expected to be encountered.
(d) Personnel aboard a ship are eligible when the safety of the ship and the crew were endangered by enemy attack, such as a ship hit by a mine or a ship engaged by shore, surface, air or sub-surface elements.
(e) Personnel eligible for the award of the Purple Heart would not necessarily qualify for the Combat Action Ribbon.
(f) Personnel serving in peacekeeping missions, if not eligible by the criteria cited above, are eligible to receive the award when all of the following criteria are met: -the member was subject to hostile, direct fire, - based on the mission and the tactical situation, not returning fire was the best course of action, and - the member was in compliance with the rules of engagement and his orders by not returning fire.
(g) The CAR will not be awarded to personnel for aerial combat since the Strike/Flight Air Medal provides recognition for aerial combat exposure; however, a pilot or crewmember forced to escape or evade after being forced down could be eligible for the award.
(h) Under Public Law 106-55, the CAR may be awarded retroactively to 07Dec41. MoreHide
Description The war in the Central Pacific (7 December 1941 to 6 December 1943) began with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Six months later an AAF task force took part in the Battle of MidThe war in the Central Pacific (7 December 1941 to 6 December 1943) began with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Six months later an AAF task force took part in the Battle of Midway, in which a great Japanese fleet was defeated. But another year and a half elapsed before American forces began an offensive against Japanese positions in the Central Pacific. It was then, on 20 November 1943, that landings were made in the Gilberts, on Makin and Tarawa, with the Marines at the latter place becoming engaged in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.... More
Other Memories
Departing Pearl Harbor on 30 December 1941, Thresher headed for the Marshall and Mariana Islands. Reconnoitering Majuro, Arno, and Mili atolls from 9 to 13 January 1942, she shifted to waters off Japanese-held Guam in the early morning darkness of 4 February. A little before daybreak, a small freighter was sighted 7 miles (11 km) north of Agana Harbor and Thresher closed for the attack. She loosed a three-torpedo spread, holing the ship and sending it down by the bow and dead in the water. Thresher then fired another spread of torpedoes, but all missed. Upon returning to the scene one-half-hour later the ship was gone and Thresher thought she had scored a kill; postwar accounting did not substantiate it.
While en route home to Pearl Harbor on 24 February, an overzealous Navy plane attacked Thresher but did no damage and the sub safely returned to port on 26 February.
Third and fourth war patrols. After refit, Thresher departed 23 March 1942 for a patrol area near the Japanese home islands. There, she was to gather weather data off Honshū for use by Admiral William Halsey's task force (the carriers Enterprise (CV-6) and Hornet (CV-8), then approaching Japan. Embarked in Hornet were 16 United States Army Air Forces B-25 Mitchell medium bombers, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle, intended to attack Tokyo on 18 April.
Warned by ULTRA of four Japanese submarines operating off Tokyo Bay, Thresher was detected by one of them and fired on, without damage.
On the morning of 10 April, Thresher sighted a large Japanese freighter. A three-fish spread was fired and all missed as the target escaped in the mist. When the target emerged from the murk, Thresher was not in a position to launch another attack and proceeded on her way.
A second target was sighted later that day, and this time the hunting was better. One torpedo broke the back of freighter Sado Maru (3,000 tons) off Yokohama, sending it to the bottom in less than three minutes. The subsequent depth charge attack was delivered by three or four patrol vessels (one of the most severe of the war),[6] caused Thresher to lose depth control and she plunged to 400 feet (120 m)[7] before control was regained. She then disobeyed orders and remained to assist Halsey.
On 13 April, running on the surface to recharge her batteries, Thresher took a wave over her conning tower. Water cascaded down the open hatch and rushed into the boat, shorting many electrical circuits. For a short time, there was a significant danger that chlorine gas would be released, but quick thinking and damage control prevented any hazard. Eventually, all shorts were repaired and the boat pumped out.
The next day, Thresher departed her assigned patrol area and turned her attention to gathering weather data. She conducted periscope patrols in the advance screen of Halsey's task force, searching for any enemy craft that could warn the Japanese homeland. She was detached from this duty on 16 April and, after evading two Japanese patrol planes, returned to Pearl Harbor on 29 April.
On 26 June 1942, Thresher commenced her fourth war patrol heading for waters between the Palau and the Marshall Islands. On 6 July one torpedo struck home during an attack on a tanker off Enijun Pass. The two surface escorts were soon joined by aircraft and, after a three-hour depth charging, Thresher was able to resume her search for other targets.
Three days later, midway between Kwajalein and Wotje atolls, Thresher fired two topedoes at a 4,836 ton torpedo boat tender which caused tremendous explosions as the tender sank beneath the waves. Thresher withdrew from expected countermeasures. Within an hour, two depth charges shook the boat, and ten minutes later, a banging and clunking alerted her to the fact the Japanese were apparently bringing a large grapnel into play in an attempt to capture the boat.
Thresher was hooked and fought for her life. After applying full right rudder, she made a 10 minute high-speed run which shook her free from the giant hook. Then, as a depth charge exploded near her conning tower, the boat went into deeper water. Bending on rudder, Thresher left the enemy behind, with some 30-odd depth charges exploding in her wake. Shaken but not seriously damaged, Thresher made minor repairs as she headed for Truk to reconnoiter the passes leading into this enemy naval bastion.
Missing a freighter with torpedoes on the night of 20 July, Thresher surfaced in a rain squall before daybreak the next morning. The boat's sonar picked up the sound of screws, close and closing. Soon an enemy patrol craft came into view, on a collision course. Surprisingly, the Japanese chose not to ram, but instead put turned hard right, and came to a parallel course some 50 yards (46 m) away. Thresher went deep, while the enemy's guns fired close but ineffective salvoes into the water ahead of the disappearing boat.
After escaping to the Palaus, Thresher tangled with an enemy Q-ship off Ambon in the former Netherlands East Indies. The two torpedoes she fired at the enemy failed to explode, and the Q-ship subjected Thresher to an eight depth charge salvo before giving up the attack. Since she had been reassigned to the Southwest Pacific Submarine Force, Thresher sailed away from this encounter en route to Australian waters and terminated her fourth war patrol at Fremantle on 15 August.
Fifth and sixth war patrols After refit, Thresher loaded mines and departed Fremantle on 15 September 1942, bound for the Gulf of Siam. She fired torpedoes at two freighters north of Lombok Strait on 19 September but was unable to determine the results of her attacks. On the night of 25 September, luck again failed to smile on her as a single torpedo streaked beneath a large, high-speed target in the Sulu Sea.
Thresher later surfaced at 23:00 and proceeded on a course which took her north to Pearl Bank. There, in the northernmost reaches of the Gulf of Siam, she made one of the first mine plants by a submarine in the Pacific War. These strategic mine fields laid by Thresher and her sisters in subsequent patrols, covered Japanese shipping lanes in areas of the Southwest Pacific Command previously unpatrolled by submarines. Later, these minefields filled the gap between patrol zones along the coastal waters of Malaya, Siam, and Indochina, when many boats were diverted to participate in the Solomon Islands campaign.
While reconnoitering off Balikpapan, Borneo, and the Celebes coast, Thresher sighted a tanker aground on a reef off Kapoposang Island in the Java Sea. She soon surfaced for a deck gun attack and left the enemy ship with decks awash. The boat then returned to Fremantle on 12 November for refit.
Chain of Command
USS Thresher (SS-200) a Tambor-class submarine in the Pacific Fleet.
6 Feb 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Anderson) ended her 2nd war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
29 Apr 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Anderson) ended her 3th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
26 Jun 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Marshall / Caroline Islands area.
10 Jan 1943 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) ended her 6th war patrol at Fremantle.
Other Memories
23 Mar 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Anderson) left Pearl Harbor for her 3th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in Japanese home waters.
10 Apr 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Anderson) torpedoed and sank the Japanese transport ship Sado Maru (3039 GRT) about 5 nautical miles north of Oshima, near the entrance to Tokyo Bay, Honshu, Japan in position 34°59'N, 139°29'E.
29 Apr 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Anderson) ended her 3th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
26 Jun 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Marshall / Caroline Islands area.
9 Jul 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) torpedoed and sank the Japanese torpedo recovery vessel Shinsho Maru (4836 GRT) at the entrance to Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands in position 08°43'N, 167°33'E. THRESHER was attacked by planes which could see her submerged silhouette in the clear water. The planes called in surface ships which trailed grappling hooks. Caught by one of these, Millican ordered ahead full, turned sharply to the right, and went deep - below test depth. She finally broke loose and escaped without further incident.
15 Aug 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) ended her 4th war patrol at Fremantle, Australia.
15 Sep 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) departed from Fremantle for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the gulf of Siam and lay mines there.
16 Oct 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) lays mines in the Gulf of Siam in the approaches to Bangkok.
12 Nov 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) ended her 5th war patrol at Fremantle.
16 Dec 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) departed from Fremantle for her 6th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the South China Sea.
30 Dec 1942 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Millican) damaged the Japanese merchant Hachian Maru (2733 GRT) with gunfire about 120 nautical miles west of Mata Siri Island, off the south-eastern tip of Borneo. The Japanese ship is finished off with one torpedo and sank in position 04°45'N, 113°54'E.
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Best Friends
Thresher (SS-200) was laid down on 27 April 1939 at Groton, Conn., by the Electric Boat Co.; launched on 27 March 1940; sponsored by Mrs. Claud Jones; and commissioned on 21 August 1940, Lt. Comdr. William L. Anderson in command.
Following training and sea trials, Thresher got underway from New London, Conn., on 25 October for engineering trials in Gravesend Bay, N.Y., and shakedown off the Dry Tortugas.
She operated along the east coast through the end of 1940 and into 1941. During a call at Annapolis, Md., Thresher hosted Rear Admiral Russell Willson as a guest on 31 April before she got underway the following day for the Caribbean.
Chain of Command
USS Thresher (SS-200), a Tambor-class submarine, was the first United States Navy ship to be named for the thresher shark. Her keel was laid down 27 May 1939 at the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 27 March 1940 sponsored by Mrs. Claude A. Jones, and commissioned on 27 August 1940, with Lieutenant Commander William Lovett Anderson (Annapolis, Class of 1926) in command.
7 Dec 1941 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Anderson) was nearing Pearl Harbor, after conducting a simulated war patrol north of Midway, when the Japanese attacked. She returned to Pearl Harbor the next day.
30 Dec 1941 USS Thresher (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Anderson) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Marshall and Mariana Islands area.
Other Memories
Following training and sea trials, Thresher got underway from New London, Connecticut on 25 October 1940 for engineering trials in Gravesend Bay, New York, and shakedown off the Dry Tortugas.
She operated along the East Coast through the end of 1940 and into 1941. She set sail on 1 May 1941 for the Caribbean Sea, en route for Pearl Harbor, transiting the Panama Canal on 9 May, stopping in San Diego, through 21 May, and arriving at Pearl Harbor on 31 May. She operated out of the Hawaiian Islands into the fall of 1941, as tensions rose in the Far East and the U.S. prepared for war in both oceans.
Thresher and her sister-ship Tautog (SS-199) departed the Submarine Base Pearl Harbor on 31 October 1941 on a simulated war patrol north of Midway Island; both carried live torpedoes. Tautog returned first; and, on 7 December, Thresher neared the Hawaiian Islands to end her cruise. Escorted by the destroyer Litchfield (DD-336) through Hawaiian waters lest she be mistaken for a hostile submarine, Thresher received word at 08:10 Pearl Harbor was under attack by Japanese aircraft.
USS Thresher received 15 battle stars and a Navy Unit Commendation for World War II service, placing her among the highest decorated US ships of the Second World War.
Criteria The American Defense Service Medal was awarded for service in the Armed Forces between September 8, 1939, and December 7, 1941. Army members had to serve 12 months to be eligible, but Navy and Marine ... The American Defense Service Medal was awarded for service in the Armed Forces between September 8, 1939, and December 7, 1941. Army members had to serve 12 months to be eligible, but Navy and Marine Corps members were eligible based on any length of service. MoreHide
Criteria The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or,... The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or, an aggregate service of one year within the Continental United States during the same period under the following circumstances: On permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the United States; or, On permanent assignment as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing ocean waters for a period of 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service outside the continental limits of the United States in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non consecutive days; or, For service in active combat against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat; or, For service within the continental limits of the United States for an aggregate period of one year. MoreHide
Description The attack on Pearl Harbor, also known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor, the Hawaii Operation or Operation AI by the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, and Operation Z during planning, was a surpriThe attack on Pearl Harbor, also known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor, the Hawaii Operation or Operation AI by the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, and Operation Z during planning, was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, on the morning of December 7, 1941. The attack led to the United States' entry into World War II.
Japan intended the attack as a preventive action to keep the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with military actions the Empire of Japan planned in Southeast Asia against overseas territories of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. Over the next seven hours there were coordinated Japanese attacks on the U.S.-held Philippines, Guam and Wake Island and on the British Empire in Malaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
The attack commenced at 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian Time. The base was attacked by 353 Imperial Japanese fighter planes, bombers, and torpedo planes in two waves, launched from six aircraft carriers. All eight U.S. Navy battleships were damaged, with four sunk. All but Arizona were later raised, and six were returned to service and went on to fight in the war. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship, and one minelayer. 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded. Important base installations such as the power station, shipyard, maintenance, and fuel and torpedo storage facilities, as well as the submarine piers and headquarters building (also home of the intelligence section) were not attacked. Japanese losses were light: 29 aircraft and five midget submarines lost, and 64 servicemen killed. One Japanese sailor, Kazuo Sakamaki, was captured.
The attack came as a profound shock to the American people and led directly to the American entry into World War II in both the Pacific and European theaters. The following day, December 8, the United States declared war on Japan. Domestic support for non-interventionism, which had been fading since the Fall of France in 1940,[19] disappeared. Clandestine support of the United Kingdom (e.g., the Neutrality Patrol) was replaced by active alliance. Subsequent operations by the U.S. prompted Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy to declare war on the U.S. on December 11, which was reciprocated by the U.S. the same day.
From the 1950s, several writers alleged that parties high in the U.S. and British governments knew of the attack in advance and may have let it happen (or even encouraged it) with the aim of bringing the U.S. into war. However, this advance-knowledge conspiracy theory is rejected by mainstream historians.
There were numerous historical precedents for unannounced military action by Japan. However, the lack of any formal warning, particularly while negotiations were still apparently ongoing, led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to proclaim December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy". Because the attack happened without a declaration of war and without explicit warning, the attack on Pearl Harbor was judged by the Tokyo Trials to be a war crime.... More
Memories Assigned to USS Thresher (SS 200). She set sail on 1 May 1941 for the Caribbean Sea, en route for PeAssigned to USS Thresher (SS 200). She set sail on 1 May 1941 for the Caribbean Sea, en route for Pearl Harbor, transiting the Panama Canal on 9 May, stopping in San Diego, through 21 May, and arriving at Pearl Harbor on 31 May.
She operated out of the Hawaiian Islands into the fall of 1941, as tensions rose in the Far East and the U.S. prepared for war in both oceans.
Thresher and her sister-ship Tautog (SS-199) departed the Submarine Base Pearl Harbor on 31 October 1941 on a simulated war patrol north of Midway Island; both carried live torpedoes. Tautog returned first; and, on 7 December, Thresher neared the Hawaiian Islands to end her cruise. Escorted by the destroyer Litchfield (DD-336) through Hawaiian waters lest she be mistaken for a hostile submarine, Thresher received word at 08:10 Pearl Harbor was under attack by Japanese aircraft.... More
Under the United States Pacific Fleet Organization on 1 May 1945
Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas Fleet Adm. C. W. Nimitz (3)
Deputy Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas Vice Admiral J. H. Towers (15)
Commander Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet Vice Admiral C. A. Lockwood, Jr. (23)
Task Force 17 Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet V. Adm. C. A. Lockwood, Jr. (23)
SUBMARINE SQUADRON FOURTEEN
ComSubRon 14 Capt. W. D. Wilkin (1435)
SUBMARINE DIVISION ONE FORTY-TWO
ComSubDiv 142 Comdr. D. L. Whelchel (3226)
SS 235 SHAD Lt. Cdr. L. V. Julihn (5158)
12 Aug 1944 With her overhaul completed USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol south of Honshu in Japanese home waters.
19 Sep 1944 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) torpedoed and sank the Japanese coast defence ship Isojima (2526 tons, former Chinese cruiser Ning Hai, offsite link) about 85 nautical miles from Hachiji Jima in position 33°40'N, 138°20'E.
21 Sep 1944 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) torpedoed and sank the Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Fumi Maru No.2 (304 GRT) east of Shinto, Japan in position 34°45'N, 139°40'E.
1 Oct 1944 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) ended her 7th war patrol at Midway.
4 Nov 1944 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) departed from Midway for her 8th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the East China Sea.
5 Jan 1945 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) ended her 8th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
31 Jan 1945 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 9th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in Luzon Strait.
30 Mar 1945 USS Shad (Lt.Cdr. L.V. Julihn) ended her 9th war patrol at Guam.
USS Shad earned six battle stars for World War II service. USS SHAD endured a lengthy depth charging by the other Japanese escorts.
After returning to Pearl Harbor on 11 May 1944, Shad underwent further repair work and training before departing on 12 August for her seventh war patrol, which she conducted in waters surrounding the Japanese home islands. While off Honshū on 30 August, the submarine attacked a heavily laden freighter escorted by two small patrol craft. Although there was evidence of one hit, exact results were unknown due to a severe counterattack that forced the submarine to leave the area, giving the freighter a chance to escape. On 16 September, Shad fired four torpedoes, damaging a large transport. Following this attack, the submarine endured two hours of steady depth charging.
On 19 September, Shad torpedoed and sank escort ship Ioshima, and, as expected, was forced to endure another lengthy depth charging. On 22 September, Shad narrowly escaped destruction by maneuvering around two torpedoes, probably fired by an enemy submarine. One passed just under her bow and the other about 20 yards (18 m) ahead. After a typhoon-racked passage from the patrol area, Shad terminated her seventh patrol at Midway on 1 October.
Eighth and ninth war patrols- Shad spent her eighth war patrol as a unit of a coordinated attack group with Redfish and Thresher, in the area off the northeast coast of Formosa and in the East China Sea. Other than a few inconsequential contacts with small enemy vessels, the patrol was uneventful, and the submarine returned to Pearl Harbor on 5 January 1945.
Following repair work and recuperation for the crew, Shad departed Pearl Harbor on 31 January for her ninth war patrol. She refueled at Saipan on 12 February and then departed with Peto and Thresher for another wolf pack to patrol the Luzon Strait. During this patrol, the Shad attempted three attacks but all were thwarted. Twice the coming of dawn forced her to dive to evade enemy aircraft, and once patrolling escort ships forced her to leave the vicinity of an anticipated victim. On 5 March, Shad again was on the receiving end of an enemy torpedo attack, with three torpedoes passing just ahead of her bow. After this unproductive patrol, the submarine arrived at Apra Harbor, Guam, on 30 March.
On the night of 17 May, the submarine contacted a large freighter and two escorts. Shad fired three torpedoes and quickly got out of range. One torpedo hit forward on the freighter Chosan Maru, blowing her bow completely off, and the target settled quickly to the bottom. The escorts gave chase, but Shad escaped and resumed patrol.
On 11 July, Shad departed Midway on her 11th and final war patrol, consisting of lifeguard duty off Marcus Island. On 15 August, she received word of the cessation of hostilities and returned to Midway on 22 August.
Tenth war patrol, August to October 1944. On her tenth war patrol, Shad operated as part of yet another coordinated attack group with Balao, Dragonet, and Spikefish, this time in the Yellow and East China Seas.
Shad earned six battle stars for World War II service.