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Casualty Info
Home Town Norfolk, VA
Last Address 1305 Constantinople St New Orleans, LA
Casualty Date Feb 26, 1944
Cause KIA-Body Not Recovered
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Pacific Ocean
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial - Honolulu, Hawaii
Wall/Plot Coordinates Court 3 (cenotaph)
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
USS Grayback's (SS-208) 10th war patrol, her most successful, was also her last. She left Pearl Harbor, 28 January, 1944, and by 25 February had sunk three ships and damaged three others. On 27 February she sank another ship but was apparently attacked by carrier based aircraft (according to Japanese reports) and sunk. Torpedoman's Mate Second Class Jackson was listed as Missing in Action and later declared dead 12 January 1946.
Comments/Citation:
Service number: 2747468
Submarine war patrols: USS Grayback (SS-208) - 5th; 7th through 10th
Navy Unit Commendation
For outstanding heroism in action during the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth War Patrols in the restricted waters of the Pacific. Tracking her targets relentlessly in wide coverage of her assigned sectors, the USS Grayback boldly penetrated formidable enemy screens to strike at every quarter. Repeatedly forced to deep submergence by unusually heavy depth charging, she continued to launch her torpedoes against strongly escorted convoys with deadly purpose and, under the superb handling of her skilled officers and men, achieved a notable combat record in vital ships sunk or damaged and contributed essentially to the steady weakening of the enemy's shipping strength and to blocking of his life line of supply. Ceaseless in her vigilance and daring in her sustained offensive, she fought gallantly throughout numerous grueling patrols, rendering distinctive service in thwarting the war efforts of a fanatical enemy until she failed to return after the overwhelming counter-attack suffered during her Tenth War Patrol. The USS Grayback leaves behind her an inspiring tradition of intrepidity and aggressiveness, reflecting the valor, the daring seamanship and fortitude of her ship's company.
The information contained in this profile was compiled from various internet sources.
The USS Grayback (SS-208) was a Tambor-class World War II era submarine.
Grayback was named for a small species of lake herring of commercial importance found abundantly in the Great Lakes.
Keel laid: 04/03/1940
Launched: 01/31/1941
Commissioned: 06/30/1941
Sunk 02/26/1944
Specifications:
Radio call sign: Nan - Baker - King - Fox
Displacement:
Surfaced: 1,475 tons
Submerged: 2,370 tons
Length 307'2'
Beam 27' 3"
Draft 13' 3"
Speed:
Surfaced 20 kts
Submerged 8.75 kts
Complement 6 Officers 54 Enlisted
Operating Depth, 300 ft
Submerged Endurance, 48 hrs at 2 kts
Patrol Endurance 75 days
Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10 kts
Armament:
Ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft
24 torpedoes
One 3"/50 deck gun
Two .50 cal. machine guns
Two .30 cal. machine guns
Propulsion, diesel electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator engines, HP 5400, Four General Electric main motors, HP 2740, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin propellers.
Fuel Capacity, 96,365 gals.
Commanding Officers:
LT W. E. Saunders 06/30/1941 - 09/22/21942
LCDR E. C. Stephen 09/22/1942 - 07/19/1943
LCDR J. A. Moore 07/19/1943 - 02/26/1944
Executive Officers:
LCDR R. E. Nichols 06/30/1941 - 04/25/1943
LT J. H. Stewart 04/25/1943 - 02/26/1944
