This Fallen Navy Profile is not currently maintained by any Member.
If you would like to take responsibility for researching and maintaining this Fallen profile please click
HERE
Casualty Info
Home Town Bisbee, AZ
Last Address Tuscon, AZ
Casualty Date Sep 17, 1943
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 1 (cenotaph)
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
USS Pompano (SS-181) left for her patrol on 20 August 1943, heading towards the Japanese coast. She was never heard from again and is presumed to have been lost to enemy mines. Lieutenant McGrath was listed as Missing in Action and later declared dead 4 January 1946.
Comments/Citation:
Service number: 085072
Submarine war patrols: USS Pompano (SS-181) - 1st through 7th
Silver Star
Awarded for action during World War II
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant
Division: U.S.S. Pompano (SS-181)
GENERAL ORDERS: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 01623 (July 11, 1943)
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Thomas Patrick McGrath (NSN: 0-85072), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as First Lieutenant and Damage Control Officer of the U.S.S. POMPANO (SS-181) during three successive and aggressive War Patrols of that Submarine during World War II, which resulted in the sinking of an important amount of enemy shipping. On the occasion of a surface engagement with a 900-ton armed enemy patrol vessel he manned a machine gun in an exposed station and in the face of heavy enemy machine gun fire maintained an accurate and effective fire from the gun which directly contributed to the total destruction and sinking of that enemy ship. His conduct throughout these three patrols was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
The Defence POW/MIA Accounting Agency has Thomas McGrath listed as a Lieutenant Commander. Although no recods could be found abour a promotion to this rank, the DPAA listing is taken from official records so it would appear LT McGrath was granted a promotion between the time the USS Pompano was lost and when LT McGrath was declared dead.
The information contained in this profile was compiled from various internet sources.
On Dec 7th she was docked at Pearl Harbor: Battleship Row; forward of the Maryland and Oklahoma
Fate: The California was struck by two torpedoes and one bomb. The first torpedo hit at 8:05 a.m.; the second came moments later. With a gaping hole in the ship, it started capsizing. Despite efforts to bail water from the ship, it sank to the harbor bottom after three days of progressive flooding.
Crew: 2,200
Deceased: 105
The ship was raised via cofferdams, moved to the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on April, 1942, with repairs to her cage mainmast and all six 14" forward guns were removed to facilitate her refloating. It took until January, 1944 for the ship's total reconstruction but it was a match for most of the newer US battleships in all but it's main guns (still 14").
An after view of the USS California.
January, 1945, the USS California was hit by a Japanese kamikaze where 44 of her crew died and 155 injured. Battle repairs were made to keep her battle-worthy and on station. She stayed on station until the end of the month and returned to Puget Sound for repairs. She was back on station for the landings at Okinawa and from there until the Japanese surrender in mid-August.
Of historical interest is that after the official end of WWII, the USS California was still on duty and after different assignments in Philippines and other areas in SE Asia, she returned to the US on Dec 7, 1945 - exactly 4 years to the day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.