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Thomas McAnally-Family
to remember
Helferich, Thomas Philip (*), CPO.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Fort Dodge, IA
Last Address Rockwell City, IA
Casualty Date Aug 06, 1945
Cause KIA-Body Not Recovered
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Pacific Ocean
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Manila American Cemetery and Memorial - Manila, Philippines
Wall/Plot Coordinates (cenotaph)
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
USS Bullhead (SS-332) began her third and final patrol on 31 July 1945. The last contact with the boat was on 2 August. Post war Japanese records show that a plane depth charged and presumably sunk an American Submarine on 6 August, the same day the Atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Chief Motor Machinist's Mate Helferich was listed as Missing in Action and officially declared dead 23 August 1946.
USS Bonefish (SS-223), was a Gato class submarine:
The namesake of the USS Bonefish (SS-223) is a fish of the Florida Keys and southern California. The bonefish has bright silvery sides with faint dark stripes and often reaches a weight of about fifteen pounds.
. Keel Laid, 25 June 1942, at Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.
Launched, 7 March 1943
Commissioned, USS Bonefish (SS-223), 31 May 1943
Final Disposition: SUNK - JUNE 18, 1945 while on 8th patrol, by Japanese warship, in Toyama Wan, west coast of Honshu, all hands lost.
Bonefish received five Navy Unit Commendations and seven battle stars during World War II.
Commanding Officers:
CDR Thomas Wesley Hogan 05/31/1943 - 06/13/1944
CDR Lawrence Lott Edge 06/13/1944 - 06/18/1945
Executive Officers:
LCDR Guy Edward O'Neil 05/31/1943 - 01/12/1944
LT Leon Stuart Eubanks 01/12/1944 - 08/27/1944
LT/LCDR Frasier Sinclair Knight 08/27/1944 - 06/18/1945
Chief of the Boat (COB):
TMC Eugene Freaner, 05/31/1943 - 01/12/1944
MoMMC G. M. Fuller 01/12/1944 - 06/18/1945
Specifications:
Radio call sign: Nan - Baker - King - Fox
Displacement:
Surfaced: 1,526 tons
Submerged: 2,424 tons
Length 311' 9"
Beam 27' 3"
Draft 15' 3"
Speed:
Surfaced 20.25 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, 97,140 gals.
