Connaway, Fred, CDR

On November 5, 1943, the USS Sculpin (SS 191), under command of CDR Fred Connaway, left Pearl Harbor on her ninth war patrol.  This was his first patrol aboard Sculpin which was ordered to patrol in the area of Truk, a Japanese stronghold in the Gilbert Islands, to intercept and attack enemy forces leaving Truk to oppose the forthcoming invasion by U.S. forces of Tarawa.  During late November communications with Sculpin were lost and she was presumed lost.  Following the end of World War II details of her sinking became known upon the release of Sculpin crewmembers who had become Japanese POWs.
 
During the night of November 18, 1943, Sculpin made radar contact with a large Japanese convoy and in accordance with their instructions plans were made to make an attack.  During the darkness Sculpin successfully made a fast surface end around at full power and succeeded in getting ahead of the convoy.  As dawn approached on November 19, she maneuvered into an attack position but her periscope was discovered by the Japanese and the convoy was ordered to change course toward her to present a difficult bow-on view.  Sculpin was forced to dive but later surfaced to make another run.  However, the Japanese destroyer IJN Yamagumo had been left behind for just such an occasion and was only a scant 600 yards away when Sculpin came to the surface.  Diving fast, Sculpin escaped the first salvo of depth charges but a second salvo of depth charges caused damage.  Sculpin managed to evade Yamagumo in a rain squall and about noon began to surface again.  Undetected, their depth gauge had been damaged in the earlier attack so Sculpin inadvertently surfaced instead of coming only to periscope depth.  Yamagumo was waiting and immediately attacked with a pattern of 18 depth charges.  Considerable damage was caused with temporary loss of depth control which caused Sculpin to descend beyond safe depth resulting in numerous leaks in the hull as her pressure hull was distorted, steering and diving plane gear was damaged and she was badly out of trim.  So much water entered that Sculpin was forced to run at high speed to maintain depth.  This made tracking easy for the Japanese and the next depth charge knocked out Sculpin's sonar.  CDR Connaway realized that Sculpin was severely damaged and reportedly said, "We have to surface while we still can bring her up. Battle stations!  Gun action!"  He knew his order to surface would give the crew a chance of survival.  With her decks still awash, CDR Connaway and several others manned the conning tower as gunners scrambled toward their deck guns.  But they were no match for the Yamagumo's main battery as a shell struck the conning tower killing CDR Connaway and the others with him as well as the nearby gunners.

Service number: 071501

Excutive Officer on USS S-13 (SS-118): 10/27/40-12/10/40
Acting Commanding Officer on USS S-48 (SS-159): 12/10/40-1/2/41
Executive Officer on USS S-48 (SS-159): 1/2/41-12/41
Commanding Officer on USS S-48 (SS-159): 1/1/42-4/2/43
Commanding Officer on USS Sculpin (SS-191): 10/20/43-11/19/43

Silver Star
Awarded for actions during World War II
Service: Navy
Citation: (Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Commander Fred Connaway (NSN: 0-71501), United States Navy, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against an armed enemy, during World War II. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.

The information contained in this profile was compiled from various internet sources.