ABC Mercredi - "S" - Sous-marin

ABC Wednesday - "S"
"S" as in Submarine!
Sous-marin!

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One of the historic ships around San Francisco Bay is the submarine U.S.S. Pampanito (SS 383) at Pier 45, San Francisco.

Pampanito is a Baloa-class submarine built in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Pampanito's keel was laid down on 15 March 1943 and she was launched the following 12 July. Following launching, work continued fitting her out and on 6 November 1943 Pampanito was commissioned to officially became part of the U.S. Fleet.

World War II submarines typically carried a crew of 70 men and 10 officers. The submarine service was a small, well trained, elite group. They represented less than two percent of all U.S. Navy personnel, and yet they were responsible for fifty-five percent of all Japanese tonnage sunk, including one third of their warships. This was not without cost, for the submarine force recorded the highest percentage of men lost in the U.S. military, 24%: more than 3500 men in 52 submarines did not return. They are said to be on eternal patrol. To this day all submariners are volunteers.

On her third war patrol, Pampanito, operating in a wolf pack of U.S. subs sank a Japanese ship carrying (unknown to her) British and Australian POWs being transported to Japan to be slave labor in Japanese copper mines. Returning to the scene a few days later in search for another convoy known to be heading to the area, Pampanito discovered surviving POWs in the water. She performed a heroic rescue and saved 73 of the POWs.

Pampanito is dressed in bunting in the photograph here - "Louis" et Mme. la Vache visited her on Memorial Day. Pampanito is part of the National Maritime Museum.

See "Louis's" previous posts about other historic ships around the Bay:
• Balclutha
• Red Oak Victory