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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch courtesy of
Don McGrogan BMCS, USN (ret.)

Pompano (SS-181)
WW II Service & Loss

Radio Call Sign: November - Echo - November - Quebec
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Construction - Pre War Service

Porpoise Class Submarine: Laid down, 14 January 1936, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.; Launched, 11 March 1937; Commissioned, USS Pompano (SS-181), 12 June 1937; Final Disposition, lost at sea, possibly due to striking an enemy mine of the coast of Japan, 29 August 1943; Struck from the Naval Register, 12 January 1944. Pompano earned seven battle stars for World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,330 t., Submerged: 1,997 t.; Length 300' 7" ; Beam 21' 5"; Draft 13' 10"; Speed, Surfaced 19.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Max. Operating Depth 250'; Complement 5 Officers 45 Enlisted; Armament, six 21" torpedo tubes, 18 torpedoes, one 3"/50 deck gun, two .50 caliber machine guns, four .30 caliber machine guns; Propulsion, diesel-electric, four Hoover, Owens, Rentschler Co. diesel engines, (replaced in 1943-1944 with four OP Fairbanks-Morse 38D diesel engines), 4,300 hp, Fuel Capacity, 92,801 gals. four Allis Chalmers Manufacturing Co.. electric motors, 2,285 hp, Battery Cells 240, twin propellers.
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Pompano749k Crew picture of the Pompano (SS-181) is from around 1941, Lt j.g. Slade Cutter is front row left, and Lt j.g. David Connole is front row right.USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano77kLieutenant Commander Willis M. Thomas, USN, the Commanding Officer of Pompano (SS-181) receives the Navy Cross from Rear Admiral Wilhelm L. Friedell, in ceremonies at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 7 December 1941.
US National Archives photo # 80-G-21785 from the Bureau of Ships Collection.
Pompano68kLieutenant Commander (Executive Officer) Thomas Patrick McGrath of the Pompano (SS-181) appears here in a prewar photo. Star athlete in boxing and football while at Annapolis, his report of the events of the day from 7 December 1941 through the end of Pompano's first war patrol, 1 Feb. 1942 appear in a PDF article activated by clicking on his photo. He was killed in action with the entire crew of the Pompano on or about September 1, 1943 while making his 7th war patrol onboard the boat. USN photo courtesy of Kathy Krucker, niece of Lieutenant Commander (Executive Officer) Thomas Patrick McGrath, K.I.A. with the rest of the 76 man crew of the Pompano.
Navy Day 193763kOil on canvas painting by the artist Jim Christley entitled "Off To War".
Although mismanaged and crippled with defective torpedoes, the boats such as this one of the Perch-class (SS-176/81) headed out to do battle with the Imperial Japanese Navy. 		Photo & text courtesy of subart.net.
Pompano221k1942 drawing of the Pompano (SS-181) by the Mare Island artist Ike R. Lloyd depicting the boat in a surface action. Courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano53kPompano (SS-181) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 19 December 1942.
US National Archives photo # 19-N-38960 from the Bureau of Ships Collection.
Pompano63kPompano (SS-181), off Mare Island Navy Yard, 19 December 1942.
US Navy photo #8007-42, courtesy of Harry E. Royer.
Pompano41kPompano (SS-181), off Mare Island Navy Yard, 19 December 1942.
US National Archives photo # 19-N-38961 now in the collections of the US National Archives, courtesy of Harry E. Royer.
Pompano129kPlan view of the Pompano (SS-181), forward, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 24 December 1942. Circles on the photo mark recent alterations to the ship. Note periscope, radar antenna, 20mm machine gun mountings and other details.
Pompano exemplifies early war modifications to the big fleet submarines in this photo. Her old streamlined bridge fairwater has been cut away, leaving a small open bridge. Forward of it is a new platform for a 20-mm gun (the gun itself is not atop its mount) and the retractable mast of her SD air warning radar.
The 3-in/50 gun has been moved forward of the fairwater. Atop the bridge are a seperate loop antenna (to receive HF radio signals at periscope depth) and the mast of a new SJ surface search radar. The after end of the fairwater supports a second 20-mm mount. Note also the strut built out from the fairwater to support a long-wire radio antenna for use when surfaced.
Partial text courtesy of U.S. Submarines Through 1945, An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. Naval Institute Press. US National Archives photo # 19-N-38965 from the Bureau of Ships Collection.
Pompano54kThe following photos are from the scrapbook of (then LT) David R. Connole, who served on 4 war patrols during 1943 and was Pompano's (SS-181) diving and engineering officer during that time.
David Connole, Ralph Pleatman, W. M. Thomas (Captain) & Lieutenant Commander (Executive Officer)Tom McGrath, both K.I.A. on the Pompano. 		USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano96kThree Pompano (SS-181) crewmembers pose before the conning tower which needs a paint job rather badly; Ralph Pleatman,(who later serevd aboard the Sea Devil (SS-400), Slade Cutter, then executive officer of the Pompano and later CO of the Seahorse (SS-304) & David Connole. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano61k Bridge scene returning to base, shows O.O.D. John Henry Lassiter's lookouts & Slade on top. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano64k Slade Cutter on Pompano's (SS-181) bridge. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano27k Pompano (SS-181) on smooth sea. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano45k Bridge / Captain of the Pompano (SS-181) sure enjoying sunshine. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano70k Bridge / lookouts CCM Patrick's 1st sight of daylight after 45 days. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano65k Pompano's (SS-181) score card / count of sinkings through her first 5 war patrols.USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano66k Patrol ship dead in water after attack / later sunk by gunfire, prisoner removed. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano83k Ralph Pleatman & Tom McGrath bringing back a Japanese prisoner from wreckage of patrol boat we sank.USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano79k Japanese prisoner, possibly from her second patrol, conducted east of Formosa when she sank a large transport, a tanker, a small freighter, and two patrol boats. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945. Partial text courtesy of csp.navy.mil.
Pompano51k During a chase of target burning from shell fire – later sunk.USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano89k Ralph Pleatman looking for a target. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano88k David Connole on board Pompano (SS-181). CO Thomas in background. USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano539k25 January 1943 PDF article from the St. Louis Post Dispatch about Lt. David Connole and his ability to getting used to depth charges.USN photo courtesy of Rick Connole, son of Commander David R. Connole, K.I.A. while commanding the Trigger (SS-237), 26 March 1945.
Pompano215k "On Eternal Patrol", first day cover. Courtesy of Harry E. Royer.
Pompano68kGoogle Earth satellite photo of the Northern Honshu area of Japan, Pompano's (SS-181) last approximate position based during post-war debriefings. This position is thought to be the final resting place of the Pompano and her crew.
The Albacore (SS-218) & the Golet (SS-361) both met their ends near this area.		View courtesy of Google Earth. Photo added 04/24/08.
Pompano31k The physical landscapes of the northern end of Honshu Island where the Pompano (SS-181) was lost off these waters are visible in this north-looking, synoptic view.
The north-south coverage extends from the Sendai Plain (lighter-colored area, bottom right) along the southern coast to beyond the Tsuruga Strait, which separates northern Honshu from Hokkaido Island (top center). The limited amount of intermontane valleys and coastal plains are easy to identify as the lighter-colored areas in the image. The overwhelming, darker terrain shows the extensiveness of the forested mountains that dominate the scene.
The image provides a vivid reminder that in Japan only about 20 percent of the land is suitable for human habitation or agriculture. The two white spots near the west coast of Honshu are dormant, snow-capped volcanic peaks- Mt. Chokai (north) at 7317 feet (2230 meters) above sea level and Mt. Gassan (more southerly) at 6496 feet (1980 meters) above sea level.
Photo # STS040-610-28 & text courtesy of jsc.nasa.gov.
Pompano25kMap area showing the general area of the northern end of Honshu Island where the Pompano (SS-181) was lost.
Photo courtesy of sailwx.info.
Pompano74kIn memory of the Pompano (SS-181).
Photo courtesy of Tom Kermen.
Pompano16kWillis Manning Thomas, Commander (Commanding Officer) of the Pompano (SS-181) at the time of her loss.
 US Navy photo courtesy of oneternalpatrol.com.
Tolling the Boats 117k The wife of a World War II U.S. submarine veteran, tosses a flower into a reflecting pool to honor the memory of one of the 52 submarines lost during World War II at the National Submarine Memorial-West on board Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Calif. On this Veterans Day, the Submarine Veterans of World War II transferred ownership of the memorial to the U.S. Navy.

The following text is from The Coming Fury by Bruce Catton., pg. 478.
"Major Sullivan Bullen of Illinois was killed in the battle, and just before it he had written to his wife, Sarah, to tell her that he believed he was going to be killed and to express a tremulous faith that could see a gleam of light in the dark:
"But O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and float unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you in the gladdest days and in the gloomiest nights, always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your chest it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple it shall be my spirit passing by. Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait, for we shall meet again!"		 U.S. Navy photo # N-1159B-021 by Journalist 2nd Class Brian Brannon, courtesy of news.navy.mil.
Pompano760kPompano (SS-181) memorial at Juniper Hill Park, Frankfort, Kentucky, 2006.

In Memorium:
In the Second Book of Shmuel (Samuel), 22nd chapter, 5th through the 20th verses, translated from the original in Hebrew and published by the Koren Publishers of Jerusalem, Israel, 1982, can perhaps aptly describe the fate of the crew and all other U.S. submariners who died defending their county:

"When the waves of death compassed me / the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; / the bonds of She'ol encircled me; / the snares of death took me by surprise; / in my distress I called upon the Lord, / and cried to my G-D: / and he heard my voice out of his temple, / and my cry entered into his ears. / Then the earth shook and trembled; /the foundations of heaven moved / and shook because of his anger /...the heavy mass of waters, and thick clouds of the skies /... And the channels of the sea appeared, / the foundations of the world were laid bare, / at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast at the breath of his nostrils. / He sent from above, he took me; / he drew me out of many waters; / he delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me. / They surprised me in the day of my calamity: / but the Lord was my stay / He brought me forth also into a large place: / he delivered me because he delighted in me./" 		Photo courtesy of Hugh Hudson.
View the Pompano (SS-181)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association
Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet USS POMPANO (SS 181) - August 29, 1943 - 76 Men Lost
Submarine Veterans of World War II - USS POMPANO SS-181
On Eternal Patrol
Through the Looking Glass, A Historic Look at Submarines.

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