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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski

Seawolf (SS-197)

Radio Call Sign: November - Echo - Lima - Whiskey

Sargo Class Submarine: Laid down, 27 September 1938, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 15 August 1939; Commissioned, USS Seawolf (SS-197), 1 December 1939; Final Disposition, while on 15th patrol, accidentally sunk by depth charge attack from Richard M. Rowell (DE-403), 3 October 1944, off Morotai, with loss of 79 lives; Struck from the Naval Register, 20 January 1945. Seawolf received 13 battle stars for World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,400 t., Submerged: 2,350 t.; Length 310' 6" ; Beam 27' 1"; Draft 13' 8"; Speed, Surfaced 20 kts, Submerged 7.75 kts; Complement 5 Officers, 50 Enlisted; Maximum Depth Limit, 250'; Armament, eight 21" torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, one 3"/50 deck gun, two .50 cal machine guns, two .30 cal machine guns; Propulsion, diesel-electric engines, GE diesel engines, HP 5500, Fuel Capacity, 190,000 gals., GE motors, HP 2740, 252 battery cells. twin propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source
24k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the keel laying of the Seawolf (SS-197), 27 September 1938, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
56k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the keel laying ceremonies of the Seawolf (SS-197), 27 October 1938, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
24k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Seawolf's (SS-197) launching, 15 August 1939.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
73k	Seawolf (SS-197) sliding down the gangways at her commissioning ceremonies at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME., 1 December 1939.	US Navy photo, courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
21k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Seawolf's (SS-197) first day in commission, 1 December 1939.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
88k	Seawolf (SS-197), photographed soon after completion, circa 1939-1940. One of the war's great fighting subs, she made her first patrols under one of the war's great under-sea skippers-"Fearless Freddie" Warder. Few subs had more adventures than the "Wolf", bagged more game. Under hardhitting Comdr. R. L. Gross, she sank 12 Jap vessels."	Photo & text courtesy of Theodore Roscoe, from his book "U.S. Submarine Operations of WW II", published by USNI.
74k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Seawolf's (SS-197) deep dive on 12 March 1940.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
19k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Seawolf's (SS-197) shakedown cruise to the Panama Canal Zone, 18 May 1940.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
22k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the Seawolf's (SS-197) first birthday, 1 December 1940.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
26k	Seawolf (SS-197), underway, circa 1941.	US Navy photo, courtesy of Hyperwar US Navy in WWII.
48k	Seen by Seawolf (SS-197) at Davao Gulf-*Sagami Maru* in Talomo Bay. Periscope snapshot shows jungly shoreline; camouflaged ship loading hemp. Then she got a load of - fish from "Fearless Freddie" Warder."	Photo & text courtesy of Theodore Roscoe, from his book "U.S. Submarine Operations of WW II", published by USNI.
39k	Down goes *Sagami Maru* as out goes Seawolf (SS-197), chased by Zeros. Photo bears out text "maru loading hemp can come to end of rope."	Photo & text courtesy of Theodore Roscoe, from his book "U.S. Submarine Operations of WW II", published by USNI.
17k	Commemorative post mark on the occasion of the torpedoing of six Japanese vessels by the Seawolf's (SS-197) "Fearless Freddie" Warder" between Feb - April 1942.	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
337k	"Fearless Freddie" Warder". As a lieutenant commander, he was skipper of the Seawolf (SS-197) from 1939 to 1943. The submarine resupplied the besieged island fortress of Corregidor in the Philippines in spring 1942 and sank a Japanese destroyer, cruiser, transport ship and several other vessels on seven missions in the following months. The 38-year-old officer was awarded the Navy Cross, one of the service's highest honors, for his work. The citation noted that, after firing its torpedoes, the *Seawolf* was often the target of prolonged depth-charge attacks by Japanese destroyers. But Lieutenant Commander Warder kept a veneer of calm for his men and brought the *Seawolf* home unscathed each time. Soon, he learned that his crew and sailors from other ships were calling him Fearless Freddie, though never within his earshot. He detested the nickname because he was afraid just like everyone else under enemy fire, and he believed that the real heroes were those who had died. Promoted to commander, he was in charge of several submarines operating in the Mariana Islands. In addition to the Navy Cross, his wartime decorations included a Bronze Star, Legion of Merit and several other medals. Rear Adm. Frederick B. Warder served his country until he retired in 1962.	USN photo from the book: These Men Shall Never Die by Lowell Thomas (Philadelphia: John C. Winston Co., 1943), p. 80.)Text and photo submitted by Bill Gonyo. Photo added 05/08/08.
138k	Seawolf (SS-197) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 3 March 1943, at the end of an overhaul. White outlines mark recent alterations, among them relocation of her 3"/50 deck gun and installation of radar antennas atop her periscope sheers.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 99552, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
131k	Seawolf (SS-197) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 3 March 1943, at the end of an overhaul. Note *Seawolf's* propeller guards, and newly-constructed LSTs in the background.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 99553, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
49k	Port side view of the Seawolf (SS-197) underway off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 7 March 1943.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 99549, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
65k	Bows on view of the Seawolf (SS-197) underway off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 7 March 1943.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 99550, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
65k	Stern view of the Seawolf (SS-197) underway off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 7 March 1943.	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 99551, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
83k	The Seawolf (SS-197) is seen off Mare Island on 7 March 43.	U.S. Navy Photograph # 1649-43, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
240k	The following 6 photos are a series of Seawolf (SS-197) submerging (bow view) and they are all dated 8 May 1944. I believe she had just completed overhaul at Hunters Point Navy Yard in San Francisco and photos were taken during a test dive. The first photo shows her running on the surface.	U.S. Navy Photograph # 2810-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
250k	The second photo shows her bow and deck gun just starting to become awash.	U.S. Navy Photograph # 2811-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
253k	The third photo shows her bow submerged & deck gun receding further awash.	U.S. Navy Photograph # 2812-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
208k	The fourth photo shows her deck gun starting to be covered by the foam of her submerging.	U.S. Navy Photograph # 2813-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
187k	The fifth photo shows her bow & deck gun almost completley covered by her submerging.	U.S. Navy Photograph # 2814-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
431k	The sixth & last photo shows her conning tower starting to become awash.	U.S. Navy Photograph # 2815-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
261k	The Seawolf's (SS-197) crew firing her aft 20MM AA gun, 8 May 1944 after completing an overhaul at Hunters Point Navy Yard in San Francisco, CA.	U.S. Navy Photograph # 2820-44, courtesy of Darryl Baker.
34k	Seawolf (SS-197) patrol scorecard.	Courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
26k	Albert Marion Bontier, Commander (Commanding Officer) of the Seawolf (SS-197), at the time of her loss.	US Navy photo, courtesy of oneternalpatrol.
69k	Google Earth satellite photo of the site and surrounding islands of Seawolf's (SS-197) last approximate position based during post-war debriefings. This position is thought to be the final resting place of the *Seawolf* and her crew.	View courtesy of Google Earth.
34k	The Richard M. Rowell (DE-403) anchored in San Pedro Bay off Samar Island, PI, Sep. 1945, less than one year after sinking the Seawolf (SS-197) by accident.	Photo courtesy of James V. Nichols.
32k	Commemorative photo honoring the memory of the crew of the Seawolf (SS-197).	Courtesy of Tom Kermen.
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.
54k	Seawolf (SS-197) off the Hunters Point Naval Drydocks, San Francisco, California, 9 May 1944, following overhaul. In less than 6 months the boat and all her crew would be K.I.A. 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./"	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 67016, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.