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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Patch contributed by Mike Ostlund, author of
Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em: The Mysterious Loss of the WWII Submarine USS Gudgeon.

Gudgeon (SS-211)

Radio Call Sign: November - Echo - Lima - Zulu

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is left to right
Presidential Unit Citation - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (11)

Gar Class Submarine: Laid down, 22 November 1939, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.; Launched, 25 January 1941; Commissioned, USS Gudgeon (SS-211), 21 April 1941, at Mare Island Navy Yard; Final Disposition: Sunk as a result of airial attack at 06:30 AM of 18 April 1944, from two 250 kilogram bombs on the bow and bridge from a plane from the 901 Air Group (Kokutai)at 22-45' N 143-40'E, approximatley 166 miles southeast of Iwo Jima, according to Mike Ostlund, author of Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em: The Mysterious Loss of the WWII Submarine USS Gudgeon.
On 7 June 1944, officially declared overdue and presumed lost; Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown); Gudgeon was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, and received eleven battle stars for World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,475 t., Submerged: 2,370 t.; Length 307' 2"; Beam 27' 3"; Draft 13' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Complement 5 Officers, 54 Enlisted; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, one 3"/50 dual purpose deck gun, two .50 cal. machine guns, two .30 cal. machine guns; Propulsion, diesel-electric, four General Motors Co., diesel engines, 5.400 hp, Fuel Capacity, 96,365 gals., four General Electric Co., electric motors, 2,740 hp, Battery cells 252, twin propellers.

Size	Image Description	Source Contributed By
280k	First day cover for the keel laying of the Gudgeon(SS-211) on 22 Nov 1939.	Courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
91k	Newsclipping from the 23 Nov 1939 edition of the Vallejo Times-Herald picturing the Honorary Keel Layers for the Gudgeon (SS-211), at Mare Island on 22 Nov 1939. From left to right are: Phil Creedon, quarterman (senior supervisor) rigger and George Mercer, electrical engineer in the welding enclosure.	USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
88k	Newsclipping from the 23 Nov 1939 edition of the Vallejo Times-Herald: CDR A. M. Pitrie salutes while the Star Spangled Banner is played during the keel laying of Gudgeon (SS-211) at Mare Island on 22 Nov 1939. CDR Pitrie, Shipyard Manager, had just declared "the keel is well and truly laid". Structure in the middle of the photo is a welding enclosure.	USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
221k	Silversides (SS-236) is on the left & Gudgeon (SS-211) on the right on the building ways # 2 at Mare Island, Cal. 2 Jan. 1941. *YO-45* is under construction aft of the two submarines.	USN photo courtesy of William Cracknell, from his book "Profile Warship # 34".
131k	Detailed Operating Schedule for launching of the Gudgeon (SS-211), at Mare Island on 25 Jan 1941.	USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
303k	The Gudgeon (SS-211) at the end of the ways during her launching at Mare Island on 25 January 1941.	US Navy Photo # 251-41, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
67k	The Gudgeon (SS-211) is entering the water during her launching at Mare Island on 25 Jan 1941.	USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
65k	The Gudgeon (SS-211) is waterborne at Mare Island, Cal. Jan. 25, 1941.	Courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
230k	First day postal cover commemorating the launching of Gudgeon (SS-211), 25 January 1941.	USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
84k	Newsclipping from the 21 Apr 1941 edition of the Vallejo Times-Herald picturing Mrs. W. S. Pye, Sponsor, christening the Gudgeon (SS-211) on 25 Jan 1941. Others in the photo are from left to right: Capt. Andrew Denney, Acting Shipyard Commandant; Mrs. Greer Duncan, wife of Capt Greer Duncan and Maid of Honor; CDR Lemuel P. Padget, aide to commandant; Mrs. Pye; and Capt. F. Crisp, yard manager with his back to camera.	USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
64k	First day postal cover commemorating the commissioning of Gudgeon(SS-211), 21 April 1941.	Courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
27k	Gudgeon (SS-211), port side view, circa 21 April 1941.	Courtesy of MMCM (SS) Greg Peterman USN Retired.
344k	Aft port quarter view of the Gudgeon (SS-211) off Mare Island on 7 July 1941. She departed the yard for the last time on 11 July 1941.	US Navy Photo # 1422-41, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
144k	Aerial view of the Submarine Base,Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, with part of the supply depot beyond and the fuel farm at right, looking north on 13 October 1941. Note the fuel tank across the road from the submarine base, painted to resemble a building. The building beside the submarine ascent tower (in left center, shaped like an upsidedown "U") housed the U.S. Fleet Headquarters at the time of the Japanese attack on 7 December 1941. Office of Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, the Fleet's Commander in Chief, was in the upper left corner of the building's top floor. Wharton (AP-7) is in right foreground. Among the submarines at the base are Tuna (SS-203), Gudgeon (SS-211), Argonaut (SS-166), Narwhal (SS-167), Triton (SS-201) and Dolphin (SS-169). Holland (AS-3) and Niagara (PG-52) are alongside the wharf on the base's north side. In the distance (nearest group in upper left) are the battleship Nevada (BB-36), at far left, Castor (AKS-1) and the derelict old minelayer *Baltimore. Cruisers in top center are Minneapolis* (CA-36), closest to camera, and Pensacola (CA-24), wearing a Measure 5 painted "bow wave".	Official U.S. Navy Photograph # 80-G-451125, now in the collections of the National Archives.
20k	Commemorative postal cover marking Navy Day, 27 October 1941 and the following submarines commissioned since the previous year: Trout (SS-202), Tuna (SS-203), Mackerel (SS-204), Marlin (SS-205), Gar (SS-206), Grampus (SS-207), Grayback (SS-208), Grayling (SS-209), Grenadier (SS-210) & Gudgeon(SS-211).	Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
230k	Torpedo! The arrowing wake promises a direct hit. Frantic crewmen of Japanese submarine *I-173* see their doom written in froth. Gudgeon (SS-211), (Commander Greenfell) was victor in this sub vs. sub battle west of Midway. Downded in January 1942, *I-173* was the first warship ever sunk by a U.S. submarine.	Drawing by Lt. Cmdr. Fred Freemen, courtesy of Theodore Roscoe, from his book "U.S. Submarine Operations of WW II", published by USNI.
28k	Lt. Comdr. Elton W. Grenfell, first CO of the Gudgeon (SS-211) during her first two war patrols.	USN photo courtesy of Mike Ostlund, author of Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em: The Mysterious Loss of the WWII Submarine USS Gudgeon.
19k	Gudgeon (SS-211) before her bridge was given a slender silhouette.	Courtesy of Theodore Roscoe, from his book "U.S. Submarine Operations of WW II", published by USNI.
74k	The Gudgeon (SS-211), circa summer 1943 before her overhaul at Mare Island	USN photo.
179k	Amidships plan view looking forward of Gudgeon (SS-211) at Hunters Point on 5 August 1943.	USN photo # 5722-43, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
196k	Amidships plan view looking aft of Gudgeon (SS-211) at Hunters Point on 5 August 1943.	USN photo # 5727-43, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
88k	Bow on view of Gudgeon (SS-211) at Hunters Point on 7 August 1943.	USN photo # 5760-43, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
121k	Broadside view of Gudgeon (SS-211) at Hunters Point on 7 August 1943.	USN photo # 5766-43, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
20k	Gudgeon (SS-211) after her 1943 conversion. Note added machine guns.	Courtesy of Theodore Roscoe, from his book "U.S. Submarine Operations of WW II", published by USNI.
93k	Gudgeon (SS-211), oil painting by Lloyds of Vallejo Art Studio, date unknown.	Courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
776k	Painting of the Tuna (SS-203), Gudgeon (SS 211) and Fulton (AS-11) by Lloyds of Vallejo. All three ships were constructed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Darryl Baker.
123k	Imperial Japanese Navy G3M bomber (Nell) in flight, which may have sunk the Gudgeon (SS-211) on 18 April 1944, according to Mike Ostlund, author of Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em: The Mysterious Loss of the WWII Submarine USS Gudgeon.	Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org.
43k	Google Earth satellite photo of the site and surrounding islands of Gudgeon (SS-211) last approximate position based during post-war debriefings. This position is thought to be the final resting place of the *Gudgeon* and her crew.	View courtesy of Google Earth.
91k	Kazan-retto (Volcano Islands)area where the Gudgeon (SS-211) was at the time of her loss on 18 April 1944. Photo Aqua MODIS 03 May 2004 03:50 UTC image. Parts of the Marianas Island chain area is the deepest on the planet, over 5 miles deep, which would submerge Mt. Everest by over 6,000 feet.	Photo courtesy of Earth sciences and image analysis laboratory, NASA/Goddard space flight center / oceandots.com.
80k	In memory of the Gudgeon (SS-211).	Photo courtesy of Tom Kermen.
16k	Robert Alexander Bonin, Commander (Commanding Officer) of the Gudgeon (SS-211) at the time of her loss.	US Navy photo courtesy of oneternalpatrol.com.
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.
74k	The human factor: Summit Hill, Pennsylvania, Cemetary on White Street. Bill Remaley was lost on Gudgeon (SS-211), 12 May, 1944. 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./"	Courtesy of usssubvetsofwwii.org