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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski

Capelin (SS-289)

Balao Class Submarine: Laid down, 14 September 1942, at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME.; Launched, 20 January 1943; Commissioned USS Capelin (SS-289), 4 June 1943; Sunk on 2nd patrol, November-December 1943, in the Celebes Sea from unknown causes, all hands lost; Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown). Capelin earned one battle star for her World War II service.

Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,414 t.; Length 311' 9"; Beam 27' 3"; Draft 15' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10kts; Submerged Endurance, 48 hours at 2kts; Operating Depth Limit, 400 ft; Complement 6 Officers 60 Enlisted; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 4"/50 deck gun, one 40mm gun, two .50 cal. machine guns; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Propulsion, diesel-electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator diesel engines, 5,400 hp, Fuel Capacity 94,400 gal., four General Electric main motors with 2,740 hp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, two propellers.
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Capelin 14k The Capelin, Mallotus villosus. Photo courtesy of stemnet.nf.ca.
Capelin 205k Signal flags flowing in the breeze generated by her launching, the Capelin (SS-289) slides down the ways into the waters of the Piscataqua River at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 20 January 1943. Photo submitted by Charles R. Hinman, Director of Education & Outreach,
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, &
On Eternal Patrol
Capelin 27k Commemorative medallion on the occasion of the launching of the Capelin (SS-289), at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 20 January 1943. Courtesy of flyingtigerantiques.com
Capelin 203k Capelin (SS-289), underway, probably during her sea trials off the coast of New England, circa Spring 1943. National Archives photo # 80-G-468104, courtesy of ussubvetsofworldwarii.org.
Capelin 237k Inscription on the bottom of the photo reads "Portsmouth NSY, Officers of Capelin (SS-289), Commissioning 4 June 1943".
Elliot Eugene Marshall, the CO, is in the middle; to his left is the XO, Lt. Comdr.Edward Dunbar Robertson, USN. 		USN photo courtesy of Megan Robertson Lowden & Edward (Ned) Dunbar Robertson, Jr., Meredith Robertson Heinecke & Walt Heinecke, grand daughter, son & daughter of Lt. Comdr. Edward Dunbar Robertson, USN, K.I.A. with the rest of the 77 man crew of the Capelin (SS-289). Photo added 04/23/08.
Capelin 17k Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of Capelin's (SS-289) commissioning at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, ME., 4 June 1943. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Dace 62k Dace (SS-247), at left at the New London submarine base, Groton, Connecticut, on 23 July 1943, the day she was placed in commission. Note women visitors on board Dace, and hull details on the submarine at right, which might be the Capelin (SS-289) which was commissioned on 4 June 1943.
The unnamed boat has a port side anchor whereas all the Gato (SS-212) pics show starboard anchor (seems like a clear EB vs Portsmouth differentiation by that point). Since the pic is from New London is it possible a Portsmouth Balao was in port that day?
According to DANFS there are several references to these boats departing New London (NL) so they obviously went through there. The first three Portsmouth Balao's were in the Pacific by 23 Jul 43 [Balao (SS-285), Billfish (SS-286), Bowfin (SS-287)].
Cabrilla (SS-288) arrived Pearl on 30 Aug, a pretty fast transit if in NL on 23 Jul but possible. Capelin was in NL in August 43 and departed NL for Pacific on 3 Sept per DANFS. Cisco (SS-290) left Panama for Pacific on 7 Aug 43, again rather quick to have been in NL on 23 Jul but possible. Crevalle (SS-291) was commissioned on 23 June and unlikely to be in NL on 23 Jul but possible. All remaining govt boats after Crevalle were commissioned too late to be in NL on 23 Jul.
Looking at the pictures of Capelin there are a lot of similarities with the railings and lookout perch. Seems Capelin had a unique railing around the forward part of the fairwater in relation to the other early Balao's. Note the stanchion closest to the bridge on the port side from the picture # 80-G-468104 and the same one on the mystery sub. 		US Navy photo # 80-G-K-15443, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center now in the collections of the US National Archives. Photographer was probably Commander Edward Steichen, USNR.
Photo i.d. & text courtesy of Col. John Hart.
Dace 72k Dace (SS-247), at left at New London Submarine Base, Groton, CT., 23 July 1943, the day she was placed in commission. Submarine at right is unidentified, although it might be the Capelin (SS-289) which was commissioned on 4 June 1943. Photographed by Commander Edward Steichen, USNR.
US Navy photo # 80-G-K-16049, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center now in the collections of the US National Archives.
Photo i.d. & text courtesy of Col. John Hart.
Capelin 583k Sailor P. Jabnickski (?) reading the thriller "The Stray Lamb" by Thorne Smith in his bunk aboard the Capelin (SS-289) at submarine base New London, Conn. August 1943. NARA FILE #: 080-G-468523, photographed by Lt. Comdr. Charles Fenno Jacobs. Photo # HD-SN-99-02537, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil, Defense Visual Information Center.
Capelin 398k Conning tower scene of a U.S. submarine, quite possibly the Capelin (SS-289), August 1943. NARA FILE #: 080-G-468524, photographed by Comdr. Edward J. Steichen. Photo # HD-SN-99-02605, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil, Defense Visual Information Center.
Capelin 466k Sailor eating sandwich beneath propellers of torpedo being loaded aboard a U.S. submarine, quite possibly the Capelin (SS-289) at submarine base New London, Conn. August 1943. Photographed by Lt. Comdr. Charles Fenno Jacobs. NARA FILE #: 080-G-468492, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil, Defense Visual Information Center.
Capelin 18k Capelin (SS-289), underway, off the coast of Austraila, Fall 1943. U.S. Navy photo.
Tsugaru153kPictured here is the Japanese Minelayer Tsugaru, representative of the Hatsutaka Class Minelayer Wanatake which may have been involved in sinking the Capelin (SS-289) according to Submarines Lost Through Enemy Action.
Drawing by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings of Japanese Warships", courtesy of combinedfleet.com.
Capelin 67k In memory of the Capelin (SS-289). Photo courtesy of Tom Kermen.
Capelin 24k Commemorative postal cover issued on the occasion of the Capelin's (SS-289) Jubilee commissioning, June 1993. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
Capelin 44k A street named for George R. Melvin of the Capelin (SS-289), on Eternal Patrol, December 1943. MARBLEHEAD BASE USSVI conducted the dedication ceremony of Melvin Court on 14 June 2003. Courtesy of ussvi.org.
Capelin 92k Lt. Comdr. Edward Dunbar Robertson, USN, Capelin's (SS-289) Executive Officer at the time of her loss. Ed was class of 1935.
Of course, he was known as "Robbie" as were all Robertsons, Robinsons, etc.....
He was strong on English and had trouble with Math -- walked many a weekend with "Miss Springfield" because he hit the math "tree".
- Later information: Dated and married my mother (his high school sweetheart) the whole time he was at Annapolis.
They were married in San Diego in 1937 because that was where he was stationed when the two year from graduation waiting period was up.
They were stationed in San Diego, Panama, Honolulu, Philadelphia, New London and Kittery.
He served on the battleship Mississippi (BB-41), the destroyer Williamson (DD-244), and the cruiser Miilwaukee (CL-5) before entering submarine service in 1941. After a year in the Atlantic theater he was made executive officer of the submarine Capelin. He smoked a pipe.
He was clean-shaven until he returned with a moustache after a cruise and my mother insisted he keep it. He has two children, Meredith Robertson Heinecke & Edward (Ned) Dunbar Robertson, Jr.
He has five grandchildren (EDR,III, Megan, John Heinecke, Laura Heinecke Green and Matthew Heinecke) and seven great grandchildren with two more on the way.
His dress sword was used at Meredith's wedding, my wedding and Megan's wedding to cut the cake.		USN photo courtesy of Megan Robertson Lowden & Edward (Ned) Dunbar Robertson, Jr., Meredith Robertson Heinecke & Walt Heinecke, grand daughter, son & daughter of Lt. Comdr. Edward Dunbar Robertson, USN, K.I.A. with the rest of the 77 man crew of the Capelin (SS-289). Text courtesy of Edward (Ned) Dunbar Robertson, Jr. & Meredith Robertson Heinecke.
Capelin 18k Elliot Eugene Marshall, Commander (Commanding Officer) of the Capelin (SS-289), at the time of her loss. U.S. 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.
Capelin 53k Google Earth satellite photo of the site and surrounding islands of Capelin's (SS-289) last approximate position. This position is thought to be the final resting place of the Capelin and her crew.

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./"		 View courtesy of Google Earth.
View the Caplin (SS-289)
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
On Eternal Patrol
Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet USS CAPLIN (SS 289) November 17 1943 - 84 Men Lost
Full Fathom Five, U.S. Submarine War Against Japan
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