Golet SS-31

 

 

Golet

A trout of the scientific name Salvelinus malma, fish family Salmonidae; voracious, feeding mostly on other fishes when adult.

( SS-31: dp. 1,526; 1. 311'9", b. 27'3"; dr. 15'3"; s. 20.25 k. (surf.), 8:75 k. (submerged); cpl. 80; a. 1 3", 2 30 cal. ma. 10 21" tt.; cl. Balao)

Golet was launched 1 August 1943 by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wis.; sponsored by Mrs. Alexander Wiley, wife or U.S. Senator Wiley of Wisconsin; commissioned 30 November 1943, Lt. Cmdr. James M. Clement in command.

Golet departed Manitowoc 19 December 1943 via the Mississippi River for New Orleans, arriving the 28th. After shakedown training at Panama and final battle practice in Hawaiian waters, she departed Pearl Harbor 18 March 1944 for her maiden war patrol off the Kurile Island chain, Southern Hokkaido and Eastern Honshu, Japan. Severe combinations of fog, rain and ice were encountered and only one ship worth a torpedo came into view. This enemy proved too fast for Golet to gain torpedo range; she returned to Midway, 3 May 1944.

Lt. James S. Clark took command of Golet and departed Midway 28 May 1944 to patrol off northern Honshu, Japan. A door of silence closed behind her and Golet was never heard from again. She had been scheduled to depart her area on 5 July and expected at Midway about 12 or 13 July. She failed to acknowledge a message sent her on 9 July and was presumed lost 26 July 1944.

Japanese antisubmarine records available after the war revealed that Golet was the probable victim of a Japanese antisubmarine attack made 14 June 1944 in latitude 41¡04' North, longitude 14¡30' East. These records mention that the attack brought up corks, rafts, and other debris and a heavy pool of oil, all evidence of the sinking of a submarine, Eighty-two gallant men of the Navy's "Silent Service" perished with Golet.