Grunion SS-216

 

 

Grunion

A small fish of the silversides' family, indigenous to the western American coast.

(SS-216: dp. 1,525, 1. 311'9"; b. 27'; dr. 17'; s. 21 k.;
cpl. 70; a. 1 4", 10 21" tt.; cl. Gato)

Grunion was launched by the Electric Boat Co., Groton Conn., 22 December 1941, sponsored by Mrs. Stanford C. Hooper wife of Rear Admiral Hooper; and commissioned 11 April 1942, Lt. Comdr. M. L. Abele in command.

After shakedown out of New London, Grunion sailed for the Pacific 24 May. A week later, as she transited the Caribbean for Panama, she rescued 16 survivors of USAT Jack, torpedoed by a German U-boat, and conducted a fruitless search for 13 other survivors presumed in the vicinity. Arriving at Coco Solo 3 June, Grunion deposited her ship load of survivors and continued to Pearl Harbor, arriving 20 June.

Departing Hawaii 30 June after 10 days of intensive training, Grunion touched Midway, then headed toward the Aleutians for her first war patrol. Her first report,
made as she patrolled north of Kiska Island, stated she had been attacked by a Japanese destroyer and had fired at him with inconclusive results. She operated off Kiska throughout July and sank two enemy patrol boats while in search for enemy shipping. On 30 July the submarine reported intensive antisubmarine activity, and she was ordered back to Dutch Harbor.

Grunion' was never heard from nor seen again. Air searches off Kiska were fruitless; and on 5 October Grunion was reluctantly reported overdue from patrol and assumed lost with all hands. Captured Japanese records show no antisubmarine attacks in the Kiska area, and the fate of Grunion remains a mystery. Her name was struck from the Navy List 2 November 1942.

Grunion received one battle star for World War II service.