USS DORADO SS 248

USS DORADO SS 248 Gato Class

October 12, 1943 - 77 Men Lost. Sunk by unknown causes.

From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Dorado
A dolphin fish.

(SS-248: dp. 1,526; l. 311'9"; b. 27'3"; dr. 15'3"; s. 20 k.; cpl. 60; a. 1 3", 10 21" tt.; cl. Gato)

Dorado (SS-248) was launched on May 23, 1943, by Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn.; sponsored by Mrs. E. G. Allen; and commissioned on August 28, 1943, Lieutenant Commander E. C. Schneider in command.

Dorado sailed from New London on October 6, 1943, for the Canal Zone but never arrived. Air searches were begun immediately after her scheduled date of arrival of October 14, 1943. Widely scattered oil slicks with occasional debris were found and subsequent investigation revealed that a patrol plane from Guantanamo Bay delivered a surprise attack on an unidentified submarine on October 12, 1943, and was later fired upon by another unidentified submarine. A German submarine was known to be operating near the scene of these two contacts, but the actual fate of Dorado remains unknown. The Court of Inquiry covering the case, listed three possible causes for the loss of Dorado, operating casualties, enemy action, and attack by friendly forces.