USS ROBALO SS 273

USS ROBALO SS 273 Gato Class

July 26, 1944. Sunk by enemy mines. 81 men lost, including 4 POWs.

From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Robalo
A warm water sport and food fish resembling a pike.

(SS-273: displacement 1,525 (surfaced), 2,424 (submerged); length 311'9"; beam 27'2"; draft 15'3"; speed 20 knots (surfaced), 9 knots (submerged); complement 60; armament 1 3", 2 20mm., 10 21" torpedo tubes; class Gato)

On June 22, 1944, Robalo departed Fremantle to conduct her third and final war patrol in the South China Sea in the vicinity of the Natuna Islands. She was scheduled to arrive on station about July 6th and stay there until dark on August 2, 1944.

On July 2nd a contact report stated Robalo had sighted a Fuso-class battle ship with air cover and two destroyers for escort, just east of Borneo. No other messages were received from Robalo and when she did not return from patrol, she was reported as presumed lost.

Based on a note found by an American prisoner on August 2, 1944, at Puerto Princesa Prison Camp on Palawan Island in the Philippines, it was concluded that Robalo was sunk on July 26, 1944, 2 miles off the western coast of Palawan Island from an explosion in the vicinity of her after battery, probably caused by an enemy mine. Four crew members escaped and swam ashore, and made their way through the jungles to a small town northwest of the prison. Japanese Military Police eventually captured and jailed them. On August 15, they were evacuated by a Japanese destroyer and never heard from again.

Robalo earned two battle stars for World War II service. On her first war patrol, she damaged a large freighter and during her second patrol, she damaged a 7,500-ton tanker.