USS SCORPION SS 278

USS SCORPION SS 278 Gato Class

January 5, 1944. Sunk by enemy mines. 78 men lost.

From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Scorpion
An order of arachnids having an elongated body and a narrow segmented tail bearing a venomous sting at the tip.

(SS-278: dp. 1,526 (surf.), 2,410 (subm.); l. 311'8"; b. 27'4"; dr. 15'3" (mean); s. 20 k. (surf.), 9 k. (subm.); cpl. 60; a. 1 3", 4 mg., 10 21" tt.; cl. Gato)

Scorpion returned to Pearl Harbor from her third war patrol on 5 December 1943 and remained until the 29th. On 3 January 1944, she departed Midway on her last war patrol, heading toward the East China and Yellow Seas. On the 5th, she attempted to rendezvous with Herring (SS-233) to transfer an injured man. Heavy seas prevented the transfer, and Scorpion continued west. She was not heard from again. Assumed to be the victim of a Japanese mine, she was declared lost on 6 March 1944. Scorpion (SS-278) earned three battle stars for her World War II service.

During her first three war patrols, Scorpion was credited with sinking 4 enemy vessels totaling 18,316 tons. While returning to Pearl Harbor from her first war patrol, Scorpion sighted and engaged a 100-ton patrol vessel, which she left burning to the waterline. She stalked, fired on, and finally torpedoed and sank a 600-ton patrol ship. During the hour and three-quarters fight, however, Scorpion received her first casualty. Lt. Comdr. R. M. Raymond, on board as prospective commanding officer, was hit and killed by gunfire.