USS SHARK SS 314

USS SHARK SS 314 Balao Class

October 24, 1944. Sunk by enemy surface craft. 87 men lost.

From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Shark

(SS-314: dp. 1,526 (surf.), 2,424 (subm.); l. 311'9"; b. 27'3"; dr. 15'3"; s. 20 k. (surf.), 9 k. (subm.); cpl. 66; a. 1 5", 1 40mm., 1 20mm., 10 21" tt.; cl. Balao)

Shark was lost during her third war patrol, probably in the vicinity of the Luzon Strait, while participating in a coordinated attack group with submarines Seadragon (SS-194) and Blackfish (SS-221). On October 24, 1944, Seadragon received a message from Shark stating that she had made radar contact with a single freighter, and that she was going to attack. This was the last message received from the submarine, and all subsequent attempts to contact Shark failed. She was reported as presumed lost on November 27, 1944.

According to Japanese records examined after the war, on October 24, 1944, in the Luzon Strait, destroyer Harukaze made contact with a submerged submarine and dropped depth charges. After losing and regaining the contact, the destroyer dropped another 17 depth charges, which resulted in "bubbles, heavy oil, clothes and cork" coming to the surface.

Shark received one battle star for World War II service. She sank five ships, totaling 32,200 tons, and damaged two, for 9,900 tons, prior to her last patrol.