USS TULLIBEE SS 284

USS TULLIBEE SS 284 Gato Class

March 26, 1944. Sunk by own torpedo. 79 men lost, 1 survivor taken prisoner.

From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Tullibee
Any of several whitefishes of central and northern North America.

(SS-284: dp. 1,525 (surf.), 2,424 (subm.); 1. 311'6"; b. 27'2"; dr. 15'3"; s. 20.25 k. (surf.), 8.75 k. (subm.); cpl. 80; a. 10 21" tt, 1 4"; cl. Gato)

On March 5, 1944, Tullibee left Pearl Harbor for her fourth and final war patrol. After refueling at Midway nine days later, she headed for the Palaus to support carrier strikes against those islands on March 30 and 31. On March 25 she arrived on station, and the next day made radar contact with a convoy consisting of a large passenger-cargo ship, two medium-sized freighters, a destroyer, and two other escorts. After several unsuccessful surface runs, Tullibee finally closed to 3,000 yards and fired two torpedoes from her bow tubes at the transport. About two minutes later, the submarine was rocked by a violent explosion. Gunner's Mate C. W. Kukyendall, who was on the bridge at the time, was knocked unconscious and thrown into the water. When Kukyendall regained consciousness, the submarine was gone. Kukyendall was the sole survivor. Apparently, one of her own torpedoes ran a circular course and sank Tullibee. Tullibee was struck from the Navy list on July 29, 1944. She received three battle stars for World War II, and is credited with sinking three ships for 10,579 tons.