S-38

U.S.S. S-38

(Saratoga Model Shipyard SMY-27)

Service: After shakedown cruise to the Aleutians, she joined the Asiatic Fleet in 1924, and based at Cavite for the next 17 years. Departed Manila Bay on her first war patrol 8 Dec 1941. On 22 Dec she torpedoed and sank the 5445-ton Hayo Maru at Lingayen Gulf, one of the few successes against invading Japanese forces. After several narrow escapes in the shallow gulf, she returned to Manila and then evacuated to Java in Jan 1942. Patrolling in the Dutch East Indies, on 28 Feb she rescued 54 survivors from destroyer HMS Electra which had been sunk the day before. She executed several attacks on Japanese warships and then evacuated to western Australia in Mar 1942, and then to Brisbane on the east coast. Patrolled in the New Guinea area in May and to the Solomons in July. Patrolling off New Ireland, on 8 Aug 1942 she sank the 5628-ton transport Meiyo Maru, one of a six ship convoy with reinforcements headed to Guadalcanal; the remaining ships turned back thus delaying the Japanese response to the American invasion of the Solomons. Sent back to the US via the Gilberts for overhaul, arriving in San Diego in Nov. Returning to Pearl Harbor she made one more war patrol in the Marshalls, but was plagued by the mechanical difficulties of old age. Sent to the New Hebrides in Jul 1943, she was used in antisubmarine training duties for one year, before being sent home for decommissioning. She was sunk as a target by aerial bombing 20 Feb 1945.