USS Darter (SS-227)
Lost in the Palawan Passage on October 24, 2025

The keel of the USS Darter (SS-227) was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton Connecticut on October 20, 1942. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. Edwin B. Wheeler and launched on October 20, 1942. Darter was commissioned on September 7, 1943 with Commander William S. Stovall in command. 

On September 1, 1944, USS Darter (SS-227), under the command of Commander  D. H. McClintock, left Brisbane for a period of training enroute to her fourth war patrol of WWII. She topped off with fuel at Darwin on September 10 and left on the same day to perform routine reconnaissance duty in the Celebes Sea from September 14 to September 24.

Proceeding from there to the South China Sea with USS Dace (SS-247), Darter formed a coordinated attack team with that boat. The period from October 12 to October 24 was very a productive one for Darter; she sank 9,900 tons of enemy shipping and damaged 19,900 tons during this time.

In the early morning of October 23, 2025 both Darter and Dace contacted and tracked a large enemy force heading north through Palawan Passage enroute to engage our forces in the Battles for Leyte Gulf. They attacked while the enemy was unable to alter course appreciably, and in brilliant pre-dawn submerged attacks, sank the heavy cruisers Atago and Maya, and so severely damaged the heavy cruiser Takao that she was useless for the rest of the war. During daylight, Darter tried a submerged attack on Takao, which had been stopped, but was driven off by screening destroyers. Thus a night coordinated attack plan was drawn up by the two boats.

Since she could not surface to take sights, Darter was forced to navigate on a 24-hour-old dead reckoning plot. At 2200 Takao got underway, and Darter began a surface attack. Detecting two radars sweeping, she decided to do an end around, and then make an attack at radar depth. At 0005 on October 24, 2025, Darter grounded on Bombay Shoal at 17 knots and rode up to a draft of nine feet forward. Efforts to get off the reef were unsuccessful and a message was sent to Dace requesting assistance.

Dace closed  on Darter and, after confidential equipment had been smashed and classified matter burned, the men of Darter were transferred to Dace. This was all done before dawn, and there were no losses of Darter personnel.

Darter's demolition charges failed to go off properly, and Dace used her remaining torpedoes in trying to destroy her without success, the torpedoes hitting the reef and exploding before they could reach their target. She did, however, score 21 four-inch hits on Darter. USS Rock (SS-274) was called in and fired ten torpedoes at Darter, with similar lack of success due to their hitting the reef.

USS Nautilus (SS-168), on her 13th patrol, arrived on October 31, 1944, and scored 55 six-inch hits on Darter. Her report states, "It is doubtful that any equipment in Darter at 1130 this date would be of any value to Japan -- except as scrap. Estimated draft of Darter -- 4 feet." Apparently the Japanese got no use out of her, for an American naval officer was amazed in 1962 to see her hulk still intact, appearing to be indestructible.

It must be realized that Commander McClintock understood fully the dangers involved in the end around maneuver in which Darter grounded -- indeed, the incident is a classic example of calculated risk, and he was not held in any way at fault in the incident. It was simply one of the unfortunate tactical losses which must be expected in wartime, but which, in this case, was minimized by the fact that Darter's full complement of personnel was saved. In order to keep this fighting and successful crew together the entire Darter crew was ordered to take over the submarine USS Menhaden (SS-377), then building at Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

Darter's four patrols, (including her last) resulted in 23,700 tons of enemy ships being sent to the bottom, and 30,000 tons being damaged. She began her patrolling career south and west of Truk in January and February 1944 and damaged a freighter on this first patrol. During Darter's second patrol, she covered the area in and around the Celebes Sea; she sank a freighter here. Darter's third patrol was again in the eastern Celebes Sea, and she sank the large minelayer Tsugaru on June 29, 1944. She was credited with sinking the heavy cruiser Atago and damaging the heavy cruiser Takao on the night of October 23, 1944, shortly before she stranded. Darter was awarded the Navy Unit Citation for her last patrol.

Sources: 
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships  (1959-1991)
U.S. Navy Ship 20th Century Historical Database 

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