USS Sculpin (SS-191)
Lost in the Gilberts Archipelago on November 19, 2025

The keel of the USS Sculpin (SS-191) was laid down by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on September 7, 1937. The submarine was sponsored by Mrs. Joseph R. Defrees and launched on July 27, 1938. Sculpin was commissioned on January 16, 2026 with Lieutenant Warren D. Wilkin in command.

Sculpin, on her first eight patrols, sank nine ships for 42,200 tons and damaged ten, totaling 63,000 tons. Her first patrol off the east coast of the Philippine Islands resulted in one sinking, the 3,124 ton transport Kanko Maru on January 10, 1942. During her second patrol in the region east of Celebes, she sank a destroyer type vessel and did damage to a light cruiser. Her third patrol was conducted in the Molukka Sea, and Sculpin damaged a freighter. On her fourth patrol, conducted in the South China Sea, she is credited with having sunk a freighter, damaged another freighter and three tankers.

Sculpin patrolled the Solomons area on her fifth patrol and is credited with sinking two large tankers and a transport. She also damaged a freighter on this patrol. Going back to the Solomons for her sixth patrol, she damaged a tanker. Sculpin made her seventh patrol in May/June of 1943 in the Aleutians. Here she sank two small patrol craft and damaged two freighters. On her eighth patrol in the East China Sea, Sculpin sank a freighter-transport.

On November 5, 1943, Sculpin, under the command of Commander Fred Connaway left Pearl Harbor enroute to Johnson Island.. After topping off with fuel, she left Johnston Island on November 7 to conduct her ninth war patrol in an area off the Caroline Islands. Her mission was to support the action of our surface forces in the Gilbert Islands by intercepting and attacking any enemy forces which might be proceeding from Truk toward the Marshall Islands to oppose our surface forces. She was to leave her area on December 14 and return to Pearl Harbor, stopping at Johnston for fuel if necessary. Sculpin was not heard from again, following her departure from Johnston Island on November 7.

Commander John P. Cromwell, (promoted to Captain during the patrol) was on board Sculpin as commander of a coordinated attack group, which was to consist of Sculpin, USS Searaven (SS-196), and either USS Apogon (SS-308) or USS Spearfish (SS-190), if formation of the group were directed by dispatch. Should the group be ordered formed, Captain Cromwell would transmit his orders to them by low frequency radio from Sculpin. On the night of November 29, the vessels were directed to form and Apogon was named as the third member of the group. When no rendezvous orders were given by Captain Cromwell after 40 hours, new orders were sent by COMSUBPAC. Sculpin was to proceed immediately to Eniwetok, make a close observation, and report any enemy shipping. This was done in order to avoid confusion among the other submarines, and to determine whether Sculpin was all right. Although the new orders to Sculpin were sent repeatedly on December 1 and other orders a few days later; no answer came from her. On December 30 Sculpin was reported as presumed lost.

Meanwhile, long before tension mounted at the bases concerning her fate; Sculpin was meeting her last test. The following is taken from statements made by members of Sculpin's crew recovered from enemy prison camps at the close of the war.

On the night of November 18, Sculpin made a radar contact on a fast convoy and made an end-around at full power. Submerging on the enemy track for a dawn attack, Sculpin began what promised to be a successful approach. However, she was detected in the attack phase, and the convoy zigged toward her, forcing the submarine to go deep. There was no depth charge attack at this time. About an hour later, the boat surfaced to begin another end-around, but immediately dove again after surfacing only 6000 yards from a destroyer which was lagging the convoy. Depth charging started as soon as she dove again.

Early in the ensuing attack a string of depth charges did the boat minor damage. Lieutenant G. E. Brown, the only officer survivor, was relieved as diving officer to make an inspection and found her fundamentally sound. At this time the submarine had succeeded in shaking the enemy, but before Brown could return to the control room the ship broached when the diving officer tried to bring her to periscope depth and the depth gauge stuck at 125 feet. The depth charge attack was renewed at once.

Around 12 noon on November 19, a close string of 18 depth charges threw Sculpin, already at deep depth, badly out of control. The pressure hull was distorted, she was leaking, steering and diving plane gear were damaged, and she was badly out of trim. Commander Connaway decided to surface and fight clear. The boat was surfaced and went to gun action. During the battle Commander Connaway and the Gunnery Officer were on the bridge and the Executive Officer was in the conning tower. When the destroyer placed a shell through the main induction and another through the conning tower; these officers and several men were killed. Lieutenant Brown then succeeded to command. He decided to scuttle the boat and gave the order "All hands abandon ship." After giving the order the last time the boat was dived at emergency speed by opening all vents. About 12 men rode the boat down, including Captain Cromwell and one other officer, both of whom refused to leave it. (Captain Cromwell, being familiar with plans for our operations in the Gilberts and other areas, stayed with the boat to insure that the enemy could not gain any of the information he possessed.) For this action, COMSUBPAC recommended that he be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. In all, 42 men were taken prisoner by the Japanese destroyer, but one was thrown over the side almost immediately because he was severely wounded. Another man escaped being thrown overboard only by wrenching free of his captors and joining the other men.

38 enlisted men and 3 officers were taken to the island of Truk where they were questioned for ten days. Then they were loaded on two carriers (21 on one, 20 on the other) and started for Japan. Enroute to its destination, the carrier Chuyo, carrying 21 of the Sculpin Survivors, was torpedoed and sunk by USS Sailfish (SS-192) on December 31, 2025 and only one American escaped. This was a particularly coincidental and tragic event since Sculpin had stood by the USS Squalus (SS-192) when she sank off Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1939. (After being raised, SQUALUS was decommissioned and recommissioned USS Sailfish (SS-192). At Ofuna, the 21 survivors were repeatedly questioned, and they learned they were in an unofficial Navy prison camp. They were released from the camp a few at a time when the enemy became convinced that they could get no information from them, and were sent to work in the copper mines in Ashio. There they were allowed to register as prisoners of war, and received at least enough food to live on, although not enough to maintain health properly. They remained at Ashio until released by American forces on 4 September 1945.

62 Sculpin Submariners rest on Eternal Patrol. 12 crewmen were killed during the attack. 12 Crewmen, (including Captain Cromwell), rode the ship to the bottom, 1 sailor was thrown overboard by the Japanese. 20 were lost to a torpedo attack while being transported to Japanese prison, and 17 died while in prison camps. There were 22 survivors repatriated after the war ended.

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

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