The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Commander "Mush" Morton and the USS Wahoo - Nov. 8th, 2004

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[SAMWolf]

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Grant them a safe and swift return...

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Commander Dudley W. ("Mush") Morton
(1907-1942)

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Dudley Walker Morton was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, on 17 July 1907. He attended high school in Miami, Florida, and entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1926. Commissioned in the rank of Ensign upon graduation in June 1930, he initially served in the aircraft carrier Saratoga and cruiser Chicago. In 1933, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Morton reported to the Submarine Base, New London, for instruction as a submarine officer. Subsequently sent to the Asiatic Fleet, he was assigned to the submarine tender Canopus and submarine S-37. Lieutenant Morton returned to the United States in 1937, by way of Siberia and Europe, and took up new duties at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He was Executive Officer of the destroyer Fairfax in 1939-40, followed by a tour as Commanding Officer of the small submarine R-5 that lasted until April 1942.

Lieutenant Commander Dudley W. Morton, USN, Commanding Officer, USS Wahoo (SS-238)
Describes his submarine's successful third war patrol, during a press conference at Pearl Harbor, circa mid-February 1943.

In mid-1942, Lieutenant Commander Morton joined Submarine Squadron FOUR as a Prospective Commanding Officer and briefly was in charge of the elderly submarine Dolphin. After making a patrol on the much-newer Wahoo as an observer, at year's end he became her Commanding Officer. Morton soon proved himself to be one of World War II's most daring and able submarine commanders, an inspiration to many of his colleagues during a period when the Pacific submarine force was shaking off excessively cautious tactical doctrines while simultaneously suffering under the dispiriting burden of unreliable torpedoes. In January and February 1943, he took Wahoo into the waters off northern New Guinea, where several Japanese ships were sunk or seriously damaged, among them the destroyer Harusame, torpedoed after an almost incredibly bold penetration of Wewak harbor, and the transport Buyo Maru.


Lieutenant Commander Dudley W. Morton, USN, Commanding Officer, USS Wahoo (SS-238), at right
With his Executive Officer, Lieutenant Richard H. O'Kane, on Wahoo's open bridge, at Pearl Harbor after her very successful third war patrol, circa 7 February 1943.

From February into October 1943, Commander Morton took Wahoo on four more patrols, covering enemy-controlled waters in the shallow Yellow Sea, off Northern Japan and into the Sea of Japan. Continuing to use innovative attack techniques, including placing his Executive Officer at the periscope, thus allowing the captain to fully visualize the entire situation, he sank another sixteen ships. Only one patrol, in the Sea of Japan in August, was unproductive, with poor torpedo performance as a contributing cause. Morton and Wahoo returned to the same area in September, at a cost to the Japanese cargo fleet of four ships. However, on 11 October 1943 while exiting the Sea of Japan through La Pérouse Strait, Wahoo was lost with all hands.


Lieutenant Commander Dudley W. Morton, Commanding Officer, with another officer (probably Lieutenant Richard H. O'Kane), in Wahoo's conning tower during her attack on a Japanese convoy north of New Guinea, 26 January 1943. Several ships, among them the transport Buyo Maru, were sunk in this action.

In his five war patrols, Dudley W. Morton had sunk a total of nineteen enemy ships, of some 55,000 tons, making him one of the Pacific War's top three submarine commanders in terms of ships sunk. His achievements were recognized by the award of no less than four Navy Crosses, the last one posthumous, and a Presidential Unit Citation for Wahoo.


1936 wedding of Mush Morton and Harriet Nelson in Tsingtao, China.

The destroyer USS Morton (DD-948), 1959-1992, was named in honor of Commander Dudley W. Morton.

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Wahoo's Third War Patrol
New Guinea
January 16 - February 7, 1943

"Clean Sweep"

December 1942 found American forces in the Pacific filled with hopeful expectation for the coming year. During the previous June, U.S. carriers had won a decisive victory against the Japanese surface fleet at Midway. Marine and Army forces held their first offensive gains in the Solomon Islands. Yet in the midst of this cautious optimism, morale in the U.S. Submarine Force was at a low ebb.

Their discouragement was well founded. Following the Pearl Harbor attack, ComSubPac had been given the primary task of engaging the Japanese while the crippled surface fleet regrouped. While targets were plentiful, a year of patrols had produced meager results in tonnage sunk. Though individual circumstances varied, where ever submariners gathered they shared their concerns about three common trends: poor torpedo performance, overly conservative commanders and an apparent streak of bad luck.


January 24, 1943 - Japanese Destroyer Harusame, commanded by Captain Masao Kamiyama, broken in two and beached off Mushu Island, New Guinea. Note crew lining deck as described by Morton in Report of Third War Patrol.

In Brisbane, the sentiments aboard WAHOO typified the general funk most boats were experiencing. Two patrols in active areas had produced only two confirmed sinkings and a blunt reprimand for failure to carry through with an attack on an aircraft carrier. The crew felt they could do better. In her wardroom, two officers in particular were convinced.

The first was Executive Officer, Lt. Richard H. O’Kane. At odds with Captain Marvin Kennedy from the outset, their divergent attitudes and personalities had strained relations to the breaking point. On their second patrol O’Kane had secretly entertained taking the grave step of relieving Kennedy of command. Back in port, he freely expressed his opinion that the key to WAHOO’s future success was Kennedy’s dismissal. His hope being that someone more suitable to the task would take his place.

The other man, thirty-five year old Lt. Cdr. Dudley W. “Mush” Morton, was convinced he knew who Kennedy’s replacement should be. Riding along as a Prospective Commanding Officer on WAHOO’s second patrol, Morton had settled in with her crew as naturally as Kennedy had chafed against it. His personal rapport with O’Kane was complete. Now, with his training patrol over he awaited reassignment to command of another boat. When word arrived that Kennedy was indeed going to be relieved, in a bold breach of protocol he appealed directly to the division commander for the opportunity to take over WAHOO. On December 31, 1942 he assumed command.


Scene in the control room during Wahoo's 27 January 1943 action with a Japanese destroyer. When the photo was taken the submarine was at 300 feet, rigged for depth charges. Six charges had just gone off and the crew was awaiting more. Lieutenant Commander Dudley W. Morton, Wahoo's Commanding Officer, reported this action as: "Another running gun fight ... destroyer gunning ... Wahoo running".

The change was felt immediately. Morton clearly demonstrated his dynamic personality to the crew during a pre-patrol address. In it he bluntly described WAHOO as “expendable” and stated his singular goal was to sink Japanese or perish in the attempt. Calling forward his yeoman, Forest Sterling, Morton asked him to take down the names of any man wanting off the boat. None did. Following a period of training in which deck gun drills were emphasized, they sailed on January 16, 1943.

In sharp contrast to his predecessor, Morton gave orders that WAHOO would transit to her assigned area, the Palau islands, on the surface. Prewar doctrine insisted that vulnerability to air attack made daylight surface running prohibitively dangerous. Morton felt that the increase in available time to stalk the enemy warranted the risk. His theory would soon begin to pay off.

As WAHOO approached the northern coast of New Guinea, Morton informed his wardroom that he intended to explore a side bar to their operating orders calling for the “reconnoiter” of a sheltered anchorage named Wewak. When it was discovered that no chart existed of the shallow waters, Morton informed them he would do without. His men quickly improvised a chart based on an illustration in an Australian high school atlas supplied by MM1c Dalton Keeter. Several officers were then shocked to learn that Morton’s interpretation of the word “reconnoiter” included entering the harbor itself for a first hand look. Though third officer Lt. George Grider voiced his reservations, O’Kane and Morton were in complete agreement.


January 26, 1943 - Japanese Transport Buyo Maru torpedoed and sinking during "Running gun and torpedo battle". Troops can be seen crowding the decks (in Morton's words, "like ants off a hot plate"). Light objects on fore and aft well decks could be tarpaulined boats.

At dawn on January 24, WAHOO crept into the placid waters of Wewak Harbor. In this first combat attempt with a fire control party newly reorganized by Morton, O’Kane manned the periscope while Morton conned the boat. With the Exec making the observations, Morton insisted that his mind would be clear of any distracting visual images thus enabling him to make the most aggressive tactical decisions possible. Their laconic and keenly intelligent fourth officer, Lt.(jg) Roger Paine, manned the Torpedo Data Computer.

After charting the inlets for several hours and traveling nine miles inshore, O’Kane spotted a warship at anchor; the Japanese destroyer HARUSAME. Morton immediately began an approach. As they closed for a final bearing O’Kane was surprised to observe that the destroyer was underway. Calmly shifting strategy Morton fired three torpedoes at the now moving target. Each missed astern. Adjusting for the destroyers’ accelerating speed, he fired two more. They missed as well.

Thoroughly alerted by the white torpedo wakes scarring the surface, HARUSAME bore down on WAHOO. With nothing but mud beneath their keel, Morton ordered the periscope raised and O’Kane called out the range. Firing his last bow tube down the destroyer’s throat from 800 yards, Morton took WAHOO to 90 feet to await its short run. Most of the crew anticipated their own demise.


January 28, 1943 - A periscope observation of the Japanese phosphorite works on Fais Island. Morton planned to shell the works but the untimely appearance of an inter-island steamer with a rather large deck gun precluded the attack. Instead, they made for Pearl Harbor.

Seconds later a devastating explosion was heard through the hull. Raising the periscope, O’Kane exclaimed that HARUSAME was broken in two and settling by the bow. With cheers ringing throughout the boat, Morton allowed his men to file past the scope to see the crowds of Japanese swarming their victim’s deck. Fire from shore batteries soon curtailed the celebration and Morton, navigating by sound and dead reckoning, slowly conned WAHOO back out to sea.

Setting course for Palau, Morton again resumed their bold surface passage off the coast of Japanese held New Guinea. Again, it paid dividends. On the morning of January 26, WAHOO’s lookouts spotted smoke on the horizon. Closing for a submerged attack, Morton found three unescorted merchant ships; two freighters and a transport. Consecutive stern and bow tube salvos soon found one freighter sunk, the second damaged but underway and the heavily loaded transport dead in the water. Maneuvering for a killer shot Morton fired a single torpedo at the transport. It ran true to the target but failed to explode. Angrily firing a second, it hit under her stack and in Morton’s words “blew her midships section higher than a kite”.

As noon approached, WAHOO gave chase to the crippled tanker. Unfortunately, three hours of submerged running had depleted her batteries. They watched as the damaged freighter slowly pulled away, accompanied by a tanker new to the scene. Surfacing to put her batteries on charge, Morton ordered his lookouts to track the targets as they went over the horizon and called for a course change back to the scene of the transport sinking.


January 25, 1943 - Morton orders aid to be given to refugees found adrift in an open boat having fled from Japanese forces.

As WAHOO drew near, Morton ordered the gun crews to their stations. Before them was a group of twenty boats ranging in size from motorized scows down to small launches. Filling them and the surrounding waters were hundreds of Japanese troops, reinforcements for the Imperial defenses on New Guinea. Morton found the possibility of their survival or rescue personally abhorrent. He ordered the 5 inch gun crew to fire a round at the largest boat. The men inside it fled to the comparative safety of the water. As the shell struck home, small arms fire crackled from the other boats. Morton then "opened up with everything they had". Completing a single pass of the area the gun crews destroyed the boats.

Resuming the chase with batteries charged, WAHOO pursued the tanker and damaged freighter into the evening. Attacking on the surface, Morton sank the tanker and put another torpedo into the freighter before being chased under by gunfire. With only two torpedoes remaining, Morton’s efforts to finish off the crippled freighter were consistently frustrated by its erratic zig-zag pattern. It began to appear that she might escape.

Suddenly, a destroyer's searchlight glowed on the horizon. Seizing the moment, Morton surfaced WAHOO and conned her between the light and the freighter assuming she would bolt for the arriving escort. As if on cue, the tenacious Japanese captain abandoned his defensive maneuvering and began to run. It was a fatal error. Manning WAHOO's T.B.T., O'Kane fired their two remaining torpedoes. Both hit their target. An exultant WAHOO withdrew as the destroyer arrived to an empty sea.


Painting of the Wahoo (SS-238) surfaced and attacking a ship.

Crafting a dispatch to inform ComSubPac of their success, Morton sent: "In fourteen hour running gun and torpedo battle sank destroyer in Wewak, and entire convoy of one tanker, two freighters and one transport and her boats. Torpedoes expended." Elated with the news, ComSubPac ordered them to return via Pearl Harbor.

Even without torpedoes, Morton's aggressive spirit would not rest. On the morning of January 26, another convoy was spotted. Battle surfacing astern, the lead ships fled leaving behind a small, unarmed freighter. While closing to sink it with their deck gun, WAHOO's lookouts sighted an escort closing from the east. Disappointed, Morton refused to dive. Instead he chose to run thinking their pursuer to be a small corvette. In reality it was a destroyer. When it bracketed WAHOO with a salvo of gunfire Morton quickly relented and dove to the amusement (and relief) of his crew. Later, with all four engines making for Pearl, Morton sent ComSubPac an update on their activities: “Another running gun battle today. Destroyer gunning, WAHOO running”.

Cameramen filmed and photographed WAHOO’s arrival at Pearl Harbor on February 7, 1943. Drawing their attention was a broom lashed to the periscope shears. Harkening back to a centuries old practice initiated by the Dutch, it signified a clean sweep of the seas. Later, reporters listened as Morton and O'Kane regaled them with their exploits in a press conference specially arranged by ComSubPac. Released immediately, WAHOO's story ran on the front page of papers across the country, highly unusual for the tight-lipped submarine service.


USS Wahoo (SS-238)
At Pearl Harbor, soon after the end of her third war patrol, circa 7 February 1943.
Her Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Dudley W. Morton, is on the open bridge, in right center. Officer standing at left appears to be the Executive Officer, Lieutenant Richard H. O'Kane.

Upon examining WAHOO’s patrol report, ComSubPac's endorsement was nothing short of glowing. Morton's actions were uniformly praised (including his foray into Wewak and the troop boat gun action) and he was awarded a Navy Cross. General Douglas MacArthur, responding largely to the destruction of the transport and her troops, awarded him the Army's Distinguished Service Medal. For her third war patrol WAHOO received the Presidential Unit Citation. Copies of her dispatches and war patrol report were immediately circulated throughout the service.

The details of WAHOO's patrol blew through the boats like a breath of fresh air. There was no mistaking Morton's style of command. His pre-patrol promise to take the fight to the enemy had been fulfilled with vengeance and flair. Coupled with it came an unspoken challenge to the rest of the service to join in the game.

Join in they did. Buoyed by WAHOO’s example, morale began to rise. And so did sinkings. Confirmed kills rose steadily through the year despite the handicap of defective torpedoes. Operational innovation became the norm as commanders tossed out prewar misconceptions and strove to take the fight to the enemy. Talk of bad luck faded. WAHOO and Morton had lead them past the turning point.



For his first patrol in command of WAHOO, Captain Morton reported sinking the following ships:

• 1 destroyer (ASASHIO Class) - 1500 tons
• 1 freighter (DAKAR MARU Class) - 7160 tons
• 1 freighter (ARIZONA MARU Class) - 9500 tons
• tanker (MANZYU MARU Class) - 6520 tons
• 1 transport (SEIWA MARU Class) - 7210 tons
• TOTAL: 31,890 tons

ComSubPac endorsed his claims and Morton received credit for sinking five ships. However, JANAC's post-war assessment was much less generous. The destroyer claimed as sunk had been, in fact, beached. She was eventually repaired and returned to combat only to be sunk at a later date. The available Japanese records provided conclusive evidence for the following ships sunk during the January 26 convoy battle:

• BUYO MARU, transport, 5300 tons
• FUKUEI MARU, freighter, 2000 tons
• "Unknown MARU", freighter, 4000 tons
• TOTAL: 11,300 tons

For their performance on this patrol Captain Morton was awarded a Navy Cross and WAHOO received a Presidential Unit Citation. In addition, Morton was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Cross by General Douglas MacArthur.

[SAMWolf]

Wahoo's Fourth War Patrol
East China Sea
February 23 - April 6, 1943

"One Boat Wolf Pack"

As WAHOO’s crew basked in their newfound celebrity, their captain, Mush Morton, was already looking forward to returning to sea. His boats' performance off New Guinea had indeed been spectacular. He was eager to prove that it hadn't been a fluke. Following a refit which included moving the stern mounted 4" gun forward of the conning tower and installing a third 20mm mount in its place, WAHOO departed Pearl Harbor on February 23, 1943 barely two weeks after her triumphant return from her third patrol.

March 21, 1943 (0700) - Action in the Yellow Sea. After sinking two freighters on the 19th, Wahoo scores again. Hozan Maru, a Seiwa Maru class freighter, has just been hit by a single torpedo from a spread of three.

Traveling on the surface, submerging only for training and trim dives, WAHOO entered Midway on February 27. Stopping only long enough top off with fuel and water, they departed for their patrol area the same day.

Despite encountering rough weather and head seas, Morton refused to dive. Without a single enemy contact, WAHOO steamed the entire distance to her patrol area, some 4,000 miles, on the surface. She arrived in the China Seas on March 11, 1943. Hoping to encounter heavy merchant traffic bound from China to the Japanese home islands, Morton pressed into the shallow waters of the Yellow Sea. Previously unexplored by American submarines, he planned to blaze a trail of sinking merchant ships. He just had to find them.

On the 13th, smoke was spotted on the horizon at 0800. Morton gave chase for five hours without closing closer than 8,000 yards. Frustrated, he broke off the approach. Three hours later the heavily smoking target reappeared. Morton closed, firing a single torpedo. It missed ahead due to an error in the firing solution. Morton withdrew and let this strange craft go. A small inter-island steamer either trawling or patrolling, Morton dubbed him “Smoky Maru”. Barely worth a torpedo, Morton had fired at him because he was, in his own admission, “anxious to shoot something”.

Hozan Maru heads under. Elapsed time of sinking: four minutes. Thirty-three survivors were observed in the 40 degree (F.) water.

Over the next six days, WAHOO sighted several Smoky Marus and numerous sampans. He patiently avoided each one. On the 19th, the fireworks began in earnest with the sighting of a 4,000 ton freighter, ZOGEN MARU, at 0430. Morton fired a single torpedo. It disintegrated the after part of the ship. The forward part sank in two minutes, 26 seconds.

Four hours later they sighted another freighter, the 5,900 ton KOWA MARU, and gave chase. Firing two torpedoes, the first hit under the foremast with a tremendous blast. The second was a dud, striking amidships. With the target still underway, Morton fired a third fish. The target spotted it and maneuvered out of its path. Firing a fourth fish up her stern, KOWA MARU avoided it as well and began firing at WAHOO’s periscope. As the water was so shallow and the threat of patrol boats was imminent, Morton reluctantly let his wounded prey go. It would not be learned until after the war that KOWA MARU sank soon thereafter, becoming WAHOO’s second victim.

Two days later found WAHOO partaking in another daily double, starting with the sighting of a Seiwa Maru class freighter at 0700. This ship, HOZAN MARU, received a spread of three torpedoes, one of which struck her amidships with a tremendous explosion. Within four minutes she was gone. Closing the wreck site, the bridge watch counted thirty-three survivors in the 40 degree (F.) water.

March 21, 1943 (0958) - The freighter Nitu Maru heads down by the bow, her stack still issuing smoke. She received two hits, under the bridge and mainmast, from a spread of three torpedoes.

At midday, a second freighter appeared on the horizon; the NITU MARU. Firing another spread of three fish, two struck home beneath her bridge and mainmast. Again, the detonation was unusually strong and the ship headed down vertically by the bow. As her stem struck the shallow bottom, her stern remained poised majestically in the air. Lt. Chandler Jackson, taking over as ship's photographer from the departed George Grider, snapped several pictures. NITU MARU's stern settled back and she was gone in three minutes, ten seconds.

Closing the scene of their latest success, Morton spotted four survivors perched on wreckage, wringing the frigid water out of their clothes. As Forest Sterling would later write, their actions moved Morton to comment: "They're pretty smart". Desiring to take one of the men prisoner, he nudged WAHOO close.

Hailing in English, WAHOO's men ordered them to climb aboard. The Japanese turned their backs to the enemy submarine and refused.

With her bow resting on the shallow bottom, Nitu Maru settles under. Total elapsed time of sinking is three minutes, ten seconds. Wahoo closed the wreckage to take a prisoner from the four survivors spotted. The Japanese ignored them. Morton then picked through the wreckage for intelligence material. Two house flags from the maru's shipping line were recovered as souvenirs.

Morton then spotted several books floating nearby. He ordered them collected in the hope that they were codebooks. At the same time, they hauled aboard what would be even more highly valued by the crew: two flags from the recently sunk freighter's shipping line. Grabbing a final item, the men pulled from the water a life ring inscribed "NITU MARU - TARUNI".

Morton changed course to clear the area and to throw off patrols responding to his attacks. Enjoying his success, Morton calculated that this virgin territory would yield four more sinkings. He further planned on expending his gun ammunition on targets of opportunity as they returned home. The remainder of the patrol would not prove him wrong.

Just before dawn on the 23rd a coal collier of 2,400 tons was spotted. Morton fired a single torpedo which hit under her bridge and enveloped the target in a cloud of coal dust. Thirteen minutes later, the ship was gone. Morton cleared the area as a Smoky Maru chugged out to the scene and dropped several depth charges in the distance.

March 25, 1943 (0444) - After two torpedoes explode prematurely, Morton orders "Battle surface" and attacks the freighter Sinsei Maru with 4" and 20mm guns. Target sinks after receiving 90 4" rounds.

After a day of patrolling on the 24th radar reported a contact. Tracking into the dark night a large tanker hove into view. It was identified as TAKAOSAN MARU, 7,400 tons. Approaching on the surface, Morton fired three torpedoes. The first two detonated prematurely eighteen seconds into their run. The third missed. Morton fired another. It missed as well. Suddenly the target opened fire. A shell bursting directly ahead of WAHOO forced her to dive.

Undaunted, Morton surfaced, pulled ahead of the randomly firing tanker and dove. As it approached, WAHOO launched three torpedoes. The second fish struck the fully loaded tanker in the engine room. She sank in four minutes, 25 seconds. But the night was not over.

The light of a ship was spotted on the predawn morning of the 25th. Maneuvering into position, Morton fired two torpedoes. Both detonated prematurely. Tremendously frustrated, Morton ordered “Battle surface” and opened fire with his 4” and 20mm guns. After taking 90 rounds of 4” shells the freighter, identified in the recognition books as SINSEI MARU, was soon a burning, listing wreck. However, calls from his lookouts reporting another ship moved Morton to cease fire and approach the second vessel. As they withdrew, WAHOO’s crew called out “So solly, please!” to the SINSEI MARU’s crew.

March 25, 1943 (0535) - The Satsuki Maru is discovered and set ablaze by 4" and 20mm shell fire. She sinks after taking 80 rounds. Commenting on the gun action in his patrol report, Morton wrote, "Anyone who has not witnessed a submarine conduct a battle surface with three 20mm and four inch gun in the morning twilight with a calm sea and in crisp clear weather, just "ain't lived." It was truly spectacular".

Closing quickly, Morton opened fire with his deck guns on the 1000 ton cargo ship SATSUKI MARU. Eighty 4” rounds set it ablaze. As they sent SATSUKI MARU to the bottom, the Quartermaster reported the SINSEI MARU had also sunk. Morton cleared the area. He now had two torpedoes left and was none too confident that they would not explode prematurely like his last two fish.

At noon, a tantalizing target appeared on the horizon, a large passenger ship. Although they tried their best to close, the target reversed course and WAHOO could not get any closer than 12,000 yards. Then, possibly alerted by the liner, a destroyer appeared on the scene, range: 8,000 yards. Prepared to fire a defensive down-the-throat shot, Morton slunk away, none too confident in his ordinance. He set WAHOO on a course to follow the coastal shipping lanes south of Kyosho in the direction of home.

Perhaps frustrated at losing the passenger ship, Morton surfaced to fire on a trawler with his 20mms. Possessing a large radio antenna, the gun crews worked the small craft over. Bringing “WAHOO’s Commandos” on deck, Morton allowed Ensign George Misch and Chief Lane to hurl molotov cocktails into the hold of the trawler. Specially prepared by Marines at Midway and given to WAHOO for the purpose, they created impressive initial explosions. However, they failed to ignite the waterlogged vessel and they left her behind.

March 25, 1943 (1040) - A 100 ton trawler with a suspiciously large radio antenna is attacked with 4" and 20mm guns. "Wahoo's Commandos" are called on deck but seas are now too high to permit boarding. Lead by Ensign Misch and Chief Lane, they hurl molotov cocktails from the bow.

Heading for home, on the 28th Morton battle surfaced on two sampans and worked them over with his 20mms. In his report he remarked with disappointment that the seas were still too rough to go aboard and capture a “mess of fresh fish”. Yet with all this diversion, the patrol was not yet over.

Early on the morning of the 29th, a large ship was sighted, YAMABATO MARU. Tracking began. At 0419 WAHOO’s last two fish were fired. The first struck home under the mainmast and “disintegrated everything aft of her stack”. The second missed because its point of aim, the foremast, was stopped “dead in its tracks” by the first torpedo’s blast. With her tubes now empty, Morton turned WAHOO for home.

The following day a potentially disastrous accident struck. While running on the surface, an “unusual” swell pooped the main induction and shorted out the electrical cubicle in the maneuvering room. All power was lost and WAHOO ground to a stop. Lying to in enemy waters and far from any assistance, feverish repairs restored power and the acrid smoke issued by battery shorts was sucked from the boat. By the 31st the engines were back in good operating order. The crisis behind them, insult was added to injury by a message directing Morton to return to Midway Island for refit rather than continuing on to Pearl Harbor.

Smoke billows from the trawler as a molotov cocktail explodes. Unfortunately the vessel's wooden decks were so thoroughly soaked with water that they would not burn sufficiently to sink her.

On April 6, with NITU MARU house flags, sixteen victory flags and “battle cry” pennant flying from her periscope shears, WAHOO returned to the submarine base at Midway Island. Mush Morton’s excursion into the unexplored territory of the Yellow Sea had set a record: nine ships sunk on a single patrol. It would stand for almost a year, only to be broken by his co-approach officer, Dick O’Kane, in his own command.

As the crew was feted to the best of Midway’s limited ability, Morton was flown on to Pearl Harbor. There he gave a first hand report of his activities to an enthusiastic Admiral Charles Lockwood, Commander of Submarines, Pacific. His torpedo problems, the prematures and duds, were overshadowed by his outstanding success, achieved in spite of them. Had his munitions worked as designed, his score, like many of his contemporaries, could have been even greater.

The Wahoo (SS-238) is shown returning from her 4th war patrol on 6 Apr 1943. The photo was been censored. Wahoo's SD mast and two ships have been marked out. She could be entering Midway. She is now showing 16 victory pennants and this matches SUBPAC's sinking credit for her first four war patrol.

As it was, Lockwood informed him that Japanese communiqués shrieked with tales of a fleet of submarines operating in the Yellow Sea. “Mush,” glowed Lockwood, “You’re a one boat wolf pack!” Upon their return to Midway, Captain Morton submitted his patrol report which claimed the largest number of sinkings to that point in the war:

• ZOGEN MARU; Freighter; 1,428 tons - March 19
• KOWA MARU; Transport; 3,217 tons - March 19
• HOZAN MARU; Freighter; 2,260 tons - March 21
• NITU MARU; Freighter; 2,183 tons - March 21
• UNKNOWN MARU; Coal Collier; 2,427 tons - March 23
• TAKAOSAN MARU; Freighter; 2,076 tons - March 24
• UNKNOWN MARU; Freighter; 2,556 tons - March 25
• SATSUKI MARU; Freighter; 1,000 - March 25
• YAMABATO MARU; Freighter; 2,556 - March 29

Turning to starboard, Wahoo's full array of trophies can be seen: a life ring from the Nitsu Maru hangs on the SJ radar, Morton's "Battle Cry" pennant flies from scope #1, twin Nitsu Maru house flags and two strands of kill flags hang from the SD mast, an "Indian Head" battle flag hangs from the fairwater. Wahoo's unique retention of four original deadlights can be seen below the bridge spray deflector.

ComSubPac would credit her with eight of the sinkings and JANAC would later increase her total to all nine. For his achievement, Morton received his second Navy Cross. In sixty days time, WAHOO had sunk a total of twelve enemy vessels, an unprecendented pace. Her record for sinkings in one war patrol would last a year until it was surpassed by Dick O'Kane in his own command, USS TANG (SS-306).

[SAMWolf]

Wahoo's Fifth War Patrol
The Kurils
April 25 - May 21, 1943

Upon completion of her Fifth War Patrol, Captain Morton claimed the sinking of three ships:

• TAMON MARU #5; Passenger-Cargo; 5,260 tons - May 7
• TAKAO MARU; Passenger-Cargo; 3,204 tons - May 9
• JINMU MARU; Freighter; 1,912 tons - May 9

Hollywood, California - While on leave, Morton and his wife Harriet visit the set of "Destination Tokyo" and are greeted by the film's star, Cary Grant, and director, Delmer Daves (far left).

In addition, he claimed damage to two additional freighters. WAHOO was officially awarded credit for the sinkings and Morton received his third Navy Cross. After the war, JANAC substantiated the credit for the three sinkings.

Wahoo's Sixth War Patrol
Sea of Japan
August 8 - August 29, 1943

On her Sixth War Patrol, WAHOO conducted nine separate torpedo attacks without sinking a single enemy ship. Malfunctioning torpedoes which ran erratically, exploded prematurely or failed to detonate upon striking the target were sighted by Captain Morton as the cause for this unsuccessful run.


July 21, 1943 - Upon completion of her refit, Hollywood star Errol Flynn threw a lavish party for the crew. They reciprocated by allowing him and his press agent (seen here with Wahoo's Exec, Roger Paine) to ride as they departed for Pearl Harbor. They returned to shore on the pilot boat.

However, WAHOO did not return without her victims. During her return from the Sea of Japan, Morton battle surfaced on three separate occasions to sink a sampan with his deck guns.

Wahoo's Seventh War Patrol
Sea Of Japan
September 13 - October 11, 1943

"Sea of Japan, Eternal Patrol"

Furious over the torpedo failures of WAHOO's Sixth War Patrol and stung by criticism of the attack plan he adopted for the patrol area, Mush Morton's mind was clear on one thing. He had to return to the Sea of Japan. The targets were there and he had proved it could be penetrated. Now all he needed was a chance for redemption.


Forgotten Heroes - A group of Mare Island Naval Shipyard workers pose following the completion of their latest refit project, USS Wahoo.

For his boss, Admiral Charles Lockwood, the decision to send him there was not so easy. Morton's fierce aggressiveness had been an inspiration to the submarine force. But how could that kind of pace be kept up without some devestating price being paid? Lockwood knew he would have to give WAHOO to someone else soon, the question was when. In turn, Morton knew his days of combat command were drawing to a close so he pushed hard for a return trip. One more shot was all he wanted. After all, he was Lockwood's star. Lockwood relented.

Perhaps to demonstrate his confidence in his top skipper, Lockwood approved the use of the new Mark-18 electric torpedo on the patrol. Still in the development stage, WAHOO would carry a mixed load of these new wakeless fish to partially supplant the older Mark-14's which had let him down so much of late. Morton was ebullient about the possibilites that lay ahead.


September 1943 - Last known crew photo from Wahoo. The inscription on the back of the original reads "Bailey, George Meisch Lt, John Campbell Ens, Brown-, Finch En". From the personal effects of Ensign Donald Brown.

On September 5, 1943, WAHOO sailed from Pearl Harbor for Midway. They arrived on September 13 and stopped to top off their fuel tanks. During the short stay, Yeoman Forest Sterling received orders to Advanced Yeoman's School, a long hoped for opportunity. Morton offered him the choice: finish the patrol or find a replacement on Midway and trade places. Sterling and Morton found Yeoman 2c William T. White, eager to leave the remote island for a berth on the famous boat. Both men quickly gathered up their few personal effects and the exchange was made.

At 1600 hours on September 13, WAHOO departed Midway for the Sea of Japan via La Perouse Strait. Forest Sterling watched them fade from sight on the horizon. They were never seen by American forces again.


September, 1943 - Last known photograph taken of Wahoo. On September 13 she refueled at Midway Island then departed for her patrol area in the Sea of Japan. She was never seen by American forces again.

On October 5, 1943, the Japanese news service Domei announced that an "inter-island steamer", the 8000 ton transport KONRON MARU, had been torpedoed in the Sea of Japan. She had gone down in seconds, taking with her the lives of 544 nationals. Time magazine reported the announcement on October 15. Lockwood and his staff had known immediately that WAHOO was busy and eagerly awaited Morton's report. However, at the appointed time she failed to transmit.

Undaunted, signals were sent to try and raise her. Hopes for her safe return remained high. But as the hours turned into days and the days into weeks, Lockwood was faced with the unthinkable: Morton and WAHOO were overdue and presumed lost. She was posted as such in November, 1943.


October 11, 1943 (1430 hours) - Observed by an attacking patrol plane, Wahoo lives out her final hours in La Perouse Straight. Looking south, the oil slick issuing from her hull can be seen stretching across the surface from right to left (west to east). Three Japanese ships can be seen. The one on the far right is making another depth charge run at Wahoo's position beneath the head of the slick.This thumbnail is from one of two photos recently discovered by Bryan Mackinnon's research assistant, Keiko Takada, in the Japan National Institute for Defense Studies archives.

Japanese records, and interviews with eyewitnesses conducted years later, revealed what Lockwood and his staff could only have imagined. At 0830 hours on October 11, 1943 the 6-inch shore batteries on Soya Misaki promontory sighted a surfaced American submarine making a dash through the twenty mile wide Cape Soya Strait. They immediately opened fire and the submarine submerged.

The airfield at Wakkani was notified and a total of four Japanese airplanes arrived on the scene. The submarine was initially betrayed by a trail of oil visible from the air. The pilots then reported seeing a black conning tower and hull. This they used as a point of aim, dropping bombs over the next five hours (view the official Japanese REPORT). With the entire coast now alerted to the enemy submarine's presence, two Submarine Chasers, #15 and #23, joined the battle. They made contact with the submarine and began to drop depth charges.


October 11, 1943 - Another aerial view of the action in La Perouse Straight looking west-northwest. Two ships cruise slowly through Wahoo's slick while a third closes on the originating point.

At 1207 hours, following a depth charge run by Submarine Chaser #15, a bright metallic object, assumed to be a severed propeller blade, was glimpsed in the ensuing explosions. Oil continued to rise to the surface. Auxiliary #18 joined the Submarine Chasers and aircraft, several more bombs and depth charges were dropped. However, no further contact with the submarine was reported.

At approximately 1400 hours a very large volume of oil reached the surface. Over the course of the afternoon the ensuing slick stretched 50 meters wide and 2000 meters long. A sample taken revealed it to be diesel fuel. The aircraft were recalled, the ships returned home and an American submarine was reported sunk. That submarine was undoubtedly the USS WAHOO.


Created by noted artist, and WWII SubVet, Stephen Petreshock, the vivid painting depicts SS-238 at the bottom of Soya Strait.

Years later a former member of WAHOO's wardroom would draw his own conclusions about that final issue of oil. In his mind, that sudden belch of fuel coming so long after the attacks meant only one thing: Morton and his men were still fighting. Caught on the surface, driven down and hounded mercilessly for five hours, punctured and without the use of one screw, WAHOO settled to the bottom 20 meters down. Trapped, Morton tried one last valiant attempt to bring his boat to the surface. He gave the order to pump all fuel overboard, hoping it would make the difference and lighten the boat enough for it to rise.

Sadly, this did not happen. Instead, as the hours waned, Commander Dudley W. "Mush" Morton and 79 officers and men made the transition from American heroes to legends of the deep.

Additional Sources:

www.emackinnon.com
www.navsource.org
www.destroyers.org

[SAMWolf]

USS Wahoo (SS-238)


Wahoo (SS-238) underway, probably off the coast of California during her shakedown period.

Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 28 June 1941, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
Launched: 14 February 1942
Commissioned: USS Wahoo (SS-238), 15 May 1942
Final Disposition: sunk on seventh patrol by Japanese aircraft in LaPerouse Strait, 11 October 1943, all hands lost
Struck from the Naval Register: 6 December 1943.

Wahoo earned six battle stars for World War II service in addition to being awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her third patrol.


Replica of Wahoo's "Indian Head" battle flag on display at ComSubPac headquarters at Pearl Harbor. Design was personally conceived and constructed

Specifications:

Displacement: Surfaced 1,526 t., Submerged 2,424 t.
Length 311' 10"
Beam 27' 4"
Draft 15' 2"
Speed: Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts
Complement: 6 Officers 54 Enlisted
Maximum Operating Depth: 300 ft
Submerged Endurance: 48 hrs at 2 kts
Patrol Endurance: 75 days
Cruising Range: 11,000 miles surfaced at 10 kts
Fuel Capacity: 97,140 gal.
Armament: ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 3"/50 dual purpose deck gun, two .50 cal machine guns, two .30 cal machine guns
Propulsion: four GM diesel, 5,400hp, electric reduction gear with four main GE generator engines, 2,740shp, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin screws.

[SAMWolf]

Here are the recommended holiday mailing dates for military mail this year:

For military mail addressed TO APO and FPO addresses, the mailing dates are:

• Parcel Post - November 13
• Space Available - November 27
• Parcel Airlift - December 4
• Priority Mail, First Class cards and letters - Mailing date is December 11 to all locations
  • EXCEPT for locations starting with ZIP 093. For all locations starting with ZIP 093 the mailing date is December 6.
• Express Mail - December 20 to locations where Express Mail service is available. Check with your local post office to determine which APO/FPO addresses can receive Express Mail. Note: This service is not available to ships.

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For military mail FROM APO and FPO addresses, the mailing dates are:

• Space Available - November 20
• Parcel Airlift - December 4
• Priority Mail, First Class cards and letters - December 11
• Express Mail - December 18 from APO/FPO addresses where Express Mail can be accepted. Check with your local military post office to determine if they can accept Express Mail. Note: This service is not available from ships.

Thanks for the information StayAtHomeMother

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Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

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Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

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UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

Click on Hagar for
"The FReeper Foxhole Compiled List of Daily Threads"

[snippy_about_it]

"FALL IN" to the FReeper Foxhole!



Good Monday Morning Everyone.


If you want to be added to our ping list, let us know.

If you'd like to drop us a note you can write to:

The Foxhole
19093 S. Beavercreek Rd. #188
Oregon City, OR 97045

[SAMWolf]

Good Night Snippy.

USS MORTON (DD-948)

[A Jovial Cad]

Good morning, Sam. What a week! And a wonderful one at that, with the election results and all.

And what an excellent topic. I just finished a book last month about this very subject, called "Unrestricted Warfare : How a New Breed of Officers Led the Submarine Force to Victory in World War II." The author is James F. Derose. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in this topic, not only of the Wahoo and "Mush" Morton, but of the entire history of submarine warfare in the Pacific against the Japanese Empire. It provides an excellent overview and analysis.

Again, excellent article, thanks for posting it.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Jovial Cad.

Thanks for the book recommendation.

I read a looooong book called "The Silent Service: U.S. Submarines in World War II" by HUGHSTON E LOWDER.

It had details of the operations of every one of the 314 U.S. submarines, from USS Albacore to the USS Whale, including O, R, and S boats, from launching to final disposition.

It took a long time to read, but man what detail!

[snippy_about_it]

Great read Sam. I don't think we've coverd a sub commander before at the Foxhole. He certainly was aggressive and sadly time ran out.

Good night Sam.

[wildcatf4f3]

Thank you for this piece. Morton has always been a personal hero of mine. Still chokes me up - how it all ended - but thats the way it is now isn't it. Magnificent American commander and a born warrior. We need his sort.

[Iris7]

Wahoo, a name symbolizing both ship and crew, remains an icon in the United States Navy.

Single minded pursuit of Duty all too often ends, especially in war, in death.

You aren't going to live forever, anyway.

Stark took that Iraqi Exocet, made by France, launched by a French Super Etendard. The lads aboard with total willingness went into compartments where the engine exhaust from the still burning Exocet engine had raised the atmosphere temperature - I am not talking about air here - to over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It was necessary to close a fire fighting valve to isolate a ruptured line and get firefighting water pressure. Killed them, of course. And they knew the price before they went in. There was no time for hesitation, had to be done now, and in those lads went. Fighting Navy, folks.

[Iris7]

If my recollection is accurate, the first man into that compartment filled with rocket engine exhaust had lost both legs above the knees when the Exocet warhead exploded. He went in on the stumps and on his hands.

Ask me if I approve of the invasion of Iraq.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

[Iris7]

Very good one, this one is. Thanks, SAM.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

[alfa6]

Submerged Monday Morning Bump for the Freeper Foxhole

Hi manna!!!

Y'all can find the Ford/Steve McQuuen comeercial here I think...http://bradbarnett.net/mustangs/ads/05/cornfield.wmv

Think "Field of Dreams" meets "Bullit"

Well off to work I go, hey at least I have a job.

Regrads

alfa6 ;>}

Regards

[GailA]

Good morning

[The Mayor]

November 8, 2004

The Little Evangelist

Read: Mark 12:28-34

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. —Mark 12:30

Bible In One Year: Jeremiah 43-45; Hebrews 5

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My 6-year-old neighbor Michael and I were talking in my front yard when two new neighbor kids stopped by. After I asked them their names, Michael's first question to them was: "Do you love God?" Sugar, a 5-year-old boy, quickly responded, "No!" Michael gave him a look of disapproval and concern. When 4-year-old Nana noticed he wasn't pleased with that answer, she said, "Yes!"

Michael's "witnessing strategy" may not be the most effective, but he does have an important question for the people he meets (and I've heard him ask it of several others as well).

Jesus was asked, "Which is the first commandment of all?" (Mark 12:28). He answered, "The Lord is one. 'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength'" (vv.29-30).

Jesus was referring to Old Testament times, when God had told the Israelites to place Him as the one and only God in their lives and nation. The pagan nations around them had many gods they loved and worshiped, but God's people were to be different.

Loving God is to be our top priority too. So, Michael wants to know, "Do you love God?" —Anne Cetas

For Further Thought
Have you trusted in Jesus as your Savior?
What evidence is there in your life that you love God?
How are you showing God's love to others?

If you truly love the Lord, you'll want others to love Him too.

[The Mayor]

Thanks Mayor, we could use all the help we can get. What do you know about laying a river rock walkway?

I haven't done a river rock one but I have done stone and brick ones.
You have to start off with a flat surface, then sand about an inch thick
Lay the stone out, leveling each and working it into the sand.
Then fill the joints with sand. I always run a tamper over them after everything is laid down.
Make sure all the sand is worked into the joints..

[GailA]

Salute our Heroes This thread was started last night after the young Heroes were featured on FNC. It is a web site dedicated to helping those wounded in battle.