dp. 1870 tons (surf.), 2424 tons (subm.); l. 312'; b. 27";
s. 20.25 k. (surf.), 8.75 k. (subm.); td. 300'; a. 6-21" tt. fwd., 4-21"
tt. aft.;
cpl. 6 officers - 54 enlisted men; cl. GATO
Keel laid down by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Manitowoc, WI 27
January 1943;
Launched: 1 August 1943; Sponsored by Mrs. Alexander Wiley;
Commissioned 30 November 1943; Cdr. James M. Clement in command.
USS GOLET (SS-361) departed Manitowoc 19 December 1943 via the
Mississippi River for New Orleans, arriving the 28th. After shakedown training
at Panama and final battle practice in Hawaiian waters, she departed Pearl
Harbor 18 March 1944 for her maiden war patrol off the Kurile Island chain,
Southern Hokkaido and Eastern Honshu, Japan. Severe combinations of fog,
rain and ice were encountered and only one ship worth a torpedo came into
view. This enemy proved too fast for GOLET to gain torpedo range;
she returned to Midway, 3 May 1944.
Lt. James S. Clark took command of GOLET and departed Midway
28 May 1944 to patrol off northern Honshu, Japan. A door of silence closed
behind her and GOLET was never heard from again. GOLET was
scheduled to depart her area on 5 July 1944, and was expected at Midway
about 12 or 13 July. On 9 July 1944, she was sent a message which required
an acknowledgement, but none came. On 11 July, a sharp lookout was posted
at Midway for a submarine coming in without being able to transmit. By
26 July 1944, the boat had not returned, and it was reported as presumed
lost.
In the reports covering Japanese antisubmarine attacks, made since
the war's end, one is recorded as having been made on 14 June 1944, at
41!-04'N;141!-30'E. This attack is considered to explain GOLET's
loss, since the enemy, in his report, states, "On the spot of fighting
we later discovered corks, raft, etc., and a heavy oil pool of 50 by 5,200
meters." Eighty- two gallant men perished with GOLET.
Compiled by SUBNET from "Dictionary of American Fighting Ships"
and "U.S. NAVAL SUBMARINE FORCE INFORMATION BOOK '97" -- J. Christley
Photos and text contributed by Royal Weaver MTCM(SS)(Ret.).
