The Gato class submarine Wahoo arrived at Pearl Harbor in August of 1942. She joined a submarine force struggling to find success. Her first two patrols under Captain Marvin Kennedy mirrored the force’s as a whole: marked by attack failures and internal strife. However, when charismatic LCDR. Dudley “Mush” Morton assumed command at the end of the year, her fortunes, and the rest of the submarine fleet’s, began to change.
Tactical Innovation
Personable with his crew and aggressive in his leadership, Morton reorganized Wahoo’s patrol procedures. Wahoo transited to her third patrol’s operating area on the surface in daylight despite the threat of Japanese planes. He also trained his executive officer, Richard O’Kane, to make all periscope observations during attacks, freeing Morton to conn Wahoo unimpeded.
Wewak, New Guinea
Wahoo arrived at the Japanese held roadstead of Wewak on Jan. 24, 1943 and promptly entered the harbor. There he found a destroyer underway and fired torpedoes “down the throat” until the last one hit and sank her.
Two days later Wahoo found a convoy of four ships. He pursued them for a day, firing the rest of his torpedoes, believing he had sunk each one. Though his total was later reduced to three ships, he was met at Pearl Harbor with wild acclaim.
Wahoo’s patrol proved to be the turning point of the Pacific submarine war. Inspired by his tactics and innovation, submarines began to adopt Wahoo’s aggressive style and take the fight to the enemy.
East China and Yellow Sea
But Wahoo’s success was only beginning. On his next patrol, Morton sailed into the shallow confines of the East China and Yellow Seas. In a series of slashing gun and torpedo attacks, Morton sent nine ships to the bottom. It was the most successful patrol of the war to date.
Sea of Japan
Following another successful patrol, a refit in San Francisco, and the transfer of O’Kane, Morton and Wahoo were given a plum assignment: the unpatrolled waters of the Sea of Japan. Boldly entering on the surface at night, Morton implemented a new plan: he would fire single torpedoes at targets, rather than spreads of three, in order to sink more ships.
Despite numerous targets, Wahoo’s torpedoes repeatedly failed to explode when fired. Enraged, Morton reported his frustration and was recalled. At Pearl Harbor he was chastised for not following standard firing procedures. However, his request to return to the Sea of Japan with a load of new torpedoes was granted.
La Perouse Strait
Wahoo returned to the Sea of Japan and went on a rampage, sinking at least four ships. While exiting via La Perouse Strait on the morning of October 11, 1943 a Japanese observation plane discovered her at periscope depth. The plane dropped two bombs, one of which struck aft of her conning tower fairwater. While a coordinated air and sea attack commenced, Wahoo was already sunk. Morton and his crew of 79 men were lost.
In five patrols, Morton became the second highest ranking skipper of the war in terms of ships sunk. Wahoo was ranked seventh in number of ships sunk. Her fourth patrol was the second best of the war.
References:
DeRose, James F. Unrestricted Warfare, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2000.
O’Kane, Richard H. Wahoo, Novato: Presidio Press, 1987.
Paul Crozier - Paul Crozier is a lifelong student of history. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in English and minor in History. ...
