1942 — July 30, last communication, US submarine Grunion, off Kiska Isl. entrance, AK–70

–70 Stevens. Fatal Dive. Solving the World War II Mystery of the USS Grunion. 2012, p. ix-xi.*
–70 US Navy, Naval History and Heritage Command. “Grunion (SS 216).” 1-30-2017.**
–60 Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1926-1950.”
–60 Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks A–Z.” (G).

*Stevens suggests that the Grunion was sunk by one of its own MK 14 torpedo’s and that it’s “dangerous flaws were ignored by naval brass.” Stevens argues that the Grunion fired the torpedo but that it missed it’s intended target and circled back to hit and sink the Grunion. Two sons of the sub’s commander, Lieutenant Commander Mannert L. Abele, went searching for the wreck in 2006 and discovered it about five miles off Kiska.

**Blanchard on number 70 from the Naval History and Heritage Command webpage: This page does not use the number of 70. The page dos list the names and ranks of the crew, presumably at the time of the loss, and this comes to seventy names.

Narrative Information

Alaska Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement: A footnote at the end of a listing of vessels and losses, notes “Many ships suffered the loss of many or all hands with loss numbers not known. They are:….Grunion (U.S. submarine 1942)….” (Alaska’s Worst All Time Shipping Losses.)

Alaskashipwreck.com: “1942…Grunion…SW [southwest area]…311 Foot…Navy Submarine… 60 [lives lost].” (Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1926-1950.”

Alaskashipwreck.com: “Grunion (1942). The 311 foot U S Navy submarine Grunion (SS-216) was reported lost August 16, 1942 in the vicinity of Kiska Harbor. She had severely damaged the Japanese transport ship Kashima Maru on July 31, 1942 northeast of Kiska. Her last transmission relayed that she intended to cover Kiska Harbor. Six officers and 54 enlisted men were likely lost with the Grunion.

“Mapping and Location: Southwest Alaska 51 58 N 177 34 E Chart 16012.

“Source: BOEM Alaska Shipwreck List (2011).” (Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks A–Z.” (G).)

US Navy, Naval History and Heritage Command: “The submarine Grunion arrived at Pearl Harbor on 20 June 1942, reporting for duty from the west coast. This vessel engaged in the pre-patrol training given to all submarines reporting from new construction yards, and on 30 June, left for patrol.

“Lieutenant Commander Mannert L. Abele, in command, was ordered to proceed to the Aleutian theater and patrol westward from Attu on routes between the Aleutians and the Japanese Empire. On 10 July Grunion was reassigned to the area north of Kiska. Grunion made her first report on 15 July: Dutch Harbor received her message that, attacked by an enemy destroyer, she had fired three torpedoes at it, and missed with all….

“There was a strong concentration of enemy vessels at Kiska, this time being only a month and a half after the enemy had taken that island. The vessels patrolling there were told to watch particularly on the afternoon of 22 July 1942 for departing enemy naval vessels, since our own surface forces were scheduled to bombard Kiska that afternoon. The bombardment did not take place in accordance with the original plans, but our forces did stage the operation on 28 July and Grunion was told to guard the exits from Kiska during darkness on this date. On this day Grunion reported an attack on unidentified enemy ships six miles southeast of Sirius Point, Kiska. She had fired two torpedoes, made no hits, and been depth charged, but sustained no damage.

“Grunion’s last transmission was received 30 July 1942. She reported heavy antisubmarine activity at the entrance to Kiska, and that she had ten torpedoes remaining. On the same day, Grunion was directed to return to Dutch Harbor. She was not contacted or sighted after 30 July, despite every effort to do so, and on 16 August was reported lost. Planes observing the approaches to Kiska for indications of enemy salvage operations in connection with Grunion reported negatively.

“Japanese antisubmarine attack data available now record no attack in the Aleutian area at this time, and Grunion’s fate remains an unsolved mystery. We know of no enemy minefields which were in her area; thus her loss may be presumed to have been operational or as a result of an unrecorded enemy attack.” [There is then a list of seventy named individuals and their rank.] (United States Navy, Naval History and Heritage Command. “Grunion (SS 216).” 1-30-2017.)

Sources

Alaska Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. Alaska’s Worst All Time Shipping Losses. Accessed 11-24-2021 at: https://www.boem.gov/about-boem/alaskas-worst-all-time-shipping-losses

Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks 1926-1950.” Accessed 11-24-2021 at: https://alaskashipwreck.com/alaska-shipwrecks-1729-2012/alaska-shipwrecks-1926-1950-2/

Alaskashipwreck.com. Alaska Shipwrecks. “Alaska Shipwrecks A–Z.” (G). Accessed 11-24-2021 at: https://alaskashipwreck.com/shipwrecks-a-z/alaska-shipwrecks-g/

Stevens, Peter F. Fatal Dive. Solving the World War II Mystery of the USS Grunion. Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, Inc., 2012. Google preview accessed 11-24-2021 at: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Fatal_Dive/lo7mAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Fatal+Dive:+Solving+the+World+War+II+Mystery+of+the+USS+Grunion&printsec=frontcover

United States Navy, Naval History and Heritage Command. “Grunion (SS 216).” 1-30-2017. Accessed 11-24-2021 at: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/u/united-states-submarine-losses/grunion-ss-216.html