USS Tang sunk, 1944, 71 years ago

[Bob Womack]

On this day in 1944, the USS Tang, SS-306, an attack submarine was sunk by one of her own torpedoes that malfunctioned and made a circular run. Ironically, it was her last torpedo of the patrol. Nine officers and men, including her captain, survived from her crew of eighty-seven. Most were blown clear from her conning tower by the blast, though two successfully escaped from the forward torpedo room in 180 feet of water in the only use of the Momsen Lung escape device.

The survivors spent the balance of the war in two of the worst Japanese hellholes, Omori and Ofuna, and were never declared Prisoners of War. They were instead designated "hostages," and as such were treated extremely poorly and interogated extensively. Tang's commander, Richard O'Kane, was repeatedly beaten resulting in loss of his front teeth and numerous injuries. When repatriated, he weighed 87 pounds and was near death from multiple infections. Doctors estimated he had only hours to live when they got to him.

In her short service life of one year and nine days, Tang received four battle stars and two Presidential Unit Citations for World War II service. Tang's score of ships sunk through her five patrols was unequaled.* Commander Richard O'Kane, her only captain, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his aggressive attacks in the fifth patrol.

A Cribbage board was presented to O'Kane during the commissioning of the sub's namesake, USS Tang SS-563. When o'Kane died, that board was turned over to Commander of Subs in the Pacific by his widow, Ernestine. As a tribute, the oldest sub in the Pacific fleet carries this cribbage board in its wardroom. It is transferred to the next ship in line as each sub is retired.

Bob

* During the War she was credited with 31 ships totaling 227,800 tons. After the war the JANAC commission on strategic bombing assessment lowered her score to 24 ships, totaling 93,824 tons, placing her second on the list for ships sunk. After further review that figure has been revised to 33 ships totalling 116,454 tons, placing her first for number of ships and tonnage. Tang also retains the best patrol by number of ships sunk, her third, with ten, for 39,100 tons.

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