The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-07-07
Observations
Japanese Feeling
Round the Clock
BON bing
BY Charles p. Stewart

icas Iongrsnge deadly submarines
have borne the brunt OF this ma
tons offensive operations against
Japan on a relentless 'round-the-
clock" basis
Although strietest naval secrecy
has surrounded details concerning
activities OF the sinister undersea
feet. enough facts have been L.
leased 10 indicate that sbs has dealt
smashing blows 10 the enemy's sup
ply lines
The full story OF Americas sue
cessful submarine offensive may
not be told until the end OF the
war. but ii IS known that approx
mately ESQ and possibly as many
as 500 Jap ships Of all types have
been torpedoed, most OF them SUM
Included in the list OF enc ny
ships sunk and damaged are viz
tually every type OF craft, from bat
tleships to small patrol vessels. To
accomplish this, only six suoma-
rines have been listed as overdue
az presumed lost
This record is considered remark
able by Navy men, considering the
vast distances involved in the Paci-
&c war and the fact that the Unit
ed States lost its advance bases
early in the war
United States submersibles went
into action against japanese ship
ping before the flames had sub
sided following the enemy sneak
attack against Pearl Harbor, With
in 10 days after the Jap attack,
the Navy reported the sinking by
a submarine OF an enemy trans
port and damage to a destroyer in
the Far East.
American submersibles were the
hrst of the nations fighting forces
to carry the war TO the shores OF
Japan. An undisclosed number Of
enemy ships have been sunk within
sight OF the enemy homeland.
Attacks on enemy shipping have
been only part of the important
work accomplished by submarines.
Early in the war they moved vital
supplies into Manila Bay and help
ed evacuate Army and Navy person
mel from the fortress OF Corregidor.
Intensifcation OF submarine TO-
rays against Jap shipping Is antici-
pated in the near future as more
and more new undersea craft join
the feet At the time OF Pearl
Harbor, the nation had Ill subs
built and e building Since then
the latter figure probably has been
increased considerably.
Although the Navy gives only the
barest announcements on sinkings
by American submarines. citations
have given enough details to indi-
cate countless heroic deeds by Of
fcers and crew members OF the
pig boat" feet,
One outstanding example was the
death Of Comdr. Howard W. Gill
more. OF New Orleans. La, who
was mortally wounded by machine
gun hre on the deck OF his sub
marine during an engagement with
Jap patrol boat He was award
ed the Congressional Medal Of
Honor posthumously.
Members Of the submarines
crew sought to carry him below,
but realizing delay might cost the
submarine and lives OF men in
exposed positions topside, Com
mander Gilmore ordered all hands
below" the citation said
Then he gave the order, Take
her down" and the sub crash
dived without him.
Lieut.. Comdr. Marvin G. Kenue-
dy. Vallejo. Cal, spotted a Jap
sub on the surface In rough wealth.
er, and his undersea boat destroy
ed the enemy craft by torpedo fire
at 500 yards before the Nip crew
knew what struck them He was
awarded the Silver Star.
The Silver Star also was awarded
10 Lieut. John ? Walling. Nan
tucket, Mass, diving officer OF
submarine credited with damaging
a Jap battleship OF the Konso
class
Comdr Frank " Fenno. Jr vii.
Transport. Pa. is in the front ranks
OF heroes with three Navy Crosses.
a presidential unit citation for his
sub-sea craft and an Army Dis
tinguished Service Cross. the latter
for transporting gold out OF Corresi.
dor under the very noses Of the
Japs. His submarine was credited
with torpedoing $4,000 tons OF enc.
my shipping.
Quartermaster Richard Brecken-
ridge. Of Tacoma. Wash. was given
the Navy Cross of courageously
risking being drowned by remain
ing in the coming tower TO close a
damned hatch when a submarine
crash dived 10 escape the Japs
Lieut. Comdr. William Ferrall.
Pittsburgh. Pa and his undersea
ship sank IN valuable Jap trans