USS Icefish SS 367
The USS Icefish SS 367 was a Balao-class submarine that was launched on February 20th, 1944 from the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. out of Manitowoc, Wisconsin and was sponsored by a Mrs. Stanley P. Mosley who was the wife of Captain Mosley. The submarine was commissioned on June 10th, 1944 under the leadership of Commander Richard W. Peterson. Following her shakedown trials in Lake Michigan, the newly constructed sub was towed down the Mississippi River on her way to New Orleans, Louisiana where she entered the open ocean for the first time and transited the Panama Canal in order to reach the Pacific and her new home port of Pearl Harbor where she arrived on August 22nd, 1944.
The submarine was immediately appointed to Supporting Submarines Pacific Fleet under the overall command of Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood’s Task Force 17. During the time from September of 1944 until August of 1945 the USS Icefish SS 367 had conducted five successful war patrols within the Pacific Ocean. Her first war patrol began on September 9th, when she departed Pearl Harbor and sailed through the Luzon Straight heading for the South China Sea.
On her first war patrol during the month of October, the Icefish was credited in sinking twenty six thousand nine hundred one tons of enemy cargo ships and Japanese tankers between the East Coast of China and Formosa. On October 23rd, she sank a four thousand ton enemy cargo ship and on October 26th she was able to sink a ten thousand ton Japanese transport. She finally terminated her first war patrol at Majuro, Marshall Islands on November 13th. 1944.
The Icefish’s second, third, fourth and fifth war patrols weren’t as dramatic as her first and involved her routinely sailing across the seas near Japan without any serious enemy contacts as World War II came to a close. She finished her last war patrol on August 22nd, 1945 departing Saipan on September 1st arriving at San Francisco Bay, California on September 18th. The USS Icefish SS 367 was officially decommissioned at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on June 21st, 1946 and was appointed to the Naval Reserve Fleet. The Icefish was awarded four battle stars for her service during World War II.
The USS Icefish SS 367 and her crewmembers served their country well and she carried many thousands of soldiers across the seas. Unfortunately, the submarine also carried materials that were made with the deadly substance asbestos. Asbestos is a dangerous material that can lead to respiratory diseases, more specifically the dangerous and rare cancer known as mesothelioma. Asbestos is made up of tiny fibers, so it can be easily inhaled where it can cause great harm and can even be fatal. Crewmembers who spent time on the USS Icefish SS 367 was put at risk of exposure to this toxic material. Anyone who has sailed aboard the USS Icefish SS 367 should receive evaluations from a medical physician, and take steps towards initiating respiratory illness and mesothelioma treatment.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
