USS Jallao
The USS Jallao was a United States Navy submarine that proudly served in World War II. The Jallao was launched from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in March of 1944 and, after several months of training in U.S. waters, headed for Pearl Harbor, where she arrived for her first patrol on September 22, 1944.
The Jallao was an integral member of a coordinated attack group known as "Clarey's Crushers," which also included the SS Pintado and the SS Atule. This group of submarines participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October, 1944 as scouting vessels strategically located between the Philippines and Japan. As Japanese Merchant Marine ships traveled back to port after defeat in Battle off Cape Engano, the Crusher's cut them off and attacked. In the evening hours of March 25, 1944, the Jallao attacked a Japanese light cruiser called Tama, firing seven torpedoes and sending the Tama to the bottom of the sea.
The Jallao sunk her second Japanese ship on March 5, 1945. The Japanese struck back, however, damaging the Jallao's periscope. The damaged but not defeated submarine made her way to Midway by late March of 1945 and was then assigned to patrol the waters around Marcus Island, where the Jallao bravely saved the lives of five men trapped at sea, delivering them to safety in Saipan. The Jallao then made her way back to Pearl Harbor and patrolled the Sea of Japan on lifeguard duty until the war ended in mid-August of 1945. The Jallao's patrol through the Sea of Japan was not without excitement, however, due to her landmark sinking of a 6,000-ton enemy freighter four days before hostile relations between the U.S. and Japan ceased.
The brave men who sailed on the SS Jallao risked their lives to protect the freedom of United States Citizens back at home. However, the threat of attack by enemy ships was not the only danger that the crew of the Jallao faced. Asbestos-laden materials were widely used on ships and submarines during that time, and crewmembers were at risk of inhaling the dangerous, airborne asbestos fibers. Asbestos was most prominent within the ship's insulation, most specifically the insulation surrounding electrical wiring and piping. Any crewmember who is concerned that they were exposed to deadly asbestos while serving their country must monitor their respiratory health closely, as asbestos has been linked to the development of mesothelioma, a deadly lung cancer.
Last modified: May 30 2008.
