USS Lizardfish SS 373
The USS Lizardfish SS 373 was a Balao-class submarine that was originally launched on July 16th, 1944 from the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and was sponsored by a Mrs. Lausdale G. Sasscer who was the wife of Congressman Sasscer of Maryland. The newly constructed submarine was officially commissioned on December 30th, 1944 under the leadership of Commander Ovid M. Butler. Following rigorous shakedown trials in the Great Lakes, she was put into dry dock and towed down the Mississippi River all the way to Algiers, Louisiana where she arrived on February 1st. She was placed out into the open ocean and five days later she transited the Panama Canal and sailed west towards her new home port of Pearl Harbor arriving on March 23rd.
On April 9th, 1945 the USS Lizardfish departed Pearl Harbor and set out on her first war patrol heading first to Saipan for refueling and then onward towards the South China Sea. During the time from April 30th until May 18th she traveled off the coast of Indochina but made no enemy contacts during this time and between May 23rd and May 28th she drove through the waters of the Java Sea with no encounters as well. She headed back to Fremantle, Australia arriving on June 2nd, ending her first war patrol.
The Lizardfish’s second war patrol was far more dramatic than her first. She found herself departing Fremantle on June 28th and cruising for the South China Sea. On July 5th, she was patrolling near the coast of Bali when she spotted four enemy landing barges, a two hundred fifty ton sea truck and a one hundred ton submarine chaser that were all heavily camouflaged from detection. She immediately began engagement procedures and fired upon the submarine chaser, successfully sinking her with her first attempt. Then she surfaced for direct combat and fired upon the ships landing ashore destroying all four landing barges as well as completely annihilating the sea truck and all the installments on shore. She sailed out to sea with pride to continue her war patrol.
The USS Lizardfish SS 373 was officially decommissioned on January 9th, 1960 and then transferred to the Italian Navy. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on July 15th, 1978. The USS Lizardfish SS 373 was awarded one battle star for World War II service.
The USS Lizardfish SS 373 had a long history, but one of the most difficult aspects of that history is that former crew members may now have to face the fact that the submarine contained products made from asbestos. These products can be very hazardous to the respiratory health of anyone who is exposed to them. Asbestos is a toxic substance that is comprised of tiny fibers that are easy and dangerous to inhale. It can lead to mesothelioma cancer and other diseases, so anyone who has been exposed to this deadly asbestos should seek immediate medical attention and evaluation from their physician to possibly begin mesothelioma treatment.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
