USS Pargo SS 264
The USS Pargo SS 264 was a Gato-class submarine that was launched on January 24th, 1943 from the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut and was sponsored by a Miss Belle Baruch. The newly constructed submarine was officially commissioned on April 26th, 1943 under the command of Lieutenant Commander Ian C. Eddy. Following her initial shakedown trials and operational training off the eastern seaboard of the United States she was finally ready for action and sailed south in order to transit the Panama Canal and then continue moving west traveling through the Pacific Ocean and onward to her final destination and new home base of Pearl Harbor where she arrived on July 23rd, 1943.
While in service, the Pargo conducted eight war patrols. Her first war patrol began on August 18th, 1943 when she was ordered to the East China Sea where she came into contact with the enemy on two separate occasions where she was able to cause serve damage to multiple Japanese ships before returning to Pearl Harbor on October 6th terminating her first patrol. Her second war patrol took her to the waters of the open sea just northwest of the Marianas Islands where the USS Pargo successfully sank two enemy freighters totaling seven thousand eight hundred and ten tons on November 29th and the 30th.
Her third, fourth and fifth war patrols called her to action on March 25th, 1944 when she sailed to the Philippine and Celebes Seas to hunt down and destroy any enemy ships she encountered. She anchored at Fremantle, Australia for refitting and refueling on May 24th. From September 3rd until October 7th she sailed through the South China Sea where she sank two ships including an enemy mine layer and she ended that patrol at Guam. The USS Pargo SS 264 was officially decommissioned on June 12th, 1946 and spent the remainder of her service training Naval Reservists in the 13th Naval District where she stayed until June 1st, 1960 when her name was officially struck from the Naval Vessel Registry. She’s credited in having sunk 27, 983 tons of enemy shipping. The USS Pargo SS 264 was awarded eight battle stars for her brave service during World War II.
The USS Pargo SS 264 and her crew fought bravely for their country. However, they were unwittingly exposed to the hazards of asbestos during their time at sea. She was constructed during an era when the threats involved with asbestos were not well understood, and the material was commonly used as an insulator throughout the vessel. Now we’re aware that veterans are at risk of developing serious respiratory conditions as a result of their time aboard submarines such as the USS Pargo SS 264. Diseases including a type of deadly asbestos cancer called mesothelioma are a dangerous risk for retired veterans, and any crewmembers who are concerned that they may have been exposed to asbestos while aboard the Pargo or any other submarine should consult with a doctor and begin treatment if necessary.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
