USS Perch SS 176
The USS Perch SS 176 was a Porpoise-class submarine that was launched on May 9th, 1936 from the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut and was sponsored by a Mrs. Thomas Withers. The newly built submarine was officially commissioned on November 19th, 1936 under the command of Lieutenant Commander George C. Crawford. Following her initial shakedown trials and operational training in the North Atlantic, she was immediately assigned to the Pacific Fleet and joined up with Submarine Squadron 6 in November of 1937. The following spring she was able to take part in the Annual Fleet problem, and take surveys of the Aleutian Islands before entering the Bering Sea on February 28th.
In October of 1939 she left San Diego, California heading for Manila where she became her division flagship in the summer of 1940 she voyaged to Tsingtao and Shanghai and she also spent the next 12 months conducting patrols around the Philippines before the war began. Just seven days before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor the USS Perch rendezvoused with two transports off Shanghai and escorted the Fourth Marines from China to the Philippines. When the outbreak of hostilities occurred, the Perch was anchored at the Cavite Navy Yard. She took part in the quick evacuation of the Navy Yard on December 10th and then observed at close range as Japanese bombers completely destroyed the Cavite Navy Yard. The Perch sailed to Darwin, Australia to receive emergency repairs and prepare for her counterattack operations to follow.
During the night on March 1st, 1942 the Perch surfaced to evaluate the area thirty miles southwest of Surabaya, Java, Netherlands West Indies and spotted an enemy convoy that was landing troops to the west of Surabaya and began to initiate attack procedures. Two enemy destroyers saw the Perch and closed in forcing her below the surface while they dropped depth charges all around her. These depth charges caused extensive damage to the Perch, caused flooding internally with her structure, and blew out her engines so she was at a complete stand still, the crew then scuttled the ship to keep it from getting into the hands of the enemy Japanese Imperial Fleet. The entire crew was captured and all 59 men except 6 died of malnutrition in POW camps. The USS Perch SS 176 was awarded one battle star for her service during World War II.
The USS Perch SS 176 and her crews battled dangers ranging from enemy attack to violent weather but those were not the only threats that were with them during their service. These men were exposed to harmful chemicals during their tours of duty, including asbestos. Asbestos was used extensively in submarine construction and insulation material. It was widely found around piping and other fixtures which required insulation. Asbestos has been directly linked to the deadly cancer known as mesothelioma and any veterans who may have been exposed to airborne asbestos fibers should monitor their respiratory health and consult a medical physician for mesothelioma diagnostic testing.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
