USS Pompon SS 267
The USS Pompon SS 267 was a Gato-class submarine that was launched on August 15th, 1942 from the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company out of Manitowoc, Wisconsin and was sponsored by a Mrs. Katherine Mary Wolleson. The submarine was commissioned on March 17th, 1943 under the command of Lieutenant Commander E. C. Hawk. On April 5th, 1942 the newly constructed submarine was placed aboard a floating dry dock and towed down the Mississippi River south to New Orleans, Louisiana where it was released out into the open ocean for the first time. The Pompon successfully transited the Panama Canal and sailed west into the deep Pacific Ocean heading to Brisbane, Australia.
On July 10th the USS Pompon departed from Brisbane, Australia embarking on its first war patrol where it was ordered to perform reconnaissance along the waters around Truk where she joined the 7th fleet for operations. During this time she engaged multiple enemy ships as well as evaded the attacks of many more. The Pompon pulled into port at Brisbane on August 22nd. Her second patrol began on September 12th and took her through the waters of the South China Sea just north of Singapore where she avoided attacks by enemy submarines while hunting for Japanese merchant ships along their transport routes. She returned to Fremantle, Australia on November 5th for supplies and refueling.
During her third patrol on November 29th she cruised off the shores of French Indonesia and China and mined the waters of the Celebes Sea. The Pompon embarked on her fourth war patrol on February 22nd where she operated around Halmahera Island returning to Midway on April 10th. She then headed out on her fifth patrol on May 6th, 1944 where she was ordered to travel to the waters around Honshu, Japan as well as covering the Tokyo Bay area participating in the ongoing Battle for Saipan, she returned to Midway on June 25th. From July of 1944 until the surrender of the Japanese on August 15th, 1945 she conducted an additional sixth, seventh and eighth war patrol and she was credited un sinking countless enemy vessels. The USS Pompon SS 267 was officially decommissioned on April 1st, 1960 and she was awarded four battle stars for her brave and honorable service during World War II.
The USS Pompon SS 267 and her crew served bravely and with great honor during their military careers yet sadly, the sailors faced a danger they were unaware of at the time. Their submarine had been constructed with asbestos used as an insulator around many of its pipes and installations. We now know that workers exposed to asbestos are at risk for the development of lung and breathing problems including a type of asbestos cancer called mesothelioma. Any crewmembers who have reason to believe they may have come in contact with asbestos while aboard the USS Pompon SS 267 or any other submarine, ship or maritime vessel during that particular period in time should visit with a medical respiratory physician immediately.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
