USS Ray SS 271
The USS Ray SS 271 was a Gato-class submarine that was launched on February 28th, 1943 from the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company out of Manitowoc, Wisconsin and was sponsored by Mrs. S. C. Loomis. The submarine was commissioned on July 23rd, 1943 under the command of Lieutenant Commander B. J. Harral. Following shakedown training within Lake Michigan which concluded on August 15, the Ray was towed south along the Mississippi River to New Orleans, Louisiana where she arrived and was introduced into the open ocean for the first time on August 31, 1943.
She continued operational training throughout the Canal Zone area before transiting the Panama Canal and moving out into the deep Pacific heading for her new home port of Brisbane, Australia where she arrived on October 30th. Following a stop at Milne Bay, New Guinea for fuel and supplies, the Ray set sail embarking on her first war patrol on November 13th when she was ordered to conduct search and destroy missions in and around the waters just north of the Bismarck Archipelago. She encountered a large enemy convoy only a few days later and engaged in an unsuccessful attack, she returned to port in December.
Her second war patrol brought her through the Celebes and Java Seas from December 11th, 1943 until January 12th, 1944 and involved many enemy encounters with no damage to either opposition. She reached Fremantle, Australia for refueling and refitting. During her third war patrol she found herself inserting a naval minefield off of Saigon, Indochina and cruising through the South China Sea hunting for enemy cargo ships along the shipping routes.
On April 23rd, 1944 she left Fremantle, Australia heading for the Gulf of Davao when on May 21st she spotted a nine ship enemy convoy but due to weather conditions was unable to proceed with engagement procedures. During the time from July of 1944 until the Japanese surrendered on August of 1945, she conducted a fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth war patrol. The USS Ray SS 271 was decommissioned on September 30th, 1958 and received seven battle stars for her service during World War II.
Although the brave crews of the USS Ray SS 271 were placed in constant peril aboard the vessel due to the obvious nature of their duty to service for their country, many of them also faced a significant hazard within the construction of the hull and sadly, none of them could have known. Asbestos materials could found almost everywhere in naval vessels such as the USS Ray, and it is probable that her crew were exposed to this harmful airborne toxin while working aboard the submarine or in a repair capacity.
Asbestos itself has been directly and positively linked with types of cancer and other respiratory complications, including mesothelioma, a deadly type of cancer. Those who think they may have been exposed while aboard the USS Ray SS 271 should consider this and notify their physicians of their concerns.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
