USS Runner SS 275
The USS Runner SS 275 was a Gato-class submarine that was originally launched on May 30th, 1942 from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard out of Kittery, Maine and was sponsored by a Mrs. John H. Newton. The newly constructed submarine was officially commissioned on July 30th, 1942 under the leadership of Commander Frank W. Fenno, Jr. Following her initial shakedown training off the east coast of the United States she was finally ready for active service and departed New London, Connecticut in late 1942 heading south in order to transit the Panama Canal. She proceeded west out into the open Pacific and directed herself to her new home port of Pearl Harbor where she arrived on January 10th, 1943.
The USS Runner embarked on her first war patrol on January 18th where she headed to the area between the Palau Islands and Midway. During this patrol she encountered many Japanese cargo ships and was able to torpedo five Japanese transports without scoring any successful hits on her intended targets. While she was patrolling off the coast of Peleliu she spotted a large enemy freighter and during the battle she had been heavily damaged from a bomb dropped on her by a patrol bomber aircraft. The extent of her damage included her entire sound gear mechanics and general power supply being completely knocked offline as well as both periscope hoists destroyed. The USS Runner made an emergency deep dive to evade her attackers and desperately went to work on repairs to the submarine. She made it back to Pearl Harbor on March 7th, 1943 and underwent a complete overhaul.
On April 1st the Runner departed on her second patrol where she laid a minefield off of Pedro Blanco Rock and sailed the Hainan Straits near the Chinese mainland. She was able to torpedo an enemy freighter thought no confirmed kill was recorded. She returned to Midway Island for refitting and fuel on May 6th, 1943. On May 27th, she departed Midway heading for the Kuril Islands off northern Japan and she was never heard from again. It was later discovered she’d been sunk by an enemy ship. The USS Runner SS 275 along with all 78 men was presumed lost in July of 1943. She was awarded one battle star for her service during World War II.
The crew of the USS Runner SS 275 took honor in their missions during the war and will always be remembered as the honorable and brave soldiers they were. Unfortunately, the danger they faced was not limited to enemy fire. The USS Runner SS 275 like many submarines of its era was laden with toxic materials and one of them was asbestos. Asbestos was used in piping as well as in many insulation systems aboard most naval vessels of this time. If any veteran crewmembers worked around these materials, it is important to be aware of the possible respiratory dangers that asbestos exposure can cause such as the development of the deadly asbestos cancer, mesothelioma.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
