USS Silversides SS 236
The USS Silversides SS 236 was a Gato-class submarine that was launched on August 26th, 1941 from the Mare Island Naval Shipyard out of Vallejo, California and was sponsored by a Mrs. Elizabeth H. Hogan. The submarine was commissioned on December 15th, 1941 under the command of Lieutenant Commander Creed C. Burlingame. Following her initial shakedown training and operational trials along the west coast she was immediately assigned to the Pacific Fleet and ordered to head out west to join in the ongoing war effort. She arrived at her new home base port of Pearl Harbor on April 4th, 1942 and departed on her first war patrol on April 30th where she traveled to the waters off Kii Suido where on May 17th, she successfully sank a four thousand ton enemy cargo ship. She returned to Pearl Harbor on June 21st ending her first war patrol.
During her second war patrol while patrolling her designated area she sank a four thousand ton Japanese transport vessel on July 28th. While on her third patrol conducted around the Caroline Islands, she heavily damaged an enemy destroyer as well as a Japanese light mine layer. She returned to Brisbane, Australia on November 24th. She departed Brisbane on December 17th, 1942 and set a course for New Ireland where she was in for a dramatic Christmas Eve. In the early morning of December 25th she encountered a large convoy and when she positioned for the attack she was forced down and bombarded with depth charges. She managed to evade the submarine hunters and escape unscathed.
While patrolling the waters off Truk on January 18th, 1943 she was able to sink a large enemy tanker traveling along known shipping lane routes. During the time from May of 1943 until the month of July of 1945 the USS Silversides conducted many more patrols that took her from New Guinea and the Marianas Islands to the East and South China Seas as well as the home islands of Japan at Honshu and Hokkaido Island. The USS Silversides SS 236 was decommissioned on April 17th, 1946 and now rests as a National Historic Landmark in Muskegon, Michigan. The Silversides was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation and twelve battle stars for service during World War II.
The USS Silversides SS 236 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. Veterans are at risk of developing serious respiratory conditions as a result of their time aboard submarines such as the USS Silversides. Diseases including a type of deadly cancer called mesothelioma are a great danger for retired veterans and any crewmembers concerned that they may have been exposed to asbestos while aboard the Silversides or any other submarine should consult with a doctor and begin mesothelioma treatment.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
