Commander Samuel Dealey

Commander Dealey was born on September 13, 1906 in Dallas, Texas, where he attended Oak Cliff High School. He graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1930. Dealey had duty on the battleship USS NEVADA (BB-36) before training as a submarine sailor.

He assumed command of USS HARDER (SS-257) upon her commissioning on December 2, 1942. Commander Dealey guided his submarine deep into enemy waters, wreaking destruction on Japanese shipping.

On HARDER’S fifth war patrol, Commander Dealey pressed home a series of bold and daring attacks, both surfaced and submerged, which sank three enemy destroyers and damaged two others. For his exceptional gallantry in these actions, Commander Dealey received the Medal of Honor.

The CITATION reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the USS HARDER during her 5th War Patrol in Japanese-controlled waters. Floodlighted by a bright moon and disclosed to an enemy destroyer escort which bore down with intent to attack, CDR Dealey quickly dove to periscope depth and waited for the pursuer to close range, then opened fire, sending the target and all aboard down in flames with his third torpedo. Plunging deep to avoid fierce depth charges, he again surfaced and, within 9 minutes after sighting another destroyer, had sent the enemy down tail first with a hit directly amid ship. Evading detection, he penetrated the confined waters off Tawi Tawi with the Japanese Fleet base 6 miles away and scored death blows on 2 patrolling destroyers in quick succession. With his ship heeled over by concussion from the first exploding target and the second vessel nose-diving in a blinding detonation, he cleared the area at high speed. Sighted by a large hostile fleet force on the following day, he swung his bow toward the lead destroyer for another “down-the-throat” shot, fired 3 bow tubes and promptly crash-dived to be terrifically rocked seconds later by the exploding ship as the HARDER passed beneath. This remarkable record of 5 vital Japanese destroyers sunk in 5 short-range torpedo attacks attests the valiant fighting spirit of CDR Dealey and his indomitable command.”

He was lost with his submarine during its sixth war patrol, when HARDER was sunk August 24, 1944 by a depth charge attack off Luzon, Philippines.

Take her down!

CDR Gilmore was the first U.S. submariner to receive the Medal of Honor in World War II. He was awarded this medal for his actions while serving as Commanding Officer of USS Growler (SS 215).

CDR Gilmore was the first U.S. submariner to receive the Medal of Honor in World War II. He was awarded this medal for his actions while serving as Commanding Officer of USS Growler.

On February 7 Growler sighted a ship in the murky darkness. CDR Gilmore readied torpedoes and closed for an attack. At a range of approximately 2000 yards, the target, the 2,500 ton patrol boat Hayasaki, spotted Growler. The swift ship reversed course and charged the submarine. Gunfire and the groans of the twisted hulls roared in the night. CDR Gilmore, the last man on the bridge, shouted through the open conning tower hatch, “Take her down!” He had chosen to sacrifice himself rather than further jeopardize his boat.

CDR Howard W. Gilmore lost his life in a selfless act of heroism that has become one of the most inspiring legends of the Submarine Force.

“For conspicuous gallantry and valor above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the USS GROWLER during her fourth war patrol in the southwest Pacific from 10 January to 7 February 1943. Boldly striking at the enemy in spite of continuous hostile air and anti-submarine patrols, CDR Gilmore sank one Japanese freighter and damaged another by torpedo fire, successfully evading severe depth charges following each attack. In the darkness of night on 7 February, an enemy gunboat closed range and prepared to ram the GROWLER.

CDR Gilmore daringly maneuvered to avoid the crash and rammed the attacker instead, ripping into her port side and bursting wide her plates. In the terrific fire of the sinking gunboat’s heavy machineguns, CDR Gilmore calmly gave the order to clear the bridge, and refusing safety for himself, remained on deck while his men preceded him below. Struck down by a fusillade of bullets and having done his utmost against the enemy, in his final living moments, CDR Gilmore gave his last order to the officer of the deck, “Take her down”. The GROWLER dove; seriously damaged but under control. She was brought safely to port by her well trained crew inspired by the courageous fighting spirit of their dead Captain.”

Providence of a Donation

On January 10, 1943 the entire crew of 102 was lost as the USS Argonaut (SS-166) was sunk by Japanese destroyers.

By providence the crew donated the ship’s bell to the under construction Submarine Memorial Chapel, just before the submarine put to sea for her last patrol.

The bell still hangs and rings in the steeple today, and each time the Argonaut’s bell tolls, it is in remembrance of all Sailors and lost crews at a time of war or peace.

“I am the voice of the USS ARGONAUT (SS 166). I was later classified APS 1 (submarine transport), and I was the largest of the U.S. submarines to participate in World War II. I was over 380 feet long and had a beam of over 33 feet. I was originally built as a minelayer, and I had two mine laying chutes and special tubes built into a large stern room. In 1942, I was converted to a cargo carrying and troop transport submarine, my mine laying gear was removed, and my stern room was fitted for troop berthing. I transported Marines for the Makin Island raid. In January 1943 I was on patrol near Rabaul when I was attacked by two Japanese destroyers who were avenging the torpedoing of a third destroyer in a convoy. The two destroyers hammered the water with depth charges; and my bow thrust above the surface and remained there for sometime as destroyers repeatedly fit it with gunfire. Finally I slid with my crew of 105 102 men into the depths of the Pacific.”

The S-5 rescue was a miraculous story of great determination and resourcefulness by the crew.

S-5 sank when the forward torpedo room was accidentally flooded preventing a successful surfacing. In a desperate move all main ballast tanks were blown to bring the stern out of the water. The result was more than 60 degree down angle with the nose stuck in the mud; 17 feet of the stern extended out of the water. 

The crew was literally walking on the bulkheads; the decks had become bulkheads. There were 34 men on board, crowded into the aft compartments. All kinds of problems were overcome, but they were still trapped with no electricity other than flashlights. The commanding officer, LCDR “Savvy” Cooke, crawled into the tiller room with two chiefs. After eight hours of exhausting effort, using a breast hand drill, they drilled a ¾ inch hole through the pressure hull.

Several more holes were drilled and connected with handsaws and chisels. The effort produced a hole of 1 ½ inches by 4 inches. It was large enough to push a stick with the captain’s shirt on it out of the hole. By then the main problem was putrid air and lack of fresh water. After a painful wait, SS Alanthus’s Captain Johnson was attracted by the odd sight. The ship’s captain approached this small Tower of Pisa in a rowboat. 

Using the small opening the following conversation took place:

Johnson: “What ship is this?”

Cooke: “S-5. U.S. Navy”

Johnson: “Who is speaking?”

Cook: “LCDR Charles Cook, commanding.”

Johnson: “Where is your destination?”

Cook: “To Hell by Compass!”

Whereupon both laughed.

This plate was cut from the stern of the USS S-5 to provide egress for the crew from the damaged submarine. The plate reads:

“Removed from the United States Submarine S-5 to allow the crew of that vessel to escape after being imprisoned for 37 hours, the S-5 while engaged in diving exercises flooded a forward compartment and sank at 2:00 pm September 1, 1920 in 165ft of water. After repeated efforts, the crew managed to bring the stern of the vessel to the surface. The vessel was lying at an angle of 60 degrees with the bow resting on the bottom. The crew managed to cut a small hole in the hull and by an improvised signal attracted the attention of the passing steamer ALANTHUS. Later the Pan-American steamer GEORGE W. GOETHALS arrived on the scene. The chief engineer of that that vessel, assisted by the chief engineer of the ALANTHUS, worked with a ratchet drill and chisel, removed this plate at 3:00am September 3, 1920 and the crew of S-5 numbering 34 men were rescued.“