START OF REEL e-/7 2 = 79 JOB NO.f ~ operAToR _A&O_ pate _/O-//- 78 THIS MICROFILM IS THE PROPERTY OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MICROFILMED BY NPPSO-NAVAL DISTRICT WASHINGTON MICROFILM SECTIONGueeson Gs-an) WAT Serna FALE. Do Wreane OTs bess TEUNSIRED FarDalon Reahh= Fstoven ih Cxsour ATRL NERVES Wed Wits Que, Sep-Oct 1961 visite to Alaska ports appear before Var Patrola Diary of Jack E. CAMP, BML, USN appears following 2nd Har Patrol . Special Mission Reports (2) appear following 6th War Patrol «Special Mission Report appears after 8th War Patrol « Interview of LCDR W.S. POST,USN appears following 8th War PatrolOffice of Navel Rocords and History Ships! Historie. Branch Wavy Department HISTORY OF USS GUDGEON (33 211) Somewhere in the Pacific at a chosen spot in King leptunets yealm lies the submarine GUDGKON. A proud and fearless member of the ‘Silent Servico", she vas designed and built to destroy enemy ships, troops, and cergo. On twelve War patrols during World War IZ the underséas narauder sent many thousands of tons of Japanese shipping to the bottom, That she vas lost herself on her Tvelfta War Patrol, tells briofly and drenetically the sacrifice that submapiners risk against the enemy and the ocean’ vastes, Her keel was eid on 22 Novenber 1959, and on 25 Januar: 1941, GUDGEON slid dovn the ways of the U.S. llavy Yard, Mare Island, California. She was sponsored by irs. William Pye, wife of Vice Admiral Pye, USN, and naned for a smail species of fresh vater minnow. GUDGEON vas-commissioned on 21 April 1941, with Lieutenant Commander E. W. Grenfell, USN, as hor first conmanding officer. Follow ing her trials and shakedown, on 16 July the submarine returned to Mare Island to effect post-shakedown repairs, After her availability was completed, the sub was assigned to the Pacific Fleot, and moved to San Diego on 27-25 August. 85-211 stood out of San Diego on 8 Septomber, enroute to Pearl Harbor by way of Seattle, Washington; Sitka end Kodiak, Alaska; Dutch Harbor, Aleutian Islands, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 16 October. GUDGEON commenced operations in the Hevaiian Islends area, and on 7 December 1941, when the Jepanese made the treacherous attack on Fearl Harbor, she vas at sea and out of the attacking area. Her time had come! Quickly GUDGEON coursed to Pearl Harbor where she underwent a to-day refit before departing for her First War Patrol off Japsn on 11 December. With vengeance es her migsion, GUDGEON headed right for the heart of the watera off the Japanese Empire. While enroute, on 31 Decomber the sub made her first contact with the enemy; a large freighter, but she vas unable to close the vessel, Following more fruitless contacts, on the night of 9-10 January i942, while in her assigned area, GUDGEON made contact with a large Jap freighter, vhich was silhouetted against the rising moon. Closing in, the sub gained position and fired a spread of three torpedoes, scoring two hits, which sent the freighter to the bottom. ‘The sub continued patrolling in her assigned area until 14 January vhen she neaded cast. On the 2/th, whdle west of Midway Island, contact vas made with a surfaced enemy submarine, After making a hasténed approach, the sub closed the Jap vessel and fired a spread of three torpedoes. vo torpedoes found their mark and the target plunged to the bottom, malcing GUDCEON the first U.S. submarine in his- tory to sink an enemy combatant ship.