| Navy | The US Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | Perch |
| Pennant | 179 |
| Built by | Portsmouth Navy Yard (Kittery, Maine, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 17 Jul 1935 |
| Launched | 8 Jul 1936 |
| Commissioned | 19 Nov 1936 |
| End service | 15 Nov 1945 |
| Loss position | |
| History | Decommissioned 15 November 1945. |
Commands listed for USS Plunger (179)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | ||
| 1 | Lt. George L. Russell, USN | 19 Nov 1936 | ??? | |
| 2 | Lt.Cdr. David Charles White, USN | < Dec 41 | Jan 1943 | |
| 3 | Lt.Cdr. Raymond Henry Bass, USN | Feb 1943 | Mar 1944 | |
| 4 | Lt.Cdr. Bafford Edward Lewellen, USN | May 1944 | Jun 1944 | |
| 5 | Lt.Cdr. Edward J. Fahey, USN | Jul 1944 | > Sep 44 | |
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Noteable events involving Plunger include:
14 Dec 1941
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. David Charles White) left Pearl Harbour for her first war patrol, and was to patrol in Japanese home waters off the mouth of Kii Suido.
18 Jan 1942
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. D.C. White) torpedoes and sinks Japanese merchant Eizan Maru (4702 GRT) off the mouth of Kii Suido, Honshu, Japan in position 33º30'N, 135º00'E. (see map)
3 Feb 1942
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. D.C. White) ends her first war patrol when she returned to Pearl Harbour.
5 Jun 1942
After having patrolled north-east of Midway during the Battle of Midway USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. David Charles White) leaves for her second war patrol, and was ordered to patrol in the East China Sea of Shanghai.
30 Jun 1942
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. D.C. White) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese merchant Unkai Maru No.5 (3282 GRT) off the China coast near Shanghai in position 30º04'N, 122º54'E. (see map)
2 Jul 1942
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. D.C. White) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese transport ship Unyo Maru No.3 (2997 GRT) off the mouth of the Yangtze river in position 30º44'N, 123º09'E. (see map)
15 Jul 1942
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. D.C. White) ends her second war patrol at Midway.
12 Oct 1942
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. D.C. White) left Pearl Harbour for her third war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Solomon Islands area.
2 Nov 1942
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. David Charles White) hit an uncharted reef. Her sound gear was destroyed and sustained additional damage to her hull,the patrol is aborted and returns back to base.
8 Nov 1942
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. D.C. White) ended her third war patrol at Brisbane, Australia.
21 Nov 1942
With her repairs completed USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. D.C. White) left Brisbane for her 4th wear patrol. Once again she was ordered to patrol of the Solomon Islands.
12 Jan 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. D.C. White) ends her 4th war patrol when she returned to base at Pearl Harbour.
28 Feb 1943
While on her 5th war patrol USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. Raymond Henry Bass) torpedoes and damages the Japanese fleet tanker Iro (14050 GRT, offsite link) about 130 nautical miles west of Jaluit in position 06º09'N, 167º18'E. (see map)
12 Mar 1943
While on her 5th war patrol USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese water carrier Taihosan Maru (1804 GRT) off Ponape, Caroline Islands in positon 07º15'N, 159º10'E. (see map)
10 May 1943
While on her 6th war patrol USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese passenger ship Tatsutake Maru (7068 GRT) and the transport ship Kinai Maru (8360 GRT) about 200 nautical miles east of Saipan in position 14º29'N, 149º00'E. (see map)
25 Jun 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) left base for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Sea of Japan.
7 Jul 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) torpedoes and damages the Japanese merchant Anzan Maru (5493 GRT) in the Sea of Japan in position 37º14'N, 132º57'E. (see map)
12 Jul 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese merchant Niitaka Maru (2482 GRT) in the Sea of Japan, west of Hokkaido in position 43º02'N, 140º00'E. (see map)
26 Jul 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) ended her 7th war patrol at Midway.
6 Aug 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) left Midway for her 8th war patrol. Once again she was ordered to patrol in the Sea of Japan.
18 Aug 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) torpedoes and damages the Japanese merchant Okuni Maru (5633 GRT) in the Sea of Japan in position 43º30'N, 140º30'E. (see map)
20 Aug 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) merchant Seitai Maru (3404 GRT) off the southwest coast of Hokkaido in position 42º15'N, 139º58'E. (see map)
22 Aug 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese merchant fishery mother ship Ryokai Maru (4643 GRT) in the Sea of Japan in position 42º40'N, 139º48'E. (see map)
5 Sep 1943
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) ended her 8th war patrol when she returned to base at Pearl Harbour.
14 Jan 1944
After an unsuccesful 9th war patrol in the Marshall Islands area, USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) left base for her 10th war patrol. She was to patrol in Japanese home waters.
2 Feb 1944
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese merchants Toyo Maru No.5 (2193 GRT) and Toyo Maru No.8 (2191 GRT) off Kushimoto, Japan in position 33º29'N, 135º59'E. (see map)
23 Feb 1944
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese transport ship Kimishima Maru (5193 GRT) about 200 nautical miles north-west of Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands, Japan in position 30º11'N, 140º49'E.
(see map)
8 Mar 1944
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Bass) ended her 10th war patrol at Pearl Harbour.
8 May 1944
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. Bafford Edward Lewellen) left Pearl Harbour for her 11th war patrol,and was ordered to patrol of the Bonin Islands.
8 Jun 1944
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. B.E. Lewellen) ended her 11th war patrol when she returned to base.
31 Jul 1944
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. Edward J. Fahey) left base for her 12th and final war patrol, and was ordered to patrol off Truk.
19 Sep 1944
USS Plunger (Lt.Cdr. Edward J. Fahey) terminates her 12th war patrol at Pearl Harbour,and is sent for overhaul.Reassigned to training duties off the U.S. east coast.