15 Dec, 1943
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) arrives at Pearl Harbour from New London.

6 Jan, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) departs Pearl Harbour for her 1st war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off Mindoro, Philippines.

18 Jan, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese oiler Yoshida Maru (2920 GRT) about 140 nautical miles west-south-west of Marcus Island in position 23º50'N, 151º28'E. (see map)

5 Feb, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese army cargo ship Taishin Maru (1722 GRT) about 60 nautical miles west of Mindoro, Philippines in position 13º09'N, 120º24'E. She also sinks a Japanese sampam with gunfire in position 13º12'N, 120º22'E. (see map)

14 Feb, 1944
While operation off Cape Santiago, Luzon, Philippines USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese army cargo ship Minryo Maru (2224 GRT) in position 13º43'N, 120º39'E and the Japanese tanker Hokuan Maru (3712 GRT) in position 13º44'N, 120º29'E. (see map)

29 Feb, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) ends her 1st war patrol at Fremantle, Australia.

4 Apr, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) departs Fremantle for her 2nd war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the South China Sea along the coast of French Indochina.

29 Apr, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and damages the Vichy French cargo ship Song Giang Go (1065 GRT) in the South China Sea some 5 miles off Cape Varella, French Indochina in position 13º02'N, 109º28'E. The damaged freighter sinks the next day. (see map)

30 Apr, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Vichy French gunboat Tahure (644 tons) in the South China Sea off Cape Varella, French Indochina in position 13º02'N, 109º28'E. (see map)

3 May, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Teisen Maru (5050 GRT) in the South China Sea about 300 nautical miles east of Cape Varella, French Indochina in position 12º54'N, 114º07'E. (see map)

28 May, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) ends her 2nd war patrol at Fremantle.

19 Jun, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) departs Fremantle for her 3rd war patrol. She is ordered to patol in the South China Sea.

29 Jun, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Niho Maru (6079 GRT) and torpedoes and damages the Japanese fleet oiler Notoro (14050 GRT) about 125 nautical miles south-east of Singapore in position 00º44'N, 105º45'E. (see map)

7 Jul, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese troop transport Koto Maru No.2 (3557 GRT) off Cape Varella, French Indochina in position 13º08'N, 109º28'E. (see map)

19 Jul, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese light cruiser Oi (5100 tons) (offsite link) in the South China Sea anout 280 nautical miles east of Cape Varella, French Indochina in position 13º12'N, 114º52'E. (see map)

26 Jul, 1944
While attacking a Japanese convoy in the South China Sea, USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese merchant tanker Otorisan Maru (5280 GRT) in position 17º56'N, 118º07'E, and teams with USS Crevalle to sink the Japanese army cargo ship Tosan Maru (8666 GRT) in position 18º24'N, 118º02'E, the submarine shared this 'kill'.

The US submarines USS Angler (Lt.Cdr. F.G. Hess), USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) and USS Crevalle (Lt.Cdr. F.D. Walker), attack a convoy in the South China Sea, east of Luzon. Based on the firing sequences of the 3 subs, it is believed Angler scored a torpedo hit on the seaplane carrier Kiyokawa Maru, (6863 GRT), in position 18º30'N, 117º57'E. The ship made port with moderate damage. The matter is conjectural, since there is no possible way of determining actual hits obtained. A mere 10 seconds error in the logbook recordkeeping would necessitate a complete reassessment of the credits. (see map)

7 Aug, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) ends her 3rd war patrol at Fremantle.

30 Aug, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) departs Fremantle for her 4th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the Philippines.

18 Sep, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese auxiliary gunboat Saigon Maru (5350 GRT) off Manila Bay, Philippines in position 14º20'N, 120º05'E. (see map)

27 Sep, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese army transport Ural Maru (6374 GRT) and torpedoes and damages the Japanese merchant tanker Tachibana Maru (6521 GRT) in the South China Sea west of Luzon, Philippines in position 15º45'N, 117º20'E. (see map)

4 Oct, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese army cargo ship Taibin Maru (6886 GRT) in the South China Sea north of Luzon, Philippines in position 15º22'N, 119º51'E. (see map)

20 Oct, 1944
USS Flasher (Cdr. R.T. Whitaker) ends her 4th war patrol at Fremantle.

15 Nov, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Grider) departs Fremantle for her 5th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the South China Sea off Camranh Bay, French Indo-China.

4 Dec, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Grider) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese destroyer Kishinami (offsite link) and damages the Japanese merchant tanker Hakko Maru (10022 GRT) in the South China Sea about 275 nautical miles south-west of Manila in position 12º54'N, 116º27'E. Hakko Maru is later scuttled in position 13º12'N, 116º35'E. (see map)

22 Dec, 1944
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Grider) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese fleet tanker Omurosan Maru (9204 GRT) and the Japanese merchant tankers Otowasan Maru (9204 GRT) and Arita Maru (10238 GRT) in the South China Sea about 250 nautical miles north of Camranh Bay, French Indochina in position 15º07'N, 109º05'E. (see map)

2 Jan, 1945
USS Flasher (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Grider) ends her 5th war patrol at Fremantle.

29 Jan, 1945
USS Flasher (Cdr. G.W. Grider) departs Fremantle for her 6th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the South China Sea.

25 Feb, 1945
USS Flasher (Cdr. G.W. Grider) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese merchant cargo vessel Koho Maru (850 GRT) near Hainan in position 20º01'N, 111º19'E. (see map)

3 Apr, 1945
USS Flasher (Cdr. G.W. Grider) ends her 6th war patrol at Pearl Harbour. She was now sent to the US west coast for a major overhaul.