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Notable events involving Boarfish include:

The history of USS Boarfish as compiled on this page is extracted from her patrol reports.

This page was last updated in February 2017.

3 Oct 1944
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) commenced a threeday training period including deep submergence trials in the New London area.

8 Oct 1944
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) departed New London, Connecticut for Newport, Rhode Island to conduct her torpedo trials.

10 Oct 1944
With her torpedo trials completed, USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN), returned to New London, Connecticut from Newport, Rhode Island.

20 Oct 1944
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) was put on the slipway at New London.

23 Oct 1944
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) was put back in the water.

29 Oct 1944
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) departed New London, Connecticut for the Panama Canal Zone.

7 Nov 1944
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) arrived at Colon, Panama Canal Zone from New London, Connecticut.

15 Nov 1944
USS Devilfish (T/Cdr. E.C. Stephan, USN), USS Boarfish (T/Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) and USS Threadfin (T/Cdr. J.J. Foote, USN) departed the Panama Canal Zone for Pearl Harbor.

2 Dec 1944
USS Devilfish (T/Cdr. E.C. Stephan, USN), USS Boarfish (T/Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) and USS Threadfin (T/Cdr. J.J. Foote, USN) arrived at Pearl Harbor from the Panama Canal Zone. They were then taken in hand for voyage repairs and alterations.

13 Dec 1944
During 13/14 December 1944, USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN), conducted exercises off Pearl Harbour together with USS Wileman, USS Whitman, USS Connolly, USS Snook and USS Threadfin. These exercises included night exercises.

24 Dec 1944
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the South China Sea.

For daily and attack positions (though incomplete) of USS Boarfish during this patrol see the map below.

4 Jan 1945
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) arrived at Saipan. She was escorted in by USS PC-1126 (Lt. J.F. Carrere, USNR).

5 Jan 1945
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) departed from Saipan for her patrol area.

21 Jan 1945
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) made three torpedo attacks on an enemy convoy off the coast of Indo-China. A total of 16 torpedoes were fired but none found their target.

(All times are zone H, -8)
0210 hours - In position 14°04'N, 109°11'E obtained SJ radar contact on the port bow at a range of 7600 yards.

0237 hours - Battle stations torpedo.

0303 hours - There were now six pips on the radar scope. Five were sighted from the bridge. The nearest one looked like a frigate. Commenced attack.

0311 hours - In position 13°52'N, 109°24'E fired six bow tubes at the closely grouped multiple targets, two at the center, two at the left and two at the right ship. Range was about 1600 yards. No hits were obtained.

0322 hours - Range was now 7000 yards, turned south to parallel and work ahead.

0520 hours - Now in a good position for another attack at a range of 3000 yards.

0521 hours - In position 13°19'N, 109°26'E the nearest ship, thought to be a frigate, flashed a challenge at us. Sent a reply in the form of three torpedoes from the bow tubes from a range of 3000 yards. Then turned left and fired the remaining three bow torpedoes at the ships of the convoy. Then turned away and opened out the range. Again no hits were obtained.

0532 hours - Range now 5800 yards. Again turned parallel and commenced working ahead.

0605 hours - Now in a good position for a stern shot however the nearest ship turned towards. He then turned away but the attack with the stern tubes was spoiled so another setup was made with the bow tubes.

0612 hours - In position 13°09'N, 109°25'E fired four bow torpedoes from 3000 yards at two A/S vessels. Again no hits. Opened out to 10000 yards and commenced to work ahead again but no more attacks were made on these ships.

31 Jan 1945
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) torpedoed and sank the Japanese tanker Enki Maru (6968 GRT, built 1944) and heavily damaged the Japanese tanker Daietsu Maru (6890 GRT, built 1944) which is run aground. Position was south-east of Tourane, French Indo-China in position 14°55'N, 109°01'E.

Both tankers were part of convoy HI-88-B (Singapore - Moji). They were escorted by the frigates Nomi, Kaibokan 60, Patrol Boat No.104 and submarine chaser CH-20.

(All times are zone H, -8)
30 January 1945
2025 hours - Heard pinging and picked up radar interference.

2031 hours - Nothing in sight yet. Went to battle stations. SJ radar contact to the southwest at 12000 yards.

2037 hours - Two or three targets on the radar now, closest one was 8000 yards away.

2045 hours - The target group tracked at a speed of 10 knots, close to the beach.

2116 hours - One of the escorts opened fire, not sure if it was directed at us. Opened the range.

2214 hours - Range to the nearest escort was now 9000 yards. There was still gunfire in our general direction. Opened out to the north. Decided that the escort must be tracking our SJ radar so secured it except for short looks every three minutes.

2328 hours - Range was now 12000 yards and tracking the convoy from ahead when suddenly an escort popped up at a range of 8400 yards. Made full power but the range closed to 7300 yards.

2342 hours - Dived to look over this escort. He closed to about 2000 yards. It was thought to be a destroyer or a minesweeper. Position was 14°31'N, 109°12'E.

31 January 1945
0032 hours - Surfaced. Range was at least 11000 yards. The convoy was well inshore, practically on the beach.

0242 hours - Now well ahead and undetected seven miles off shore. Closed the beach and went to battle stations again.

0247 hours - Picked up an escort at a range of 8000 yards. Made off to the north again to get even further ahead, then dive and wait for the convoy.

0400 hours - Now in a good position just north of Cape Mia about three miles from the shore. Dived.

0420 hours - The convoy was now in sight. All three escorts were seen to seaward of the two targets. Estimated range 5000 yards.

0446 hours - In position 14°55'N, 109°01'E fired two stern torpedoes at the leading ship from 1500 yards.

0447 hours - Fired two stern torpedoes at the trailing ship from 1700 yards.

0448 hours - One hit in the first target, exactly in the middle of the ship.

0449 hours - One hit on the second target, again exactly in the middle.

0452 hours - The first target was now stopped in the water and began to settle on an even keel. The second target was making heavy black smoke from her stack and turned hard away.

0500 hours - Took a quick last look. The first target had her decks now nearly awash. The second target was heading for the shore. Went deep.

0505 hours - Depth charging started. A total of 22 were dropped causing only some minor damage which was quickly repaired.

0734 hours - Came up to periscope depth. One escort was seen 9000 yards to the west. Boarfish remained submerged for the remainder of the day.

9 Feb 1945
During the night of 9/10 February 1945, USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN), passed Lombok Strait southbound.

15 Feb 1945
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) ended her 1st war patrol at Fremantle, Australia. At Fremantle she was refitted by Submarine Division 301 and USS Euryale.

11 Mar 1945
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) departed from Fremantle for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the South China Sea. Before proceeding on patrol exercises were carried out with USS Corpus Christi (Cdr. W.W. Childress, USCG).

For daily and attack positions (though incomplete) of USS Boarfish during this patrol see the map below.

14 Mar 1945
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) made a short call at Exmouth Gulf to top off with fuel before proceeding to her patrol area.

17 Mar 1945
During the night of 17/18 March 1945, USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN), made the northbound passage of Lombok Strait.

23 Mar 1945
In the afternoon, USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN), tried to attack an escorted transport in the South China Sea south of the Riau Archepaligo. She is detected by the escorts and heavily depth charged sustaining serious damage. After repairs she is able to remain on patrol.

28 Mar 1945
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross, USN) attacked an enemy escort vessel with three torpedoes off the coast of Indo-China in position 13°48'N, 109°22'E. No hits were obtained.

(All times are zone H, -8)
2225 hours - Heard pinging to the southward.

2242 hours - In position 14°18'N, 109°20'E obtained SJ radar contact at 9500 yards. Commenced tracking. Went to battle stations. Four or five pips were on the scope. One escort was now seen to be at 4800 yards, went full speed ahead to open the range.

2250 hours - The escort was clearly chasing us. He was making 16 knots. Two green Very stars were fired by the escort.

2252 hours - The escort was now dead astern at a range of 4200 yards. The escort started firing on us with it's gun.

2253 hours - In position 13°48'N, 109°22'E fired three stern torpedoes down his throat. No hits were obtained. The enemy's gunfire was now getting close.

2256 hours - Dived. The escorts was soon overhead and pinging but he dropped no depth charges. The escort soon returned to the convoy.

21 Apr 1945
USS Boarfish (Cdr. R.L. Gross) ended her 2nd war patrol at Subic Bay, Philippines. At Subic Bay she was refitted by Submarine Division 261 and USS Anthedon.

16 May 1945
USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN) departed from Subic Bay for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Java Sea. Before departing for her patrol area exercises were carried out with the escort, USS Doyle C. Barnes (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Ingle, Jr., USNR).

For daily and attack positions (though incomplete) of USS Boarfish during this patrol see the map below.

29 May 1945
USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN) is damaged by grounding and depth charges in the northern end of the Sunda Strait while attacking a Japanese convoy with four torpedoes which all missed. She is forced to terminate her patrol.

(All times are zone I, -9)
1405 hours - Sighted three ships and two escorts coming from the Sumatra shore and heading towards Batavia. This convoy consisted of one large stack aft ship, evidently a tanker, followed by two smaller transports. The escorts were converted trawlers and were not echo ranging.

1413 hours - Battle stations torpedo. Closed to attack.

1442 hours - In position 05°48'S, 105°58'E commenced firing bow four torpedoes at the leading ship from 2350 yards. Temporarily lost depth control.

1443 hours - Heard a torpedo explosion thought to be a hit.

1444 hours - Returned to periscope depth. One of the escorts was rushing towards us. Went to 215 feet (the chart showed 240 feet as the depth here).

1445 hours - While passing 100 feet the first depth charge was dropped followed by two more. These were fairly close but astern.

1449 hours - The escort went overhead but did not dropped depth charges.

1452 hours - Went aground in 216 feet of water. Both sound heads were ripped off and making much noise.

1456 hours - A string of eight depth charges was dropped, close astern and above.

1459 hours - Backed off the submerged hill. The port propellor hit the bottom. Planed up to 180 feet. Every time Boarfish tried to speed up the escort came in again due to the noise produced.

1600 hours - The escort had now lost contact.

1719 hours - The escort dropped three more depth charges but these were far away.

1754 hours - At periscope depth. Two more depth charges were dropped quite a way off. Decided to stay down a little longer. Went deep again.

1850 hours - Returned to periscope depth.

1908 hours - Lost sight of the escort when she turned towards Batavia.

2048 hours - Surfaced and sent out a report. In the evening Boarfish was ordered to proceed to Fremantle for repairs.

3 Jun 1945
During the day, USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN), made the southbound transit of Lombok strait while submerged.

8 Jun 1945
USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN) ended her 3rd war patrol at Fremantle. At Fremantle she was repaired and refitted by Submarine Division 301 and USS Clytie.

5 Jul 1945
USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN) departed from Fremantle for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Java Sea.

Before proceeding on patrol exercises were carried out with USS Corpus Christi (Cdr. W.W. Childress, USCG), USS Hutchinson (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Houghtaling, USCG) and USS Blenny (Cdr. W.H. Hazzard, USN).

For daily positions (though incomplete) of USS Boarfish during this patrol see the map below.

12 Jul 1945
In the early morning hours, USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN), made the northbound passage of Lombok Strait while on the surface.

6 Aug 1945
USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN) departed her patrol area for Subic Bay.

10 Aug 1945
USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN) ended her 4th war patrol at Subic Bay. She was escorted in by USS Pratt (Lt.Cdr. H.E. Ellis, USNR).

At Subic Bay she was refitted by USS Howard W. Gilmore.

31 Aug 1945
USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN) departed Subic Bay for Guam.

5 Sep 1945
USS Boarfish (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Blonts, Jr., USN) arrived at Guam.

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