| Noteable events involving Lagarto include: 7 Feb, 1945 USS Lagarto (Cdr. F.D. Latta) departs Pearl Harbour for her 1st war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off the Ryukyu Islands. 24 Feb, 1945 USS Lagarto (Cdr. F.D. Latta), most likely, torpedoes and sinks the Japanese submarine I-371 (offsite link). Lagarto also sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Tatsumomo Maru (880 GRT) of the the Bungo Suido, Kyushu, Japan in position 32º40'N, 132º33'E. (see map) 20 Mar, 1945 USS Lagarto (Cdr. F.D. Latta) ends her 1st war patrol at Subic Bay, Philippines. 12 Apr, 1945 USS Lagarto (Cdr. F.D. Latta) departs Subic Bay for her 2nd war patrol. She is initially ordered to patrol in the South China Sea. In late April she is ordered to patrol in the Gulf of Siam. Apr, 2005 In late April 2005 a wreck what is thought to be the Lagarto was found by British wreck divers Jamie Macleod and Stewart Oehl in 230 feet of water in the Gulf of Thailand. It was located by comparing its last known position with stories from fishermen who told of snagging fishing nets in that vicinity.
Using war records and then sonar, divers found a bump on the bottom of the ocean. They went down and found the submarine still intact and sitting upright, everything still on it.
Massive damage had been done to her portside bow area. The outer plating was destroyed and a hole blown inward into the forward battery room and normal fuel oil tank number one.
This is presumed to have been the result of depth charging which sunk the Lagarto. Jun, 2006 In mid June 2006, the United States Navy dived a wreck of what is thought to be Lagarto. See this news item fore more info. |