| Navy | The US Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | Balao |
| Pennant | 371 |
| Built by | Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. (Manitowoc, Wisconsin, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 12 Jan 1944 |
| Launched | 28 May 1944 |
| Commissioned | 14 Oct 1944 |
| Lost | 3 May 1945 |
| Loss position | 07.55N, 102.00E (See a map) |
| History | USS Lagarto (Cmdr Frank Devere Latta) is most likely sunk by the Japanese minelayer Hatsutaka in the Gulf of Siam in position 07º55'N, 102º00'E. All hands lost. See also this website (offsite link). |
Commands listed for USS Lagarto (371)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Cdr. Frank Devere Latta, USN | 14 Oct 1944 | 3 May 1945 (+) |
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Noteable events involving Lagarto include:
7 Feb 1945
USS Lagarto (Cmdr Frank Devere Latta) departs Pearl Harbour for her 1st war patrol, and 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 (Cmdr Frank Devere Latta) departs Subic Bay for her 2nd war patrol, and is initially ordered to patrol in the South China Sea. In late April she is reassigned 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 for more info.