8 Dec, 1941
USS S-38 (Lt. W.G. Chapple) departs Manila Bay for her 1st war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off Mindoro. On the 20th she proceeds to the west coast of Luzon.

22 Dec, 1941
USS S-38 (Lt. W.G. Chapple) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese transport ship Hayo Maru (5446 GRT) in Lingayen Gulf in position 16º00'N, 120º00'E.

14 Jan, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt. W.G. Chapple) ends her 2nd war patrol at Surabaya.

25 Jan, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) departs Surabaya for her 3rd war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in Makassar Strait off Balikpapan.

16 Feb, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) ends her 3rd war patrol at Surabaya.

22 Feb, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) departs Surabaya for her 4th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol in the Java Sea.

26 Feb, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) shells Japanese facilities at Sangkapura, Bawean Island.

28 Feb, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) picks up 54 survivors from the British destroyer HMS Electra. On 1 March the survivors were transferred to a surface ship in Madoera Strait. S-38 then continues her patrol.

2 Mar, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) fires four torpedoes against the Japanese light cruiser Kinu (offsite link) north-east of Cape Awarawar. All four torpedoes missed their target. USS S-38 later fires two torpedoes against a Japanese destroyer but these also miss.

3 Mar, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) is ordered to proceed to Fremantle, Australia.

5 Mar, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) trnasits Lombok Strait.

13 Mar, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) ends her 4th war patrol at Fremantle. S-38 later proceeds to Brisbane on Australia's east coast.

28 Apr, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) departs Brisbane for her 5th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off New Guinea.

24 May, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) ends her 5th war patrol at Brisbane.

24 Jun, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) departs Brisbane for her 6th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off the Solomon Islands.

7 Jul, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) ends her 6th war patrol at Brisbane. She was forced to return to base early because of mechanical problems.

28 Jul, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) departs Brisbane for her 7th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off New Britain and New Ireland.

8 Aug, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) toroedoes and sinks the Japanese transport ship Meiyo Maru (5628 GRT) at the southern entrance of the St. George Channel, between New Britain and New Ireland in position 04º52'S, 152º42'E. (see map)

22 Aug, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) ends her 7th war patrol at Brisbane.

21 Sep, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) departs Brisbane for her 8th war patrol. She is to proceed to Pearl Harbour and then to the US west coast for an overhaul. en-route she is to reconnoiter several of the Gilbert Islands.

25 Sep, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) toppes off with fuel at Noumea, she departs the next day.

10 Oct, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) departs the Gilbert Islands area bound for Pearl Harbour.

6 Nov, 1942
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Munson) arrives at San Diego, California for an overhaul.

15 Apr, 1943
With her overhaul completed USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Rhymes) departs San Diego bound for Pearl Harbour.

29 Apr, 1943
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Rhymes) arrives at Pearl Harbour.

26 Jun, 1943
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Rhymes) departs Pearl Harbour for her 9th war patrol. She is ordered to patrol off the Marshall Islands.

27 Jul, 1943
USS S-38 (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Rhymes) ends her 9th war patrol at Esperitu Santo. She is now assigned to training duties.