Frank Devere Latta, USN
| Born | 10 Jan 1909 | Indianapolis, Indiana, USA | |
| Died | 3 May 1945 | (36) | USS Lagarto (SS-371) |
 | Ranks
Decorations
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Warship Commands listed for Frank Devere Latta, USN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| USS Ortolan (ASR 5) | Lt. | Minesweeper | 31 Jul 1941 | 8 Apr 1942 |
| USS Narwhal (167) | T/Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 16 Oct 1942 | 26 Mar 1944 |
| USS Lagarto (371) | T/Cdr. | Submarine | 14 Oct 1944 | 3 May 1945 (+) |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Submarine USS Narwhal (167)
18 Apr 1943
With her overhaul and trials completed USS Narwhal (Cdr. Frank Devere Latta) left San Diego bound for Dutch Harbour, Alaska loaded with soldiers of the 7th Infantry Scout Company.
30 Apr 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) left Dutch Harbour for her 4th war patrol. On 11 May she rendezvoused with her sister ship USS Nautilus off the northern side of Attu, and the two ships, debarked Army Scouts in rubber boats for the preliminary landings in the recapture of the island, a venture successfully completed 29 May. Narwhal returned to Pearl Harbor with a stopover at Dutch Harbor from 14 to 18 May.
26 Jun 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. Frank Devere Latta) left Pearl Harbor for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to create diversion by bombarding an air base on Matsuwa, Japan on 11 July. USS Lapon, USS Permit and USS Plunger were about to attempt an exit from the previously impenetrable Sea of Japan which they had so daringly entered. The night of the 15th Narwhal drew so much enemy attention to her presence she was forced to dive from the shells, but she accomplished her mission: the other submarines slipped through Etorofu Strait without detection. Narwhal returned to base on 7 August.
31 Aug 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) left Pearl Harbor for her 6th war patrol. She was to patrol in the Marshall Islands area.
11 Sep 1943 (position -0.30, 166.50)
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) torpedoed and sank the Japanese transport ship Hokusho Maru (4211 GRT) about 5 nautical miles north-west of Nauru Island in position 00°30'S, 166°50'E.
2 Oct 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) ended her 6th war patrol at Brisbane, Australia.
23 Oct 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) left Brisbane for her 7th war patrol. She was to land 92 tons of ammunition and stores and a party of ten men.
13 Nov 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) entered Ptiluan Bay to debark her passengers and half of her cargo.
15 Nov 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) landed the rest of her stores at Nasipit, Mindanao. She then embarked 32 evacuees, including 8 women, 2 children, and a baby.
22 Nov 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) ended her 7th war patrol when she returned to base at Darwin, Australia.
25 Nov 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) left Darwin for her 8th war patrol. She was to land stores and 11 Army operatives at Cabadaran, Mindanao.
2 Dec 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) landed her stores and the 11 Army operatives. She took onboard seven evacuees. Narwhal then sailed for Majacalar Bay, arriving off Negros Island on 3 December where she took 9 more people onboard.
5 Dec 1943 (position 9.09, 124.29)
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) sank the Japanese merchant Himeno Maru (834 GRT) with gunfire off Camiquin Island in position 09°09'N, 124°29'E.
11 Dec 1943
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) debarked her passengers at Darwin. Then she continued on to Fremantle.
18 Jan 1944
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) left base for her 9th war patrol. She was to land stores and one observer in the Philippines.
15 Feb 1944
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) ended her 9th war patrol as she returned to base.
16 Feb 1944
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) left base for her 10th war patrol. She was ordered to deliver ammunition to Butuan Bay.
3 Mar 1944 (position 8.55, 123.20)
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) damaged the Japanese river gunboat Karatsu (560 tons, former USS Luzon) in the Sulu Sea in position 08°55'N, 123°20'E.
20 Mar 1944
USS Narwhal (Cdr. F.D. Latta) ended her 10th war patrol at Fremantle.
Submarine USS Lagarto (371)
12 Nov 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Lagarto (Cdr. F.D. Latta, USN) departed New Orleans, Louisiana for the Panama Canal Zone.
17 Nov 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Lagarto (Cdr. F.D. Latta, USN) arrived in the Panama Canal Zone from New Orleans, Louisiana.
9 Dec 1944
After a training period, USS Lagarto (Cdr. F.D. Latta, USN), departed the Panama Canal Zone for Pearl Harbour.
7 Feb 1945
USS Lagarto (Cmdr Frank Devere Latta) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 1st war patrol, and was ordered to patrol off the Ryukyu Islands.
24 Feb 1945 (position 32.40, 132.33)
USS Lagarto (Cdr. F.D. Latta), most likely, torpedoed and sank the Japanese submarine I-371 (offsite link). Lagarto also sank the Japanese merchant cargo ship Tatsumomo Maru (880 GRT) of the Bungo Suido, Kyushu, Japan in position 32°40'N, 132°33'E.
20 Mar 1945
USS Lagarto (Cdr. F.D. Latta) ended her 1st war patrol at Subic Bay, Philippines.
12 Apr 1945
USS Lagarto (Cmdr Frank Devere Latta) departed from 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.
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