Robert Joseph Foley, USN
| Born | 30 Jan 1905 | East Orange, New Jersey |
 | Ranks
Decorations
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Warship Commands listed for Robert Joseph Foley, USN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| USS Gato (212) | Lt.Cdr. | Submarine | 2 Oct 1942 | 29 Apr 1944 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Submarine USS Gato (212)
2 Oct 1942
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. W.G. Myers) arrived at Pearl Harbour.
2 Nov 1942
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) departed from Pearl Harbour bound for the South Pacific.
23 Dec 1942
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) arrived at Brisbane, Australia.
13 Jan 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) departed from Brisbane, Australia for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Solomon Islands area off Bougainville.
For USS Gato's daily (1200 hours) positions and sinkings during this patrol see the map below.
USS Gato 4th war patrolclick here for bigger map
21 Jan 1943 (position -6.12, 155.51)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) torpedoed and damaged the Japanese transport ship Kenkon Maru (4575 GRT, built 1935) east of Kieta, Bougainville in position 06°12'S, 155°51'E. The damaged ship is later scuttled by the escorts.
All times are zone +11
1600 hours - Sighted smoke bearing 319°.
1656 hours - The smoke was seen to come from several ships.
1730 hours - Masts could now be seen. The convoy was made up of four merchant ships escorted by two destroyers.
1812 hours - Fired two bow torpedoes at the leading ship followed by two more bow torpedoes at the second ship.
1813 hours - The leading destroyer was seen to approach at high speed. Went to 250 feet.
1815 hours - Heard a torpedo detonate, followed by several smaller detonations. Commenced evasive tactics and running silent.
1950 hours - Returned to periscope depth for observations. Sighted one of the merchant ships on fire from stem to stern. The fire and later glow was seen to about 2215 hours when it suddenly disappeared. The ship must have sunk at that time.
29 Jan 1943 (position -6.22, 156.04)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) torpedoed and sank the Japanese transport ship Nichiun Maru (2723 GRT, built 1941) southeast of Bougainville in position 06°22'S, 156°04'E.
All times are zone +11
1515 hours - Sighted smoke bearing 172°. Commenced closing. The target was close inshore.
1624 hours - Fired two stern torpedoes resulting in one hit under the bridge. The target took a 50 degree list, swung 180°, then returned to an even keel but at the same time commenced to take an angle down by the head.
1644 hours - The target was seen to sink, bow first.
15 Feb 1943 (position -6.27, 156.02)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) torpedoed and sank the Japanese stores ship Suruga Maru (991 GRT, built 1938) in Bougainville Strait in position 06°27'S, 156°02'E.
All times are zone +11
2010 hours - Sighted smoke.
2027 hours - Submerged dead ahead of the targets that was now seen to be two fairly large targets escorted by one destroyer.
2100 hours - The targets were now clearly visible one transport of about 9000 tons and one oiler of about 7500 tons and a destroyer.
2129 hours - Fired four bow torpedoes, two at the transport and two at the oiler.
2133 hours - One torpedo was heard to hit the transport as it's screws were heard to stop almost immediately.
2140 hours - Breaking-up noises could be heard.
19 Feb 1943 (position -6.27, 156.05)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) torpedoed and sank the Japanese ammunition ship Hibari Maru (6550 GRT, built 1940) off the east coast of Bougainville in position 06°27'S, 156°05'E.
All times are zone +11
1757 hours - Sighted smoke.
1823 hours - The stack of a ship came in sight. Commenced approach. The target was seen to be a four goal post auxiliary of transport of about 8000 tons. The escort was thought to be a Chidori-class torpedo boat.
1935 hours - Fired three stern torpedoes. One torpedo was seen to struck near the stern of the target. In about three minutes she was seen settling by the stern.
1941 hours - The torpedo boat was seen to turn towards and speeding up. Gato went to 200 feet.
2003 hours - When Gato went back to periscope depth the target was not sighted. It was assumed that she had sunk.
26 Feb 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) ended her 4th war patrol at Brisbane.
19 Mar 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) departed from Brisbane for her 5th war patrol.
29 Mar 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) lands an Australian Intelligence party at Toep,
Bougainville. She takes on board 39 women and children and transferred them to the US submarine chaser USS SC-531 off Ramos, Florida Island 2 days later.
4 Apr 1943 (position -3.08, 153.00)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) is damaged by depth charges off New Ireland in position 03°08'S, 153°00'E. She is forced back to base at Brisbane for temporary repairs from 11 April to 20 April. She then continues her patrol.
29 May 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) landed more Australian commandos at Toep and transported more evacuees to Ramos Island. She then continued on the Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands.
6 Jun 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) ended her 5th war patrol at Pearl Harbor. She is sent to the Mare Island Navy Yard for an overhaul.
14 Jun 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) arrived at the Mare Island Navy Yard.
15 Aug 1943
With her overhaul completed USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) departed from the Mare Island Navy Yard.
22 Aug 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) arrived back at Pearl Harbor.
6 Sep 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 6th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Bougainville and later off Truk. She is to proceed to Brisbane towards the end of her patrol.
8 Sep 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) topped up with fuel at Johnston Island.
19 Sep 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) arrived at Tulagi.
21 Sep 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) departed from Tulagi. She is to undertake a special mission off the east coast of Bougainville.
29 Sep 1943
With her special mission completed USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) returns to Tulagi.
30 Sep 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) departed from Tulagi to patrol south of Truk.
8 Oct 1943 (position 5.27, 152.14)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) is depth charged while attacking a convoy of 2 transports and 2 escorts to the south-east of Truk in position 05°27'N, 152°14'E.
Gato fires four torpedoes at one of the transports. Get's a hit but unfortunately it was a dud.
19 Oct 1943 (position 2.45, 151.30)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) attacks a convoy of 2 transports escorted by a single destroyer in position 02°45'N, 151°30'E.
Six bow torpedoes were fired at the transports (3 each). Two hits were observed, one on each of the transports but three detonations were heard. Gato also fires two stern torpedoes against the destroyer but these all missed. Gato now went deep as the destroyer started to close. Ten depth charges were dropped but Gato managed to escape.
21 Oct 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) fires three bow torpedoes against a submarine in position 02°22'N, 154°02'E. No hits were obtained.
24 Oct 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) called at Tulagi for some fuel before proceeding to Brisbane.
28 Oct 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) ended her 6th war patrol at Brisbane, Australia.
18 Nov 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) departed from Brisbane for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol north of the Bismarck Archipelago.
24 Nov 1943
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) called at Tulagi to top off with fuel. It was intended to depart from the same day but due to repairs to the radar Gato departed early the next morning.
29 Nov 1943 (position 2.33, 143.36)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) attacks Japanese convoy SO-505 (Yuri Maru, Columbia Maru and Clyde Maru escorted by submarine chasers Ch-24 and Ch-39 (offsite links)). Position was 02°33'N, 143°36'E.
Gato fires three bow tubes but can't keep periscope depth and went deep. None of the torpedoes found their target. Gato is depth charged by the two escorts but manages to escape.
30 Nov 1943 (position 1.56, 147.21)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Columbia Maru (5617 GRT, built 1928) north of Manus in position 01°56'N, 147°21'E.
All times are zone +11)
1247 hours - Sighted smoke bearing 352°.
1324 hours - Masts appeared, it's the same convoy as yesterday. Commenced an end-around run.
1730 hours - Submerged 13 miles ahead of the convoy and commenced approach.
1820 hours - Fired four bow torpedoes. Once again lost depth control so went to 300 feet.
1821 hours - Heard two torpedo detonations followed by the noise of compartments breaking up.
1825 hours - Received the first two depth charges.
1834 hours - Received a pattern of three or four depth charges, too close for comfort. Went to 400 feet.
2024 hours - The escorts were heard to leave.
2100 hours - Surfaced and commenced chase.
20 Dec 1943 (position 1.26, 148.36)
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Tsuneshima Maru (2926 GRT, built 1941) north-east of Manus in position 01°26'N, 148°36'E.
10 Jan 1944
USS Gato (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Foley) ended her 7th war patrol at Milne Bay, New Guinea.
2 Feb 1944
USS Gato (Cdr. R.J. Foley) left Milne Bay for her 8th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Bismarck-New Guinea-Truk area.
15 Feb 1944 (position -4.00, 150.10)
USS Gato (Cdr. R.J. Foley) sank the Japanese guard boat Taiyo Maru No.3 (36 GRT) with gunfire off Rabaul, New Britain in position 04°00'S, 150°10'E.
26 Feb 1944 (position 1.51, 139.00)
USS Gato (Cdr. R.J. Foley) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Daigen Maru No.3 (5255 GRT, built 1908) about 140 nautical miles northwest of Hollandia in position 01°51'N, 139°00'E.
9 Mar 1944 (position -0.20, 135.23)
USS Gato (Cdr. R.J. Foley) sank a Japanese trawler with gunfire off Biak in position 00°20'S, 135°23'E.
12 Mar 1944 (position -1.15, 133.20)
USS Gato (Cdr. R.J. Foley) sank the Japanese transport ship Okinoyama Maru No.3 (871 GRT, built 1930) and a Japanese trawler with gunfire north of New Guinea in position 01°15'S, 133°20'E.
1 Apr 1944
USS Gato (Cdr. R.J. Foley) ended her 8th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
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