USS PC-815

Last updated

Uss pc-815 1.jpg
USS PC-815 running trials 13 April 1943
on the Columbia River
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NamePC-815
Builder Albina Engine & Machine Works, Portland, Oregon
Laid down10 October 1942
Launched5 December 1942
Commissioned20 April 1943
FateSunk after collision with USS Laffey, 11 September 1945, off the coast of San Diego
General characteristics
Class and type PC-461-class submarine chaser
Displacement295 tons fully loaded
Length173 ft (53 m) [1]
Beam23 ft (7.0 m)
Draft10 ft 10 in (3.30 m)
Propulsion2 × Hooven-Owens-Rentschler diesel engines (Serial No. 6977 and 6978), two shafts.
Speed20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement59
Armament

USS PC-815 was a PC-461-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War II. Its first commander, for about eighty days in 1943, was L. Ron Hubbard, who later became the founder of Scientology. After Hubbard was removed from command for conducting unauthorized gunnery practice in Mexican territorial waters, the PC-815 served as a shore patrol vessel off San Diego, California.

Contents

In September 1945, the ship was lost along with one of her crew after colliding with the destroyer USS Laffey. PC-815's short career led to the vessel being dubbed the "jinxed sub-chaser". [2]

Construction

PC-815 was laid down on 10 October 1942, at the Albina Engine and Machinery Works in Portland, Oregon. Her propulsion was two 1,440bhp Hooven-Owens-Rentschler R-99DA diesel engines (Serial No. 6977 and 6978), Westinghouse single reduction gear, two shafts. [3]

The PC-815 was fitted out commencing 5 December 1942, and was commissioned on 20 April 1943, with Lieutenant (j.g.) L. Ron Hubbard in command. [4] A few weeks later she sailed down the Columbia River to Astoria, Oregon, where she arrived on 17 May to take on supplies.[ citation needed ]

On 18 May, the PC-815 left Astoria for Bremerton, Washington, where she was to have radar and depth charge launchers fitted. Her journey was interrupted by an air-sea rescue operation, then was resumed with a new destination — San Diego. [4]

The "jinxed sub-chaser"

Claims of submarine contact off Cape Lookout

In the early hours of 19 May 1943, the crew of PC-815 detected what Hubbard thought was first one, then later two Imperial Japanese Navy submarines approximately 10 nautical miles (19 km) off the shore of Cape Lookout, Oregon. Both the sonar operator and Lt. Hubbard thought that the echo of an active sonar ping, combined with apparent engine noises heard through the ship's hydrophone, indicated contact with a submarine. [5]

Over the next 68 hours, the ship expended 37 depth charges in a "battle" that also involved the U.S. Navy blimps K-39 and K-33, the United States Coast Guard patrol boats Bonham and 78302, and the subchasers USS SC-536 and USS SC-537, all summoned to act as reinforcements. PC-815 was finally ordered back to base on 21 May. [6]

In his eighteen-page after-action report, Hubbard claimed to have "definitely sunk, beyond doubt" one submarine and critically damaged another. However, the subsequent investigation by the Commander NW Sea Frontier, Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, cast a skeptical light on Hubbard's claims. His summary memorandum to Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, stated:

It is noted that the report of PC 815 is not in accordance with "Anti-Submarine Action by Surface Ship" (ASW-1) which should be submitted to Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet. An analysis of all reports convinces me that there was no submarine in the area. Lieutenant Commander Sullivan states that he was unable to obtain any evidence of a submarine except one bubble of air which is unexplained except by turbulence of water due to a depth charge explosion. The Commanding Officers of all ships except the PC-815 state they had no evidence of a submarine and do not think a submarine was in the area. [7]

Fletcher added that "there is a known magnetic deposit in the area in which depth charges were dropped", absolving the responding blimps from any fault, because their method of detecting submarines relied on a Magnetic Anomaly Detector. This also implied that Lt. Hubbard and his crew were operating the ship's sonar equipment incorrectly. [8] After the war, British and American analysis of captured Japanese Navy records confirmed that no Japanese submarines had been lost off the Oregon coast. [9] Hubbard, however, never accepted that he had been mistaken about the "battle." Both he and Tom Moulton, one of his officers, claimed that the official denials of any Japanese submarine presence off the Pacific coast had been motivated by a desire to avoid panic among the U.S. population. [10] Years later, Hubbard told Scientologists:

I dropped the I-76 or the Imperial Japanese Navy Trans-Pacific Submarine down into the mouth of the Columbia River, dead duck. And it went down with a resounding furor. And that was that. I never thought about it again particularly except to get mad at all the admirals I had to make reports to because of this thing, see? This was one out of seventy-nine separate actions that I had to do with. And it had no significance, see? But the other day I was kind of tired, and my dad suddenly sprung on me the fact that my submarine had been causing a tremendous amount of difficulty in the mouth of the Columbia River. Hadn't thought about this thing for years. Of course, it's all shot to ribbons, this thing. It's got jagged steel sticking out at all ends and angles, and it's a big submarine! It's a — I don't know, about the size of the first Narwhal that we built. And the fishermen coming in there and fishing are dragging their nets around in that area, and it's just tearing their nets to ribbons — they've even hired a civilian contractor to try to blow the thing up and get it the devil out of there — and has evidently been raising bob with postwar fishing here for more years than I'd care to count. [11]

However, the mouth of the Columbia River is some 75 miles north of Cape Lookout, the area in which Hubbard's naval reports claimed his anti-submarine action took place.

Moreover, the Japanese submarine I-76 (renamed I-176 by that time) was based in Truk and operated only in the south Pacific during the time when Hubbard was in command of PC-815. The I-176 was sunk in the Coral Sea in May 1944 and removed from the Japanese Navy List on 10 July 1944 – a year after Hubbard was relieved of command of the PC-815. [12]

Unauthorized shelling of Coronado Islands and failure to follow orders

In June 1943, the PC-815 traveled to San Diego, which was to become her home port. She arrived there on 2 June, and at the end of June was ordered to sea to join an anti-submarine training exercise. [4] The exercise, held on 28 June, ended early. Hubbard took the opportunity to order an impromptu gunnery exercise while anchored just off the Mexican territory of South Coronado Island, to the south-west of San Diego. The Mexican government sent an official protest to the U.S. Government, as no gunnery operations had been scheduled.[ citation needed ]

Another view of USS PC-815 on trials Uss pc-815 2.jpg
Another view of USS PC-815 on trials

On 30 June a Board of Investigation was convened concerning PC-815. It concluded that Hubbard had disregarded orders, both by conducting gunnery practice and by anchoring in Mexican territorial waters without proper authority. His orders stated that the PC-815 was supposed to return after completing that day's training. Hubbard argued that his crew was inexperienced, it was foggy, and he was tired so he did not return to port as ordered. But a month earlier in his after action report concerning the fiasco off Cape Lookout, he had described the same men as "experienced" and "highly skilled".[ citation needed ]

Vice Admiral Fletcher, who both chaired the board and read the prior after action report, rated Hubbard "below average" and noted: "Consider this officer lacking in the essential qualities of judgment, leadership and cooperation. He acts without forethought as to probable results. He is believed to have been sincere in his efforts to make his ship efficient and ready. Not considered qualified for command or promotion at this time. Recommend duty on a large vessel where he can be properly supervised". Hubbard was relieved of command effective 7 July 1943. [13]

Collision with USS Laffey

After Hubbard was replaced, PC-815 remained in San Diego as a shore patrol vessel, but appears to have been mostly inactive. According to her Movement Card she took part in the occasional offshore patrol, participated in training exercises, and escorted submarines in and out of the harbor. She was restored to active duty on 2 September 1945, but at 6:47 a.m. on 11 September, the ship collided with the destroyer USS Laffey in dense fog off San Diego. The collision started a fire on board PC-815, which sank within five minutes. One man from PC-815 was recorded as missing, presumed drowned. The Laffey suffered significant damage, with the fire from PC-815 spreading into one of the destroyer's compartments. [2]

Navy divers demolished the wreck in early November 1945 due to the navigation hazard that it posed to a busy shipping channel. It is reported to be lying at 32°37′54″N117°14′12″W / 32.63167°N 117.23667°W / 32.63167; -117.23667 in 90 feet (27 m) of water and is said to be diveable. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Blueback</i> (SS-326) Balao-class submarine of the United States Navy

USS Blueback (SS-326), a Balao-class submarine in commission from 1944 to 1948, was the first submarine of the United States Navy to be named for the blueback salmon, also known as the sockeye salmon. She completed three war patrols in the South China Sea and Java Sea during World War II. She sank a 300-displacement ton submarine chaser as well as eight smaller vessels.

USS <i>Hoggatt Bay</i> Casablanca-class escort carrier of the U.S. Navy

USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75) was the twenty-first of fifty Casablanca-class escort carriers built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named after Hoggatt Bay, which was named in 1895 by Lieutenant commander E. K. Moore after Wilford Bacon Hoggatt, an ensign serving in Moore's party at the time. The bay is located within Baranof Island, part of the Alexander Archipelago, which at the time was a part of the Territory of Alaska. She was launched in December 1943, commissioned in January 1944, and she served in the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf as a part of the Philippines campaign, as well as the Battle of Okinawa. Post-war, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet, repatriating U.S. servicemen from around the Pacific. She was decommissioned in July 1946, being mothballed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Ultimately, she was broken up in 1960.

USS <i>Archerfish</i> (SS-311) WWII-era United States Navy submarine

USS Archerfish (SS/AGSS-311) was a Balao-class submarine. She was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the archerfish. Archerfish is best known for sinking the Japanese aircraft carrier Shinano in November 1944, the largest warship ever sunk by a submarine. For this achievement, she received a Presidential Unit Citation after World War II.

USS <i>Bluegill</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Bluegill (SS-242/SSK-242) was a Gato-class submarine in commission in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946, from 1951 to 1952, and from 1953 to 1969. She was named for the bluegill, a sunfish of the Mississippi Valley.

USS <i>Raton</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Raton (SS/SSR/AGSS-270), a Gato-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the raton, a polynemoid fish inhabiting semitropical waters off the Pacific coast of the Americas.

USS Tinosa (SS-283), a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tinosa.

USS <i>Besugo</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Besugo, a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy in commission from 1944 to 1958. She was named for the besugo.

USS <i>Blower</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Blower (SS-325), a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy in commission from 1944 to 1950. She was named after the blower, a type of pufferfish of the United States East Coast and West Indies. During World War II, She completed three war patrols, all in the Indian Ocean, Java Sea, and South China Sea.

USS <i>PC-1264</i>

USS PC-1264 was a PC-461-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was one of only two U.S. Navy ships to have a predominantly African-American enlisted complement during the war, the other being the Evarts-class destroyer escortUSS Mason.

USS <i>Sea Fox</i> Submarine of the United States

USS Sea Fox (SS-402), a Balao-class submarine, was a vessel of the United States Navy named for the sea fox, a large shark, also called the thresher shark, which frequents the coast of Europe and the Americas.

USS <i>Brownson</i> (DD-518) Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Brownson (DD-518) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy commissioned on 3 February 1943. She was sunk by Japanese aircraft off Cape Gloucester, New Britain on 26 December 1943.

USS <i>George</i> (DE-697) Buckley-class destroyer escort

USS George (DE-697) was a Buckley-class destroyer escort. She was the second ship of the United States Navy named after Seaman Second Class Eugene F. George (1925–1942), who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism on USS San Francisco at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

USS <i>YP-422</i>

USS YP-422 was a United States Navy yard patrol (YP) boat that served the United States Navy in World War II from 1942 to 1943. Built in 1941 as the fishing trawler Mist, she was acquired by the US Navy in June 1942 and was converted for naval use by George Lawley & Son of Neponset, Massachusetts. She was commissioned on 28 July 1942 and was put into service to patrol the waters around the Boston Navy Yard. The vessel was lightly armed with a 3-inch gun and two .30 caliber machine guns.

USS <i>Willis</i>

USS Willis (DE–395) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military career of L. Ron Hubbard</span> Military career of the sci-fi author and scientologist

The military career of L. Ron Hubbard saw the future founder of Scientology serving in the United States Armed Forces as a member of the Marine Corps Reserve and, between 1941 and 1950, the Navy Reserve. He saw active service between 1941 and 1945, during World War II, as a naval lieutenant and later as a lieutenant. After the war he was mustered out of active service and resigned his commission in 1950.

USS PC-1145, later USS Winnemucca (PC-1145), was a United States Navy PC-461-class submarine chaser in commission from 1944 to 1955. In 1960, she was transferred to South Korea for service in the Republic of Korea Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Action of 24 July 1945</span> Pacific naval battle of World War Two

The action of 24 July 1945 was one of the final naval battles during the Pacific Theater of World War II. In an attempt to destroy as many allied ships as possible, the Imperial Japanese Navy began arming their submarine fleet with manned torpedoes called kaitens. The Action of 24 July 1945 concerns the battle between a convoy of U.S. Navy warships off Luzon and the Japanese submarine I-53 and her kaitens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Project Hula</span> Operation to transfer US Navy vessels to the Soviet Union during WWII

Project Hula was a program during World War II in which the United States transferred naval vessels to the Soviet Union in anticipation of the Soviets eventually joining the war against Japan, specifically in preparation for planned Soviet invasions of southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. Based at Cold Bay in the Territory of Alaska, the project was active during the spring and summer of 1945. It was the largest and most ambitious transfer program of World War II.

USS <i>PC-598</i>

The USS PC-598 was a 173ft metal hulled PC-461-class submarine chaser in the United States Navy. The submarine chaser fought in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, and was converted to an amphibious landing control vessel during the war, reclassified as a Patrol Craft-Control (PCC). It participated in six amphibious invasions as a control vessel during the war.

USS <i>PC-552</i>

USS PC-552 was a class-461 patrol craft ("PC") that was at the forefront of the naval efforts during the Normandy invasion. It served as convoy protection in the North Atlantic and as one of about ten PC control vessels off Omaha Beach during the Normandy invasion. PC-552 was among the first ships to reach waters off Omaha Beach. PC-552, primary control vessel for Fox Green sector of the beach, was forced into rescue efforts and recovery of bodies at the departure line for Fox Green when the Duplex Drive tanks that survived the initial disastrous launch were swamped at the line with only two surviving. The PC was diverted into this effort for forty-five minutes and ultimately only five tanks, the two that survived the launch disaster and three that were aboard LCT-600 whose commander raised his ramp when the first off foundered and instead landed them on the beach, reached the beach.

References

  1. ↑ "173' Submarine Chaser". NavSource Photo Archives. Archived from the original on 12 January 2008.
  2. 1 2 Sables, Robert P. (January 2006). "PC-815: The Jinxed Sub-Chaser!". Sea Classics. Vol. 39, no. 1. Archived from the original on 6 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "PC-815". NavSource Photo Archives. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2007.
  4. 1 2 3 USS PC-815 logbook, National Archives & Records Administration, College Park, MD.
  5. ↑ "Proceeding southward just inside the steamer track an echo ranging contact was made by soundman then on duty, <NAME REDACTED>, Soundman third class. The Commanding Officer had the conn and immediately slowed all engines to ahead one third to better echo ranging conditions, and placed the contact dead ahead, 500 yards away." and "Screw noises, fluttering and without pulsation, were distinct on the bearing and quite different from the pulsations of our screws." Page 1 of Hubbard's report Image: Page one of Lt. Hubbard's report.
  6. ↑ Hubbard, Anti-Submarine Action by Surface Ship, Report of, 24 May 1943.
  7. ↑ "Battle Report – Submission of.", A16-3(3)/PC815, Vice Adm. Frank Jack Fletcher, Commander NW Sea Frontier, 8 June 1943; Image of document Archived 17 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "At 0906 (see radio log) two U.S.N. anti-submarine blimps appeared, K-39 and K-33. While we held contact they investigated and announced to us that they had a magnetic contact where we were holding a sound contact." Page 4 of Hubbard's report
  9. ↑ HM Admiralty, German, Italian and Japanese U-Boat Casualties during the War: Particulars of Destruction, Cmd. 6843 (June 1946); US Department of the Navy, Japanese Naval and Merchant Shipping Losses during World War II by All Causes (February 1947)
  10. ↑ Streeter, Michael (2008). Behind Closed Doors: The Power and Influence of Secret Societies. London, UK: New Holland Publishers. p. 208. ISBN   978-1-84537-937-7.
  11. ↑ Hubbard, "Auditing Techniques — Games Conditions", lecture of 1 February 1957
  12. ↑ Hackett, Bob & Kingsepp, Sander. "IJN Submarine I-176: Tabular Record of Movement". CombinedFleet.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  13. ↑ Miller, Russell (1987). Bare-faced Messiah: The true story of L. Ron Hubbard. London, UK: Michael Joseph Ltd. p. 106. ISBN   978-0-7181-2764-0.
  14. ↑ "Wrecks: USS PC-815". San Diego Divebums. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.