USS Rasher SS-269

Construction began on the USS Rasher in the spring of 1942, and she was completed in the summer of 1943. Following her construction in Wisconsin, and initial training in Lake Michigan, the Rasher was towed down the Mississippi River. She received some additional fitting in New Orleans before training in the Bay of Panama, and then sailing for Australia.

An Early Bloomer

The USS Rasher's first patrol was in the Celebes Sea, and she had immediate success. She sank a passenger-cargo ship, and four days later, she encountered an enemy convoy. She sank a freighter in this attack, and alluded the enemy escort ships that attacked with depth charges. Several weeks later, the Rasher stalked a tanker. In a daring move, she surfaced before firing at the tanker. Her attack sent the tanker deep into the ocean. Next, the Rasher hit another tanker, causing extensive damage before diving deeply and evading the escorts who sent depth charges after her. The Rasher had another opportunity to attack a tanker, but due to heavy enemy cover, she had to leave the area before determining if her attack was a success. She returned to Australia at the completion of her first patrol.

After receiving some updates, the Rasher headed to the South China Sea for her second patrol. She quickly encountered problems when she fired a torpedo at an enemy convoy. The first torpedo exploded early, alerting the enemy to her location. The tankers moved quickly to leave the area, and the escorts mounted an aggressive attack against the submarine. The Rasher set off after one of the fleeing tankers, but the USS Bluefish, who was also in the area, scored the hit, sinking the tanker. The Rasher headed for the second tanker and fired, but could not confirm that she sank the ship. She fired at the third tanker, hitting it twice, and sending it to the bottom of the ocean. This was the high point of her patrol. Although she encountered two other convoys, she was not able to mount a successful attack. She spent some of her time on this patrol planting mines in the waters off of Saigon's harbor. At the completion of this patrol, she once again headed to Australia.

On her third patrol, the Rasher headed towards Java, once again in the Celebes Sea. She encountered a convoy less than a week into her patrol, sinking two of the cargo ships in the group. As she moved through the Makassar Strait, she encountered an enemy cargo ship, which she successfully attacked. On her return to port, she came across an enemy freighter, scoring another successful sinking.

The forth patrol undertaken by the Rasher was in the same area, and she once again had a successful mission. She sank a freighter, a gunboat, a tanker and a cargo ship on this patrol. Her next patrol saw her coupled with the USS Bluefish patrolling the South China Sea. She scored a hit on one ship in a convoy. Next, she picked up an envoy made up of many ships, including destroyers, and accompanied by air protection. She attacked aggressively. Her first torpedo hit a tanker that was filled with gasoline. The resulting explosion sent flames soaring into the air, and sending pieces of the ship more than 500 yards away. Avoiding depth charges, the submarines hit two more enemy vessels, sinking one. She then hit two more transports, sinking both. The Bluefish was able to sink two additional tankers. Another submarine, the USS Spadefish, headed for the skirmish, hitting two of the remaining ships. Out of ammunition, the USS Rasher headed to Midway Island. Once there, she was assigned to Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard to undergo an overhaul.

Wolf Packs and Lifeguards

After her overhaul was complete, the Rasher left San Francisco and headed back to Midway Island. On her sixth patrol, the Rasher was assigned to a wolf pack with the USS Pilotfish and the USS Finback. The group operated in the East China Sea. The patrol did not encounter any significant targets and ended the patrol without seeing any action. At the end of her patrol, the Rasher headed for Guam.

The Rasher's next patrol would prove to be more productive. She was assigned to lifeguarding duties in the waters off of Japan, and although she did not have any rescues, she attacked two enemy boats with her deck guns. Her next patrol was also a lifeguarding one, and she headed for duty in the waters along Taiwan. With no planes downed in the area, she was instructed to sail for the Gulf of Siam. She never reached the area, as an end to hostilities arrived before she made her destination. With the war over, the Rasher returned to the United States, porting in New York. After overhaul, she was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in Connecticut.

The Rasher remained an active part of the Navy until 1971, but it was her service during World War II that is most notable. After the war, she was given credit for sinking over 99,000 tons of enemy shipping vessels. This was the second highest total accumulated by a U.S. submarine during the war. Because of her service to the United States during the Second World War, the USS Rasher received the Presidential Unit Citation for four of her patrols during the war. She was also awarded seven Battle Stars for her service in World War II.

The Rasher, like the other submarines and ships designed by the Navy, was full of asbestos. Asbestos was used in the insulation throughout the submarines and ships. This asbestos would later prove to cause health problems, such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. If you believe that you may have been exposed to asbestos and would like more information, simply fill out the form on this page to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail.

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