USS Scamp SS-277

Construction began on the USS Scamp in the spring of 1942, and she was launched in the summer of the same year. Her initial training took place along the waters of Connecticut and she was then sent to Pearl Harbor. Her final training took place in Hawaii, and she began war patrol less than a year after she was completed. After a quick stop on Midway Island, the USS Scamp headed to Honshu.

She initially suffered from problems brought about by malfunctioning equipment in her torpedoes, but, after some quick work by her crew, she was able to claim two hits. At the end of this patrol, the Scamp returned to Pearl Harbor. Her next patrol sent her through the Johnston and Marshall Islands before heading to the Ocean and Nauru Islands. After patrolling the area she headed to the Bismarck Archipelago. She encountered three hospital ships, which she did not fire on, although they belonged to the enemy. Finally she was faced with a worthy target when she approached a seaplane tender, which she hit with three torpedoes. The ship was downed after two more hits.

She headed to port in Australia, and left from there on her next patrol, which was of the Solomon Islands and the Bismark Sea. She intercepted one enemy convoy, which dropped depth charges, although they did not hit the Scamp. The submarine was able to launch six torpedoes at the Japanese tanker before diving to elude the depth charges of the escort ships.

Later that day, the Scamp caught sight of another submarine, which attacked her. The Scamp was able to avoid being hit and then turned to engage the submarine in battle. She hit the enemy sub with four torpedoes, which led to the Japanese vessel exploding. The submarine that the Scamp sunk, The I-168, the same sub that sank the Yorktown, an aircraft carrier belonging to the United States, that was sunk during the Battle of Midway.

The Scamp returned to port in Australia before heading back to the Solomon Islands and the Bismark Sea. She caught sight of a convoy made up of three ships, scoring a hit on one. Although she had to leave the area to prevent attack from the other ships in the convoy, she returned later in the evening to sink the cargo ship.

She then set after an enemy convoy, launching three torpedoes after nightfall. She continued to stalk the convoy, and attacked with four more torpedoes. As she alternated between stalking and evading the ships, she came across wreckage and an empty ship containing enemy logs and intelligence. The crew members took the time to collect this information so that it could be turned over to military intelligence. During the delay she temporarily lost the convoy, and when she took up the chase, the group had aerial protection.

After another stop in Brisbane, the Scamp headed out for her next mission. She provided off-shore support of the Treasury Island invasion, and then headed toward the Truk Atoll. She spotted a cargo ship and managed to launch three torpedoes. She had to go deep to prevent damage from depth charges, so was unable to confirm the hit. Less than a week later, she hit another enemy ship, crippling it. She struck another warship, and while not sinking it, she damaged it so badly that it was out of commission. Soon after, an enemy plane dropping bombs damaged the Scamp. A stop over in Brisbane, and then the Scamp was on to the Bismarck Archipelago. She sighted a tanker and two enemy destroyers. Later in the same patrol, she launched six torpedoes, sinking a huge tanker. She then headed to New Guinea for some repair work.

The next wartime mission of the Scamp was along the New Guinea and Philippine coast. The mission was quiet, and the Scamp headed to New Guinea for some needed repairs. Upon her return to action, she sighted and attacked a trawler, but when her deck gun malfunctioned, she withdrew from the area. Less than a week later, the Scamp came upon a convoy of cruisers, with destroyers and planes as escorts. She attempted to attack but was spotted by one of the planes. After this happened a second time, the plane dropped a bomb. While the Scamp dove sharply to avoid the bombing, she still received a jolt. The men aboard the vessel were knocked to the ground and the submarines lost all power. The Scamp began to move toward the ocean floor. With damage to the hydraulic controller on the submarine, the vessel began to move up and down in the water. There was poisonous smoke filling parts of the submarine as well.

The experienced crew men managed to get the sub to Manus where she received rudimentary repairs so that she could make it back to Pearl Harbor. Once back at Pearl Harbor she received an extensive overhaul. After the repairs were complete, she headed back out to battle. In her last battle patrol, the USS Scamp was headed to Tokyo Bay for rescue purposes. She did not acknowledge receiving a message from command, and she was never heard from again. The Navy's best guess on what happened to the Scamp was hat she was spotted by enemy aircraft and hit with depth charges. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in the spring of 1945. During her time in battle, the USS Scamp earned seven Battle Stars.

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