USS Parche (SS-384) - First and Second War Patrols

First and Second War Patrols

On 29 March 1944 the submarine left Pearl Harbor with Tinosa (SS-283) and Bang (SS-385) for her first war patrol. After topping off at Midway Island, the three reached the sea lanes south of Formosa 16 April. On 29 April Bang reported a large convoy 50 miles (80 km) away, and the wolf pack attacked, Parche sinking one ship.

Tinosa reported a seven-ship convoy on the morning of 3 May and Parche headed north at full speed to intercept. An hour after midnight Parche was in position and scored three torpedo hits on the leading ship and two hits on the second freighter, sinking both. Parche scored two hits on the third freighter, which settled by the stern and began to list to port. Post-war records credited the trio of submarines with five sinkings and 30,542 tons, Parche getting credit for Taiyoku Maru and Shoryu Maru. Parche returned to Midway 23 May 1944, after making a thorough photo reconnaissance of military installations on the island of Ishi Gaki Jima.

Parche's second patrol was again south of Formosa, forming with Hammerhead and Steelhead, a coordinated attack group. Parche went to sea 17 June, following her refit. A week later she sighted and sank a patrol vessel with gunfire. On 4 July a Japanese cruiser and destroyer bombarded and depth charged Parche.

Parche sighted a convoy 29 July and, cooperating with Steelhead, closed in, sinking 4,471 ton cargo ship Manko Maru and 10,238-ton tanker Koei Maru. During this daring night surface action Parche barely avoided being rammed by one ship. Parche collaborated with Steelhead in sinking an 8,990 ton transport, the Yoshino Maru (originally the Kleist, built in Danzig, 1906 for North German LLoyd, surrendered to the British in 1919, and acquired by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha in 1922.) Steelhead sank two other ships, a transport and a cargo vessel. Another tanker and a cargo ship were damaged. For this action Parche received the Presidential Unit Citation and her commander, Ramage, received the Medal of Honor. On 1 August the sub departed for Saipan where she moored 5 August, arriving Pearl Harbor 16 August.