USS Dace (SS-247)

The first Dace (SS-247) was launched 25 April 1943 by Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn.; sponsored by Mrs. O. P. Robertson; and commissioned. 23 July 1943, Lieutenant Commander J. F. Enright in command.

Departing New London 7 September 1943, Dace arrived at Pearl Harbor on 3 October, and 17 days later sailed on her first war patrol, bound for the southeast coast of Honshu and the approaches to Nagoya. On 7 November she made her first contact with the enemy, severely damaging a freighter with torpedo hits. Alert action by patrol craft prevented Dace from continuing her attack. She returned to Midway to refit between 11 December and 7 January 1944.

On her second war patrol, Dace cruised the shipping lanes south of Truk. On the night of 26 January 1944, she contacted a large tanker, closely guarded by two escorts. She fired a spread of torpedoes, heard five explosions, and broke off the contact to avoid the pursuit of the escort. The cause of the explosion remains unknown since Japanese records show no ship damaged in that area on that date. After fueling at Tulagi on 2 and 3 February, she continued her patrol close to Truk during raids there on 16 and 17 February by carrier aircraft. On 25 February she arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea, to refit. She put to sea on her third war patrol 18 March, and 2 days later embarked a group of commandoes at Langemak Bay. For the next week she scouted the coast around Hollandia, New Guinea, landing the commando parties and taking them back on board at night. She refueled at Manus on 27 and 28 March, and sailed on for her assigned patrol area. This patrol was interrupted from 10 to 16 April, when Dace made rendezvous at sea with badly damaged Scamp (SS-277) and escorted her into Manus. On 13 May Dace put into Brisbane, Australia, to refit.

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From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (Dace I (SS-247)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.