USS Sea Fox

Sea Fox (SS-402) was laid down on 2 November 1943 at the Portsmouth (N.H.) Navy Yard; launched on 28 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Robert N. Robertson; and commissioned on 13 June 1944, Lt. Comdr. Roy C. Klinker in command.

Two months after commissioning, Sea Fox departed New London for Hawaii and duty in Submarine Division (SubDiv) 282. She arrived at Pearl Harbor on 11 September and, on 4 October, got underway on her first war patrol. On the 16th, she entered her initial patrol area near the Bonin Islands, and remained in the Bonin-Vqlcano Islands area through the 25th, hunting enemy shipping and serving on lifeguard duty for Liberator strikes against Iwo Jima. On the 26th, she conducted her first attack and damaged an enemy freighter; then proceeded on to the Nansei Shoto in the Ryukyus. There, on 8 November, after firing 11 torpedoes in four attacks, she sank an engines-aft cargoman. Of the 11 torpedoes fired, several broached and one circled and passed over Sea Fox's conning tower. On 15 November, the submarine departed her assigned area and arrived at Majuro on the 24th for refit.

On her second war patrol, 20 December 1944 to 5 February 1945, Sea Fox returned to the Nansei Shoto as a unit of TG 17.19, a coordinated attack group comprised of herself, Blueback (SS-326), and Puffer (SS-268). En route to Saipan to top off with fuel, the submarines and their PC escort picked up survivors of a downed Liberator. On 28 December, the submarines departed the Marianas for the Ryukyus; and, on 1 January 1945, Sea Fox reached her patrol area. Nine days later, she made her only contact worthy of torpedo fire but, despite two attacks, was unsuccessful. Puffer, to which she reported the contact, later sank the target, Coast Defense Vessel No. 42.

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From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (Sea Fox (SS-402)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.