USS Shark I (SS 174) - Seal Beach, CA - World War II Memorials / Monuments on Waymarking.com

The advancement of the submarine is a long and proud chapter in the history of the U.S. Navy. Through the efforts of the California Center for Military History and U.S. Submarine Veterans, a large memorial recognizes the name and crew of each submarine lost in World War II. The "World War II National Submarine Memorial - West" is located just outside the gate to the Naval Weapons Station in Seal Beach. Bronze plaques identify the officers and men that gave their lives during the war. The plaques surround a central display consisting of a torpedo, flag, and time capsule. Groundbreaking for the memorial took place on January 13, 1977.

(The following is from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Web site; link appears below.)

The fifth Shark (SS-174) was laid down by the Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn., on 24 October 1933; launched on 21 May 1935; sponsored by Miss Ruth Ellen Lonergan, 12-year-old daughter of United States Senator Augustine Lonergan of Connecticut; and commissioned on 25 January 1936, Lt. C.J. Carter in command.

Following shakedown in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, Shark transited the Panama Canal and arrived at San Diego, Calif., on 4 March 1937. The submarine spent the next year and one-half in training exercises and Army-Navy war problems as a unit of Submarine Squadron (SubRon) 6. Following a regular overhaul at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, Calif., Shark got underway from San Diego on 16 December 1938 bound for Pearl Harbor and reassignment as a unit of SubRon 4.

Following two years of operations in the Hawaii area, Shark set sail from Pearl Harbor on 3 December 1940 to join the Asiatic Fleet based at Manila, Philip- pine Islands, where she engaged in fleet tactics and exercises until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Departing Manila on 9 December 1941, the submarine was at sea during the Japanese bombing raids on Manila the next day. For the next week, Shark patrolled Tayabas Bay until ordered back to Manila on the 19th to embark Admiral Thomas C. Hart, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Asiatic Fleet, for transportation to Soerabaja, Java. On 6 January 1942, she was barely missed by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine. A few days later, she was ordered to Ambon Island, where an enemy invasion was expected. On 27 January, she was directed to join the submarines patrolling in Molucca Passage, then to cover the passage east of Lifamatola and Bangka Strait. On 2 February, Shark reported to her base at Soerabaja that she had been depth-charged ten miles off Tifore Island and had failed to sink a Japanese ship during a torpedo attack. Five days later, she reported chasing an empty cargo ship headed northwest. No further messages were received from Shark. On 8 February, she was told to proceed to Makassar Strait and later was told to report information. Nothing was heard and, on 7 March, Shark was reported as presumed lost, the victim of unknown causes. She was struck from the Navy list on 24 June.

Shark (SS-174) received one battle star for World War II service.

The John Holland-designed Shark (Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 8) was a member of the first multi-ship class of submarines built for the Navy.

Property Permission: Public Access instructions: Park in the lot just off the main entrance to the Naval Weapons Station Access times: From: 12:00 AM To: 11:59 PM Website for Waymark: [Web Link] Location of waymark: 800 Seal Beach Boulevard Seal Beach, CA USA 90740 Commemoration: USS Shark 1 Date of Dedication: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/18/2010 senoritafish visited it