U.S. Submarine Force (World War II)

U.S. Submarine Force (World War II)
Name	U.S. Submarine Force (World War II)
Active	1941–1945
Branch	United States Navy
Battles	Pacific Ocean theater of World War II, Battle of the Atlantic, Aleutian Islands campaign
Notable commanders	Charles A. Lockwood, William H. Halsey Jr., Chester W. Nimitz

U.S. Submarine Force (World War II) The United States Submarine Force in World War II conducted offensive operations against Imperial Japanese Navy and Empire of Japan merchant and naval shipping, operating from Pearl Harbor, Cavite Navy Yard, Midway Atoll, and Australia, and contributed decisively to Allied victory in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. Under commanders such as Charles A. Lockwood and in coordination with theater leaders like Chester W. Nimitz and William H. Halsey Jr., the force evolved doctrine, technology, and logistics that transformed undersea warfare during the Second World War.

Background and Prewar Development

In the interwar period the United States Navy pursued designs influenced by lessons from World War I, debates in the Naval War College, and treaty limitations from the Washington Naval Treaty and London Naval Treaty, while builders such as Electric Boat Company and Bremerton Navy Yard developed classes like the S-class submarine and Tambor-class submarine to meet evolving concepts championed by officers who studied Alfred Thayer Mahan and operations in the Caribbean Sea and Asiatic Fleet. Prewar doctrine was shaped by experiences in exercises with the Battle Fleet and by intelligence assessments concerning the Imperial Japanese Navy fleet composition, prompting investment in diesel-electric propulsion and torpedo development at facilities including Naval Ordnance Laboratory.

Organization and Command Structure

Operational control of submarine forces in the Pacific fell under the Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC), reporting to Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor and coordinating with Commander, Pacific Fleet and theater commands such as Fleet Admiral Nimitz's staff and Admiral King's United States Fleet. Patrols were organized into divisions and squadrons based at advanced bases like Midway Atoll, Truk, Coco Solo, and Subic Bay, with administrative support from shore establishments including Naval Station Pearl Harbor and Naval Base Brisbane, while strategic direction interfaced with Joint Chiefs of Staff planning and Southwest Pacific Area operations under Douglas MacArthur.

Combat Operations and Tactics

Submarine patrols executed unrestricted commerce raiding against Empire of Japan merchant shipping, employing night surface attacks, submerged torpedo attacks, and coordinated wolfpack-style operations learned from encounters with German U-boat tactics and adapted to Pacific geography around Philippine Sea and East China Sea. Engagements against capital ships drew on doctrine tested in actions such as the Battle of Midway and interdiction during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, while patrol commanders coordinated with Task Force 16 and Task Force 58 strike groups to intercept convoys bound for Rabaul and Truk Lagoon. Torpedo fire control improvements influenced outcomes in encounters with Kongo-class battleshipes and Ise-class battleship escort groups, and clandestine missions supported Special Operations Executive-style insertions and reconnaissance for Allied amphibious operations at Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima.

Ship Types, Technology, and Armament

Fleet submarines such as the Gato-class submarine, Balao-class submarine, and Tench-class submarine formed the backbone, featuring diesel-electric propulsion linked to General Motors Cleveland Diesel engines and outfitted with Mark 14 torpedo tubes, 5 inch/25 caliber gun mounts, and ballast tank systems developed from earlier Porpoise-class submarine designs by Electric Boat Company and Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Sonar, radar, and fire-control advances—ASDIC-derived sonar systems, SJ radar, and Mark 10 fire control—improved detection and targeting against destroyer escort screens and aircraft carrier-led convoys, while submarine rescue innovations like the Momsen lung and Diving Chamber reduced fatality rates in accidents.

Training, Logistics, and Support

Crew training occurred at schools such as the Submarine School (United States) at New London and through at-sea shakedowns at Panama Canal Zone, with advanced tactical training influenced by officers who attended Naval War College sessions and staff exercises coordinated with Asiatic Fleet planners. Logistical sustainment relied on forward repair bases like Manila Bay, tenders including USS Holland (AS-3) and USS Proteus (AS-19), and supply chains routed through Pearl Harbor and Ulithi Atoll, coordinated with Service Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet for parts, torpedoes from Naval Torpedo Station Newport, and perishable provisions for extended patrols.

Personnel, Casualties, and Awards

Crews comprised officers trained at United States Naval Academy and enlisted sailors from recruitment centers across the United States, serving under skippers such as Richard H. O'Kane and Eugene B. Fluckey; casualties were high with many submarines lost in actions near Truk Lagoon and Formosa, and survivors and units received decorations including multiple Medal of Honor awards, Navy Crosses, and unit commendations from Admiral Nimitz. Losses and valor were chronicled in postwar accounts and memorials at sites like the Submarine Force Library and Museum and the national USS Arizona Memorial context, influencing veteran affairs administered by Disabled American Veterans and commemorations alongside National World War II Museum exhibits.

Legacy and Impact on Naval Warfare

The submarine campaign critically reduced Imperial Japan's merchant fleet, shaping postwar concepts adopted by the United States Navy and influencing Cold War undersea strategy alongside developments like nuclear submarine programs and doctrines articulated in Fleet Admiral Nimitz's postwar assessments, while lessons in torpedo reliability, sonar, and forward basing informed NATO maritime planning and contributed to war literature by authors such as Samuel Eliot Morison and Clay Blair Jr.. The strategic lessons affected treaty negotiations at forums informed by United Nations charter discussions and underpinned the emergence of modern submarine forces in navies including the Royal Navy, Soviet Navy, and Imperial Japanese Navy's postwar successors, leaving an enduring mark on naval doctrine and memorialization.

Category:United States submarine operations Category:Pacific Ocean theater of World War II