U.S. Submarines Lost in WWII, Wilmington
Two elements comprise the lost U.S. submarines memorial. A simple granite slab on a single base
about five feet tall is the primary feature. The front (west face) lists names of 50 sailors on "eternal patrol" from the lost USS S-28. This side is unadorned with the exception
of the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II logo near the end of the inscription. The rear
(east face) lists the names of all lost boats with the U.S. Submarine Service insignia and U.S.
Submarine Veterans of World War II insignia etched below the inscription.
The second element is a granite bench sitting in front of the markers west side. Incised on the
bench top is a logo for the Wives of U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II with an inscription
and another logo for the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II with an inscription. This
bench was placed at some point after the memorial slab.
Images (courtesy of Waymarking.com):
Front East face |
Back West face
Front, west face: IN MEMORIAL / USS S-28 (SS-133) / 50 SAILORS ON ETERNAL PATROL / 4 JULY
1944
USS S-28 (SS-133) WAS LOST DURING A TRAINING EXERCISE ON 4 JULY 1944. / SHE WAS LOST
OFF PEARL HARBOR AT 21-20N, 158-23N, IN 1400 FATHOMS / (8400 FEET) OF WATER,
PRECLUDING ANY POSSIBILITY OF SALVAGE / THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS.
LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
[Left Column] JAMES I. APPLING, BM2 / LEVI BOLTON, STM1 / JOHN F. BROWN, S2 / RANDOLPH
R. BUZEK, EM3 / ARTHUR G. CHAPMAN, MoMM3 / GENE A. COX, EM3 / DONALD A. DURKEE, F1
/ JOHN R. HANEY, MoMM1 / H.L. HESTER, ENS / NORBERT J.W. HIZER, MoMM1 / KEITH KEIRN,
MoMM2 / STEVE LIKEVICH, JR. PhM1 / MARVIN R. MCMILLAN, RM3 / CHESTER M. MOFFITT,
SM1 / CHARLES E. NELSON, LTJG / JOHN F. PURCELL, EM1 / JOSEPH J. SALERNO, EM3 / FRANK S.
SMITH, SC2 / WALTER S. WEISS, MoMM1 / ALEXANDER W. WOLF, RM3 / [Right Column] JAMES
K. BENNETT, JR. GM3 / HUGH D. BROWN, MoMM2 / HOWARD M. BULLARD, TM2 / JACK G.
CAMPBELL, LCDR (CO) / CLAUDE W. COVINGTON, LTJG / JOHN F. DURANT, F2 / JOHN
GRESSWELL, JR. MoMM3 / R.F. HARSMA, ENS / LEONARD E. HIGHFILL, S2 / NEAL K. JOHNSON,
MoMM3 / A.J. KUNKEL, JR. S1 / ROBERT MADSEN, ENS / ROBERT T. MCNEELA, RT3 / EDWARD J.
MORRISON, F1 / GEORGE V. PEET, MoMM2 / GEORGE R. RUNNELLS, TM3 / EARLE C. SCHREIER,
MoMM2 / JAKE SPURLOCK, CK2 / WALTER T. WHITTED, MoMM2 / KENNETH A. WURTZ, F1
(SHIPMATES IN TRAINING)
[Left Column] E.F. ANDERSON, F2 / E.W. GARDNER, QM3 / C.N. GERBENSKY, MoMM3 / W.
NOTTAGE, GM3 / J.W. SPRADLEY, S2 /
[Right Column] J.L. CONNELL, F1 / J.D. GARZA, MoMM2 /
J.F. MCGUINNESS, PhM2 / D.M. OUDERKIRK, MoMM3 / E. VAUGHN, S1
SAILORS, REST YOUR OARS / TARHEEL [Submarine veterans logo] CHAPTER / NORTH
CAROLINA’S LOST BOAT MEMORIAL / DEDICATED / 2007
Rear, east face: IN MEMORY OF / THE 52 U.S. SUBMARINES / LOST IN WORLD WAR II
LOST DURING 1941 / USS SEALION (SS-195)
LOST DURING 1942 / [Left Column] USS S-36 (SS-141) / USS SHARK I (SS-174) / USS S-27 (SS-132)
/ USS S-39 (SS-144) /
[Right Column] USS S-26 (SS-131) / USS PERCH (SS-176) / USS GRUNION
(SS-216)
LOST DURING 1943 / [Left Column] USS ARGONAUT (SS-166) / USS GRAMPUS (SS-207) / USS
PICKEREL (SS-177) / USS RUNNER (SS-275) / USS POMPANO (SS-181) / USS CISCO (SS-290) / USS
WAHOO (SS-238) / USS CORVINA (SS-226) / USS CAPELIN (SS-289) /
[Right Column] USS
AMBERJACK (SS-219) / USS TRITON (SS-201) / USS GRENADIER (SS-210) / USS R-12 (SS-89) / USS
GRAYLING (SS-209) / USS S-44 (SS-155) / USS DORADO (SS-248) / USS SCULPIN (SS-191)
LOST DURING 1944 / [Left Column] USS SCORPION (SS-278) / USS TROUT (SS-202) / USS
GUDGEON (SS-211) / USS GOLET (SS-361) / USS ROBALO (SS-273) / USS HARDER (SS-257) / USS
DARTER (SS-227) / USS TANG (SS-306) / USS ALBACORE (SS-218) / USS SCAMP (SS-277) /
[Right
Column] USS GRAYBACK (SS-208) / USS TULIBEE (SS-284) / USS HERRING (SS-233) / USS S-28
(SS-133) / USS FLIER (SS-250) / USS SEAWOLD (SS-197) / USS SHARK II (SS-314) / USS ESCOLAR
(SS-294) / USS GROWLER (SS-215)
LOST DURING 1945 / [Left Column] USS SWORDFISH (SS-193) / USS KETE (SS-369) / USS SNOOK
(SS-279) / USS BONEFISH (SS-223) /
[Right Column] USS BARBEL (SS-316) / USS TRIGGER (SS-
237) / USS LAGARTO (SS-371) / USS BULLHEAD (SS-332)
Bench top, left side facing east: WIVES OF U.S. SUBMARINE / VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II /
SUBGALLEONS / JULY 1982 / MAY 2010
Bench top, right side facing east: U.S. SUBMARINE VETERANS / OF WORLD WAR II / TARHEEL
CHAPTER / AUGUST 1973 / AUGUST 2010
USS North Carolina Battleship Commission
May 5, 2007
34.235530 , -77.951880 View in Geobrowse
All Clear: Official Journal Of North Carolina Subvets April, May, June 2007, pg.4, (accessed June 2, 2016) 07Q2 - North Carolina Submarine Veterans (NCSubVets)
“On Eternal Patrol-USS S-28 (SS-133), On Eternal Patrol, http://www.oneternalpatrol.com, (accessed June 2, 2016) Link
“USS S-28 And All Other WWII Submarines –Wilmington, NC,” Waymarking.com, (accessed June 3, 2016) Link
Yes
Granite
U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II- Tarheel Chapter
The dedication was held on a cloudy, rain threatened, day in May before 150 guests from as far away as Seattle, Washington. After an invocation, the Eugene Ashley High School NJROTC presented the Colors, led the Pledge of Allegiance and gave a vocal rendition of the National Anthem. The Memorial Monument was then unveiled and the names of the lost shipmates read aloud. The featured speaker was Bill Klein, the National President of U.S. Submarine Veterans of WWII with Jim Lewis, a former S-28 crew member, also providing remarks. Rose Mary Small and Jim Lewis presented the Memorial Wreath and June Kracker, the ladies National Chaplain, gave the Blessing. Ned Lavengood executed Taps, the colors were retired and Chaplain Bill Whelan gave the Benediction to end the ceremony.
The memorial is located in the USS North Carolina Battleship Park. The front of the marker faces roughly west, and the rear faces the waterfront.
The memorial stands under shady trees on the banks of Cape Fear River.