USS MINGO (SS-261)
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2

USS Mingo (SS-261) was commissioned on the12 February 1942, with Lt, Comdr. Ralph C. Lynch, Jr. in command and it was the on that date that she sailed for the Pacific Zone. She then had further training at Pearl Harbor. On the 25 June 1942 she departed on her First War Patrol. She came across three Japanese Merchant Ship and made a damaging attack on the three ships. She then went on to bombard Sorol Island off Palaus before returning to Pearl Harbor for a refit.

After her refit at Pearl Harbor, she sailed on her Second War Patrol on the 29 September 1942 to 20 November 1942 which took her to the Marshalls, the Carolines and Marianas Islands. Whilst there she torpedoed and damaged a " Kasuga " class carrier. She then traveled to San Pablo Bay, California. The submarine left the west coast on the 3 February 1944, for further operations in the Pacific.

On USS Mingo's Third War Patrol she joined the 7th Fleet in patrolling the South China Sea. She then left the area and sailed for Brisbane Submarine base, in Queensland, Australia via the Bismarck Sea and then on to Milne Bay, New Guinea finally arrived in Brisbane on the 9 May 1944. After a refit she left Brisbane, and sailed for Manus, Admiralty Islands, for further training. On leaving Manus on the 18 June 1944 she sailed on her Fourth War Patrol for the Philippines. On 7 July 1944 she came onto a high-speed convoy off Luzon where she sank the Japanese Destroyer "Tamanawi "of some 2,100-tons, at 13-55N, 118-30E. She then sailed for Fremantle Submarine base in Western Australia, Australia, arriving there on the 30 July 1944.

After a refit USS Mingo left Fremantle on the 27 August 1944 on her Fifth War Patrol and sailed for the Philippines and Borneo in support of the 13th Air Force strikes against the Japanese, Her main role was that of lifeguard duty, during which she sank four coastal freighters.

The USS Mingo did a noteworthy job on the lifeguard duties as she rescued 16 Liberator Bomber air crew that had been shot down by the Japanese off Balikpapan, Borneo, six from rubber boats in the Makassar Strait and an other 10 from the beach of Celebes Island. She then returned to Fremantle on the 13 October, 1944 with her rescued fliers.

After resting her crew and a refit, she sailed on her Sixth War Patrol from Fremantle, Australia, which took her mostly on reconnaissance duty off the west coast of Borneo. On 25 December 1944 she sighted a Japanese convoy during the night. This convoy was making a run between Singapore and Brunei, Borneo. She fired at an escort gunboat which was damaged and then she went on to sink a loaded tanker of some 9.486-ton "Manila Maru " at 05-30N, 113-21E . After assisting two other submarines in successful attacks she left the area and returned to Fremantle arriving there on the 29 December 1944 for repairs.

After the USS Mingo had her repairs, refit, and stores loaded she sailed on the 6 February 1945 on what was to be her Seventh and last War Patrol. She took station in the South China Sea, but had to return to Fremantle for repair as she had been damaged by a hurricane in which she lost two men on 10 February 1945. She departed on 19 February 1945 for further patrols off the Gulf of Siam before arriving in the Marianas on the 10 April 1945. Whilst on route to Hawaii on the 14 August 1945, USS Mingo received word of the end of hostilities.

USS Mingo (SS-261) received five battle stars for her World War 2 Service. Five of her seven War Patrols were designated successful

Total Japanese tonnage sunk was 11,586 ton's for two vessel's.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Russ Walter for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 2007

This page last updated 19 January 2020