The submarine USS Apogon survived just 3 years with the American Navy before it went to its watery grave.  Given that she saw service in World War 2, her life span was considerably longer than that of many warships of the same period.  Commissioned in summer 1943 she soon left the New England coast and headed for Hawaii, cutting through the Panama Canal, and reported for duty to the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet.  She arrived in Pearl Harbour on 11 October 1943 and after three weeks of training set off on her first war patrol.

USS Apogon covered 8 patrols in total, all in Pacific waters.  Engaging in enemy action she sank the Daido Maru, a 2,962-ton Japanese former gunboat, on the 4 December 1943, during her first patrol.  During her second patrol USS Apogon claimed to have sunk a further 2 enemy ships although neither of these were credited to her in official reports.  When USS Apogon was on her fourth patrol, together with fellow submarines USS Guardfish (SS-217), USS Thresher (SS-200), and USS Piranha (SS-389), a nine-ship Japanese convoy with approximately six escorts was sighted. The submarines immediately began preparing an attack. The leading Japanese ship apparently spotted the wake of Apogon’s periscope and turned to ram the submarine. As Apogon turned to bring her stern tubes to bear, she was struck on the starboard side by the freighter.  A major part of her main periscope was broken off, and the radar antennae were bent enough to be rendered useless.  The situation could have been much worse - Apogon was still capable of limping to Midway for emergency repairs before returning to Pearl Harbour for major surgery.  Arriving in Pearl Harbour on 26 July 1944, USS Apogon was dry-docked. Both tail shafts were replaced and realigned, and the periscope, periscope shears, and the radar masts were all replaced. The main engines were also overhauled.  On 12 September 1944 she was pronounced fit for service and embarked on her fifth patrol.  In the Kuril Islands area the submarine claimed to have sunk a Japanese patrol craft, but this kill was not confirmed.  However, four days later on 27 September 1944, there was no disputing that she was responsible for sinking Hachirogata Maru, a 2000-ton cargo ship.  She even took the proof on board with her by rescuing 2 Japanese survivors.  USS Apogon inflicted damage upon numerous other ships along the way but only had one more sinking to add to her name – that of the 2614-ton transport ship Hakuai Maru which she successfully hit during her seventh patrol.

Her eighth and final patrol, beginning on 7 August 1945, was cut short when the Japanese surrendered on 15 August.  USS Apogon arrived back home in America at the beginning of September 1945 – unlike so many, she had survived the Second World War.  She had justly earned 6 battle stars for her WW2 achievements.

There was to be no graceful retirement for our returning wartime hero however.  In January 1946, the submarine sailed from San Diego to Pearl Harbour where she was prepared for Operation Crossroads.