USS Jallao (SS-368), a submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the jallao, a pearl-white haemulonid food fish of the Gulf of Mexico.
Construction and commissioning
Jallao was launched by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on 12 March 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Oliver G. Kirk, and commissioned on 8 July 1944.
Operational history
After spending most of July in training operations, Jallao departed Manitowoc 26 July for Chicago, where she was loaded into a floating dry dock for the long trip down the Mississippi to New Orleans. She subsequently departed New Orleans 6 August, and steamed through the Panama Canal to the Pacific and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 22 September.
First patrol, October – December 1944
Following additional training the submarine sailed 9 October for her first war patrol, operating with and in a coordinated attack group known as "Clarey's Crushers". At first the submarines proceeded toward Luzon Strait, but during the Battle of Leyte Gulf late in October, they were directed to take up scouting positions between the Philippines and Japan to cut off Japanese cripples struggling home after their devastating defeat at the Battle off Cape Engaño.
On the evening of 25 October Jallao picked up damaged light cruiser on radar and moved to attack. She fired seven torpedoes; three hit the Japanese warship, sinking it. Future United States federal judge Jack B. Weinstein was in charge of the submarine's radar when the submarine located the cruiser.
After this notable success on her maiden patrol, Jallao continued her search until 28 November, returning to Majuro 10 December.
Second, third, and fourth patrols, January – September 1945
Jallao sailed for the Yellow Sea for her second war patrol 6 January 1945. The decimated Japanese merchant marine offered few targets. However, she spotted a convoy on 5 March. During the attack, she had a close call when an enemy escort trying to ram her damaged her periscope. Two days later she sailed for Midway, arriving 26 March.
After repairs, the submarine departed Midway 20 April for her third war patrol and was assigned aircraft lifeguard duty off Marcus Island. Responding to reports of flyers in the water north of the island, on 9 May Jallao braved shore batteries to move in and pick up five men in a raft, delivering them safely to Saipan on 12 May. She then departed for the coast of Japan and more lifeguard duty as American heavy bombers stepped up their attacks on the home islands. She arrived at Pearl Harbor 13 June.
After advanced training in the Marianas, Jallao departed Guam 31 July to patrol the Sea of Japan. On this, her fourth and final patrol, the submarine sank the 6,000-ton freighter Timoko Maru on 11 August (19 survivors were found by on 21 August). Four days later hostilities ended, and the ship sailed via Guam to San Francisco, where she arrived 28 September. She was decommissioned at Mare Island 30 September 1946, and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet.
1953–1956
Jallaos home port was changed to New London in July 1953, for a GUPPY IIA conversion in which she was streamlined and equipped with snorkeling gear and new electric equipment. She was recommissioned on 4 December 1953. After shakedown in the San Diego area, the submarine departed 12 April for the East Coast, steaming via the Panama Canal to Norfolk, Virginia
Joining Submarine Squadron 6, Jallao operated out of Halifax, Nova Scotia during 1954, training with Canadian and American antisubmarine units. In January and February 1955, she took part in fleet exercises in the Caribbean, returning to Norfolk 4 March.
Jallaos home port was changed to New London in July 1955 and she got underway with British submarine 7 August to take part in Joint Exercise "New Broom IV". Following this operation, Jallao was deployed to the 6th Fleet and departed for the Mediterranean 9 November 1955. In the months that followed, she helped train Italian Navy ships and took part in fleet exercises, beginning the long voyage home in mid-January 1956. The ship steamed through the Suez Canal, visited several countries of eastern and southern Africa, and crossed the South Atlantic to take part in exercises with Uruguayan and Brazilian destroyers. The veteran submarine returned to New London 16 April.