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| USN Gato-class submarine 1,525 Tons (surfaced) 2,424 Tons (submerged) 311' 9" x 27' 3" x 17' 1 x 3" 50 cal deck gun 1 x 40mm AA gun 1 x 20mm AA gun 10 x 21" torpedo tubes (6 bow and 4 stern) with 24 torpedoes |
Sub History Built by Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. Laid down July 22, 1942 as a Gato-class submarine. Launched April 25, 1943 as USS Dace sponsored by sponsored by Mrs O. P. Robertson. Commissioned July 23, 1943 in the U.S. Navy (USN) with Lieutenant Commander Joseph F. Enright in command. On September 7, 1943 departs New London via the Panama Canal then onward to Pearl Harbor arriving October 3, 1943. First War Patrol On October 20, 1943 departs on her first war patrol. PARTIAL HISTORY On October 21, 1944 after midnight with USS Darter (SS-227) patrols in the Balabac Strait spots three high speed heavy warships and goes into pursuit and maintains radar contact and Dace attempts to intercept but they change course. On October 22, 1944 during the night on radar spots a major task force, Japanese warships of Foce A "Center Force". Immediately, Darter sends a contact report and the surfaced submarines got underway at full speed to get into a position for an attack at dawn. At least one message was intercepted by a radio operator aboard Yamato but Kurita did take precautions. On October 23, 1944 at dawn The Battle of the Palawan Passage begins when both submarines initiated attacks in the Palawan Passage prior to the start of the Battle for Leyte Gulf. At 5:33 Darter fires a spread of torpedoed and four hit and sink heavy cruiser Atago. At 6:00am Dace torpedoes and sinks Maya. At 6:34am Darter fires a spread of torpedoes with two hitting and damaging Takao. For the remainder of the tail, trails the Japanese warships. PARTIAL HISTORY Awards Darter earned the Navy Unit Commendation for her actions in October 1944. Also seven battle stars, one for each of her seven war patrols. She is credited with having sunk 28,689 tons of Japanese shipping. Postwar On January 31, 1955 decommissioned and the same day transfered to Italy under the Military Assistance Program. Commissioned in the Marina Militare Italiana (Italian Navy) as Leonardo da Vinci (S 510) for five years, then extended another ten years. On October 15, 1972 and returned to the U.S. Navy (USN) and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. Fate On April 1, 1975 sold for scrap broken up. Display The coning tower was saved from scrapping and is placed on outdoor displayed at Ellwood A Mattson Lower Harbor Park in Marquette, Michigan. References NARA "Destroyers, Shore Batteries & Deck Guns The Nautilus Escaped Them All" [USS Nautilus War History] NavSource - Dace (SS-247) Contribute
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