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| USN Gato-class submarine 1,526 Tons (surfaced) 2,424 Tons (submerged) 307' x 27.3' x 19.3' 10 × 21" torpedo tubes (6 fwd, 4 aft) with 24 torpedoes 1 x 3" deck gun 2 × .50cal MG 2 × 30cal MG   USN 1944 |
Sub History Built by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Laid down October 25, 1943 as a Gato-class submarine. Launched April 9, 1944 as USS Kete (SS-369) sponsored by Mrs. E. S. Hutchinson. Commissioned in the U.S. Navy (USN). On August 20, 1944 departs Manitowoc via New Orleans and the Panama Canal. On September 5, 1943 undergoes training with SubRon 3 until the end of the month then departs for Pearl Harbor. First War Patrol On October 31, 1943 departs on her first war patrol stopping via Midway to refuel. On November 4, 1943 reaches her patrol area in the East China Sea with USS Sea Lion (SS-315) but faced heavy weather and bow planes that were not functioning. On November 19, 1943 departs for Saipan arriving five days later. On December 24, 1943 departs with USS Kraken (SS-370) and resumes her patrol off Okinawa four days later and performs lifeguard duty, collects weather data then departs bound for Guam ending her war patrol. On January 30, 1944 arrives Guam and undergoes a refit. Second War Patrol On March 1, 1945 departs Guam under the command of LtCdr Edward Ackerman on her second war patrol off Nansei Shoto Islands and contines lifeguard duty and collecting weather data for the upcoming invasion of Okinawa. During the night of March 9, 1945 to March 10, 1945, Kete reported having sunk three medium sized freighters the previous night. She reported on the night of March 14, 1945 that she had fired four torpedoes which missed a small enemy cable laying vessel, and that she had only three torpedoes remaining aboard. In view of the small number of torpedoes left, on March 19, 1945 ordered to depart the area on March 20, 1945 to refueling at Midway then proceed to Pearl Harbor for a refit. Sinking History On March 20, 1945 she sent a special weather report. This was the last message received from the submarine. At normal cruising speed, she should have arrived by March 31, 1945 at Midway. When she was neither sighted nor heard from by April 16, she was presumed lost. She is credited with sinking three medium freighters, totaling 12,000 tons, during the last patrol. Kete is considered a probable loss due to an unreported enemy attack. Precisely how or when she was lost is unknown. There were mines in the Nansei Shoto Chain but, since Kete was already east of the islands at the time of her last message. Japanese records concerning anti-submarine attacks do not reveal Kete's fate. None of their attacks against U.S. submarines during March 20 - 31 were in the vicinity of Kete's position. Several enemy submarines were in the area Kete would pass enroute to Midway. On March 23, 1945 RO-41 was sunk east of Okinawa by a destroyer. Two other Japanese submarines were sunk southeast of Okinawa around this date. Possibly, one of these submarines might have torpedoed and sunk Kete, but was unable to make a report the before their own sinking. Kete is considered a probable loss due to an unreported enemy attack. Crew lost aboard USS Kete:
References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - USS Kete (SS-369) NavSource - USS Kete (SS-369) Contribute
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