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Submarine Chaser Photo Archive

PC-1080
ex-PCC-1080
ex-PC-1080



Call sign:
Nan - Fox - Peter - Nan
PC-461 Class Submarine Chaser:

  • Laid down 29 April 1942 at Albina Engine and Machine Works, Portland, Oregon
  • Launched 27 August 1942
  • Commissioned PC-1080, 29 March 1943
  • Reclassified as a Control Submarine Chaser, PCC-1080 20 August 1945
  • Struck from Naval Register 28 August 1946
  • Sold 16 January 1947
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 280 t.(lt), 450 t.(fl)
  • Length 173' 8"
  • Beam 23'
  • Draft 10' 10"
  • Speed 20.2 kts.
  • Complement 65
  • Armament: One 3"/50 dual purpose gun mount, one 40mm gun mount, three 20mm guns, two rocket launchers, four depth charge projectors, and two depth charge tracks
  • Propulsion: Two 1,440bhp Fairbanks Morse 38D8 1/8 diesel engines (Serial No. 833267 and 833268), Westinhouse single reduction gear, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    PC-1080 38k . Bob Daly/PC-1181
    Commanding Officers
    01LTJG R. L. Silver, USNR1945
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    There is no DANFS History currently available for PC-1080
    USS PC-1080

    Japanese Swimmers in the Saipan Channel

    At daybreak on Thursday, 3 August 1944, we were anchored off Eniwetok Island in 22 fathoms of water with 70 fathoms of chain on the starboard anchor. Having just brought a convoy in from Saipan/Tinian we were expecting a few days of R & R. We spent the morning moving around the lagoon taking on fuel oil, fresh water and galley supplies. A work party went aboard the Internal Combustion Repair ship USS Mindanao (ARG-3), with requisitions for main engine spare parts. They returned empty handed.

    By 1600 hours we were moored alongside the PC-1079 in the southern anchorage off Parry Island. We had been posted for another convoy heading west. Special sea detail was set at 1855 hours pursuant to CTG 57.7, visual orders No. 030520 (convoy TU 57.18.4) to escort the ocean going tugs USS Chowonoc (ATF-100) and the ATR-124 towing concrete supply barges to Guam. Underway at 1900 hours, we were steering various courses to clear the Deep Entrance channel between Parry and Japtan Islands.

    By 2200 hours, the convoy had been formed and we were heading west on a base course of 253° T with the forward speed set at 6.5 knots.

    We were patrolling the port bow of the convoy with the PC-1079 patrolling the starboard bow conducting the usual sound search 20° on each side of the base course. The convoy settled down to a daily routine. The gyro compass started to give erratic readings, so we had to navigate by the magnetic compass for most of the first day. The master gyro had to be shut down for maintenance work and brought back up to speed... then our radar went out again... Murphy's Law was in full swing.

    Everyday we held General Quarters, gunnery, fire and collision and man overboard drills. At General Quarters, we had all stations manned and ready in one minute-thirty seconds. At dawn and at dusk we would reverse our course to do a sonar sweep eight to ten miles astern of the convoy.

    Before daybreak on Wednesday, 9 August 1944, the ATR-124 began having problems with her towing gear and she dropped back to make adjustments. At 0430 hours we ran into a line of heavy rain showers and with our radar set out of commission, we lost visual contact with the convoy. At daybreak we had resighted the convoy with the ATR-124 and her tow a few miles astern of the USS Chowonoc slowly regaining her position.

    At the beginning of the mid-watch on Thursday, 10 August, star shell bursts were visible over Guam (although Guam was declared secured by the 10 of August, mopping up activities continued until after the end of the war) and by 0250 hours the island was sighted. At 1030 hours, both PC's began screening astern of the convoy to protect the tugs and their tows as they entered Apra harbor. We then proceeded to the outer anchorage in Apra Harbor to anchor in 70 feet of water with 40 fathoms of chain on the starboard anchor. The 1100 mile trip had taken seven days to complete.

    Early the next morning, we were underway for Saipan, pursuant to CTF-53 order No. 100305, as Task Unit 53.18.6 in company with the USS Motive (AM 102), PC- 1079, PC-581, YMS-151, 292, 295, 302, 321
    and YMS- 385.

    With the forward speed set at 10 knots we arrived off Saipan by 1700 hours and were anchored and nested together with the PC-581 and PC-1079 in Saipan harbor by sunset.

    On Saturday, 12 August 1944, we moved into Tanapag Harbor to take on fuel, fresh water and galley supplies... and received permission to go alongside the USS Holland (ARG-18) with engine room work orders and requisitions for spare parts.

    On Tuesday, 15 August 1944, we were anchored off Susupi Point, Saipan standing by awaiting the arrival of radio/radar technicians to fix the radar and sound gear. At 1700 hours, the PC-549 came alongside with official mail and transfer two radar technicians from the USS Pocomoke (AV-9).

    The following morning at 0600 hours, with the radar in working condition, the radar technicians left the ship. Special sea detail was set and we were underway at 0645 hours with orders from CTF-57. 7 to relieve the PC-581 on ping line duty off the west coast of Tinian and Saipan. Station No. 83 was about three miles long and about the same distance off the coast line on a reciprocal course of 037°T and 217°T.

    The forward speed was set at 10 knots and we were conducting a sonar and radar search keeping 6,000 yards from the PC-549 on Station No. 84, turning simultaneously with her at each end of the patrol line.

    On Friday, 18 August, at 0450 hours, the sound gear suffered a major breakdown and at 0530 hours, the radar became erratic and undependable again. By 0730 hours, we had been relieved by the PC-581 and proceeded to Saipan harbor for repairs and supplies.

    On Sunday, 20 August, after repairs to the radar and sound gear, we were underway again patrolling stations Nos. 83 and 84 with the PC-582. The following day at 1830 hours, a tube blew up in the radar set. Without onboard spares, we finished the patrol depending on the PC-582 for radar coverage. On Wednesday, 23 August 1944 we were relieved by the PC-581 and proceeded to Tanapag Harbor, Saipan for fuel, fresh water and galley supplies. We then went alongside the repair ship USS Holland (ARG-18) to hopefully get our radar repaired.

    On Friday, August 25, 1944, we were again under- way to relieve the PC-581 patrolling the channel between Tinian and Aguigan Islands. At 0956 hours, two men were sighted swimming off Aguigan Island. Coming alongside the swimmers, they were identified as being Japanese. Using sign language, they were instructed to remove their clothing and to do a few "spread eagles" before being brought aboard. (On being captured, some Japanese prisoners hid a grenade between their legs). A Jacobs ladder was put over the side and the swimmers were invited aboard. Once aboard they were ordered to sit on the deck next to the stack where they were put under armed guard.

    The war was over for them.

    Ernest D. Rado, Gunners Mate 1/c offered them a cigarette, a mug of coffee and gave them a few rag wipers from the 40mm gun tub to cover their nakedness. One of the prisoners, using sign language, explained that they were swimming toward Aguigan Island to get away from the bombs and fighting on Tinian. He requested a pen and a piece of paper to write a note which he gave to Gunners Mate Rado.

    Underway again, we resumed the patrol of Stations No. 81. At 1130 hours, the Japanese prisoners were transferred to the PC-581 by a LCVP and turned over to Naval Intelligence. We ended the month patrolling on Station No. 76, conducting a solo radar and sonar search in the Saipan Channel between Saipan and Tinian. With the speed set at 10 knots, we patrolled on the reciprocal courses of 060°T and 240° T.

    Ex-Gunner's Mate Ernest D. Rado, carried a copy of this note in his wallet for over 50 years asking any Japanese he met for an translation. It was difficult to read because it was of antiquated script. It was only last year that his son in law, a professor at Northwestern University, contacted an ex-student of his now teaching at Emerson College in Boston that the script was translated.

    The left hand column reads: That he was a construction worker.

    The middle column reads: That his name was Yamada Masao and he was 36 years old.

    The right hand column reads: That he lived near Horinouchi Village, Uonuma (a fishing village near Niigata, Honshu, Japan).
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
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    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by Tom Bateman
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