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USS ''Lagarto'' (SS-371), a ''Balao''-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the lagarto, a lizard fish. Her keel was laid down on 12 January 1944 by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She was launched on 28 May 1944 sponsored by Emily Taft Douglas, Congresswoman from Illinois, and later United States Senator from Illinois, and commissioned on 14 October 1944 with Commander Frank D. Latta in command. Latta was a veteran of nine war patrols and holder of the Navy Cross, earned while commanding officer of . Floated high and dry in a floating drydock down the Mississippi River, among the islands and channels of which her captain had first “felt the call of the sea” as “a mere youth,” ''Lagarto'' departed New Orleans, Louisiana, on 12 November 1944, for Panama, escorted by the submarine chaser . Releasing her escort on 15 November, ''Lagarto'' reported to Commander, Panama Sea Frontier, to begin her shakedown two days later. Captain John G. Johns supervised the boat’s training during the period between 20 November and 5 December 1944. Sadly, during that period, on 3 December, Chief Machinist’s Mate Pat Cole died of coronary thrombosis while ''Lagarto'' lay at Saboya Anchorage, off Perlas Island, Panama. Clearing Balboa, Canal Zone, on 9 December 1944, ''Lagarto'' reached Pearl Harbor on Christmas Day 1944. The following day, she commenced a period of training (supervised by Captain Jesse L. Hull for its duration) and a special availability. The latter saw the installation of a second gun and replacement of the 20-millimeter with two 40-millimeter mounts, installation of additional topside ready-use lockers, eight topside mounts for .50-caliber machine guns, in addition to other internal work, including the alteration of the small arms magazine to accommodate additional ammunition stowage, bringing the boat’s total capacity to 220 rounds. Additionally, a Panama Bay sound test having revealed a “singing” port propeller, that was replaced. The special training and availability period concluded on 23 January 1945. ==January – March 1945== ''Lagarto'', accompanied by , departed Pearl Harbor on 24 January 1945, escorted initially by . Releasing their escort four and a half hours out, the two boats proceeded in company, conducting dives and drills daily and acting as targets for each other on alternate days. Ultimately, the pair reached the Marianas on 4 February, exchanging recognition signals with friendly planes as they neared Saipan. Escorted in by the infantry landing craft on 5 February, ''Lagarto'' moored in a nest alongside as she lay alongside in Tanapag Harbor. ''Haddock'' moored outboard. Tragedy struck the next day, however, when an automobile accident on Saipan resulted in serious injuries to two of ''Lagarto''’s more experienced officers: Lieutenant Walter R. Shaw, a “mustang” (commissioned from the enlisted ranks) veteran of three war patrols, and Ensign Allen G. Brewington, who, like Shaw, was a mustang but a veteran of nine patrols, including one in ''Haddock'' for which he had earned the Silver Star. In addition, the mishap incapacitated three of ''Haddock''’s officers, including Commander John P. “Beetle” Roach, her skipper and a Naval Academy classmate of ''Lagarto''’s commanding officer. Consequently, Lieutenant Robert J. Williams (five war patrols) and Lieutenant, junior grade Walter B. Phelps (four war patrols) arrived by air from Guam, reporting on board ''Lagarto'' late in the forenoon watch on 7 February to replace Shaw and Brewington. Underway during the first dog watch on 7 February 1945, escorted by the motor minesweeper , “Latta’s Lancers” (Task Group 17.13) formed column—''Lagarto'', ''Haddock'', and —and headed for the Bonin Islands to destroy “picket boats” in advance of the carrier strikes planned to be launched by Task Force 38 in mid-month. Releasing ''YMS-426'' at midnight, ''Lagarto'' decoded a dispatch a little over two hours into the mid watch on 8 February, however, communicating the sad tidings that Lieutenant Shaw had died (“His loss was a serious blow to the ''Lagarto'',” wrote Captain Willard J. Suits, Commander, Submarine Squadron 22, “and the submarine service.”) of the injuries suffered in the automobile accident on the 6th. At noon the same day (8 February), while ''Lagarto'' mourned her loss, Commander Latta informed the “wolfpack” that its being behind schedule would not permit coordinated practice firing. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Lagarto (SS-371)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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