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Home Page / Dedication
This website is gratefully dedicated to the officers and crew of USS Bluegill (SS-242) who fought in
the Second World War. They made six war patrols, sank or damaged 17 ships for 63,059 tons, captured an island
in the South China Sea, survived 369 depth charges, and earned two Navy Unit Commendations.
All six patrols were made under the command of then-Commander Eric Lloyd Barr, Jr., who was ranked 17th of
465 WWII submarine skippers for number of ships sunk by Clay Blair's
Silent Victory. Four of the six patrols were anti-ship patrols; Patrols 5 and 6 were for
lifeguard duty and "seek out and destroy" missions. Yet with only four anti-ship patrols
Bluegill sank 13 ships for 51,059 tons and damaged 4 ships for 12,000 tons for a total of 17 ships and
63,059 tons.
During the sixth patrol the Bluegill crew and the embarked Australian Z-Force "bombarded,
reconnoitered, landed on, and occupied Pratas Is., South China Sea"
[Theodore Roscoe]. After 28-29 May 1945 Pratas Island was renamed
"Bluegill Island" by these intrepid warriors. You can see the island proudly displayed at the top
center of the Battle Flag with its radio hut and antenna towers.
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Launching. From Ray (Basil) Phipps.
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Sinking Yubari. From Ken Killmaster.
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Battle Flag. From Ken Killmaster.
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Battle Flag. From Ray (Basil) Phipps.
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Return to Pearl Harbor. From Hugh Story.
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