In Memoriam - USS Corvina (SS-226) - Sunk 16 November 1943

USS Corvina (SS-226) was lost on her very first war patrol.

She had been commissioned 06 August, 1943. After her initial shakedown, she transited the Panama Canal and crossed the Pacific to the submarine base at Pearl Harbor, HI. Corvina left Pearl Harbor on 04 November. Her mission was to patrol the Japanese stronghold of Truk, the empire's main base in the South Pacific.

A large part of the Japanese surface fleet was stationed at Truk and Corvina's mission was to intercept any Japanese warships that might leave the base in response to the American attack on the Gilbert Islands.

Corvina was never heard from again.

After the war, an examination of Japanese records revealed that on 16 November, 1943, the Japanese submarine I-176 spotted an American submarine on the surface and fired three torpedoes. Two of the torpedoes hit, causing "a great explosion sound."

I-176 would later be sunk by American forces in May 1944.