World War II Honoree

Robert Archibald Wilson

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Weehawken, New Jersey

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.

Relationship

Shipmates

FIRE CONTROLMAN FIRST CLASS, PETTY OFFICER. DIED AS A POW AFTER BEING TAKEN PRISONER FOLLOWING THE SINKING OF USS PERCH SS-176. ON THE EVENING OF MARCH 1, 1942, THE PERCH SURFACED THIRTY MILES NORTHWEST OF SOERABAJA, JAVA, NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES, AND STARTED IN FOR AN ATTACK ON THE ENEMY CONVOY THAT WAS LANDING TROOPS TO THE WEST OF SOERABAJA. TWO ENEMY DESTROYERS ATTACKED AND DROVE HER DOWN WITH A STRING OF DEPTH CHARGES WHICH CAUSED HER TO BOTTOM AT ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE FEET. SEVERAL MORE DEPTH CHARGE ATTACKS CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, PUTTING THE STARBOARD MOTORS OUT OF COMMISSION AND CAUSING EXTENSIVE FLOODING THROUGHOUT THE BOAT. AFTER REPAIRS, THE PERCH SURFACED AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING ONLY TO BE AGAIN DRIVEN DOWN BY THE ENEMY DESTROYERS. THE LOSS OF OIL, AND AIR FROM DAMAGED BALLAST TANKS, CONVINCED THE ENEMY THAT THE PERCH WAS BREAKING UP; THEY WENT ON TO LOOK FOR OTHER KILLS, ALLOWING THE PERCH TO SURFACE. WITH THE SUBMARINE'S DECKS AWASH AND ONLY ONE ENGINE IN COMMISSION, THE CREW MADE ALL POSSIBLE REPAIRS. DURING THE EARLY MORNING OF MARCH 3RD, A TEST DIVE WAS MADE WITH ALMOST FATAL RESULTS. EXPERT HANDLING AND GOOD LUCK ENABLED HER TO SURFACE FROM THAT DIVE, ONLY TO BE ATTACKED BY TWO ENEMY CRUISERS AND THREE DESTROYERS. WHEN THE ENEMY SHELLS COMMENCED TO STRADDLE, THE COMMANDING OFFICER ORDERED ALL HANDS ON DECK, AND WITH ALL POSSIBLE HULL OPENINGS OPEN, THE PERCH MADE HER LAST DIVE. SHE WAS STRUCK FROM THE NAVY LIST JUNE 24, 1942. THE ENTIRE CREW WAS CAPTURED BY A JAPANESE DESTROYER. OF THE FIFTY-FOUR MEN AND FIVE OFFICERS, ONLY SIX, WHO DIED OF MALNUTRITION IN JAPANESE PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS, WERE UNABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR COUNTRY TO ENJOY THE VICTORY FOR WHICH THEY HAD FOUGHT SO VALIANTLY.