World War II Honoree

John Apen

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Brooklyn, New York

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.

Relationship

Shipmates

FIREMAN FIRST CLASS. KILLED IN ACTION WITH ALL HANDS ONBOARD USS RUNNER (SS 275). DECORATIONS: PURPLE HEART. ON 28 MAY 1943 RUNNER LEFT MIDWAY TO PROCEED TO LATITUDE 48 DEGREES-30 MINUTES N, LONGITUDE 154 DEGREES E AND BEGIN HER THIRD PATROL. SHE WAS TO PATROL SOUTH AND WEST FROM THIS SPOT, UNTIL SHE CAME INTO THE AREA SOUTH OF HOKKAIDO AND EAST OF THE NORTHERN TIP OF HONSHU, WHERE SHE WAS TO PATROL FROM ABOUT 8 JUNE TO 4 JULY 1943. THE SUBMARINE WAS NEVER HEARD FROM FOLLOWING HER DEPARTURE FROM MIDWAY. ON 20 JULY 1943 RUNNER WAS REPORTED AS PRESUMED LOST. A SUMMARY OF JAPANESE ANTI-SUBMARINE ATTACKS RECEIVED SINCE THE CLOSE OF HOSTILITIES CONTAINS NO MENTION OF AN ATTACK, WHICH COULD EXPLAIN THE LOSS OF RUNNER. THUS, HER LOSS MUST BE ASCRIBED TO AN ENEMY MINEFIELD, OF WHICH THERE WERE AT LEAST FOUR IN THE AREA TO WHICH SHE WAS ASSIGNED, TO AN OPERATIONAL CASUALTY, OR TO AN UNREPORTED ENEMY ATTACK. DESTRUCTION BY A MINE IS CONSIDERED THE MOST LIKELY OF THESE POSSIBILITIES. RUNNER WAS LOST WITH 78 OFFICERS AND MEN.