World War II Honoree

Wesley Lawrence Gerlacher

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.

SEAMAN SECOND CLASS KILLED WITH ALL HANDS ONBOARD USS WAHOO (SS-238) ON OCTOBER 11, 1943 IN LA PEROUSE STRAIT, WHILE EXITING THE SEA OF JAPAN BETWEEN HOKKAIDO AND KARAFUTO. DECORATIONS: PURPLE HEART. ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, WAHOO DEPARTED PEARL HARBOR ON 7TH WAR PATROL UNDER THE COMMAND OF DUDLEY MORTON. WAHOO WAS LAST HEARD FROM SEPTEMBER 13, 1943, AS THE GATO-CLASS SUBMARINE DEPARTED THE ISLAND OF MIDWAY EN ROUTE TO THE SEA OF JAPAN. UNDER STRICT RADIO SILENCE, MORTON AND HIS CREW PROCEEDED AS ORDERED. RADIO CONTACT WAS EXPECTED TO BE REGAINED WITH MIDWAY IN LATE OCTOBER UPON WAHOO’S DEPARTURE FROM THE SEA OF JAPAN THROUGH THE KURILE ISLAND CHAIN. NO SUCH CONTACT WAS MADE. JAPANESE REPORTS STATED THAT ONE OF ITS PLANES HAD SPOTTED AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE IN THE LA PEROUSE STRAIT ON OCTOBER 11, 1943. THESE REPORTS INDICATE A MULTI-HOUR COMBINED SEA AND AIR ATTACK INVOLVING DEPTH CHARGES AND AERIAL BOMBS WHICH FINALLY SUNK WAHOO. USS WAHOO (SS-238) WAS LOST WITH 80 OFFICERS AND MEN.