World War II Honoree

Charles Earl Pitser

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Seattle, Washington

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.

TORPEDOMANS MATE SECOND CLASS PETTY OFFICER ONBOARD USS SCULPIN (SS 191). DIED AS A PRISONER OF WAR ONBOARD THE JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER CHUYO ON 2 DECEMBER 1943. DECORATIONS: BRONZE STAR, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART. USS SCULPIN LEFT PEARL HARBOR ON 5 NOVEMBER 1943 UNDER THE COMMAND OF COMMANDER FRED CONNAWAY. AFTER TOPPING OFF WITH FUEL, SCULPIN LEFT JOHNSTON ISLAND ON 7 NOVEMBER 1943 TO CONDUCT HER NINTH WAR PATROL IN AN AREA IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. SCULPIN MADE RADAR CONTACT WITH A LARGE, HIGH-SPEED CONVOY ON THE NIGHT OF 18 NOVEMBER 1943. IN THE SURFACE AND SUBMERGED BATTLE WITH A JAPANESE DESTROYER THAT FOLLOWED ON 19 NOVEMBER 1943 SCULPIN SUFFERED HEAVY DAMAGE AND WAS SCUTTLED 12 MEN WENT DOWN WITH THE BOAT. FORTY-TWO MEN WERE RESCUED. THE SURVIVORS WERE QUESTIONED FOR ABOUT TEN DAYS AT THE JAPANESE NAVAL BASE AT TRUK, AND THEN WERE EMBARKED ON TWO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS RETURNING TO JAPAN. ON 2 DECEMBER ONE OF THE CARRIERS CHUYO CARRYING 21 OF THE SURVIVORS IN HER HOLD WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK BY U.S. SUBMARINE USS SAILFISH (SS-192) KILLING TWENTY OF THE AMERICAN PRISONERS.