World War II Honoree

Paul Ray Abnet

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Three Rivers, Michigan

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veteran

He was killed in action with the loss of 79 officers and men, on board USS TULLIBEE (SS-284) 26 March 1944 off the Palau Islands. Latitude: 9° 29' 59.99" N Longitude: 134° 44' 59.99”. Decorations: Purple Heart. On 5 March 1944, TULLIBEE, commanded by Commander C. F. Brindupke, departed Pearl Harbor to start her fourth war patrol. She stopped at Midway to top off with fuel, and having left that place on 14 March, she was not heard from again. The area assigned to TULLIBEE was an open sea area north of Palau, and she was to cooperate with surface forces in the first carrier strike on Palau. TULLIBEE was presumed lost on 15 May 1944. TULLIBEE arrived on station, 25 March, and on the night of 26 March a radar contact was found to be on a convoy consisting of a large troop and cargo ship, two medium sized freighters, two escort vessels and a large destroyer. Having solved the convoy's speed and course, TULLIBEE made several surface runs on the large transport, but held fire, being unable to see her due to squally weather. The escorts had detected the submarine's presence, and dropped 15 to 20 depth charges. The submarine came in to 3,000 yards, still unable to see the target, and fired two bow tubes. A minute or two later a terrific concussion shook the boat. Since range and bearing of escorts was known the explosion was the result of a circular run of one of TULLIBEE’s own torpedoes.