World War II Honoree

John George Accardy

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

San Diego, California

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veteran

He was killed with the loss of 78 Officers and men onboard USS TANG (SS-306) on 25 October 1944 in Formosa Strait near Turnabout Island at coordinates Latitude 25° 02'N, Longitude 119° 15'E. Decorations: Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation. USS TANG, under Commander R.H. O'Kane, set out from Pearl Harbor on 24 September 1944, to begin her fifth war patrol. On 27 September she topped off with fuel at Midway and left there the same day, heading for an area between the northwest coast of Formosa and the China Coast. TANG was never heard from again after she left Midway. On her last patrol TANG fired twenty-four torpedoes in four attacks. Twenty-two torpedoes found their mark in enemy ships, sinking 13 of them. A night surface attack was launched At 02:30 on the morning of 25 October 1944 against a transport. TANG’s last torpedo broached and curved to the left in a circular run. TANG fishtailed to clear the turning circle of the torpedo, but it struck her abreast the after torpedo room approximately 20 seconds after it was fired. TANG sank by the stern approximately 20 seconds after it was fired and sank in 180 feet of water. Nine survivors were picked up by a destroyer escort. The nine captives were placed in a prison camp at Ofuna located in Kamakura, outside Yokohama until the end of the war. USS TANG was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation twice during her career and her Commanding Officer was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.