World War II Honoree

Richard Hetherington 'Dick' O'kane

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Dover, New Hampshire

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veteran

In 1938 he completed Submarine Training at New London and started his long connection with submarine service on the USS Argonaut SM-1. His next assignment was as Executive Office, USS Wahoo SS-238. The Wahoo completed five combat patrols during his assignment that ended in 1943. Detached, he was ordered as Prospective Commanding Officer of a submarine so new that it was under construction when the orders were cut. After commissioning, October 1943, he was Commanding Officer, USS Tang SS-306. In five War Patrols the Tang sank 31 ships, one of the very top Pacific Campaign records for submarine achievement. He excelled at combat aircraft lifeguard duties to recover aviators. Off Truk Island Tang rescued 22 airmen (and one Japanese airman) in one mission, earning a Presidential Unit Citation; one of two earned during his command of the Tang. He survived the loss of USS TANG (SS- 306) with 78 Officers and men onboard on 25 October 1944 in Formosa Strait near Turnabout Island at coordinates Latitude 25° 02'N, Longitude 119° 15'E. Decorations: CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR, 3 NAVY CROSSES, LEGION OF MERIT, 3 SILVER STARS, 3 PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL. He 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 men were then taken to a interrogation camp at Ofuna, Japan where they were tortured for information and eventually transferred to a priority Prisoner of War camp at Omori, Japan for the remainder of the war. He was liberated two weeks after the end of hostilities. He arrived back in the states exactly 2 years since he left October 25, 1943 and 1 year to the day the submarine was sunk October 25, 1944. USS TANG was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation twice during his time as Commanding Officer.