World War II Honoree

Charles Anker

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

St. Petersburg, Florida

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veteran

He was killed with the loss of 88 Officers and men onboard USS LAGARTO (SS-371) near 04 May 1945 Off Malay coast near the Gulf of Siam at 7° 55'N, 102° 00'E. Lost at sea, cause: Sunk by depth charge attack. Decorations: Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Purple Heart. LAGARTO, under the Command of Commander F. D. Latta, departed Subic Bay, Philippine Islands on 12 April 1945, for her second patrol in the South China Sea. On 27 April, she was directed to the outer part of Siam Gulf. LAGARTO contacted BAYA, already patrolling in Siam Gulf on 2 May 1945, and exchanged calls with her by SJ radar. Later that day BAYA sent LAGARTO a contact report on a convoy she had contacted consisting of one tanker, one auxiliary and two destroyers. LAGARTO soon reported being in contact with the convoy, and began coming in for an attack with BAYA. However the enemy escorts were equipped with 10 cm radar, and detected BAYA and drove her off with gunfire, whereupon the two submarines decided to wait and plan a subsequent attack. Early on the morning of 3 May 1945, LAGARTO and BAYA made a rendezvous at about 7° 55'N, 102° 18'E and discussed plans. LAGARTO was to dive on the convoy's track to make a contact at 1400, while BAYA was to be ten to fifteen miles further along the track. During the day, numerous contact reports were exchanged. At 0010 on 4 May after a prolonged but unsuccessful attack, BAYA was finally driven off by the alert escorts, and no further contact of any kind was ever made with LAGARTO.