Talk:USS SC-1012

Original article text

A lot of the information below could be used to fill out submarine chaser. --Brad101 01:40, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

This Site is Dedicated to the Officers and Men who served on the little wooden ships known as Submarine Chasers. These 110' models were completely made of wood and as such were the smallest commissioned warship that the navy had that was fully Oceangoing. Unlike the PT boats, these ships made their own way across the oceans that they served in.

There were almost 500 manufactured during each World War. Initially they were built to stem the U-boat problem that Germany created in both WWI and WWII. Out of the 900+ ships built for both wars, figuring each ship had a complement of 28 Officers and Enlisted personnel, there may have been over 40,000 men serving on them during both Wars.

I wonder how such a large number of ships and men could be so poorly represented for their role in history?

I started this "Project" because of the limited amount of information that I was able to locate about these ships. I have dedicated this site to the memory of my father, LtJG E. Gordon Myers (January 22, 1918 - July 4, 1962), my Mother, Catherine L. Myers (March 26, 1919 - June 20, 2002) as well as the men that served with him onboard the SC1012. There was virtually no readily available data on these ships anywhere. I have tried to mention as much as I could about the sub chasers and their roles during both wars. At the time I started this project, the only available site was through the Patrol Craft Sailor's Association. Although it was not as complete as I would have liked, it was one of the only sources for information.

It was really frustrating to me to locate books, web sites, etc to find photos of the SC1009 and SC1013; but none of the SC1012. (Of course, initially, there weren't many of these photos either.) They seemed so close to the SC1012 that it really served to wet my appetite even more. It was also nice to learn that there were others out there that shared my interests in bringing to light the history of the sub chasers and trying to keep alive their stories, etc. Although this site is primarily dedicated to my Father and his ship, additional sites do now exist and slowly more information is coming out. One site that is extremely well done is by the former Commander of the SC648 from the South Pacific, Ted Treadwell, aka DIODOR@aol.com. A link is established for you later on. You need to check out Ted's book. I just received it and upon scanning through it, the SC1012's beached photo is shown as well as her disposition. Ted has done a fine job indeed on reporting various stories, photos and information on many of the SC's from WWII. It is well worth the money.

All of the WWII subchasers shared the same hull design; but depending on the manufacturer, the deck layout and ordnance placement changed. It seemed that each shipbuilder followed their own layout.

The number and type of ordnance seems to have been dictated by whatever guns and other ordnance were available at the time they were built. Some were equipped with 50 caliber machine guns rather than the 20 mm cannons. Many were ultimately fitted with a 40 mm cannon in front of the wheelhouse. (These were mainly the later models)

The position of the lifeboat changed. Some were amidships and many were mounted transversely across the stern. Of course, the radar and sonar gears were in a continual state of flux. As improved versions of each were available, the ships were then retrofitted.

One very interesting fact was that the ships were primarily built from Pine; but as I have since found out that whatever material that was readily available was used. As a result, unless they routinely employed the brick and sand method of scrubbing the decks, they turned the dark grey that weathered pine turns when exposed to the elements. Pine was primarily the wood of choice. Hence the moniker that they had placed upon them of the "Splinter Fleet of the Donald Duck Navy"

The SC1012 was built by the Fellows and Craft shipbuilders. Along with the SC1012, this company was responsible for building 13 other subchasers.

Keel laid. . . September 7, 1942

Launched. . . December 28, 1942

Commissioned. . . August 18, 1943

Designation changed from PC to SC. . . April 8, 1943

Damaged beyond repair following a Typhoon that hit the Sea Plane Base on Okinawa. . . October 1945

The SC1012 was ultimately destroyed on January 1st, 1946.

She was involved in several campaigns. . .

The SC1012 traveled many miles across and throughout the south Pacific escorting convoys, providing Harbormaster duties and pre-invasion reconnaissance. On one such convoy, in February of 1944, The LST-577 was torpedoed. The escort ships, the USS Coolbaugh and USS Haas along with the SC1012 formed a Hunter-Killer group and began a systematic search for the offending sub. Although no confirmed kill was ever recorded, the rapid and aggressive actions taken by the escort ships, resulted in no further offensive action from the sub. The LST was able to steam to port and as I understand it was ultimately destroyed. I am not aware of any casualties; but I am sure that there were some.

(Just as a quick footnote to the above action report. . . The actual report indicated that 8 or 9 rockets were fired at a location that sonar showed the sub to be. One of the crew, the chief gunner's mate, indicated to me that he did not remember the SC1012 firing any rockets. It also was his intention to not discredit an official Naval Document. He truly could not remember.)

The story was told while completing their Harbormaster duties, in the Keramerati Island Group, they had just escorted an ammo ship to dock, the SC1012 was accosted by a Kamikaze. The crew already at battle stations and manning the guns, had just prepared to open fire when the pilot, apparently spotting a better target, broke off his attack on the SC1012 and slammed into the ammo ship. As one crewmember recalled the incident, that ammo ship burned for 3 or 4 days. It was but one of the harrowing experiences that they encountered.

The SC1012 was extremely fortunate in not losing any crewmembers to any sort of enemy action. The same cannot be said for all of the SC's. Most of her escort duties were the most boring imaginable. However the thought that at any moment all heck could break loose was very hard on every combat soldier or sailor. The later being a very real possibility.

During the pre-invasion recon of the islands, Col. "Squeeky" Anderson was the commanding officer for the landing forces. Squeeky was the main commander for the landing operations the 1012 was involved in. He would routinely board the 1012 and go with them to map out the landing zones. During the actual invasion, the 1012 would stand by at a preset location and the landing craft would then home in on her, aiming to the right or the left of where the 1012 was stationed. This type of "spotting" enabled the landing ships to hit their target without using any other guidance systems.