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USS Kete S-369

The USS Kete was a United States Navy Balao-class submarine who was awarded one Battle Star for her service in World War II. Her unusual name was for a marine specimen also called a foureye butterflyfish. However, the military version was almost 312 feet long, carried 81 sailors, and could dive to 400 feet. She was also more dangerous, carrying an armament of 10 x 21-inch torpedo tubes, 24 torpedoes, 1 x 5-inch / 25 caliber deck gun, and four machine guns. Kete's propulsion equipment consisted of 4 x V16 diesel engines driving electrical generators, 2 x 126-cell batteries, 4 x high-speed electric motors with reduction gears, and two propellers. This enabled Kete to reach top speeds of 20 knots per hour when on the surface and 9 knots while submerged. She could also endure 48 hours when traveling underwater at 2 knots, or 75 days on patrol. Her range was 11,000 nautical miles if surfaced at 10 knots.

Bad Luck At the Start

Kete's keel was laid down in October of 1943 by Wisconsin's Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, and she was launched six months later. Commissioned that July, she thus commenced fitting out and shakedown in home waters before embarking on her maiden voyage on August 20th. Kete traveled first to New Orleans, Louisiana, before continuing to Panama, where she received additional training and conducted exercises and maneuver with Submarine Squadron 3. Once that phase of her preparation was complete, Kete set sail for Pearl Harbor, which she reached in mid-October. From there, USS Kete voyaged to her first war patrol in the East China Sea. On duty in November, she experienced her share of problems with both inclement weather and nonfunctioning bow planes. However, she followed orders into Saipan area, where she maintained operations until Christmas Eve, working in waters north of Okinawa. Again, Kete was victimized by hazardous weather conditions, but continue to serve through participation in lifeguard patrols near the Ryukyu Islands. During January, 1945, Kete's mission was to search for American aviators whose planes were shot down amidst local air strikes. In conjunction with this job, she also obtained pertinent weather data before being sent to Guam for refit.

Useful Information Gathering and a Sinking

USS Kete embarked on her next job a few weeks later, this time near the Nansei Shoto Chain. As she had previously done, she acquired valuable meteorological information while performing lifeguard duty; her role was to provide resources which would be utilized for the invasion of Okinawa. It was while she was in the vicinity of Tokara Retto on March 9, that she happened upon a convoy of Japanese ships. Reacting immediately, Kete fired her torpedoed and sank three marus totaling 6881 tons. Five days later, she caused serious damage to the enemy's cable-laying ship before being requiring a refit and refueling. Thus, she began her return to Midway Island. En route on March 20, Kete radioed a weather report from her position, which was south of Colnett Strait. That was the last contact she made with anyone. When she did not arrive at Midway by the last day of March, the worst was feared. Numerous tries to contact her via radio went unanswered, and sadly, she was presumed lost by April of 1945.

It is believed that the USS Kete was sunk by enemy fire, but there is also the possibility that she suffered from conditions involving system problems, a mine explosion, or even more dangerous weather. There is probably nothing worse for Americans than not knowing what happened to the 81 sailors on board one of its military craft. Along with the other atrocities of World War II, the nation surely grieved at this tragedy. That was just one of the horrid outcomes of battle; uncertainty and false hope must have continued for some time, with each day bringing a new sense of loss. Families and friends of the USS Kete's crew must have suffered worst of all, and the nation would have mourned with them. The ship had proved its prowess and had certainly contributed to the war effort. In all of Kete's accomplishments, she did her country proud. Those sailors who had previously served aboard Kete and then received transfers elsewhere probably questioned their fate. Regardless of where they served next, a part of them would always be with their former home and navy brothers.

For those who did transfer elsewhere, they should remember that all sailors faced the same dangers, both due to enemy fire as well as submarine mishaps, collisions, and accidents. There was also peril in the form of asbestos exposure, which affected many military personnel. This was due to the fact that asbestos was highly regarded as a retardant in the middle of the twentieth century, and used in almost all construction. Its properties, along with an ability to fit into small spaces without adding extra weight, made it ideal for ships. The Navy wanted to do as much as possible to protect its men from the threat of onboard fires, given the obvious danger from limited resources and escape routes. However, if the sealant around the asbestos became damaged from repeated depth charge explosions and sudden dives, it could have ripped. Even a small tear would have allowed tiny fibers to escape, and anyone could have inhaled or swallowed them. It's now known that asbestos has remained in victims' bodies for decades, all the while causing an irritation that may result in serious medical conditions or even malignancies. Any one who ever worked onboard a vessel may be at risk, so they should see their doctor at the first sign of unusual symptoms, and then contact us for more information.v

Submarines Index

USS Albacore SS 218 USS Amberjack SS 219 USS Angler SS 240 USS Apogon SS 308 USS Archer-Fish SS 311 USS Argonaut-SM-1 USS Argonaut SS 475 USS Aspro SS 309 USS Atule SS 403 USS Balao SS 285 USS Bang SS 385 USS Barbel SS 316 USS Barbero SS 317 USS Barb SS 220 USS Barracuda SS 163 USS Bashaw SS 241 USS Bergall SS 320 USS Besugo SS 321 USS Billfish SS 286 USS Blackfin SS 322 USS Blackfish SS 221 USS Blenny SS 324 USS Blower SS 325 USS Blueback SS 326 USS Bluefish SS 222 USS Bluegill SS 242 USS Boarfish SS 327 USS Bonefish SS 223 USS Bonita SS 165 USS Bowfin SS 287 USS Bream SS 243 USS Brill SS 330 USS Bugara SS 331 USS Bullhead SS 332 USS Bumper SS 333 USS Burrfish SS 312 USS Cabezon SS 334 USS Carbonero SS 337 USS Hake SS 256 USS Hammerhead SS 364 USS Harder SS 257 USS Hardhead SS 365 USS Hawkbill SS 366

USS Herring SS 233 USS Hoe SS 258 USS Icefish SS 367 USS Jack SS 259 USS Jallao SS 368 USS Kete S 369 USS Kingfish SS 234 USS Kraken SS 370 USS Lagarto SS 371 USS Lizardfish SS 373 USS Loggerhead SS 374 USS Macabi SS 375 USS Mackerel 204 USS Manta SS 299 USS Mapiro SS 376 USS Marlin SS 205 USS Mingo SS 261 USS Moray SS 300 USS Muskallunge SS 262 USS Narwhal SS 263 USS Nautilus SS 168 USS Paddle SS 167 USS Pampanito SS 383 USS Parche SS 384 USS Pargo SS 264 USS Perch SS 176 USS Permit SS 178 USS Peto SS 265 USS Pickerel SS 177 USS Picuda SS 382 USS Pike SS 173 USS Pilotfish SS 386 USS Pintado SS 387 USS Pipefish SS 388 USS Piranha SS 389 USS Plaice SS 390 USS Plunger SS 179 USS Pogy SS 266 USS Pollack SS 180 USS Pomfret SS 391 USS Pompano SS 181 USS Pompon SS 267 USS Porpoise SS 172

USS Puffer SS 268 USS Queenfish SS 393 USS Quillback SS 424 USS Rasher SS 269 USS Raton SS 270 USS Ray SS 271 USS Razorback SS 394 USS Redfin SS 272 USS Redfish SS 395 USS Robalo SS 273 USS Rock SS 274 USS Ronquil SS 396 USS Runner SS 275 USS Runner SS 476 USS S-1 SS 105 USS S-20 SS 125 USS S-46 SS 157 USS Sailfish SS 192 USS Salmon SS 182 USS Sand Lance SS 381 USS Sargo SS 188 USS Saury SS 189 USS Sawfish SS 276 USS Scabbardfish SS 397 USS Scamp SS 277 USS Scorpion SS 278 USS Sculpin SS 191 USS Sea Cat SS 399 USS Sea Devil SS 400 USS Sea Dog SS 401 USS Seadragon SS 194 USS Sea Fox SS 402 USS Seahorse SS 304 USS Sealion SS 195 USS Seal SS 183 USS Sea Owl SS 405 USS Sea Poacher SS 406 USS Searaven SS 196 USS Sea Robin SS 407 USS Seawolf SS 197 USS Segundo SS 398 USS Sennet SS 408

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