| USS ROBALO SS-273 Report of War Patrol 1 January 8 1944 to March 6 1944 |
In her first patrol, in the area west of the Philippines, ROBALO damaged a large
enemy freighter. Departed Fremantle on June 22, 1944 to conduct her third war
patrol in the South China Sea in the vicinity of the Natuna Islands.
ROBALO was sunk July 26, 1944, two miles off the western coast of Palawan
Island as a result of an explosion of her after battery. Four men swam ashore, an
officer and three enlisted men: Samuel L. Tucker, Ens.; Floyd G. Laughlin, QM1c;
Wallace K. Martin, SM3c, and Mason C. Poston, EM2c. They made their way
through the jungles to a small barrio northwest of the Puerto Princesa camp. They
were captured there by Japanese Military Police, and confined in the jail. They
were held for guerrilla activities rather than as prisoners of war, it is said. On
August 15, 1944, a Japanese destroyer evacuated them, and nothing further is
known of their destination or whereabouts. The Japanese may have executed
them or the destroyer may have been sunk. At any rate, they were never
recovered and their note stated that there were no other survivors.
enemy freighter. Departed Fremantle on June 22, 1944 to conduct her third war
patrol in the South China Sea in the vicinity of the Natuna Islands.
ROBALO was sunk July 26, 1944, two miles off the western coast of Palawan
Island as a result of an explosion of her after battery. Four men swam ashore, an
officer and three enlisted men: Samuel L. Tucker, Ens.; Floyd G. Laughlin, QM1c;
Wallace K. Martin, SM3c, and Mason C. Poston, EM2c. They made their way
through the jungles to a small barrio northwest of the Puerto Princesa camp. They
were captured there by Japanese Military Police, and confined in the jail. They
were held for guerrilla activities rather than as prisoners of war, it is said. On
August 15, 1944, a Japanese destroyer evacuated them, and nothing further is
known of their destination or whereabouts. The Japanese may have executed
them or the destroyer may have been sunk. At any rate, they were never
recovered and their note stated that there were no other survivors.
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