USS Sealion SS 195

USS Sealion SS 195 launching May 25, 1939 at the Electric Boat Company.
She was the 131^st submarine built at EB for the Navy.
Photo provided by MMCM (SS) Greg Peterman USN Retired, from his Goat Locker webpage

USS Sealion SS 195 was heavily damaged on December 10, 1941
by the Japanese air raid on Manila and the Cavite Navy Yard in the
Philippines. There was no time to repair her so she was striped of all
equipment and towed out into the harbor and sunk with the hatches
open. A number of depth charges had been placed aboard her
and destroyed her beyond reasonable salvage condition.

Sealion Baseball team, date unknown, probably circa 1940.
Photo most likely taken on the Sealion's deck.
In the background is a small boat with the number 197. If the
boat belonged to the outboard submarine, that would make
it the USS Seawolf SS 197. The center boat is not identifiable.
Thanks to Larry Johnson for the photo his uncle Clarence H. Johnson served aboard the Sealion as a Seaman 2nd.
Lt. Clarence H. Johnson died while serving aboard the USS Golet when she was sunk by the Japanese on June 14, 1944.

More information about the above photo from crew member Everett Buttler

In the photo of softball team. Believe ship in middle of picture is the Canopus. White cube shaped building in background in most likely the Manila Hotel, which was MacArthur's headquarters before his move to the Rock

I knew Day, (Y1/C Loyal Day), but only in a very limited way. He was the yeoman and had a lot of responsibilities. Guess he made his liberties with his buddies as I went ashore with Woods another fireman. Woods and I, with Capt Voge's help both came to Manitowoc in June 1943 for new construction we were both MoMM2 I went to Redfin and he to Robalo, he got off before she was lost

Shaw was a EM1 from Brooklyn, jewish man. His father owned a record store in Brooklyn. Al had a record player and his dad would sent him all the recordings and when Al wasn't pissed off at the rest of us he would play them on his phonograph. Last time I saw Shaw he was an ensign at Pearl Harbor. Another arrangement by Voge I am sure.

I have had in the past an inquiry about CEM Hurst, who commissioned Sealion but was not on board in 1941 Someone else wrote me about either Oconnel or Foster one of the two EMC killed at Cavite

I will try and keep some info coming to you as I recall things, been a long time.

Everett Butler.

The following items are special to me since they are about family.
Thanks to a shipmate who found these items and sent them to me.
Ric Hedman/webmaster

Commissioning Officers roster
Image courtesy of Marty Danford

Enlisted Crew Commissioning roster.
My cousin, Loyal Day, is the ninth name down the list.
Image courtesy of Marty Danford

Everett Butler, Sealion crew member. Photo taken in 1944.
Image courtesy of Everett Butler

I was on the Sealion from Oct 41 to Dec 41. Was a F2C in the FWD Engine Room. Before the yard period at Cavite I, along with another fireman and chief Rogers, were working on modifying the pistons for the main engines for the up coming yard overhaul.

The yard overhaul was to be completed by Dec 13 but the air raid on Dec 10 ended all of that.

It was a Wednesday and work schedule had been increased a few hours each day. We had just had lunch in the mess hall in the dock area in the navy yard and returned to the ship waiting to return to work at 1 when the air raid sirens went off. We received two direct bomb hits one on the cigarette deck after end of bridge area. The other, either in the after engine room or manuevering room. This one really done us in lost main motor reduction gears and of course the entire switching equipment for electric power. The switches were all apart having been rebuilt by the EMs.

We lost 3 EMs and one MM1 Since we were outboard of Seadragon along side the wharf we settled in the water and only the stern and the deck from just aft of the conning tower was under water.

Most of the Sealion crew went on to the dock and manned fire hoses to fight fires in the wooden buildings. The fire got to the torpedo warheads and they began to explode, then many of us jumped into the water beside the dock.

When the fires were out and the yard was in waste, Capt Voge sent Utz to find us a boat so we could get across Manila Bay to the Canopus alongside one of the city piers. Utz came back with the Admirals Barge, we all got on board and headed for the Canopus.

The next several days were spent getting classified material off the boat On the 17 of Dec the Sailfish came in, their skipper had asked to be relieved, and Voge took command. Four Sealion sailors went on board, Riley RM1; Johnson SM1; Elsasser SN; and Butler FN. Later I think in Java we also picked up Rahl, Utz and McCurdy FN, making a total of 8 Sealion sailors on board Sailfish.

PHM (Wheeler) Lipes went to Seadragon, he died just last year, was a LCDR retired. He did the appendectomy operation. (The first submerged appendectomy operation in history)

Hope this helps you out.

I am treasurer of Wisconsin Base SubVets inc.

Everett Butler

Story courtesy of Everett Butler

Postal Cover with my cousin's signature on it.
My cousin, Loyal Day, was aboard Sealion in Cavite harbor when the base and Sealion were bombed.
Image courtesy of Marty Danford

Postal Cover with my cousin's signature on it.
Image courtesy of Marty Danford

Loyal Day & author in May of 1969 in San Diego, CA.
This was the one and only time I had the pleasure to meet my
cousin he passed away a while after this photo was taken.

Read / Sign our Deck Log

Sargo Class Cutaway and Specifications

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