Luzon Strait in WW2 History | World War II Database

12 Jan 1944

Pacific Ocean

Submarine USS Thresher entered her patrol area in the Luzon Strait. ww2dbase [Thresher | Luzon Strait | DS]

15 Jan 1944

Pacific Ocean

With heavy seas running in the Luzon Strait, submarine USS Thresher had trouble maintaining periscope depth so she surfaced only to find she was in the path of a Japanese aircraft carrier with destroyer escort. The carrier quickly turned away while the destroyer attacked. Thresher went deep and avoided the attack. Five hours later, Thresher encountered a convoy of four ships with a single patrol boat as escort. Thresher fired four torpedoes at the 4,000-ton Toho Maru with two hits in her stern; Toho Maru sank quickly. Thresher then fired three torpedoes at the 8,000-ton Tatsuno Maru loaded with gasoline. Tatsuno Maru took three evenly spaced hits along her starboard side and "literally blew him to pieces." Tatsuno Maru was broken into two pieces with the bow section sinking almost immediately and the stern section sinking a short time later. ww2dbase [Thresher | Luzon Strait | DS]

Photo(s) dated 15 Jan 1944

27 Jan 1944

Pacific Ocean

In the Luzon Strait, submarine USS Thresher attacked a three-ship convoy coming out of the Taiwan Strait. Thresher fired two spreads of three torpedoes at the two largest ships. The 2,000-ton Kosei Maru and 1,200-ton Kikuzuki Maru were sunk. As Thresher pursued the third ship, she came across a different three-ship convoy on a similar course. Thresher fired three torpedoes at one ship with no hits and four torpedoes at another ship with one hit that damaged a 10,000-ton tanker. ww2dbase [Thresher | Luzon Strait | DS]

30 Jan 1944

Pacific Ocean

Submarine USS Thresher departed her patrol area on a course for Midway. ww2dbase [Thresher | Luzon Strait | DS]

1 Jul 1944

Pacific Ocean

Submarines USS Guardfish, USS Thresher, USS Piranha, and USS Apogon entered their assigned patrol area in the Luzon Strait. ww2dbase [Guardfish | Thresher | Apogon | Piranha | Luzon Strait | DS]

11 Jul 1944

Pacific Ocean

Northeast of Luzon, Philippines, submarine USS Thresher detected a seven-ship southbound convoy. Thresher along with USS Guardfish, and USS Apogon began a coordinated stalking of the ships. ww2dbase [Piranha | Apogon | Thresher | Guardfish | Luzon Strait | DS]

12 Jul 1944

Pacific Ocean

Submarines USS Guardfish, USS Thresher, USS Piranha, and USS Apogon attacked the convoy they had been tracking since the previous day. Apogon fired six torpedoes at an auxiliary ship with no hits, but Apogon's periscopes are damaged when she is rammed by a different ship. Piranha torpedoed one cargo ship. Thresher, on the opposite flank of the convoy, was detected by a Japanese escort ship. Thresher evaded but the chase took Thresher 20 miles away from the convoy. Apogon's damage was severe enough that she withdrew from the patrol area and set a course for Pearl Harbor, Hawaiʻi. ww2dbase [Piranha | Apogon | Thresher | Guardfish | Luzon Strait | DS]

31 Aug 1944

Pacific Ocean

South of Formosa (Taiwan), submarine USS Growler and her wolfpack attacked a convoy of twenty ships bound for Manila. Growler and Sealion badly damage the 9,181-ton tanker Rikko Maru and Growler probably also sunk a small escort vessel. ww2dbase [Growler | Mariana Islands Campaign | Luzon Strait | DS]

1 Dec 1944

Pacific Ocean

USS Segundo arrived on station in the Luzon Strait ww2dbase [Segundo | Luzon Strait, Philippine Sea | CPC]

16 Dec 1944

Pacific Ocean

USS Wasp transited the Luzon Strait north of the Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Wasp (Essex-class) | Luzon Strait, Philippines Sea | CPC]

2 Feb 1945

Pacific Ocean

The Japanese Army SB craft formerly known as Navy landing ship No. 115 was sunk by US aircraft in the Luzon Strait north of Luzon, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [No. 101/103-class | Luzon Strait, Philippine Sea | CPC]

18 Feb 1945

Pacific Ocean

Submarines USS Thresher, USS Peto, and USS Shad arrived in their patrol area of the Luzon Strait. ww2dbase [Shad | Thresher | Peto | Luzon Strait | DS]

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