Thresher and sistership Tautog (SS-198) departed the submarine base at Pearl Harbor on 31 October 1941 bound for a simulated war patrol north of Midway atoll, both carrying fully-armed torpedo warheads. Tautog returned first; and, on 7 December, Thresher neared the Hawaiian Islands to end her part of the cruise. The submarine Thresher had encountered heavy seas while cruising on the surface during the passage on 6 December, and a wave had slammed Sea2c William D. Grover against the support for the periscopes, inflicting multiple injuries. Litchfield (DD- 336), which was to rendezvous with the submarine, embarked Lt. (j.g.) John J. Kane (MC), a junior medical officer from the tender Pelias (AS-14), moored at the Submarine Base, and PhM2c Paul D. Ratchford (a corpsman from Pelias) as the destroyer began to make preparations to get underway, then embarked Lt. Cmdr. Junius W. Millard, D-V(G), USNR (from Pelias), soon thereafter, clearing berth S-5 at 2033. Litchfield’s departure prompted the harbor entrance gate to be opened at 2215, then closed again at 2250 once she had cleared it, the last ship to leave Pearl Harbor on 6 December 1941.
Thresher received word at 0810 on 7 December 1941 that Pearl Harbor was under attack by Japanese planes. Litchfield promptly set off to join American light forces departing from the harbor, leaving Thresher alone to conduct her first real war patrol. However, the destroyer was ordered back to escort the submarine; radio contact between the two ships was established; and a rendezvous arranged.
At the pre-appointed time, Thesher poked up her periscope to have a look, and noticed a destroyer, similar to Litchfield, approaching, bows-on. The submarine’s commander and a signalman felt certain that the oncoming ship was Litchfield. Nevertheless, instead of a warm reception from friends, she got a hot reception from what proved to be the light minelayer Gamble (DM-15), which opened fire on the submarine as soon as her black conning tower broke the surface.
Quickly reappraising the situation, Thresher immediately went deep to avoid the attentions of “friendly forces.” She again tried to enter the harbor on the 8th, but was driven off by depth-bombs from a patrol plane, before the seaplane tender (destroyer) Thornton (AVD-11) finally arrived to provide safe-conduct for the submarine at midday on the 8th. Sadly, Sea2c Grover steadily worsened, and died before the boat reached port.
SOURCE – Navy History and Heritage Command
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