USS Pompano Challenge Coin

August 29, 1943 -- 78 Men Lost (one man lost in non-sinking event)

A beautiful 1.75 inch brass coin honoring the men of World War II who gave their lives fighting for our country...

The front of the coin honors the USS Pompano (SS 181). The back has the following quote:

"To the 374 officers and 3131 men of the Submarine Force who gave their lives in the winning of this war, I can assure you that they went down fighting and that their brothers who survived them took a grim toll of our savage enemy to avenge their deaths."

-Vice Admiral C.A. Lockwood, Jr. Commander Submarine Force, 1943 - 1946

About the USS Pompano (SS 181)...

After leaving Midway on 20 August 1943 to start her seventh war patrol, POMPANO, with Lt. Cdr. W.M. Thomas in command, was never heard from again. Her orders were to patrol off the east coast of Honshu from about 29 August to sunset of 27 September 1943, and then to return to Pearl Harbor for refit, stopping at Midway en route for fuel.

When no transmission was received from her, especially just prior to her expected arrival at Midway on 5 October, word was sent from Pearl to keep a sharp lookout for her. By 15 October, all hope was abandoned, and POMPANO was reported as presumed lost in enemy waters.

Japanese information available now shows no attack which could conceivably have been directed towards POMPANO. On 6 September POMPANO was informed by dispatch that the area to the north of her own was open. Since that area was considered more productive for sinkings than the one she was in, it is quite possible that she moved into it. Both the area between Honshu and Hokkaido, and the one east of northern Honshu are known to have been heavily mined by the enemy, with the greatest concentration of mines in the northern area. In view of the evidence given, it is considered probable that POMPANO met her end by an unreported attack.

In the six patrols completed before her loss, POMPANO sank ten enemy ships for a total of 42,000 tons, and damaged four, totaling 55,300 tons. In the first month of the war, POMPANO patrolled near Wake Island, and sank a large freighter-transport of 16,500 tons. On her second patrol, conducted east of Formosa, she sank a large transport, a tanker, a small freighter, and two patrol boats. POMPANO went to the Empire for her third patrol, from mid-August to mid-September 1942, and sank a freighter and a patrol boat. In the Marshalls area on her fourth patrol, she damaged two tankers. Going to the Empire again for her fifth patrol, POMPANO damaged an aircraft carrier. She went to Japan a third time for her sixth patrol, this time along the coast south of Honshu. There she sank a sampan and damaged a freighter.

Would make an excellent addition to your collection or for your favorite sailor! Collect the entire series!

OPTIONAL: Our Air-Tite acrylic cases provide the ultimate long-term protection for your coin. They are made of crystal clear, hard Acrylic and will never yellow over time; the foam rings are made of Volara and both are free of PVC that could damage your coin.