USS S-36

USS S-36 (SS-141) was an S-class submarine of the United States Navy.

S-36's keel was laid down on 10 December 1918 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of San Francisco, California. She was launched on 3 June 1919 sponsored by Miss Helen Russell, and commissioned on 4 April 1923.

Following trials, S-36 operated along the United States West Coast until the summer of 1925, with interruptions for exercises in Alaskan waters in June 1923 and for fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean Sea during the winter of 1924. She was then assigned to the United States Asiatic Fleet, departing the U.S. West Coast in mid-September 1925, and arriving at the Submarine Base, Cavite Navy Yard, Luzon, Philippines, on 4 November 1925.

For the next sixteen years, S-26 remained in the western Pacific, conducting exercises and patrols and undergoing overhauls at Cavite during the winter, and operating off the China coast from Tsingtao during the summer months. With the increase of hostilities on the mainland, however, summer deployments were shortened and individual patrols were extended throughout the Philippines, into the South China Sea, and in 1938, into the Dutch East Indies.

From April to June 1940, S-36 conducted her last China deployment and for the next year and a half remained in Philippine waters. By December 1941, the fleet was alerted to the possibility of a Japanese attack. On 2 December, her scheduled overhaul was cancelled and she was ordered north on patrol.

Water, stores, and torpedoes were taken on and she departed Cavite at 0100 on 3 December. By late afternoon, she was off Cape Bolinao, where she passed several Yangtze Patrol gunboats en route to Manila. At 1930, she entered Bolinao harbor, where she remained on continuous alert for the next week. On 8 December 1941, she received the news that the Japanese had started hostilities.

A few hours later, S-36 sighted enemy aircraft; that afternoon, she took up patrol duties between Cape Bolinao and San Fernando. On 9 December excessive air leaks developed, but she remained on patrol. On 10 December, the crew listened to radio traffic as the Japanese bombed Cavite. After the raid, the submarine's radio operator was unable to raise the station. On 12 December, S-36's electrical steering failed, and she was still unable to contact Cavite. Exhaust valve leaks appeared on 13 December, and on 14 December she received an urgent message requesting her position. None of her previous messages had gotten through. Two days later, she was ordered to Mariveles at the entrance to Manila Bay.

Still unable to transmit and with worsening air and salt water leaks, S-36 proceeded to Mariveles, anchoring there four days later. Repairs were made over the next few weeks and stores replenished, and she then started a final patrol in Philippine waters before heading south to join Allied forces gathering in the Dutch East Indies.