USS Grunion Challenge Coin

July 30, 1942 - 70 Men Lost

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 Grunion (SS 216). 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 Grunion (SS 216)...

The submarine GRUNION arrived at Pearl Harbor on 20 June 1942, reporting for duty from the West Coast. This vessel engaged in the pre-patrol training given to all submarines reporting from new construction yards, and on 30 June, left for patrol.

Lt. Cmdr. Mannert L. Abele, in command, was ordered to proceed to the Aleutian Theater and patrol westward from Attu on routes between the Aleutians and the Japanese Empire. On 10 July GRUNION was reassigned to the area north of Kiska. GRUNION made her first report on 15 July: Dutch Harbor received her message that attacked by an enemy destroyer, she had fired three torpedoes at it, and missed with all.

Shortly after this message was received GRUNION sent another relating that she had sunk three destroyer-type vessels on 15 July. This message was garbled to the extent that details of the attacks were never learned (Japanese information reveals that GRUNION sank patrol boats 25 and 27 and damaged a third patrol vessel). On 19 July GRUNION, S-32, TRITON, and TUNA were assigned areas in the approaches to Kiska, all to be there by daylight 22 July.

There was an intense concentration of enemy vessels at Kiska, this time being only a month and a half after the enemy had taken that island. The ships patrolling there were told to watch particularly on the afternoon of 22 July 1942 for departing enemy naval vessels, since our surface forces were scheduled to bombard Kiska that afternoon. The bombardment did not take place per the original plans, but our forces did stage the operation on 28 July, and GRUNION was told to guard the exits against Kiska during darkness on this date. On this day GRUNION reported an attack on unidentified enemy ships six miles southeast of Sirius Point, Kiska. She had fired two torpedoes, made no hits, and been depth charged, but sustained no damage.

GRUNION's last transmission was received 30 July 1942. She reported heavy antisubmarine activity at the entrance to Kiska, and that she had ten torpedoes remaining. On the same day, GRUNION was directed to return to Dutch Harbor. She was not contacted or sighted after 30 July, despite every effort to do so, and on 16 August was reported lost. Planes observing the approaches to Kiska for indications of enemy salvage operations in connection with GRUNION reported negatively.

Japanese antisubmarine attack data available now record no attack in the Aleutian area at this time, and GRUNION's fate remains a mystery. We know of no enemy minefields which were in her area; thus her loss may be presumed to have been operational or as a result of an unrecorded enemy attack.

UPDATE: FOUND USS Grunion (SS-216) has been located by a team led by the sons of her commanding officer, Mannert Lincoln "Jim" Abele. Grunion was sunk approximately 10 miles northeast of Kiska in the Aleutian Islands. On 16 August 2006, the team discovered a probable submarine wreck and produced sonar images of it. The findings were confirmed by the U.S. Navy on 1 October 2008 (RELEASE #08-054).



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.