Eli Thomas Reich - World War II Service

World War II Service

A 1935 graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Reich attended the submarine school at New London, Connecticut, then in 1939 became executive officer and engineer on the first Sealion (SS-195). Sealion was the first US submarine damaged in World War II; it was bombed on December 10, 1941 while undergoing repairs at Cavite Navy Yard in the Philippines, and later scuttled, four men were killed and three others wounded during the bombing.

After Sealion was scuttled Reich served on the staff of the submarine commander at Corregidor and Bataan in the Philippines, escaping aboard Stingray (SS-186) before the surrender of U.S. forces there in the spring of 1942. He was executive officer aboard the Lapon (SS-260) in 1943, then in March 1944 assumed command of the second Sealion (SS-315).

Under Reich's command, Sealion II was credited with sinking the Japanese battleship Kongō, the only Japanese battleship sunk by submarine during World War II, the destroyer Urakaze, and a prisoner of war ship, Rayuko Maru. After sinking the POW ship, Sealion II surfaced and rescued 23 Australian and 31 British prisoners of war from the sea.