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Operation Barney
Part of the Pacific War, World War II
Map of the Sea of Japan
Date June 5–24, 1945 Location Sea of Japan Result Significant damage to Japanese merchant fleet; One American submarine sunk
Combatants
United States	Japan
Commanders and leaders
Chester W. Nimitz Earl T. Hydeman George E. Pierce Robert D. Risser
Units involved
US Submarines: Hydeman’s Hellcats Hydeman’s Hepcats USS Sea Dog USS Crevalle USS Spadefish Pierce’s Polecats USS Tunny USS Bonefish USS Skate Risser’s Bobcats USS Flying Fish USS Bowfin USS Tinosa	Japanese merchant fleet Submarine I-122
Strength
9 submarines
Casualties and losses
USS Bonefish (SS-223)	27 merchant ships Submarine I-122

The Operation Barney was an operation conducted by the United States Navy during the Pacific War in World War II. In June 1945, nine American submarines penetrated the Sea of Japan and sank numerous ships.

Leading up to the Operation

Commander Dudley W. Morton and the crew of the USS Wahoo (SS-238) were some of the most successful aggressive submariners against the Japanese in the Pacific. According to Charles A. Lockwood, Morton's aggressive tactics and desire to attack the enemy from inside the sea of Japan set in motion development for the technology for submarines to navigate underwater minefields. The Wahoo and her crew were sunk by the Japanese in the La Pérouse Strait, 11 October 1943, trying to gain access to the Sea of Japan.

Development of Frequency Modulated Sonar (FMS)

The Frequency Modulated Sonar (FMS), was developed at the top-secret University of California Division of War Research at Point Loma, San Diego. The team developing the FMS, which was originally designed to be used by minesweepers, included several top scientists including Franz N. D. Kurie. Admiral Lockwood was introduced to the first FMS prototype in April 1943. The research team were not successful applying the new technology to minesweepers, because turbulent surface water distorted the signal.

Operation

In 1944, the Japanese merchant fleet suffered heavy losses inflicted by American submarines, aircraft, and naval mines. Only a few Japanese ships were still moving in coastal areas, where they were relatively safe from submarine operations. In the secluded Sea of Japan, which was considered Japan's backyard, there was still active maritime traffic.

After experimenting with Frequency Modulated Sonar (FMS) from minesweepers in submarines, Admiral Lockwood conceived the idea to launch an attack using submarines equipped with mine sonar to navigate through the mine belts around the Sea of Japan. This would demonstrate to the Japanese that they were no longer safe anywhere, potentially aiding psychologically in bringing Japan to surrender. William Bernard (Barney) Sieglaff was tasked with devising the plan, which was subsequently named Operation Barney after him.

Under the command of E.T. Hydeman, three groups of three submarines (wolfpacks) entered the Sea of Japan through the Korea Strait on June 5 and 6, 1945, reaching their operation areas three days later. Over the span of eleven days, they sank 27 merchant ships totaling 54,784 BRT, as well as the Japanese submarine I-122 and accidentally the Soviet freighter Transbalt. The USS Bonefish was sunk by Japanese forces on June 19. On the night of June 24, the remaining eight submarines retreated from the Sea of Japan through the La Pérouse Strait. It was one of the most successful submarine operations of the war.

Operation Barney was considered dangerous enough that every submarine commander that took part in Operation Barney was awarded the Navy Cross.

Submarines, units sank, commanders, and awards for Operation Barney:

• USS Sea Dog (SS-401) - 6 merchant ships
  • Earl T. Hydeman
• USS Spadefish (SS-411) - 5 merchant ships
  • William J. Germershausen, Jr.
• USS Tinosa (SS-283) - 4 merchant ships
  • Richard C. Latham
• USS Skate (SS-305) - 3 merchant ships and Submarine I-122
  • Richard B. Lynch
• USS Crevalle (SS-291) - 3 merchant ships
  • Everett H. Steinmetz
• USS Bonefish (SS-223) - 2 merchant ships
  • Lawrence L. Edge - KIA
• USS Flying Fish (SS-229) - 2 merchant ships
  • Robert D. Risser
• USS Bowfin (SS-287) - 2 merchant ships
  • Alexander K. Tyree
• USS Tunny (SS-282) - None
  • George E. Pierce

Encouraged by the success, Admiral Lockwood subsequently sent a group of seven boats into the Sea of Japan.

Literature

• Lockwood, Charles A., and Hans Christian Adamson. Hellcats of the Sea. Eschenburg Press, 2017.
• Sasgen, Peter T. Hellcats: The Epic Story of World War II’s Most Daring Submarine Raid. NAL Caliber, 2010.
• Steven Trent Smith: Operation Barney: Bloody payback in the Pacific. Navytimes, September 29, 2019
• Jack Sweetman: 50 Years Ago . . . Operation Barney., Proceedings, Vol. 121/6/1,108

In Media

• Hellcats of the Navy, Columbia Pictures 1957 (starring Ronald Reagan)
• The Silent Service - Season 1, Episode 35: The Tshushima Straits Story, Twin Dolphin Productions Inc. (aired on Friday, July 11, 1958)

External Links

• Mark Loproto: Operation Barney: Revenge for a Lost Submarine (English)
• USS Bowfin History – Patrol 9 on USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park Pearl Harbor (English)

References

1. Lockwood, Charles; Adamson, Hans (1955). Hellcats of the Sea. New York: Greeberg. p. 8. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
2. Lockwood, Charles; Adamson, Hans (1955). Hellcats of the Sea. New York: Greeberg. p. 24. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
3. Lockwood, Charles; Adamson, Hans (1955). Hellcats of the Sea. New York: Greeberg. p. 25. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
4. Bryant, Douglas; Wignall, Jeff (2017). The Navy Gave Me Shoes. South Carolina: CreateSpace. pp. 121–122. ISBN 1544869657. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
5. Lockwood, Charles; Adamson, Hans (1955). Hellcats of the Sea. New York: Greeberg. p. 26. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
6. Jack Sweetman: 50 Years Ago . . . Operation Barney, Proceedings, Vol. 121/6/1,108, June 1995.
7. John A. Adams: If Mahan ran the Great Pacific War – An Analysis of World War II Naval Strategy, Indiana University Press 2008, ISBN 978-0-253-35105-0, p. 376.
8. "The Tshushima Straits Story". IMDb. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
9. "Silent Service S2 E19 :The USS Tinosa Story". YouTube. Retrieved 19 September 2023.