Navy Names Newest Sub After WWII LegendThat Sank 17 Ships and Blew Up a Train

Membersof the USS Barb's demolition squad pose with her battle flag at the conclusionof her 12th war patrol at Pearl Harbor in August 1945. Navy photo

14Oct 2020

Military.com | By Hope Hodge Seck

Once again, the Navy willhave USS Barb in the fleet.

On Tuesday, Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaiteannounced the names of two new vessels: the John F. Lehman, a future guided-missile destroyer named for the65th SecNav; and the Barb, a future Virginia-class submarinenamed for a sub with the distinction of sinking the most tonnage of Japaneseshipping during World War II -- including an aircraft carrier.

The original Barb, commissioned in 1942, wouldcarry out 12 patrols over the course of the war, to devastating effect on theenemy. On her 11th patrol alone, she sank four Japanese commercial ships and anumber of other small vessels and executed a harrowing torpedo launch off thecoast of China, maneuvering back to safety through mined and rocky waters.

The sub's crew would earn the covetedPresidential Unit Citation for that mission, and her commander, Eugene Fluckey,would earn the Medal of Honor.

On Sept. 17, 1944, the Barb sank the Japanesecarrier Un'yō, just a day after rescuing 14 British and Australian prisoners ofwar from the Japanese cargo ship Rakuyō Maru.

In July 1945, the Barb would claim its finalconquest: not a ship at all, but a railroad train. Fluckey sent eight men fromthe surfaced sub under cover of darkness to go ashore on Karafuto, Japan. Theyembedded a nearby train track with explosives and raced back to the Barb as thebombs detonated, shooting train car pieces and debris 200 feet in the air. TheBarb's battle flag featured a train in honor of this exploit.

In addition to Fluckey's Medal of Honor, Barbcrew members earned six Navy Crosses, 23 Silver Stars and 23 Bronze Stars,among other awards.

The Barb is actually the third of its name.Following the decommissioning of the original Barb in 1947, another wascommissioned in 1963, serving in Vietnam and then becoming a test platform forthe new Tomahawk cruise missile.

Lehman, the destroyer's namesake, served underPresident Ronald Reagan. A former Navy captain, Lehman as SecNav pushed for a600-ship Navy fleet -- a legacy relevant to today as service leaders advocateto grow the fleet to 500 ships.

"[Lehman's bold maritime strategy to surgeU.S. naval power into the Soviet maritime domain sent a strong signal to theSoviet Union that President Reagan's 'peace through strength' motto was noempty phrase, thus hastening the end of the Cold War," Navy officials saidin a news release. "He also paved a path to engagement with China, leadingto the first U.S. ships entering Chinese waters in more than 30 years."

In the announcement, Braithwaite said both shipnames carry a great legacy that will inspire those in uniform.

"These naval combatants, and many othersnamed after historic leaders and battle-tested namesakes are one of the keycomponents of our great Naval culture and heritage," he said. "Theother is the men and women who volunteer to serve this great nation above self,adding to the fabric of honor, courage and commitment which guides our greatNavy each and every day."

Bothfuture ships await construction; their commissioning dates are yet to bedetermined.