The USS Sealion (SS-195) was a Sargo-class submarine of the United States Navy, notable for being the first American submarine to fall victim to enemy action during World War II. Constructed by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, her keel was laid on June 20, 1938. She was launched on May 25, 1939, with Mrs. Augusta K. Bloch as her sponsor, and was commissioned later that year on November 27, under the command of Lieutenant Julian K. Morrison Jr. Sealion’s early service included deployment to the Philippines as part of the Asiatic Fleet, based at Cavite. During her service, she conducted operations in the region from Luzon into the Sulu Archipelago. Tragically, in December 1941, while at the Cavite Navy Yard preparing for a regular overhaul, Sealion was hit during a Japanese air raid. She sustained two direct hits: one on her conning tower fairwater, destroying vital air induction and ventilation components, and another on her topside above the aft engine room, penetrating the hull and causing catastrophic internal damage. The attack caused Sealion to flood and settle stern-down, with about 40% of her main deck submerged and a 15-degree starboard list. Due to extensive damage, she was deemed irreparable, and her crew was evacuated before she was deliberately destroyed with explosives on December 25, 1941, to prevent her use by enemy forces. Some of her crew were reassigned or became prisoners of war; notably, two men, Howard Firth and Harold Gearhart, died as POWs. The wreck of USS Sealion remained off Machina Wharf in shallow water at Cavite until the Japanese occupation of Manila and Cavite. The Japanese examined and later raised her for use, moving her to a location off Sangley Point where she remained exposed through the war. In 1959, efforts to salvage her for construction purposes resulted in the removal of the remains of the fallen sailors and likely led to her final scrapping. Sealion’s sinking and subsequent history have left a lasting mark, including her depiction in popular culture and stories of her role in early WWII naval history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.