| History | |
|---|---|
  United States | |
| Name | YP-345 (ex-Yankee) |
| Builder | Al Larson Boat Building,San Pedro, Los Angeles |
| Sponsored by | Van Camp Sea Food Co. Inc. |
| Completed | 1939 |
| Identification | 238205 |
| Fate | Sunk, unknown cause |
| Notes |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Fishing vessel |
| Tonnage | 294 GRT tons[1] |
| Length | 32.3 m (106 ft 0 in)o/a[1] |
| Beam | 8.26 m (27 ft 1 in)[1] |
| Draft | 3.84 m (12 ft 7 in)[1] |
| Installed power | 490shp[1] 122nhp[2] |
| Propulsion | 8-cyl. diesel engines,[1] fuel oil |
| Speed | 10 knots |
| Crew | 17 |
| Armament | 2 x .50 caliber machine guns |
USSYP-345 was a converted fishing vessel which served in theU.S. Navy duringWorld War II.
YP-345 was commissioned by the Van Camp Sea Food Co. Inc. of Los Angeles and built byAl Larson Boat Building at theirSan Pedro, California shipyard.[1][2] She was completed in 1939 as a wooden hulled tuna boat and christened theYankee.[1] In 1942, soon after the attack onPearl Harbor, the US government requisitioned 52 of the 79 tuna clippers (including theYankee) in the California fleet (49 by theU.S. Navy and 3 by theU.S. Army).[3] Although slow at 10 knots, the wooden hulls of the tuna boats made them ideal for mine sweeping operations and their refrigerated holds suitable for delivery of perishables.[3] In addition, their crews were already seasoned and with minimal training, ready for service.[3] TheYankee was painted grey and fitted with two .50 caliber machine guns and had the ability to fire depth charges.[3] TheYankee was designated as ayard patrol boat (YP-345).[1] Ships of this class were affectionately known as "Yippies".[3]
She was sent toHawaii where AdmiralChester W. Nimitz was preparing for the defense ofMidway Island.[4]YP-345 along withYP-284,YP-290, andYP-350, were assembled into Task Force (TF) 4 and assigned to protect and patrol theNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands.[4] On 20 May 1942, they set out fromPearl Harbor to posts at the several islets and islands that extended from Hawaii out to Midway Atoll:YP-345 went toGardner Pinnacles whileYP-284 toLisianski Island,YP-290 toLaysan Island, andYP-350 toNecker Island.[4] The converted armed yachtCrystal took station atPearl and Hermes Reef[4] while seaplane tendersThornton andBallard, both converted destroyers, were stationed atFrench Frigate Shoals.[5] The ships were tasked with patrolling their area of control, serving as a lookout for any enemy activity, and the rescuing of downed airman.[4] The YPs also carried aviation gasoline, food, and water if needed at Midway Island.[6] Nimitz had correctly surmised that the Japanese had used the outer Hawaiian Islands to refuel seaplanes to reconnoiter Pearl Harbor.[5] In fact, the Japanese had on two occasions flownKawanishi H8K "Emily" seaplanes to French Frigate Shoals where they met awaiting submarines to refuel.[5] By denying the Japanese access, the Japanese were forced to cancel "Operation K" which entailed flying four H8Ks fromJaluit andWotje in theMarshall Islands to the French Frigate Shoals and refueling them from submarinesI-121 andI-123 so they could then fly on to Pearl Harbor and ascertain if the American carriers remained in port.[5] If they had been successful, they would have found out that the American carriers had already departed Pearl Harbor.[5]
YP-345 returned to Pearl Harbor after theBattle of Midway.[4] On 31 October 1942, while traveling fromFrench Frigate Shoals toMidway Island, YP-345 was lost to unknown causes 80 miles northeast ofLaysan Island.[1] All 17 crew members perished.[1] She was one of the 12 converted tuna clippers lost while on duty during World War II.[3][7]
YPs with aviation gasoline, food and water stationed along island chain at following positions: YP 284 at LISIANSKI; YP 290 at LAYSAN; YP 345 at GARDNER'S PINNACLES; YP 350 at NECKER ISLAND.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in October 1942 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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