US Navy Declared Presumed Dead Date 21 Apr 1946 from US Navy Final Disposition Report of the crew USS Trigger (SS237) Apr 1946

USS Trigger (SS-237) a Gato-class submarine

USS Trigger (SS-237) (with new skipper Commander David R. Connole) stood out to sea on 11 March 1945, to begin her 12th war patrol and headed for the Nansei Shoto area (An island group of southwest Japan). On 18 March, she attacked a convoy west of the islands, sinking the cargo ship Tsukushi Maru No.3 and damaging another. She reported the attack on 20 March, and the submarine was subsequently ordered to radio as many movements of the convoy as possible to help find a safe passage through a known mined area of the East China Sea. On 24 March, Trigger was ordered to begin patrolling west of the islands the next day, outside the 100 fathom curve, and to steer clear of restricted areas. On 26 March 1945, she was ordered to join a wolf pack called "Earl's Eliminators" and to acknowledge receipt of the message. A weather report came from the submarine that day but no confirmation of her having received the message. The weather report was Trigger's last transmission. On 4 April, she was ordered to proceed to Midway, but she had not arrived by 20 Apr 1945 and was reported as presumed lost/missing in Action. Trigger was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 July 1945.

Postwar Japanese records showed a Japanese aircraft detected and bombed a submarine on 28 March 1945. Two Kaibokan-Mikura, escort ships CD-33, and CD-59 were then guided to the spot and delivered an intensive depth charging. After two hours, a large oil slick appeared.

Fire Controlman, Third Class Neal Anderson Absher was a member of her crew at the time of her lost.

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Neal Anderson Absher

USS Trigger (Cdr. David Rickart Connole) was most likely sunk by Japanese aircraft, the Japanese frigate Mikura (offsite link) and the Japanese corvettes Kaibokan No.33 and Kaibokan No.59 east of Kyusyu, Japan in position 32º16'N, 132º05'E.