John Benjamin Bird
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, U.S. Navy
Service # 3289079
United States Navy
Entered the Service from: North Dakota
Date of Enlistment: 29 Apr 1941
Duty Ship: USS Trigger (SS-237)
Date 1st on-board: 4 Oct 1944
USS Trigger (SS-237) Ship and Crew Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Died: Assumed 28 March 1945
Awards: Purple Heart
Father: Leslie I Bird
Mother: Della D Bird
USS Trigger (SS-237) a Gato-class submarine with new skipper Commander David R. Connole and 88 other Crewmembers 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.
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, John Benjamin Bird, was a member of her crew at the time of her lost.
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, John Benjamin Bird, US Navy Declared Presumed Dead Date 21 Apr 1946 from "US Navy Final Disposition Report of the crew USS Trigger (SS237) Apr 1946"
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, U.S. Navy
Service # 3289079
United States Navy
Entered the Service from: North Dakota
Date of Enlistment: 29 Apr 1941
Duty Ship: USS Trigger (SS-237)
Date 1st on-board: 4 Oct 1944
USS Trigger (SS-237) Ship and Crew Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Died: Assumed 28 March 1945
Awards: Purple Heart
Father: Leslie I Bird
Mother: Della D Bird
USS Trigger (SS-237) a Gato-class submarine with new skipper Commander David R. Connole and 88 other Crewmembers 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.
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, John Benjamin Bird, was a member of her crew at the time of her lost.
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, John Benjamin Bird, US Navy Declared Presumed Dead Date 21 Apr 1946 from "US Navy Final Disposition Report of the crew USS Trigger (SS237) Apr 1946"
John Benjamin Bird
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, U.S. Navy
Service # 3289079
United States Navy
Entered the Service from: North Dakota
Date of Enlistment: 29 Apr 1941
Duty Ship: USS Trigger (SS-237)
Date 1st on-board: 4 Oct 1944
USS Trigger (SS-237) Ship and Crew Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Died: Assumed 28 March 1945
Awards: Purple Heart
Father: Leslie I Bird
Mother: Della D Bird
USS Trigger (SS-237) a Gato-class submarine with new skipper Commander David R. Connole and 88 other Crewmembers 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.
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, John Benjamin Bird, was a member of her crew at the time of her lost.
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, John Benjamin Bird, US Navy Declared Presumed Dead Date 21 Apr 1946 from "US Navy Final Disposition Report of the crew USS Trigger (SS237) Apr 1946"
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, U.S. Navy
Service # 3289079
United States Navy
Entered the Service from: North Dakota
Date of Enlistment: 29 Apr 1941
Duty Ship: USS Trigger (SS-237)
Date 1st on-board: 4 Oct 1944
USS Trigger (SS-237) Ship and Crew Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Died: Assumed 28 March 1945
Awards: Purple Heart
Father: Leslie I Bird
Mother: Della D Bird
USS Trigger (SS-237) a Gato-class submarine with new skipper Commander David R. Connole and 88 other Crewmembers 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.
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, John Benjamin Bird, was a member of her crew at the time of her lost.
Motor Machinist's Mate, First Class, John Benjamin Bird, US Navy Declared Presumed Dead Date 21 Apr 1946 from "US Navy Final Disposition Report of the crew USS Trigger (SS237) Apr 1946"
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from North Dakota.
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