USS Sealion (SS-315)-- Part 10: Fourth to Sixth War Patrols: Sank Two More Ships

The Sealion's Fourth War Patrol was from 14 December 1944 to 24 January 1945 and was a return to the South China Sea with the submarines USS Blenny (SS-324) and USS Caiman (SS-325).  Poor weather plagued success.  She did sink the supply ship Mamiya  on 21 December.

She then performed reconnaissance duty for the reoccupation of the Philippines. and then headed to Australia, arriving on  24 January and ending the Fourth Patrol.

The Fifth War Patrol began 19 February and again to the South China Sea.  On 17 March she sank the  Samui with torpedoes and at the end of the month, received downed  aviators from the USS Bream and transported them back to Subic.

She took on passengers and headed for Pearl Harbor.

From there, she headed to San Francisco for a complete overhaul, but by then the war was over so deactivation work was done and she was decommissioned on 2 February 1946.

But, her career wasn't yet over.

--GreGen