Flea market photo find of WW2 USS Gudgeon SS-211

[Tonomachi]

I found this photo at the flea market last weekend of RM Edward L. Bland leaning up against the sail of the USS Gudgeon. This submarine had the distinction of a number of firsts as she was near Pearl Harbor on a training exercise when the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941. Upon returning to Pearl harbor she set off for Japan on December 11 with explicit written orders to carry out unrestricted submarine warfare. So she was the first US submarine to patrol off of the coast of Japan and the first US submarine to sink an enemy warship on January 27, 1942. The USS Gudgeon scored 14 confirmed kills during the war and was declared overdue and presumed lost on June 7, 1944.

 

I checked the list of names of the men lost at sea with the USS Gudgeon and Edward L. Bland was not among them (see link). I believe he survived the war as I think I located him on Find A Grave as Edward L. Bland Jr. born May 28, 1923 and died on July 15, 2011 (see link).

 

http://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-gudgeon-211.htm

 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76326580/edward-l-bland

 

 

[Hookemhorns88]

Nice find. I love photos too but I get impatient when searching through boxes of hundreds of unorganized photos at flea markets! It is also neat to track down the folks in the photos.

[US82Bravo]

Edward Leslie Bland Jr (256 36 70) was received aboard the USS Gudgeon 18 Dec 42 and transferred off 12 Dec 43.

 

He did survive the war and served on many submarines including the Whale, Raton, Toro, Corporal, Wahoo, Devilfish, and Silversides.

 

Larry

[Tonomachi]

Edward Leslie Bland Jr (256 36 70) was received aboard the USS Gudgeon 18 Dec 42 and transferred off 12 Dec 43.

 

He did survive the war and served on many submarines including the Whale, Raton, Toro, Corporal, Wahoo, Devilfish, and Silversides.

 

Larry

Thanks for the confirmation and added information.