on 30 June, Paddle repaired quickly and on 6 July attacked a small convoy, twice hitting a large freighter, and sinking before being forced down by other escorts. After refit at Fremantle, Paddle made her fifth patrol, from 22 August–25 September, encountering few contacts in her assigned area in the Sulu Sea. On 7 September, attacked and destroyed the Shinyo Maru and damaged another of her convoy. Shinyo Maru, unmarked as a prisoner of war carrier and unknown to Paddle, was carrying over 750 Allied POWs from the Philippine Islands to Manila when sunk by Paddle. The Japanese crew and patrol boats killed all but 83 of Shinyo Marus POWs before they could reach shore. One survivor died on shore, one elected to remain in the Philippines and 81 returned home. She prepared for her next patrol in Mios Woendi Lagoon, sailing on 3 October for lifeguard off Balikpapan. During brief offensive periods, she sank two oil-laden sea trucks and a schooner by gunfire, then returned to Fremantle on 1 November. Her seventh war patrol began at Fremantle 25 November and ended at Pearl Harbor on 18 January 1945. Operating mainly in the South China Sea and west of Luzon, Paddle fought through heavy weather to join in sinking Shoei Maru and damaging an enemy destroyer. After overhaul at San Francisco, Paddle trained at Pearl Harbor whence she sailed on her 8th and last war patrol on 15 May. Prowling the Yellow and East China Seas, she found few substantial targets; by this time submarine attacks had almost annihilated the Japanese merchant marine. She turned her attention to sinking floating mines with gunfire, and sank eight schooners and picket boats. Returning to Guam 18 July, Paddle sailed on 13 August for lifeguard duty off southern Honshū. With the war's end, she sailed for Midway Atoll on 17 August. The long voyage home ended at Staten Island on 30 September. Brazilian Navy Placed in reserve at New London, Paddle decommissioned on 1 February 1946. She recommissioned on 31 August 1956 to prepare for transfer to Brazil under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. Decommissioned and transferred on 18 January 1957, she was simultaneously commissioned in the Brazilian Navy as Riachuelo (S-15). Riachuelo was stricken in March 1968 and sunk as a target around 30 June 1968. Awards Paddle received eight battle stars for World War II service. Her first seven war patrols