scoreless and plagued by mechanical failures, was successful in gaining photographs of Japanese activity on future target islands. On 22 July, S-38 set a course for the New Hebrides; and, on 27 July, she arrived at Espiritu Santo to commence antisubmarine warfare training duties. With only two interruptions, she remained in the New Hebrides-New Caledonia area on that duty into the summer of 1944. At 10:17 on 16 August 1944, a U.S. Navy TBM Avenger torpedo bomber from the escort carrier mistook S-38 for a Japanese submarine about ahead of the White Plains task unit while S-38 was conducting antisubmarine warfare exercises near Espiritu Santo with two SBD Dauntless dive bombers and the yard patrol boat . The TBM dropped two depth charges as S-38 crash-dived. The first depth charge detonated close aboard as S-38 passed , causing S-38 to lose all power temporarily. S-38 claimed that the second exploded as she resurfaced, while the TBM pilot reported that it did not detonate. On 27 August 1944, S-38 departed Espiritu Santo for California; and, on 7 September, she arrived at San Diego. The following month, she was ordered inactivated. FateS-38 was decommissioned on 14 December 1944, struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 20 January 1945, and expended as a target by aerial bombing on 20 February 1945. Awards Yangtze Service Medal China Service Medal American Defense Service Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three battle stars World War II Victory Medal In popular culture The S-38 is the subject of an episode of the syndicated television anthology series, The Silent Service, which aired in the United States during the 1957–1958 season. References Citations Bibliography Blair, Clay, Jr. Silent Victory. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1975. Hinman, Charles R., and Douglas E. Campbell. The Submarine Has No Friends: Friendly Fire Incidents Involving U.S. Submarines During World War II. Syneca Research Group, Inc., 2019. . Lenton, H.T. American Submarines''. New York: Doubleday & Co., 1973. </ref> External links Kill record: USS S-38 United States S-class submarines World War II submarines of the United States Ships built in San Francisco 1919 ships Ships of the Aleutian Islands campaign Friendly fire incidents of World War II Maritime incidents in August 1944 Maritime incidents in February 1945 Ships sunk as targets