another as the target submarine exploded and was enveloped by smoke and flame. Coming back to periscope depth a half-hour later, Flounder found nothing in sight. She had sunk one of the German submarines operating in the Far East, . U-537 was one of 10 German U-boats lost in Asian or East African waters during the war. An attack by Flounders group on a convoy off Palawan on 21 November 1944 sank the freighter Gyosan Maru (5,698 tons), but other contacts were few, and the sub returned to Fremantle to refit between 13 December and 7 January 1945. Underway for her fifth war patrol, Flounder had to return to Fremantle from 12 to 14 January to repair her fathometer, then sailed to lead a three-submarine coordinated attack group in the South China Sea. On 12 and 13 February, her group made a determined chase after a Japanese task force, but was unable to close these fast targets. A more obliging target came her way on 22 February, when she launched four torpedoes at a patrol boat. Two of these, however, ran erratically, and only Flounders skillful maneuvering saved her from being hit by her own torpedoes. More trouble arrived three days later, when in a freak accident, she and brushed each other beneath the surface. Only a slight leak developed, which was quickly brought under control. Sixth war patrol, end of war and fate Flounder prepared for her sixth war patrol at Subic Bay from 26 February 1945 to 16 March. Again with a wolfpack, she scouted targets south of Hainan, and on 29 March contacted a large convoy, which was attacked by aircraft before she and her sisters could launch their torpedoes. She closed her war patrol at Saipan on 22 April and headed home for a stateside overhaul. Returning to Pearl Harbor action-bound on the day hostilities ended, Flounder was ordered to the East Coast, and arrived at New York City on 18 September. After laying immobilized at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and New London, Connecticut, she was decommissioned and placed in reserve at New London on 12 February 1947. The second and fourth of Flounders six war patrols were designated "Successful", and she is credited with having sunk 2,681 tons of Japanese shipping as well as U-537. Flounder received two battle stars for World War II service. References External links Kill Record: USS Flounder Gato-class submarines World War