World War II Honoree

Joseph Hunt Bourland

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Clarendon, Texas

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.

Relationship

Shipmates

COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE USS RUNNER SS-275. KILLED IN ACTION WITH ALL HANDS ONBOARD USS RUNNER SS-275. DECORATIONS: SILVER STAR, PURPLE HEART. ON MAY 28, 1943, RUNNER LEFT MIDWAY TO PROCEED TO LATITUDE 48 DEGREES, 30 MINUTES, NORTH AND LONGITUDE 154 DEGREES, EAST TO BEGIN HER THIRD PATROL. SHE WAS TO PATROL SOUTH AND WEST FROM THIS SPOT, UNTIL SHE CAME INTO THE AREA SOUTH OF HOKKAIDO AND EAST OF THE NORTHERN TIP OF HONSHU, WHERE SHE WAS TO PATROL FROM ABOUT JUNE 8TH TO JULY 4, 1943. THE SUBMARINE WAS NEVER HEARD FROM FOLLOWING HER DEPARTURE FROM MIDWAY. ON JULY 20, 1943, RUNNER WAS REPORTED AS PRESUMED LOST. A SUMMARY OF JAPANESE ANTI-SUBMARINE ATTACKS RECEIVED SINCE THE CLOSE OF HOSTILITIES CONTAINS NO MENTION OF AN ATTACK WHICH COULD EXPLAIN THE LOSS OF RUNNER. THUS, HER LOSS MUST BE ASCRIBED TO AN ENEMY MINEFIELD, OF WHICH THERE WERE AT LEAST 4 IN THE AREA TO WHICH SHE WAS ASSIGNED, TO AN OPERATIONAL CASUALTY, OR TO AN UNREPORTED ENEMY ATTACK. DESTRUCTION BY A MINE IS CONSIDERED THE MOST LIKELY OF THESE POSSIBILITIES. RUNNER WAS LOST WITH 78 OFFICERS AND MEN.