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 1914 - 1943 (28 years)
Generation: 1
| 1. |  Koller, Frank Manley was born on 24 Feb 1914 in Denmark, Lee, Iowa, USA; died on 10 Jan 1943 in Rabaul, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Notes:
On 10 January, Argonaut spotted a convoy of five freighters and their escorting destroyers-Maikaze, Isokaze, and Hamakaze-returning to Rabaul from Lae. By chance, an army aircraft-which was out of bombs-was flying overhead and witnessed Argonaut's attack. A crewman onboard the plane saw one destroyer hit by a torpedo, and the destroyers promptly counterattacking. Argonaut's bow suddenly broke the water at an unusual angle. It was apparent that a depth charge had severely damaged the submarine. The destroyers continued circling Argonaut, pumping shells into her; she slipped below the waves and was never heard from again. 102 officers and men went down with her, the worst loss of life for a wartime submarine. Her name was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 26 February.
Japanese reports made available at the end of the war recorded a depth charge attack followed by gunfire, at which time they "destroyed the top of the sub."
Died:
USS Argonaut, South Pacific
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