The USS Atule (SS-403) was a Balao-class submarine that earned four battle stars for her service during World War II combat operations. Known as “O’Toole” by her crew, the vessel then served the Navy through the Cold War before being decommissioned in 1970. Unfortunately, her military achievements were counterbalanced by the ship having exposed hundreds of sailors and maintenance workers to asbestos fibers that caused mesothelioma in many and that continue to threaten veterans’ health today.
The Balao-Class Fleet
The USS Atule was one of the advanced Balao-class submarines. These sophisticated vessels represented significant engineering improvements over previous designs, incorporating enhanced Special Treatment Steel (STS) construction that enabled diving operations to 400-foot depths, deeper than the earlier Gato-class 300-foot limit. This expanded operational capability provided crucial tactical advantages during combat missions and reconnaissance activities. The submarines maintained an impressive 11,000 nautical mile range on reliable diesel engines, enabling 75-day patrols spanning the vastness of the Pacific Theater without frequent refueling stops.[1]
Another design innovation included a robust double-hull architecture that combined a pressure-resistant inner hull with a streamlined outer shell. The space between hulls provided additional fuel storage and ballast tank capacity, extending deployment duration for prolonged missions in hostile waters. These 311-foot vessels utilized all-welded construction that allowed rapid builds: there were 121 Balao-class submarines completed across five different shipyards. Each submarine could be constructed for approximately $7 million in 1944 dollars (equivalent to about $100 million today) and completed from keel laying to commissioning in roughly nine months.[1]
The Atule carried 10 officers and 70 enlisted personnel who worked in extremely cramped quarters. Her armament configuration included ten 21-inch torpedo tubes supplemented by deck-mounted weaponry for defensive purposes.
History of the USS Atule
Construction and Commissioning
Taking her name from the atule, a species of large-eye jack fish found in Pacific waters, the USS Atule was constructed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Her keel laying began in early 1944, and she was launched by March and commissioned in June [2]
World War II Combat Record
After her commissioning, the Atule completed one month of shakedown training before departing New London, Connecticut, for Pacific combat operations. The submarine made a 15-day stopover at the Fleet Sound School in Key West, Florida, then transited the Panama Canal en route to Pearl Harbor alongside the USS Jallao (SS-368), another Balao-class vessel.
First War Patrol – October 1944
On October 9, 1944, the Atule left Pearl Harbor for her inaugural combat patrol as part of a submarine wolfpack that arrived at Tanapag Harbor, Saipan Island, in October. The wolfpack achieved its first success on October days later, destroying a Japanese light cruiser with three torpedo hits that broke the 5,200-ton vessel in half and sank her with all hands. The pack then proceeded to assigned patrol sectors in the Luzon Strait and the South China Sea.[2]
The Atule’s first combat victory occurred in November when she encountered a Japanese transport approximately 100 miles south of the Pratas Islands. Six torpedoes sent the massive transport to the ocean floor, after which the Atule was forced to dive deep to avoid depth charges from the vessels that had been escorting the ship.
The Atule continued patrolling the Hong Kong-Manila shipping lanes in the South China Sea, and was forced to conduct evasive maneuvers to avoid Japanese aircraft when another submarine sank a Japanese destroyer. Moving to her assigned scouting station west of Formosa, the Atule achieved another victory when she destroyed Minesweeper W-38 (648 tons), and days later, she sank two additional Japanese war vessels. In her final attack during her first patrol, she destroyed a Japanese transport of approximately 5,000-7,000 tons anchored between Dequey and Ibuhos Islands, Philippines.
The first war patrol concluded in December 1944, at Majuro, where Submarine Division 142 and USS Bushnell (AS 15) conducted refitting operations.
Second War Patrol – January 1945
For her second patrol in January 1945, the Atule received orders to patrol the Yellow Sea waters as part of another wolfpack. Shortly after her arrival, the Atule torpedoed and sank a Japanese merchant cargo ship, then struck a floating mine that turned out to be a dud at the end of the month. In February, nine Japanese aircraft dropped depth charges that exploded near the Atule, but they were not close enough to harm her. A second mine strike occurred while the submarine was en route to intercept a reported battleship position near Daikokuzan. The patrol ended in March at Midway for refitting and dry dock maintenance.
Third War Patrol – April 1945
Leaving Midway in early April 1945 for her third patrol, the Atule was ordered to patrol waters south of Honshu, Japan. Her primary duties were to act as a lifeguard submarine rescuing downed airmen during the massive Allied air campaigns against the Japanese Home Islands. U.S. submarines rescued 504 downed airmen during World War II lifeguard duty, including future President George Bush. The Atule’s crew often took time to sink floating mines and wreckage found in her operational area while unsuccessfully stalking an elusive Japanese submarine near the Ashizuri lighthouse.
The Atule left her patrol area in May, proceeding to Pearl Harbor via Midway and concluding the patrol at the end of the month. At Pearl Harbor, she underwent dry dock maintenance.
Fourth War Patrol – July 1945
The Atule’s final wartime patrol began in July 1945, when she departed Pearl Harbor for operations east of Honshu and Hokkaido as part of another wolfpack. Her last combat action came in August, when she torpedoed and sank a Japanese frigate and damaged another east of Hokkaido. During this engagement, the submarine endured intense depth charge explosions. Days later, while the submarine was patrolling Empire waters east of Honshu, news of Japan’s surrender reached the Atule. She immediately departed for Pearl Harbor via Midway, concluding her fourth war patrol upon arrival. Five days later, the submarine departed Pearl Harbor via the Panama Canal bound for New London, Connecticut.
Post-War Operations
After the war ended, the Atule was assigned to Submarine Squadron 2 and served as a training and trials vessel. In July 1946, she participated in Operation Nanook, a groundbreaking mission establishing advanced weather stations in the Arctic while supporting planning for extensive naval operations in polar and sub-polar environments.
During this frozen expedition along the coast of Greenland, the Atule “reached latitude 79 degrees 11 minutes north in the Kane Basin, setting a record for the United States Navy” and rescued a PBM flying boat that had been forced down with engine trouble. Her Arctic service demonstrated the submarine’s versatility in extreme conditions far from her original Pacific Theater operations.
One of the Atule’s most dramatic postwar actions occurred in November 1946, when she sank the notorious German U-boat U-977 during weapons tests off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. U-977 had famously ignored formal German surrender orders on VE-Day and headed for South America instead. After being turned over to the U.S. Navy and towed to Boston, the U-boat was sent to the bottom by the Atule. The dramatic sinking demonstrated the devastating power of modern torpedoes, completely severing U-977’s pressure hull and jack-knifing the German submarine.
The USS Atule was placed out of commission and in reserve with the New London Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in September 1947, having earned four battle stars for her distinguished World War II service.
GUPPY Conversion and Cold War Service
After three years in reserve status, the Atule was towed back to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for reactivation and conversion to a GUPPY 1-A (Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program) type submarine. She was one of the first ten GUPPY 1-A conversions, receiving a very basic modernization compared to later Balao and Tench-class submarines modified with more extensive upgrades. Outfitted with a German-style snorkel system similar to the one inspected on U-977, and a streamlined superstructure without deck guns, the Atule rejoined the fleet as a stronger, more versatile warship and was recommissioned in March 1951.
For the next 19 years, she led a relatively quiet Cold War existence, participating in operations with Latin American allies through a series of UNITAS exercises, working with NATO allies on Mediterranean deployments as part of the 6th Fleet, visiting New Orleans for Mardi Gras celebrations, and training naval reservists. As part of Submarine Squadron 12, she alternated duty between Key West and Guantanamo Bay, supporting antisubmarine warfare (ASW) training for the destroyer force while maintaining surveillance on Castro’s Cuba.
The Atule was reclassified as an auxiliary submarine (AGSS-403) in October 1969 and decommissioned in April 1970. Her name was struck from the Navy list in August 1973 after having spent 29 years on the Naval List, with nearly 24 of those years on active duty.
Asbestos Implementation in Naval Construction
During the Atule’s construction period and throughout her operational years, hard information on the health hazards of asbestos was largely limited to the research community. Those scientists shared their findings with leaders of industries that manufactured materials with asbestos, but the flow of information stopped there, as those leaders prioritized their profits over the health and safety of those who were working with their products. Without access to this critical data, the Navy relied on the material’s exceptional thermal resistance, flame-retardant properties, and corrosion protection capabilities throughout its fleet.
With no knowledge that asbestos was carcinogenic, the military mandated asbestos incorporation throughout naval vessels, misguidedly believing that its inclusion enhanced vessel safety and operational reliability. Vessels like the Atule contained multiple tons of asbestos distributed across hundreds of components and systems throughout the ship. This dangerous practice continued until scientific evidence of its hazards emerged in the mid-1970s, exposing countless service members and shipyard personnel to significant health risks.
Submarine-Specific Asbestos Dangers
Submarines presented particularly elevated risks due to their unique construction requirements and operational parameters, including:
- Confined operating environments that exacerbated exposure risk
- Closed air circulation systems that continuously recycled contaminated air within sealed compartments over extended periods.
- Weapons storage areas that incorporated asbestos materials in sealing mechanisms, thermal insulation applications, and emergency safety equipment installations.
- Acoustic dampening systems that enabled submarine stealth capabilities relied heavily on asbestos-containing materials.
Medical Consequences of Asbestos Contact
While asbestos presents minimal danger when properly contained and undisturbed, it becomes extremely dangerous once it’s damaged, deteriorating, or disturbed through activities such as maintenance or repair work. When this occurs, microscopic fibers are released and can be inhaled or ingested without detection. Many severe health complications diagnosed in Navy veterans trace back to:
- Standard maintenance procedures and emergency repair activities
- Material degradation from operational vibrations and normal aging
- Cutting, drilling, or mechanical work involving asbestos-containing materials
- Environmental breakdown over prolonged service periods
Asbestos-Related Medical Conditions
Medical research has repeatedly confirmed the connection between asbestos exposure and multiple severe health conditions. Of these, mesothelioma is the most serious. It is an aggressive and typically fatal malignancy that affects an organ called the mesothelium that provides a protective membrane within various body cavities. Approximately 3,500 Americans receive mesothelioma diagnoses annually, with virtually all cases attributed to asbestos exposure and a disproportionate percentage affecting Navy veterans.
Veterans who served aboard the USS Atule also confront increased risks for:
Lung Cancer: Asbestos exposure significantly increases lung cancer risk, particularly among individuals with tobacco use histories.
Asbestosis: A progressive pulmonary disease characterized by tissue scarring from inhaled asbestos fibers, resulting in breathing difficulties and reduced lung capacity.
Other Malignancies: Various cancers affecting the throat, reproductive organs, and additional body systems have been connected to asbestos exposure.
Pleural Disorders: Asbestos exposure can cause pleural thickening, pleural plaques, and pleural effusions, all of which impair respiratory function and often precede pleural mesothelioma diagnoses.
Determining Your Asbestos Exposure Risk Aboard the USS Atule
If you served aboard the USS Atule or participated in her maintenance during port visits, you face an elevated risk of developing asbestos-related illnesses, including mesothelioma. This rare form of cancer has an extremely long latency period, and doesn’t begin to show symptoms until fifty or sixty years after exposure. This means individuals who served on the Atule during her later operational periods may only now be starting to experience indications of illness.
With so many decades passing between exposure and disease development, people at risk frequently miss the connection between their health problems and events in their far-distant past. This makes being educated and aware about the risks and proactive health management essential.
Begin by familiarizing yourself with the warning signs of asbestos-related conditions, and make sure that all your healthcare providers know about your exposure history so they can add it to your medical records and institute appropriate monitoring. Early symptom recognition can improve your chances of receiving prompt medical attention.
Symptoms requiring monitoring include:
- Respiratory indicators: persistent cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest tightness
- Chest-related symptoms: pain in the chest or ribs, fluid accumulation around the lungs (pleural effusion)
- Abdominal indicators: swelling or bloating, pain or discomfort, unexplained changes in bowel habits
- General symptoms: fatigue, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, night sweats
Help for USS Atule Veterans with Mesothelioma
Veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related conditions face challenging futures that make prioritizing both health and family welfare particularly important. Resources available to you include:
Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits
The VA provides comprehensive assistance for service members who develop illnesses from military asbestos exposure, including:
- Disability Compensation: Monthly payments for veterans whose health conditions are connected to military asbestos exposure, with payment amounts determined by assigned disability ratings.
- Medical Treatment: Specialized care through VA medical facilities and support for treatment at external cancer centers nationwide.
- Family Support: Comprehensive services for eligible veterans and families, including counseling and home healthcare programs.
Qualifying for these benefits requires completing detailed claims processes that establish connections between conditions and military service. Required documentation includes:
- Medical records confirming asbestos-related diagnoses
- Evidence of military asbestos exposure
- Professional medical opinions linking conditions to service
Legal Compensation
Beyond VA benefits, USS Atule veterans diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases have additional opportunities to pursue financial compensation, including:
Civil Litigation: Veterans may be eligible to pursue personal injury lawsuits against manufacturers and suppliers of asbestos products used in naval vessels. Because the government is protected from liability beyond VA services provided, these cases target private companies. If USS Atule veterans die from their asbestos-related disease, family members may be able to file wrongful death claims. Most cases are resolved through negotiated settlements rather than trials.
Asbestos Trust Funds: Many former asbestos manufacturers have established compensation trusts to benefit victims of exposure to their products. These were typically created through bankruptcy proceedings, though some companies have established compensation programs voluntarily.
Consultation with a Mesothelioma Attorney
Veterans seeking more information about these options can learn more by contacting experienced asbestos attorneys. These specialized lawyers focus on asbestos claims and can explain all options while providing guidance about legal processes.
Attorneys typically request the following information to build strong cases:
- Complete service records and ship assignments
- Detailed work responsibilities and locations aboard the vessel
- Documentation of maintenance, repair, or construction activities
- Witness testimony from fellow service members
- Complete medical documentation of diagnosis and treatment
Prompt contact with an attorney is essential for preserving your rights, as statutes of limitations restrict how long you have to file claims. Experienced mesothelioma attorneys will explain these requirements, help set realistic expectations, and work to minimize burden and stress on your family while maximizing compensation received.
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