The USS Kete (SS-369) was named for the “four-eyed butterflyfish” (Chaetodon capistratus) — commonly known as the kete — a fish found in the Western Atlantic from Massachusetts on down to South America. A Balao-class submarine of the U.S. Navy, the Kete was awarded one battle star for World War II service. She and her 80-man crew were lost off the coast of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan in March 1945, just a year after her launching.
Built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Wisconsin
The Kete’s keel was laid down by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company and she was commissioned in July 1944. She trained in Panama and called at Pearl Harbor and Midway before her first patrol in the East China Sea. She arrived at Saipan and then moved to Okinawa for lifeguard patrols (searching for U.S. fliers who had been downed during their air strikes on the Ryukyu Islands).
Combat Action, Then Lost at Sea
Soon after a refit at Guam, the Kete began her second war patrol in the area surrounding the Nansei Shoto chain, where she collected weather data for the upcoming invasion of Okinawa. She was able to torpedo three Japanese warships and a cable-laying ship during this patrol.
The Kete was then ordered to depart the area and refuel at Midway. Her last report was on March 19, 1945 as she was moving toward Midway. The cause of her disappearance is not known; it could have been enemy action or a mine.
Asbestos, the USS Kete, and Your Rights
The use of asbestos expanded greatly in World War II, in part because of the urgency in building new weapons, tanks, planes, and ships (including submarines) for the American war effort. The millions of men and women who worked in industries that involved asbestos — mining, processing, manufacturing, and shipbuilding — were put in danger of inhaling asbestos dust.
Asbestos dust is toxic. It’s carcinogenic; that is, it causes cancer in humans. If you fear that asbestos poisoning harmed you or your family member, discuss your concerns with an experienced asbestos lawyer. Don’t wait until the symptoms of an asbestos disease ruin your life.
