Ramage’s Rampage

Podcast Transcript

On July 31, 1944, one of the greatest naval exploits in history took place in the Western Pacific Ocean.

Two American submarines led by Commander Lawson “Red” Ramage found themselves in the middle of a Japanese merchant fleet.

Over the course of 46 minutes, they managed to achieve something that had never been done by so few submarines in so short of time.

Learn more about Ramage’s Rampage and one of the most incredible exploits of the Second World War on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

The events that I’ll be describing in this episode took place over a very short period of time. Everything happened in less than an hour, yet it was one of the most incredible episodes of the entire Second World War.

Before we get into what happened and how it happened, we need to understand the bigger picture of what the United States submarine strategy was during WWII to get a clearer picture of why they were there in the first place..

The strategic rationale for American submarine attacks on Japanese merchant shipping during World War II was rooted in a clear understanding of Japan’s vulnerabilities as an island nation and its dependence on maritime supply lines for survival and warfighting capability. Japan lacked sufficient domestic resources—especially oil, rubber, iron ore, bauxite, and food staples—and therefore relied heavily on imports from its occupied territories in Southeast Asia and beyond. The lifeblood of the Japanese economy and military-industrial complex flowed through its merchant fleet, which ferried these critical supplies across vast ocean distances.

Recognizing this, U.S. naval planners crafted a submarine campaign aimed at systematically strangling Japan’s ability to sustain its war effort. By targeting merchant vessels rather than just warships, the goal was not merely tactical disruption but strategic paralysis.

The idea was that if Japan’s transport arteries could be severed, its factories would grind to a halt, its navy would lack fuel, and its people would suffer shortages severe enough to weaken morale and undercut the government’s capacity to wage total war.

This strategy was both opportunistic and evolutionary. At the outset of the war, the U.S. Navy was still influenced by traditional doctrines that prioritized battleship engagements. But after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent shift to Pacific naval warfare, submarines quickly emerged as the ideal weapon for economic warfare.

They were stealthy, hard to detect, and capable of long-range patrols across key shipping lanes. Unlike surface vessels, submarines could operate independently behind enemy lines, sowing chaos in supply chains while avoiding direct confrontation with superior enemy fleets.

The adoption of unrestricted submarine warfare against Japan—a policy officially sanctioned early in the war—allowed American submarines to engage any Japanese vessel without warning. This removed constraints and made the campaign more effective.

Over time, the U.S. refined its approach: wolfpacks were employed to increase kill rates, torpedo technology was improved after early reliability issues, and intelligence breakthroughs like codebreaking and aerial reconnaissance helped locate high-value convoys. Submarines were even deployed near Japanese home waters, mining harbors and ambushing convoys as they departed or returned.

By war’s end, the effectiveness of this strategy was stark. American submarines, which made up just 2% of the U.S. Navy’s personnel, were responsible for sinking over half of Japan’s merchant fleet—more than 1,300 ships, totaling roughly five million tons.

The impact was profound. Japan’s access to oil fell to crisis levels, factory production faltered due to material shortages, and logistical support for its far-flung garrisons collapsed. The campaign didn’t just cripple Japan’s economy; it also isolated its military units and undermined the broader war effort.

In essence, the strategic rationale for targeting merchant shipping with submarines was to wage a form of economic and psychological warfare that would erode Japan’s ability to fight, not by clashing with its main fleets, but by choking off the very resources it needed to function.

To put it even more succinctly, the Americans were trying to do to the Japanese in the Pacific what the Germans were trying to do to the Americans in the Atlantic.

Enter into the story Commander Lawson Paterson “Red” Ramage.

Ramage was a distinguished officer in the United States Navy whose early career laid the foundation for his legendary exploits during World War II. He was born on January 19, 1909, in Monroe Bridge, Massachusetts. Ramage grew up in New England and showed an early interest in naval service, which led him to secure an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, where he graduated in 1931.

After commissioning, Ramage served aboard various surface ships, including the battleship USS West Virginia, gaining valuable experience before transitioning to submarine duty—a move that would define his career. He completed submarine training in 1936 and was soon assigned to several submarines, including the USS S-29 and USS Grenadier, steadily building his reputation as a skilled and capable officer.

Prior to the United States’ entry into World War II, Ramage served as executive officer aboard the USS Grenadier. He participated in war patrols early in the conflict and proved himself under fire. Despite being temporarily grounded due to eye issues—he had to overcome partial blindness in one eye—he fought hard to return to active duty. His determination paid off, and he was eventually given command of his own submarine, the USS Trout, and later the USS Parche, the vessel which is the focus of this story.

The Parche was a Balao-class submarine.

The Balao-class submarines were the most numerous and among the most successful American submarines deployed during World War II, representing an evolutionary improvement over the earlier Gato-class. Designed for long-range patrols in the Pacific Theater, Balao-class boats featured a stronger hull, allowing them to dive deeper—up to 400 feet—compared to their predecessors, which improved survivability under depth charge attacks.

They were powered by diesel-electric propulsion and carried ten 21-inch torpedo tubes (six forward, four aft), along with deck guns for surface combat. With a crew of about 80 men, Balao-class submarines were highly effective at disrupting Japanese shipping, conducting reconnaissance, landing special operations forces, and rescuing downed airmen.

The Parche had departed Pearl Harbor on June 17, 1944, for its second war patrol, under Ramage’s command. She was assigned to operate in the Luzon Strait and the South China Sea, key maritime chokepoints for Japanese shipping between Southeast Asia and the Japanese home islands. These waters were heavily trafficked by enemy merchant convoys transporting oil, coal, raw materials, and troops—prime targets for U.S. submarines.

Before launching offensive operations, Ramage joined forces with two other submarines, the USS Steelhead and the USS Hammerhead, forming a coordinated “wolfpack.” The Hammerhead ended up sailing to Australia before the events of this episode.

In the days preceding the attack, American codebreakers had been successfully intercepting Japanese naval communications, providing intelligence on convoy movements. Thanks to this signals intelligence and radar sweeps, the wolfpack detected a large Japanese convoy, later identified as HI-72, making its way from Moji, Japan, to Singapore.

The convoy included over a dozen ships including troop transports, tankers, and cargo vessels which were escorted by warships for protection. The convoy’s purpose was to reinforce Japanese positions in Southeast Asia, making it a strategically valuable target.

As the Parche maneuvered into position in late July, Ramage meticulously planned his approach, using radar to track the convoy’s course and speed. On the night of July 30 into July 31, the submarines began to converge.

Ramage, taking a calculated risk, positioned Parche to intercept the convoy in the early morning darkness, deciding to launch an aggressive surface attack—a bold departure from the more conservative submerged tactics typically used at the time.

A submarine underwater has the advantage of stealth, and it can’t easily be hit by regular gunfire. However, they also can’t see as well and aren’t as maneuverable.

In a display of cool-headed audacity, he remained on the open conning tower, the tower on the top of a submarine, completely exposed to enemy fire, directing the battle manually for 46 minutes—an exceptionally long time for a submarine to remain surfaced during combat.

At around 3:00 AM, Parche plunged into the convoy at full speed. Using radar and visual sightings, Ramage skillfully threaded the submarine through the formation, dodging between moving ships in the dark while launching torpedo salvos at close range. He attacked with precision and aggression: torpedoes slammed into multiple ships, with violent explosions lighting up the night and throwing plumes of water and fire into the sky.

Among the ships sunk were the transport vessels Manko Maru and Hoei Maru. Other vessels were severely damaged, with confusion and panic spreading among the Japanese convoy. Some ships attempted evasive maneuvers, and one even attempted to ram the Parche, missing by mere yards. Despite the danger, Ramage held his position, shouting orders to his crew and adjusting course as he evaded counterfire and dodged collisions.

Meanwhile, the crew below deck worked at breakneck speed to reload torpedo tubes, while Ramage continued to issue commands from the bridge—his voice reportedly calm and composed despite the chaos. At one point, Parche crossed directly in front of a burning ship, using the flames as illumination to line up a point-blank torpedo shot.

By the time Ramage finally ordered the submarine to withdraw from the melee, Parche had launched 19 torpedoes and inflicted heavy damage. Despite being completely exposed and surrounded by enemy ships, Parche emerged unscathed, with no casualties and no damage.

The attack lasted approximately 46 minutes, but it effectively decimated a major Japanese convoy and stunned naval observers with its boldness.

The next day, Parche and Steelhead rejoined, and Ramage submitted a detailed action report that stunned his superiors.

Between the Parche and the Steelhead, they sank five Japanese ships in less than an hour, with them thousands of troops that were headed to Singapore.

For his leadership, bravery, and aggressive spirit in the face of overwhelming danger, Commander Lawson P. Ramage was awarded the Medal of Honor, while Parche received the Presidential Unit Citation. The operation became legendary—an extraordinary example of fearless command and unconventional tactics that changed the course of undersea warfare.

The aftermath of Ramage’s Rampage had both immediate and long-term impacts—not only on the morale and legacy of the USS Parche and its crew but also on the broader strategic outlook of American submarine warfare during World War II.

The fact that the Parche had sunk or damaged several ships while operating in the midst of a heavily escorted convoy, on the surface, and at night, without taking a single hit, showcased to the navy the potential of aggressive, risk-taking strategies when combined with skilled leadership and technological advantages like radar.

U.S. submarines began operating with greater boldness, often launching surface attacks to maximize speed and torpedo effectiveness, particularly when enemy escorts were poorly coordinated or lacked radar detection capabilities. This evolution in tactics significantly increased the destruction of Japanese shipping in the final year of the war.

The cumulative effect of submarine attacks rendered Japanese shipping routes increasingly hazardous, strangling the flow of oil, raw materials, and reinforcements.

Submarine warfare had become a central pillar of U.S. strategy in the Pacific, and a major part of that doctrine was developed by the audacious attack known as Ramage’s Rampage.