Marion Frederick Ramirez de Arellano, USN
| Born | 5 Aug 1913 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | |
| Died | 15 May 1980 | (66) | Washington DC, USA |
| Ranks
Retired: 1 Jul 1961 Decorations |
Warship Commands listed for Marion Frederick Ramirez de Arellano, USN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| USS Balao (285) | T/Cdr. | Submarine | 18 Apr 1944 | 7 Feb 1945 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Submarine USS Balao (285)
24 Apr 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Palau. Balao was escorted out by USS PC-1077.
For the daily and attack positions of USS Balao during this patrol see the map below. As no deck log is available (for the moment) positions were taken from the patrol report. Unfortunately the patrol report does not give daily noon positions.
29 Apr 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) made a stop at Midway for voyage repairs and fuel. She departed for her patrol area after about 8 hours.
2 Jun 1944 (position 5.40, 133.00)
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) attacked a Japanese convoy about 150 nautical miles south-west of Palau in position 05°40'N, 133°00'E. It is thought a ship was sunk but this does not appear to have been the case.
The composition of this convoy is for the moment unknown to us.
(All times are zone -9) 1 June 1944 2101 hours - In position 05°48'N, 133°28'E obtained radar contact bearing 340°, range 16500 yards. Shortly afterwards the bridge made sight contact. The target group consists of 4 or 5 ships. Commenced tracking.
2147 hours - Enemy course 245°, speed 7.5 knots. Increased speed to 17 knots to pull ahead.
2349 hours - Dived and turned towards to attack.
2 June 1944 0030 hours - Main target group in sight. Three transports are in column with a Chidori-class torpedo boat pinging ahead.
0055 hours - In position 05°40'N, 133°00'E fired six bow tubes at a passenger/freighter from 2600 yards. Turned to get off the tracks and went deep. Two torpedo explosions were heard.
0102 hours - Depth charging started. 4 depth charges were dropped but they were not at all near.
0230 hours - Returned to periscope depth. The escort was still in the vicinity of the attack, range 5 nautical miles.
0305 hours - Surfaced and commenced an end around.
12 Jun 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) ended her 5th war patrol at Majuro. She was escorted in by USS Burden R. Hastings.
Refit was undertaken USS Sperry and was completed 27 June 1944. Training was undertaken during 2 and 3 July 1944.
5 Jul 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) departed from Majuro for her 6th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Palau. She was escorted out by USS Jubilant.
For the daily and attack positions of USS Balao during this patrol see the map below. As no deck log is available (for the moment) positions were taken from the patrol report. Unfortunately the patrol report does not give daily noon positions.
26 Jul 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In the afternoon, USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN), picked up a crashed US aviator off Palau.
27 Jul 1944
In the afternoon, USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN), picked up two crashed US aviators off Palau.
29 Jul 1944 (position 9.27, 133.19)
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) sank a sampan with gunfire off the Palaus in position 09°27'N, 133°19'E.
(All times are zone -9) 1539 hours - In position 09°20'N, 133°08'E sighted two sampans through the periscope bearing 090°, distance 8 nautical miles.
1634 hours - USS Drum called, she had also spotted the sampans and would like to attack with the gun.
1635 hours - Sighted Drum bearing 140°.
1637 hours - Went to battle stations and surfaced. Went to 18 knots heading for the left hand sampan.
1650 hours - In position 09°27'N, 133°19'E opened fire at the sampan from 7000 yards. When the range was 6000 yards it was noticed that the target was on fire from splinter effect of near misses as she had not been hit.
1700 hours - Opened firing with 20mm from 1000 yards. The crew abandoned the sampan.
1720 hours - Sent over the boarding party to remove everything of value. The sampan was then set on fire.
1750 hours - Cleared the area for deeper water.
12 Aug 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) arrived at Saipan. She was escorted in by USS Conyngham.
13 Aug 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) departed Saipan for Pearl Harbour. She was escorted out by USS Conyngham.
22 Aug 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) ended her 6th war patrol at Pearl Harbour.
24 Aug 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) departed Pearl Harbour for the Mare Island Navy Yard where she was to refit.
30 Aug 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.F.R. de Arellano, USN) arrived at the Mare Island Navy Yard from Pearl Harbour to refit.
7 Nov 1944 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Having completed her refit and post refit trials, USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN), departed the Mare Island Navy Yard for Pearl Harbour.
15 Nov 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN) arrived at Pearl Harbor.
4 Dec 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 7th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Yellow Sea as part of a coordinated attack group together with USS Spot and USS Icefish. She was escorted out by USS PC-571.
For the daily and attack positions of USS Balao during this patrol see the map below. As no deck log is available (for the moment) positions were taken from the patrol report. Unfortunately the patrol report does not give daily noon positions.
15 Dec 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN) arrived at Saipan.
17 Dec 1944
USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN) departed from Saipan for her patrol area.
2 Jan 1945 (position 38.45, 122.56)
USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN) sinks a large Japanese schooner in the Yellow Sea in position 38°45'N, 122°56'E.
(All times are zone -9) 1353 hours - In position 38°30'N, 122°45'E sighted masts of a sailing vessel, range was about 14000 yards. Maneuvered to close and look him over.
1540 hours - The vessel was a large big schooner of about 700 tons.
1855 hours - Surfaced, maneuvered to get into a firing position.
1946 hours - In position 38°45'N, 122°56'E fired a torpedo from 1000 yards but it drifted to the right and missed astern.
2016 hours - Fired another torpedo. Range was 870 yards. Again the torpedo broached and drifter to the right. This torpedo also missed.
2042 hours - Fired another torpedo from 910 yards. This torpedo also broached but hit the target. The target broke in half and soon sank. No survivors were seen.
8 Jan 1945 (position 34.28, 122.39)
USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN) torpedoed and sank the Japanese merchant cargo ship Daigo Maru (5244 GRT, built 1944, offsite link) in the Yellow Sea south-west of Korea in position 34°28'N, 122°39'E.
(All times are zone -9) 7 January 1945 2325 hours - Radar back in commission. It's first sweep obtained a radar contact bearing 165°, range 17000 yards. Closed. No escort was picked up by the radar. Position was 34°30'N, 123°00'E.
8 January 1945 0003 hours - Went to battle stations.
0113 hours - In position 34°45'N, 122°56'E fired six bow torpedoes from a range of abuot 2500 yards.
0115 hours - Saw, heard and felt three torpedo explosions.
0131 hours - As the target refused to sink fired two more torpedoes from about 1800 yards. One hit was obtained.
0143 hours - As the target still was not sinking fired yet another torpedo. Range was 1850 yards. It missed.
0153 hours - In position 34°28'N, 122°39'E fired four stern torpedoes from about 2750 yards. Two hits were obtained. As the target now had six holes in it was sure he would sink. Retired to the north.
0222 hours - At 10000 yards range the 'pip' of the target was still very large and more importantly she was moving at 6 knots !!!. Turned towards again.
0249 hours - Dived when the range was 4000 yards.
0308 hours - Fired another torpedo. It missed.
0311 hours - Fired yet another torpedo. Again it missed.
0314 hours - Fired one more torpedo from 1085 yards. It hit. The target was now finally sinking.
0320 hours - Surfaced. No survivors were seen.
13 Jan 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN) departed her patrol area for Guam.
19 Jan 1945
USS Balao (Cdr. M.R. de Arellano, USN) ended her 7th war patrol at Guam. She was escorted in by USS Boyd.
At Guam she was refitted by Submarine Division 282 Relief crew and the USS Apollo. Refit was completed on 3 February 1945. Training was carried out during 8 to 19 February 1945.
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