View source for USS Bugara

{{short description|Submarine of the United States}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[Image:USS Bugara;0833105.jpg|300px|Bugara (SS-331) underway, c. 1969.]]
|Ship caption=USS ''Bugara'' (SS-331), circa 1969.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1970}}
|Ship name=USS ''Bugara'' (SS-331)
|Ship namesake=[[Rainbow surfperch|Bugara]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[General Dynamics Electric Boat|Electric Boat Company]], [[Groton, Connecticut]]<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates">{{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | title = U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History
  | publisher = [[United States Naval Institute]]
  | year = 1995
  | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
  | pages = 285–304
  | isbn = 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref>
|Ship laid down=21 October 1943<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship launched=2 July 1944<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=15 November 1944<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship decommissioned=1 October 1970<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=1 October 1970<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-dates"/>
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship fate=Foundered while under tow off [[Cape Flattery|Cape Flattery, Washington]], 1 June 1971<ref name="Register">{{cite book
  | last = Bauer
  | first = K. Jack
  |author2=Roberts, Stephen S.
   | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants
  | publisher = Greenwood Press
  | year = 1991
  | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]]
  | pages = 275–280
  | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}</ref>
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Balao|submarine|4}} [[diesel-electric]] [[submarine]]<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship displacement=*1,526&nbsp;[[long ton|ton]]s (1,550&nbsp;[[tonne|t]]) surfaced<ref name="Register"/>
*2,424&nbsp;tons (2,463&nbsp;t) submerged<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship length={{convert|311|ft|9|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|27|ft|3|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship draft={{convert|16|ft|10|in|abbr=on}} maximum<ref name="Register"/>
|Ship propulsion={{Fleet-boat-propulsion-late-GM-4-GE}}
|Ship speed=*{{convert|20.25|kn|km/h|0|lk=in}} surfaced<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs">''U.S. Submarines Through 1945'' pp. 305–311</ref>
*{{convert|8.75|kn|km/h|0}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship range={{convert|11000|nmi|km}} surfaced at 10 knots (19 km/h)<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship endurance=*48 hours at {{convert|2|kn|km/h}} submerged<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
*75 days on patrol
|Ship test depth={{convert|400|ft|m|-1|abbr=on}}<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship complement=10 officers, 70–71 enlisted<ref name="FriedmanSubs1-specs"/>
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament={{Fleet-boat-armament-5-inch}}
}}
|}

'''USS ''Bugara'' (SS-331)''', a [[Balao class submarine|''Balao''-class]] [[submarine]] in commission from 1944 to 1970, was a ship of the [[United States Navy]] named for the [[Rainbow surfperch|bugara]], a multicolored fish found along the coast of California.

''Bugara'''s [[World War II]] operations extended from 21 February to 17 August 1945, during which she completed three war patrols in the [[Flores Sea]], [[Java Sea]], [[South China Sea]] and [[Gulf of Siam]]. While the first two patrols proved uneventful, her third war patrol might be classified as one of the most colorful to be made during the war. This patrol in the Gulf of Siam was highlighted by a series of excellently conducted gun attacks which disposed of 57 small ships totaling 5,284&nbsp;[[gross register ton]]s. All except two of these vessels were boarded and their native crews put safely ashore with their personal belongings. One of the many interesting incidents of this patrol was an encounter with a [[Japan]]ese ship manned by a [[China|Chinese]] crew being attacked by [[Malay people|Malay]] [[pirate]]s. ''Bugara'' rescued the Chinese, sank the Japanese ship, and then disposed of the pirates.

''Bugara'' later served in the [[Korean War]] and the [[Vietnam War]].

==Construction and commissioning==

''Bugara'' was [[Keel-laying|laid down]] on 21 October 1943 by the [[Electric Boat]] Company at [[Groton, Connecticut|Groton]], [[Connecticut]]. She was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] 2 July 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Anna A. Perry, wife of [[Captain (United States O-6)|Captain]] [[Lyman Perry|Lyman S. Perry]], and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 15 November 1944<ref>[http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08331.htm navsource, ''Bugara'' (SS-331)]</ref> with [[Commander (United States)|Commander]] [[Arnold F. Schade]] — a veteran of eight war patrols and recipient of the [[Navy Cross]] and the [[Silver Star]] — in command.

==Service history==
===World War II===
====November 1944–February 1945====
''Bugara'' [[Fitting-out|fitted out]] for service, conducted her [[Shakedown (testing)|shakedown]], then departed on 25 December 1944 bound for the [[Panama Canal Zone]]. She conducted five days of additional training in the Panama Canal Zone, then pushed on for [[Pearl Harbor]], [[Hawaii]], where Schade put his crew through two more weeks of intensive training.

====First war patrol====

''Bugara'' departed Pearl Harbor on 21 February 1945 to begin her first war patrol and proceeded directly to [[Saipan]] in the [[Mariana Islands]], meeting her escort, the [[motor minesweeper]] {{USS|YMS-151}}, on 5 March 1945 before reaching Saipan. On 8 March 1945, she got underway from Saipan in company with the submarines {{USS|Spot|SS-413}} and {{USS|Sea Fox|SS-402}} and an escort, the [[submarine chaser]] {{USS|SC-775}}. One day out of port, on 9 March 1945, ''Bugara''’s cook sustained a severe head [[laceration]] when the storeroom hatch fell on him, but ''Bugara''′s [[pharmacist's mate]] was able to sew up the cut, and ''Bugara'' continued her voyage to her patrol area in the [[Luzon Strait]]. On 25 March 1945 she left the Luzon Strait and proceeded to a new patrol area in the [[South China Sea]] between [[Hainan Island]] and [[Formosa]].

On 27 March 1945, ''Buugara''′s lookouts spotted a ship [[Bearing (angle)|bearing]] 118° north at a range of {{convert|18,000|yd}}. She closed to attack but abruptly broke it off upon identifying the markings as those of a Japanese [[hospital ship]]. On 4 April 1945, she concluded her patrol in the Hainan and Taiwan area not having encountered any other Japanese air or surface contacts and proceeded to her next patrol area in the [[Java Sea]], north of [[Sumba|Soemba]], which she reached on 11 April 1945. At 08:15 on 18 April she exchanged recognition signals with the submarine {{USS|Perch|SS-313}} and that same day at 19:30 with the submarine {{USS|Besugo|SS-321}}. On 21 April 1945 she met her escort and proceeded to [[Fremantle]], [[Australia]], where she ended her patrol and began a regular refit, which included the installation of a second [[5-inch/25-caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}}/25-caliber gun]].

With Japanese shipping becoming scarce in the last months of [[World War II]], ''Bugara'' made contact with only five ships during her entire 59-day patrol, during which she had spent 35 days in her patrol areas. Four of the vessels proved to be Japanese hospital ships, immune from attack, and the fifth an unidentified submarine ''Bugara'' first had detected by [[Propeller|screw]] noises, but which turned out to be an unidentified [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] submarine.

====Second war patrol====
On 16 May 1945, ''Bugara'' set out on her second war patrol, bound for a patrol area in the South China Sea off the [[South China]] coast. Most of her time was spent on life guard stations looking for downed Allied airmen. She ended her patrol with her arrival on 20 June 1945 at [[Subic Bay]] on [[Luzon]] in the [[Philippine Islands]], where she underwent a refit alongside the [[submarine tender]] {{USS|Howard W. Gilmore|AS-16}}.

====Third war patrol====
=====Convoy action=====
''Bugara'' stood out of Subic Bay on 16 July 1945 for her third war patrol, operating as part of a [[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|coordinated attack group]] under the overall command of the [[commanding officer]] of the submarine {{USS|Brill|SS-330}}, Commander Harry B. Dodge. She rendezvoused with ''Brill'' on 19 July 1945, and Dodge ordered her to conduct a retiring search to her northward position in the attack group.

At 15:40 on 19 July 1945, ''Bugara''′s lookouts sighted a [[Mast (ship)|mast]] on the horizon and closed with it at full speed but lost the contact. However, 20 minutes later, her lookouts again sighted masts, this time of ships making up a [[convoy]], as well as what ''Bugara'' identified as a Japanese [[periscope]] at a range of {{convert|800|yd}}. Schade ordered ''Bugara'' to dive in order to reverse course and then surface at [[flank speed]]. The supposed Japanese periscope turned out to be that of ''Brill'', also chasing the convoy. Schade tried to ascertain ''Brill''′s attack position so that the two submarines could coordinate their attack, but could not get ''Brill'' to answer ''Bugara''′s challenge, so the submarines began separate approaches to the convoy without a set plan of attack. At 22:05, ''Bugara'' picked up several contacts on [[radar]] at a range of {{convert|18,000|yd|sigfig=3}} and went ahead at full speed at {{convert|17|kn}}. At nearly the same time, ''Bugara'' received information from Dodge that the submarines {{USS|Cod|SS-224}} and {{USS|Bumper|SS-333}} were on her [[Port and starboard|port]] flank, with ''Brill'' and ''Bugara'' on the [[Port and starboard|starboard]]. Dodge announced that ''Brill'' was going in to attack, and Schade [[radio]]ed back that ''Bugara'' would follow ''Brill'' in.

''Bugara'' fired nine [[torpedo]]es into the Japanese convoy, including two at a small engines-aft [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]] at a range of {{convert|850|yd}}, two at a second small engines-aft tanker at a range of {{convert|950|yd}}, two at a small [[cargo ship]] (known to the Americans as a "sea truck") at a range of {{convert|1,500|yd}}, one at an escorting [[patrol craft]] at a range of {{convert|900|yd}}, and two at a large [[Naval trawler|trawler]] (which ''Bugara'' assumed was an escort), at a range of {{convert|700|yd}}. ''Brill'' also attacked the convoy, but none of ''Bugara''′s or ''Brill''′s torpedoes hit. Both Schade and Dodge concluded that their torpedoes ran normally but had passed underneath their targets. The Japanese did not counterattack the submarines.

=====20 July=====
At 14:45 on 20 July 1945, ''Bugara''′s lookouts sighted a [[Junk (ship)|junk]] and closed to get alongside. After taking off the junk's crew of six natives, ''Bugara'' sent a boarding party aboard the junk for inspection. The boarding party found that the junk was carrying bags of [[sugar]] from [[Singapore]] to [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]], both Japanese-controlled ports. The junk′s crew claimed that the junk's cargo was destined for [[China]], not the Japanese. Although unconvinced, ''Bugara''′s crew kept all of the junk crew's papers for later analysis by [[intelligence]] personnel and let them go after 90 minutes alongside the junk.

At 16:30 on 20 July 1945, ''Bugara'' boarded another large junk which had departed Bangkok with a cargo [[Hold (ship)|hold]] full of bagged [[rice]]. The junk's crew claimed the cargo was destined for China, not the Japanese, and ''Bugara'' confiscated the junk's [[Logbook (nautical)|logbook]] and released the crew. At 20:30, ''Bugara'' inspected a third junk, whose crew told a similar story of transporting the vessel's cargo of rice to  China and not to Japanese troops. Schade subsequently sent a message to Commander, Task Force 71, requesting approval his of actions of letting supplies go through.

=====23–24 July=====
On 23 July 1945, after diving to avoid an [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] [[Kawanishi H8K]] Type 2 ([[World War II Allied names for Japanese aircraft|Allied reporting name]] "Emily") [[flying boat]] headed out from the beach off the coast of [[Lem Chong Pra]], Schade ordered a [[commando]] party ashore heavily armed with demolition equipment. After six hours, ''Bugara'' picked up the commandos at 04:00 on 24 July 1945. Highly embarrassed, they reported that the [[jungle]] was so thick they had not been able get off the beach.

At 13:35 on 24 July 1945, ''Bugara'' examined a Singapore-bound [[schooner]] carrying a 10-ton military cargo of airplane wheels and [[tire]]s, 15 cases of airplane parts, and metal stock and sugar. She removed the schooner's crew and sank the vessel with gunfire. At 14:25, she stopped the 120-[[gross register ton]] Japanese junk ''Hiap Seng Maru'', which was carrying a cargo of sugar and [[sewing machine]]s to Singapore. After boarding and examining ''Hiap Seng Maru'', ''Bugara'' sank her with gunfire. With the schooner's and ''Hiap Seng Maru''′s crews and their boats on her deck, ''Bugara'' moved to a point {{convert|5|nmi}} off shore, gave the crew members [[bread]], and released them.

=====25 July=====
On 25 July at 14:05, ''Bugara''′s crew boarded a 75-gross register ton schooner bound for Singapore with a cargo of 50 tons of rice and sank her with gunfire after taking off her crew. At 15:35, ''Bugara'' halted a 25-gross register ton junk [[sailing]] from Singapore carrying a Japanese cargo of sugar and [[match]]es . Although most of ''Bugara''′s crew thought the junk's crew were Japanese, their nationality could not be proven, so ''Bugara'' released them and sank their ship with gunfire. At 16:24, ''Bugara''′s raiding party boarded an empty 20-gross register ton coastal [[cargo ship]] left abandoned by her Japanese crew, and ''Bugara'' left it, planning to return and sink it later.

At 16:50, ''Bugara'' halted and boarded her ninth contact in just a day, a brand-new 51-gross register ton schooner sailing from Singapore with a cargo of sugar and [[coffee]]. The schooner's crew abandoned ship and ''Bugara'' sank her with gunfire, not bothering to capture her crew. ''Bugara'' made her next contact at 17:30 when her raiding party boarded the 50-gross register ton junk ''Kian Huat'', which was carrying sugar and coffee from Singapore to [[Champon, Thailand|Champon]], Thailand. ''Kian Huat''′s Japanese crew of four abandoned ship, their later fate unknown, and ''Bugara'' sank her with gunfire. One hour later, the Japanese crew of the 125-gross register ton schooner ''Joo Lee Maru'', flying the Japanese [[Rising Sun Flag|Rising Sun flag]] and loaded with a cargo of sugar and miscellaneous stores from Singapore, abandoned ship when ''Bugara'' stopped them, and ''Bugara'' sank the schooner with gunfire. ''Bugara'' then returned to the abandoned coastal cargo ship she had boarded earlier and destroyed it with gunfire.

=====26 July=====
On 26 July 1945, lookouts on board ''Bugara'' sighted three [[Terengganu (ship)|terengganus]] (junk-rigged schooners) at 03:00, and boarded them all. Two were native vessels from Japanese-occupied [[British Malaya]] and carrying cargo of no military value, so ''Bugara'' let them go. The other was a 20-gross register ton vessel under Japanese registry, and ''Bugara'' sank her, ''Bugara''′s crew noting that the Malayan native crews of the other two terengganus "seemed almost happy to get rid of this one.” At 08:45 that morning, ''Bugara'' searched the 144-gross register ton junk ''Chit Ming Ho Maru'', which was bound for Singapore with a cargo of 75 tons of rice, and sank her with gunfire, letting her crew go. At 15:50, ''Bugara'' boarded a brand-new 50-gross register ton "sea truck" loaded with [[Drum (container)|drums]] of [[aviation gasoline]], then set her ablaze with two {{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} [[Shell (projectile)|shell]] hits, destroying her; ''Bugara''′s crew last saw the "sea truck′s" Japanese crew jumping overboard and swimming quickly away from her.

''Bugara'' next sank a 75-gross register ton schooner loaded with 50 tons of rice and headed for Singapore. At 17:40, she moved into waters as shallow as {{convert|7|fathom|0}} to stop and sink a 150-gross register ton schooner loaded with 10 cases of [[cholera]] [[antiserum]]), other medical supplies, scrap [[iron]], and rice. The next small craft ''Bugara''′s crew boarded was an empty 50-gross register ton schooner and, unable to determine her destination, Schade let her pass. At 20:30, ''Bugara'' went alongside the two Malayan native terengganus she had passed earlier in the day and, according to Schade,  “got a big cheer.”

=====27 July=====
On 27 July 1945 at 08:10, ''Bugara'' came alongside a native [[Thai people|Thai]] [[lugger]] whose “very friendly" crew tried to give ''Bugara'' their cargo of live [[chicken]]s" and urged ''Bugara'' to "go get some Nippon." At 09:50, ''Bugara'' boarded an empty 300-gross register ton schooner manned by a native crew that denied any Japanese connections. Although ''Bugara''′s crew doubted the Japanese would not be using such a large vessel, they let the schooner go. One hour later, ''Bugara''′s raiding party boarded a 20-ton schooner flying the [[Flag of Japan|Japanese flag]] and carrying a load of miscellaneous gear, removed her crew, and sank her with gunfire. The crew was friendly, expressed a desire to remain with ''Bugara'' and repeatedly said that the Japanese had lost the war and they were glad they would no longer have to work for the Japanese. ''Bugara''′s [[Galley (kitchen)|galley]] fed them, and one received medical treatment for an unlisted ailment.

At 13:40, ''Bugara''′s lookouts spotted a Japanese Kawanishi H8K (Allied reporting name "Emily") flying boat, so ''Bugara'' quickly backed full, put the natives over the side in their [[Lifeboat (shipboard)|lifeboat]], then went ahead full and dived to {{convert|10|fathom}}. Schade reported that he last saw the natives headed for shore in their boat, apparently safe. The Japanese flying boat gave no indication that it had spotted either ''Bugara'' or the natives headed to shore and departed the area. Only 15 minutes later, ''Bugara'' surfaced to chase a loaded 75-gross register ton schooner, and nearly an hour later, at 14:45, she was only {{convert|3,000|yd|sigfig=2}} from the schooner at gun action stations when the flying boat reappeared, so ''Bugara'' dived once more to {{convert|10|fathom}}. At 15:05, after the flying boat departed, ''Bugara'' surfaced alongside the schooner, which was sailing from Singapore loaded with 50 tons of sugar and so full that her decks were almost awash. After removing the crew, ''Bugara'' sank the schooner by gunfire.

At 20:50, ''Bugara'' spotted a mast at a range of about {{convert|24,000|yd|sigfig=3}} with darkness falling quickly on a moonless night. ''Bugara'' closed at full speed and at a range of {{convert|8,000|yd|sigfig=2}} identified her quarry as a probable schooner. ''Bugara''′s crew went to gun action stations. Coming alongside, ''Bugara'' found the vessel to be a 200-gross register ton schooner loaded with at least 150 tons of rice bound for Singapore. ''Bugara'' removed the schooner′s crew before sinking her with gunfire.

=====28 July=====
On 28 July 1945, ''Bugara'' began the day at 09:45 boarding a 50-gross register ton coastal cargo ship loaded with rice and bound for Singapore. The crew was ordered off before ''Bugara''′s gunners made short work of the ship and sank her. At 10:44, ''Bugara'' made her 25th contact of her war patrol, when a second 50-ton coastal cargo ship made for the edge of a [[Naval mine|minefield]] with ''Bugara'' in pursuit. While ''Bugara'' was alongside the vessel, an Imperial Japanese Navy [[Mitsubishi F1M]] Type 0 (Allied reporting name "Pete") [[Surveillance aircraft|observation]] [[floatplane]] approached from shore. With the crew of the cargo ship having abandoned ship and clear of their vessel, ''Bugara''′s gunners opened fire and sank the small vessel just as the floatplane turned around and headed back toward shore. Three hours later, ''Bugara''′s lookouts spotted a 300-gross register ton three-masted schooner close to shore. Schade decided sinking the large schooner was worth the risk of entering shallow water near shore, and ordered ''Bugara'' in at flank speed. The schooner′s Japanese crew apparently had abandoned ship early, so Schade ordered ''Bugara'' to open gunfire on the schooner without bothering to first board her and ascertain her cargo. The schooner sank in {{convert|24|ft}} of water with all three of her masts sticking straight out of the water. ''Bugara'' then retired to deeper water at high speed.

At 16:35, a boarding party from ''Bugara'' descended upon the 75-gross register ton schooner ''Kiat Ann''. Papers found on board listed a cargo of sugar from Singapore to Bangkok, but an adamant crew claimed the cargo was rice, bound for Singapore. Although ''Kiat Ann'' was registered to the Japanese and ''Bugara''′s crew was almost certain that four members of her crew were Japanese, ''Bugara'' removed and released the entire crew, then sank ''Kiat Ann'' with gunfire.

At 21:25, ''Bugara'' went alongside a [[Zhoushan Island|Chusan]]-type junk of 25 gross register tons. The seven-man crew, all [[Guangdong|Canton]] [[Chinese people|Chinese]], seemed friendly, but freely admitted they had just returned from carrying a load of rice to Singapore, and had returned for a second load. The crew of the junk was brought on board ''Bugara'' before their craft was destroyed by gunfire.  Schade agreed to keep what he described as “one intelligent volunteer as [[interpreter]].” The man was cleaned up, given a physical examination, and dressed up in [[Jeans|dungarees]]. The rest of the junk crew complained that their lifeboat no longer was seaworthy, so Schade ordered ''Bugara'' to make a long haul around the minefield, approach the {{convert|4|fathom|adj=on}} curve, and put the junk crew over the side in their lifeboat. He then decided, since it was now late, to instead allow the junk crew spend the night aboard ''Bugara'', sleeping on empty torpedo skids, and put them aboard the first [[sailboat]] ''Bugara'' found as she continued her patrol.

=====29 July=====
On 29 July 1945, Schade noted the toll that the continuous operations had taken on his men and submarine, observing that crew members were tired, the guns needed cleaning, and the [[diesel engine]]s needed routine maintenance after operating a full speed so much of the time while ''Bugara'' pursued targets. He decided to withdraw from shore, give the crew a rest day, and allow the crew to watch a movie for the first time during the war patrol. Shipping activity soon interfered with his plans. At 09:05, ''Bugara'' sank a large 200-gross register ton schooner carrying 200 [[barrel]]s of [[sorghum]] [[molasses]] and flying the Japanese flag. At 13:25, ''Bugara'' boarded a 400-gross register ton Imperial Japanese Navy [[Auxiliary ship|auxiliary]] flying the [[flag of the Republic of China]]. The vessel had a certificate stating that her cargo of [[cocoa bean]]s was for the Imperial Japanese Navy and that she was bound for [[Shōnan]], Japan. After the vessel's crew abandoned ship, ''Bugara''′s gunners sank her.

At 14:10, ''Bugara'' intercepted the 112-gross register ton junk ''Ayame'', loaded with rice and headed toward Singapore. ''Bugara''′s boarding party found that ''Ayame''′s cargo did not agree with her Japanese [[Manifest (transportation)|manifest]], which listed "machinery" as the cargo. After ''Bugara'' sank her with gunfire, ''Ayame'' came to rest on the bottom in {{convert|60|ft|0}} of water with {{convert|20|ft|0}} of mast showing above the surface. At 14:42, ''Bugara'' halted and searched a 50-gross register ton schooner flying the [[Flag of Thailand|Thai flag]] and loaded with rice bound for Singapore, then sank her by gunfire. At 16:00, ''Bugara''′s lookouts sighted a Kawanishi H8K (Allied reporting name "Emily") flying boat flying over the water at a very low altitude, but the big flying boat′s crew did not seem to spot ''Bugara''.

Schade decided to put the native crew of the schooner ashore at dark, and looked over the coast of [[Koh Tan]] in order to find a safe-looking place to do so. Upon spotting what Schade described as a "smart-looking village which we thought looked like Jap[anese] [[barracks]],” Schade consulted with the interpreter and approved the site. ''Bugara'' put a four-man-sized [[Inflatable boat|rubber boat]] into the sea with one of ''Bugara''′s [[Commissioned officer|officers]] and all seven natives aboard along with some food and clothing for the natives. At 22:20, the native crewmen expressed great sorrow at leaving ''Bugara'' and shook hands with "almost everyone." Closing within {{convert|400|yd|sigfig=2}} of the beach and in only {{convert|5|fathom|0}} of water, ''Bugara'' dropped off the Thai sailors at the agreed-upon site, and by 23:40, the officer and the rubber boat were back on board ''Bugara''.

=====30 July=====
At 09:40 on 30 July 1945, ''Bugara'' examined a 30-gross register ton coastal cargo ship on her maiden voyage, manned by a Chinese crew of eight and proceeding from Singapore carrying sugar. The ship's crew was delighted when ''Bugara''′s boarding party came aboard, explained they had hoped a U.S. ship would find them, and then begged to stay aboard ''Bugara'', one of them even making a special trip back aboard their ship to get a Japanese flag for ''Bugara''′s crew. Schade made one of the Chinese, who had graduated from a university in [[England]], his interpreter, and ''Bugara''′s crew dubbed him "Charlie Wong." All of the Chinese sailors cheered when ''Bugara''′s gunners sank their ship by gunfire. At 10:40, ''Bugara'' sighted a plane flying toward her, and Schade quickly sent the Chinese crew below and dived. At 11:05, ''Bugara'' surfaced, and her crew recovered the Chinese sailors’ lifeboat and lashed it to the deck.

Nearly two hours later, at 13:00, ''Bugara''′s boarding party raided the 29-gross register ton schooner ''Twako'', flying the Rising Sun flag and carrying sugar from Singapore. ''Bugara''′s gun crews sank ''Twako''. By now, ''Bugara'' needed to conserve ammunition, and her {{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} guns were allowed to fire only two rounds to sink each target.

Several hours later, at 18:40, ''Bugara'' went alongside a seaworthy [[fishing boat]] and transferred her passengers with all of their gear to the smaller craft. Schade noted that the fishermen “were completely bewildered, but all seemed happy.”  “Charlie Wong” performed introductions between the foreign crews and the American submariners.

''Bugara'' next chased a 50-gross register ton "sea truck" which almost made it to the protective cover of the minefield before ''Bugara'' overtook and came alongside 
her. The vessel was loaded with rice and bound for Singapore. The 10 men aboard the vessel told "Charlie Wong" that [[pirate]]s had taken their clothes, papers and lifeboat. Distrusting them, ''Bugara''′s crew rigged a [[canvas]] from the aft {{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} gun so that they could shelter on ''Bugara''′s deck for the night under guard by a ''Bugara'' sailor. ''Bugara'' then sank the "sea truck" with gunfire.

=====31 July=====
In the predawn darkness of 31 July 1945, ''Bugara'' sighted and made radar contact on an unidentified ship. She tailed the vessel until dawn and then closed in for the kill. The ship she stalked turned out to be a 32-gross register ton coastal cargo ship bound for Singapore. At 08:11, after taking the crew and their lifeboat on deck, ''Bugara'' sank her with gunfire. At 09:05, five Japanese [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]] planes, identified as  Imperial Japanese Navy [[Mitsubishi J2M]] ''Raiden'' ("Thunderbolt") interceptor fighters (Allied reporting name "Jack") flew in low at ''Bugara''. Despite having her own crew at gun action stations and 17 natives, whatever they had brought with them from their sunken ships, and one of their lifeboats on deck, ''Bugara'' succeeded in getting everyone below and diving, although she lost the lifeboat in the process. Twenty minutes later, she surfaced, and her crew returned to gun stations. ''Bugara'' sighted three Japanese twin-engine aircraft but did not dive, and the Japanese planes drew away.

At 09:46, ''Bugara''′s raiding party overtook a 40-gross register ton schooner flying the Imperial Japanese Navy flag. Her crew was brought on board ''Bugara'', which sank her with the allotted two rounds of {{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} gunfire. Another contact popped up on radar, and ''Bugara'' gave chase. At 10:20, ''Bugara'' sighted a single-engine fighter at a range of {{convert|12|nmi}} but did not submerge. The fighter flew down ''Bugara''′s starboard side but did not engage her. Fifteen minutes later a twin-engined floatplane also flew past on ''Bugara''′ starboard side. Schade ordered ''Bugara'' to resume her pursuit of the vessel, and the raiding party boarded what turned out to be a 100-gross register ton schooner bound for [[Bali]] in the Japanese-occupied [[Netherlands East Indies]] carrying a cargo of rice and [[salt]]. All of the schooner's papers had been lost, but the captured crew admitted the cargo was intended for Japanese use. Two {{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} rounds quickly sank the schooner.

At 11:10, ''Bugara''′s lookouts spotted two [[Aichi E13A]] Type 0 reconnaissance [[seaplane]]s (Allied reporting name "Jake") that closed on her fast just as she dived. The presence of Japanese aircraft in her operating area led Schade to worry that it might be difficult to release safely the 25 captured crewmen she now had aboard.

At 14:10, ''Bugara'' sank a brand-new 37-gross register ton coastal cargo ship flying the Rising Sun flag after its crew abandoned ship. It had been carrying sugar from Singapore to Champon, Thailand. The boarding party then moved on to contact number 40 of ''Bugara''′s war patrol, a 33-ton coastal cargo ship also flying the Imperial Japanese Navy [[Ensign (flag)|ensign]], and ''Bugara''′s gunners sank her. At 14:32, ''Bugara'' closed the coast, where her lookouts spotted a number of fishing boats. Stopping alongside one of the larger ones, ''Bugara'' transferred the 25 captured crewmen she had aboard to it.

Moving on at 15:00, Bugara received word of a downed [[United States Army Air Forces]] [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator|B-24 Liberator]] [[bomber]] {{convert|125|nmi|0}} to the north, and set off at full speed to search for its crew, Schade hoping that other submarines could join ''Bugara'' so that they could mount a coordinated search. The submarine {{USS|Lamprey|SS-372}} joined ''Bugara'' at 22:00, but the submarines were forced to wait until dawn to begin their search, as it was too dangerous to conduct a rescue in hostile waters at night.

=====1–4 August=====
At 03:15 on 1 August 1945, the submarine {{USS|Cobia|SS-245}} joined ''Bugara'' and ''Lamprey'', and at dawn the three submarines formed a scouting line and began a coordinated search for the missing B-24′s crew. At 15:30, ''Bugara'' received orders to halt the search. She passed these orders to the commanding officers of ''Cobia'' and ''Lamprey'' and parted company with the other two submarines. At 16:00, ''Bugara'' returned to her patrol station.

On 2 August 1945, after sighting a large schooner, ''Bugara'' closed with and boarded her. The 211-gross register ton schooner carried a cargo from Singapore of what her manifest called  "miscellaneous gear," but ''Bugara''′s boarding party was unable to make a good search in the dark, so ''Bugara'' took off the schooner′s crew and two lifeboats and sank her with gunfire. Soon after, one of the lifeboats sank. The other was too heavy to haul on deck, so ''Bugara'' [[Towing|towed]] it behind her. At 04:00, that lifeboat also sank after it became caught in the port [[Propeller|screw]], damaging it.

At 08:09 on 2 August 1945, ''Bugara'' boarded a 20-gross register ton [[Malacca]]n coastal cargo ship carrying coffee. Because she was flying the Japanese flag, ''Bugara'' removed her crew and sank her with gunfire. ''Bugara'' next made the 43rd contact of her war patrol, which proved to be a new 180-gross register ton schooner on a voyage from Singapore flying the Rising Sun flag. ''Bugara'' searched and sank her as well. ''Bugara'' subsequently boarded, examined, and sank an 18-gross register ton coastal cargo ship, a 117-gross register ton schooner, and a new Japanese 150-gross register ton schooner. While ''Bugara''′s gunners sank the latter schooner, six large Malayan [[canoe]]s manned by with a Chinese crew carrying rice arrived on the scene. Pirates, who already had killed two members of the Chinese crew, were pursuing the canoes, which ''Bugara'' brought on board. The pirates tried to flee, but ''Bugara'' opened gunfire on them and destroyed their boats, much to the pleasure of the Chinese crew. ''Bugara'' then put the Chinese ashore.

''Bugara'' sank two more vessels on 3 August 1945, a 56-gross register ton "sea truck" loaded with rice and the 100-gross register ton Imperial Japanese Navy ''Junk No. 2218''. A ''Bugara'' boarding party removed the crews from both craft before ''Bugara''′s gunners sank them with the standard allotment of two {{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} rounds each. On 4 August 1945, ''Bugara'' sank three more vessels: a 50-gross register ton coastal cargo ship, a 300-gross register ton junk, and a 450-gross register ton schooner carrying [[copra]] and [[coconut oil]]. Later that day, ''Bugara''′s lookouts noted two Imperial Japanese Navy Kawanishi H8K (Allied reporting name "Emily") flying boats, the first at a range of {{convert|8|nmi}} and the second searching in the area where she sank all three vessels. This second Japanese plane flew so close to ''Bugara'' that her crew could see its markings clearly.

=====5–12 August=====
At 07:40 on 5 August 1945, ''Bugara'' boarded, searched, and sank a 200-gross register ton schooner heavily loaded with coffee, sugar, sewing machines, and other gear. ''Bugara'' next sank a 75-gross register ton junk. ''Bugara'' then chased a small 20-gross register ton junk which beached herself at [[Lem Chong Pra]]. The crew fled before ''Bugara'' could capture them, so ''Bugara''′s gun crews hit the junk amidships with one {{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} shell and ''Bugara'' left her to sink. At 17:10 the submarine {{USS|Ray|SS-271}} surfaced nearby, and ''Bugara'' went alongside ''Ray'' to exchange information. Later that evening, at 19:30, ''Bugara'' spotted two vessels behind the island of [[Koh Khai]]. ''Bugara'' allowed herself to be seen patrolling the seaward side of the island as both vessels hid behind it. At sunset, ''Bugara'' closed with them. The crew of the first vessel, a 64-gross register ton schooner at [[anchor]], quickly abandoned ship as ''Bugara'' closed in, and ''Bugara''′s gunners sank her. It had become too dark for ''Bugara'' to find the second vessel, so she cleared the area.

On 6 August 1945, ''Bugara'' took station in the narrows of [[Samui Strait]] in the hope of finding more targets. Having misjudged the [[fathom]] curve by a few [[nautical mile]]s and finding herself in shallow water, she headed back to safe water and soon found her first target of the day, a 125-gross register ton junk bound from Singapore for Bangkok with a cargo of rice. The [[Sea captain|captain]] of the junk proved reluctant to part with his Japanese flag, but was eventually persuaded to relinquish it. ''Bugara'' took off the junk's crew and sank her with gunfire. After also sinking a brand new coastal cargo ship with a gross register tonnage ''Bugara'' estimated at 30 — although the ship's papers gave it as 16.6 — and four more junks, Bugara sighted a submarine at 20:03 which turned out to be the British {{HMS|Sleuth}}, a [[Royal Navy]] submarine also operating in the Gulf of Siam and investigating the four junks. ''Bugara'' decided to assist ''Sleuth'' in her search-and-destroy efforts and boarded and sank with gunfire two more vessels, a 26-gross register ton junk flying the Japanese flag and a 75-gross register ton schooner loaded with aviation gasoline which ''Bugara''′s gunners set ablaze.

After exchanging information with ''Sleuth''′s crew, ''Bugara'' made a radar contact at 22:46 which came into sight. ''Bugara'' closed in on the vessel, a 60-gross register ton junk, firing a burst of 20-millimeter fire to grab her attention. The junk′s crew abandoned ship, leaving her with her [[sail]]s up with a stiff wind blowing and making it difficult for ''Bugara'' to go alongside her. Despite this, ''Bugara'' brought her crew aboard, sent the junk to the bottom with the usual two {{convert|5|in|mm|0|adj=on}} shots, and then released the junk's crew near shore.

=====7–15 August 1945=====
''Bugara'' sank two more coastal cargo ships on 7 August 1945. She sank the first, a new 26.5-gross register ton vessel flying the Imperial Japanese Navy ensign, at 07:50. The second, a slightly larger 28-gross register ton vessel loaded with rice bound for Singapore, became ''Bugara''′s last victim of World War II. At 15:50, ''Bugara'' passed through floating wreckage, finding many large cases and [[gasoline]] drums. She [[Marine salvage|salvaged]] a case and found it full of [[Imperial Japanese Army]] [[mess kit]]s. ''Bugara''′s gunners opened fire on the drums and cases with .50 and .30-caliber [[machine gun]]s, and in a matter of minutes many gasoline fires had started all around ''Bugara''.

After sighting two Japanese aircraft, ''Bugara'' dived. After she surfaced, she sighted four possible medium junks and two [[sailing vessel]]s close to shore between [[Hilly Cape]] and [[Patani Roads]] at 19:40. Suddenly, she sighted a periscope at a distance of only {{convert|4,000|yd|sigfig=2}}. Schade reported that "It was so large and steady we did not believe it was a scope and passed it close aboard." He decided to ignore the periscope and close with the other vessels. The sailboats were native-owned and carrying [[tapioca]], so ''Bugara'' let them go on their way. The remaining vessels were beached, and Schade decided not to close any further as darkness prevented him from determining what was in the vicinity close  to shore. HMS ''Sleuth'' suddenly surfaced {{convert|4|nmi}} astern of ''Bugara'', and Schade noted it had been ''Sleuth''′s periscope that Bugara sighted earlier. At 24:00, ''Bugara'' departed the area in accordance with her operation order to conclude her patrol.

''Bugara'' started a southbound transit of Lombok Strait at 19:00 on 12 August 1945, clearing the passage three hours later. She then set course for Fremantle, Australia. During her passage through the [[Indian Ocean]] from Lombok Strait to Fremantle, [[Surrender of Japan|hostilities with Japan ended]] on 15 August 1945.

Schade received a [[Bronze Star Medal]] for his command of ''Bugara'' during her highly successful third patrol, one he remembered as "one of the most colorful to be made during the war." During the patrol, ''Bugara'' sank 57 small ships with an aggregate gross register tonnage of 5,284. Her victims included 12 junks totaling 1,162 gross register tons, 24 schooners totaling 3,057 gross register tons, 16 coastal cargo ships totaling 489 gross register tons, three "sea trucks" totaling 156 gross register tons, a 400-gross register ton naval auxiliary, and a 20-gross register ton terengganu.  ''Bugara'' and her crew received the [[Submarine Combat Patrol insignia]] for the patrol.

===1945–1950===

On 17 August 1945 ''Bugara'' arrived at Fremantle, Australia, concluding her final war patrol. After a few days, she proceeded to Subic Bay on Luzon in the Philippine Islands, joining the other submarines of her [[Squadron (naval)|squadron]] there. She operated from Subic Bay until January 1946, when she received orders to proceed to Pearl Harbor and then continue on to [[San Diego]], [[California]]. She reached San Diego in February 1946, and her crew took leave in groups until mid-March 1946. After intensive daily training underway, ''Bugara'' proceeded to Pearl Harbor, her new [[home port]], in May 1946 and reported for duty with Submarine Squadron 5.

On 28 May 1946, ''Bugara'' took part in training off [[Oahu]] during which she sank the captured Japanese submarine {{nowrap|{{ship|Japanese submarine|I-14||2}}}} as a torpedo [[Target ship|target]] to keep {{nowrap|''I-14''′s}} technology out of Soviet hands as relations with the [[Soviet Union]] deteriorated prior to the onset of the [[Cold War]]. On 21 June 1946, ''Bugara'' began an overhaul at [[Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard]]. After completion of the overhaul, she made a training cruise into the [[Bering Sea]] and port visits to [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], and [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]], before returning to Pearl Harbor.

Through all of 1947, ''Bugara'' pursued an intensive training and operations schedule.  During the summer of 1947, she put to sea in company with the submarines {{USS|Bergall|SS-320}} and {{USS|Brill|SS-330}} for a coordinated attack exercise against the [[battleship]] {{USS|Iowa|BB-61}} in the Hawaiian Islands. Taking up a position in the [[Alenuihaha Channel]], the submarines attempted to intercept the battleship as she made a high-speed run between [[Maui]] and the [[Hawaii (island)|island of Hawaii]]. Although ''Iowa'' enjoyed land-based air cover and tried to throw off her pursuers by several radical course changes, the submarines still achieved four "successful" mock attacks against the battleship.<ref>[https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/bergall-i.html Naval History and Heritage Command ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'' Bergall I (SS-320) Accessed 10 March 2023]</ref> ''Bugara'' participated in [[Navy Day]] exercises at [[Stockton, California|Stockton]], California, in October 1947. In November 1947, she took part in fleet exercises off [[Southern California]] under Commander, [[First Task Fleet]]. On 14 November 1947, during a submerged practice attack against the [[destroyer]] {{USS|Orleck |DD-886}}, ''Bugara'' collided with ''Orleck'', suffering a jammed periscope and radar but able to proceed without assistance. Investigation of the damage soon thereafter revealed the periscope shears bent 10 degrees, with the lower periscope jammed in the lower position. ''Bugara'' underwent repairs and an overhaul at [[Hunters Point Naval Shipyard]] in [[San Francisco]], California, between 20 November 1947 and 19 March 1948.

''Bugara'' departed San Francisco on 27 March 1948 and made for Pearl Harbor, where she reported for duty with Submarine Squadron 5 on 7 April 1948. She spent the next six weeks in training, often rendering services to other U.S. Navy units, as well as conducting a short [[United States Naval Reserve]] training cruise in the [[Hawaiian Islands]] from Pearl Harbor to [[Kauai]] from 30 April to 2 May 1948. 

On 21 May 1948, ''Bugara'' departed Pearl Harbor for [[Melbourne]], Australia. During her voyage, one of her crewmen fell ill, and she diverted on 29 May 1948 to make an unscheduled stop at [[Pago Pago]] on [[Tutuila]] in [[American Samoa]], where she transferred the sailor ashore on 30 May 1948 for treatment at the U.S. Naval [[Dispensary]] at Pago Pago. On 31 May 1948, ''Bugara'' departed Pago Pago and resumed her voyage to Melbourne, where she arrived on 9 June 1948. She departed for [[Perth]] in [[Western Australia]] on 11 June, arriving there on 18 June 1948. After a four-day stay, she put to sea once again on 22 June 1948 bound for [[Guam]] in the [[Mariana Islands]]. She arrived at Guam on 4 July 1948, where she underwent repairs. After their completion, she rendered services to surface ships and aircraft in the Guam area from 16 to 22 July 1948, then departed for [[Pagan (island)|Pagan]] in the Mariana Islands, where she conducted [[shore bombardment]] exercises and landed stores and passengers for [[United States Marine Corps]] forces stationed there. Her next port of call was [[Yokosuka]], [[Japan]], where she arrived on 27 July 1948. she also made stops at [[Qingdao|Tsingtao]], [[China]], and [[Buckner Bay ]] on [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]] in the [[Ryukyu Islands]].

''Bugara'' was conducting [[antisubmarine warfare]] exercises off Okinawa on 9 August 1948 when [[Tropical Storm Chris (1948)|Tropical Storm Chris]] struck with winds as high as {{convert|95|kph|mph kn|abbr=off|sp=us}}. In company with ships of Destroyer Squadron 1, which formed an evasion group, ''Bugara'' proceeded south to avoid the [[tropical storm]]. On 10 August 1948, having gotten off the track of the storm, ''Bugara'' set course for [[Midway Atoll]] in the [[Northwestern Hawaiian Islands]], arriving there on 19 August 1948. After a brief stay, she set course for Pearl Harbor, which she reached on 24 August 1948. Throughout the remainder of 1948 and until August 1949, ''Bugara'' engaged in local operations in Hawaiian waters from Pearl Harbor, providing services to many ships and aircraft in the area and engaging in training of her own crew.

On 13 August 1949 ''Bugara'' departed Pearl Harbor for overhaul at [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]] in [[Vallejo, California|Vallejo]], California. She returned to Pearl Harbor on 3 January 1950 and subsequently engaged in local operations in Hawaiian waters.

===Korean War===
While ''Bugara'' was in Hawaii, the [[Korean War]] broke out on 25 June 1950 when [[North Korea]]n forces invaded [[South Korea]]. In September 1950, she departed Pearl Harbor for the [[Far East]], where she supported [[United Nations]] forces fighting on the [[Korean Peninsula]]. She suffered damage while in Japan, and had to cut her tour short to return to Pearl Harbor for repairs. After completion of her repairs and the end of the [[Christmas]] holiday season in late December 1950, ''Bugara'' once more departed for the Far East, where she again supported United Nations forces in [[Korea]] from January to June 1951.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bugara.net/history.htm |title=bugara.net history |access-date=29 August 2017 |archive-date=15 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815030719/http://bugara.net/history.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===1951–1954===
On 27 June 1951, ''Bugara'' returned to Pearl Harbor to enter the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for her fourth overhaul. During this overhaul, she was converted for [[submarine snorkel]] operations and had a new, streamlined [[conning tower]] [[Sail (submarine)|fairwater]] installed, the first time the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard undertook such work. ''Bugara'' completed her overhaul on 15 November 1951 and resumed local operations in Hawaiian waters. In May 1952, she departed Pearl Harbor for a cruise to [[Port Angeles, Washington|Port Angeles]], Washington; Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; and [[Esquimalt, British Columbia|Esquimalt]], [[British Columbia]], [[Canada]]. On 28 June 1952, she returned to Pearl Harbor and resumed operations off Oahu.

During an antisubmarine warfare exercise south of [[Kalaeloa, Hawaii|Barbers Point]], Oahu, on 3 August 1952, ''Bugara'' came to [[periscope depth]] and saw a [[Bow (ship)|bow]] with the number "634" painted on it very close and approaching fast at {{convert|15|kn}}. It was the [[destroyer escort]] {{USS|Whitehurst|DE-634}}, which collided with ''Bugara'', damaging her upper [[Sail (submarine)|sail]] and periscopes. ''Bugara'' returned to Pearl Harbor for repairs to her conning tower. According to Rick Farris, a former crew member on motor watch aboard ''Bugara'' during the collision, “The impact caused the boat to roll severely, take a steep down angle, and plunge deeper, giving every indication a forward compartment had flooded and we were headed to the [[Sea bed|bottom]].” [[Damage control (maritime)|Damage control]] efforts stopped the flooding and ''Bugara'' managed to surface. “Damage was fairly serious,” Farris claimed. “The small pump room flooded, both [peri]scopes required replacement, the upper half of the [[Sail (submarine)|sail]] and [periscope] shears needed extensive repairs…We were in the [ship]yard [for] several weeks and the cost was, I'm sure, substantial.”<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.de634.org/Bugara.htm |title = Logo by}}</ref> 

After completing her repairs and conducting work-ups and local operations in Hawaiian waters from Pearl Harbor, ''Bugara'' visited [[Hilo, Hawaii]], then entered the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for an overhaul on 22 June 1953. After its completion, she departed Pearl Harbor on 23 October 1953 bound for [[Puget Sound]] in Washington, where she remained for the next two months. She then returned to Pearl Harbor, arriving there on 23 December 1953. ''Bugara'' departed Pearl Harbor on 6 April 1954, for her fifth deployment to the western [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]]. She returned to Pearl Harbor on 8 October 1954, and resumed the routine of rendering services to other types of naval units in Hawaiian waters. On 7 December 1954, she departed Pearl Harbor for San Diego, where she arrived on 15 December 1954.

===1955–1959===
On 26 May 1955, ''Bugara'' entered the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for her sixth regular overhaul. The shipyard made extensive changes to provide improved habitability for the crew. Following the overhaul, her home port changed to San Diego on 1 August 1955, and she reported for duty there as a unit of Submarine Squadron 3. Throughout 1956, she rendered services in the San Diego area and participated in several special fleet exercises along the [[United States West Coast]].

''Bugara'' departed San Diego on 1 February 1957 for her sixth cruise to the western Pacific and took part in various exercises with the [[United States Seventh Fleet]] before returning to San Diego. She moved to San Francisco and began her seventh overhaul there. It lasted from 5 September 1957 to 19 March 1958. Upon its completion, she returned to San Diego and resumed local operations. In August 1958 she made another cruise to the Puget Sound area to operate in support of Naval Torpedo Station [[Keyport, Washington|Keyport]]. Washington, and spend a weekend in Seattle during the local [[Seafair]] celebration.

On 7 January 1959, Bugara departed San Diego for her seventh cruise to the Western Pacific. During this six-month deployment, she visited several ports, including Buckner Bay and [[Naha]] on Okinawa; Subic Bay and [[Manila]] on Luzon in the Philippines; [[Hong Kong]]; and Yokosuka, Japan. Upon completion of the deployment, ''Bugara'' returned to San Diego on 2 July 1959. From 14 to 16 August 1959, she visited [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], California, for submarine U.S. Naval Reserve submarine training cruises, then called at San Francisco from 24 to 25 October 1959.

===1960–1964===

On 11 April 1960, ''Bugara'' proceeded from San Diego to Puget Sound in Washington for a two-month deployment and operated with U.S. Navy units from [[Naval Air Station Whidbey Island]] on [[Whidbey Island]], [[United States Coast Guard]] forces, and the [[Canadian Armed Forces]]. She also provided training services to U.S. Naval Reserve submarine units from Portland, Oregon, and [[Tacoma]] and Seattle, Washington, and she made port visits at Seattle, Tacoma, and [[Everett, Washington|Everett]], Washington, and [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] and [[Vancouver]], British Columbia, Canada. On 25 May 1960, she departed Puget Sound en route San Francisco, where she made a two-day visit. She returned to San Diego on 12 June 1960.

From San Diego, ''Bugara'' resumed local operations. During most of July 1960, she participated in Exercise Meadowlark and Exercise Uppercut. On 24 September 1960, she proceeded to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco for an overhaul.

With her overhaul complete, ''Bugara'' made for Naval Torpedo Station, Keyport, Washington, on 2 February 1961 for a [[shakedown cruise]] and [[fire-control system]] checks. While in the Puget Sound area, she made recreational visits to Port Angeles, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. On 13 February 1961, she departed Vancouver bound for San Diego, and after arriving there on 17 February 1961 she commenced refresher training. After the completion of refresher training in early March 1961, she began preparations for a Far East cruise and operations with the U.S. Seventh Fleet. During that cruise, she took part in three [[Attack submarine|hunter-killer]] exercises, two fleet exercises, one antisubmarine warfare exercise with [[Republic of China Navy]] units, and one [[Republic of China Marine Corps]] [[Amphibious warfare|landing]] exercise. She also made port calls at Yokosuka, [[Sasebo]], and [[Hakodate]], Japan; [[Kaohsiung]] on [[Taiwan]]; Manila and Subic Bay on Luzon in the Philippine Islands; Naha on Okinawa; Hong Kong; Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands; and Pearl Harbor. Bugara was awarded the [[Battle Effectiveness Award|Battle Efficiency "E"]] award as the outstanding ship in Submarine Division 31 for [[fiscal year]] 1961, which ran from 1 July 1960 to 30 June 1961. On 17 December 1961, she returned to San Diego.

From 1 January to 26 April 1962, ''Bugara'' participated in operations off San Diego. On 30 April 1962 she arrived in Seattle for a five-day stay to participate in the [[Century 21 Exposition]], also known as the Seattle World′s Fair, and to allow her crew to enjoy [[shore leave]]. On 5 May 1962, she got underway for San Diego, where she conducted local operations until 29 May 1962. From 30 May to 18 June 1962, she was in interim [[drydock]]ing at San Diego, and for the remainder of 1962 operated just off San Diego except for a three-week trip to Pearl Harbor during November. For the second consecutive year, ''Bugara'' was awarded the Battle “E” as the outstanding submarine in Submarine Division 31 during the fiscal year 1962, which ran from1 July 1961 to 30 June 1962. She was also twice awarded the [[Fire Control Efficiency Award]], presented for excellence in fire control and weapon performance during fiscal year 1962.

On 29 December 1962, ''Bugara'' departed San Diego for a seven-week operation in the Puget Sound area. She returned to San Diego on 20 February 1963. Following three weeks of upkeep, her crew painted a white hash mark on her sail signifying her third consecutive Battle “E” award, and she continued workups and other duties in the San Diego area. Her next overhaul period began at the [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]] in [[Bremerton, Washington|Bremerton]], Washington, on 22 July 1963 and lasted until 11 February 1964.

After a brief workup and training period in the Pacific Ocean, ''Bugara'' was assigned duty with the U.S. Seventh Fleet for another deployment to the Western Pacific beginning on 16 April 1964. She stopped at Pearl Harbor to have main [[Electric generator|generators]] 1 and 2 replaced and reported back for duty with the Seventh Fleet on 26 May 1964. During her deployment, she provided services to aircraft and surface ships of the U.S. Navy, Republic of China Navy, and [[Philippine Navy]].

===Vietnam War===
During ''Bugara''′s Western Pacific deployment, the [[Gulf of Tonkin Incident]] of 2 and 4 August 1964 brought the [[United States]] into direct involvement in the [[Vietnam War]]. As a result of the incident, ''Bugara'' was assigned to Task Force 77 for operations in the South China Sea between 8 August and 4 September 1964. She arrived at San Diego on 22 October 1964, having traveled {{convert|24,000|nmi|sigfig=3}} during her deployment, making port calls at [[Cebu City]] on [[Cebu Island]] in the [[Visayas]] in the Philippines; Hong Kong; Subic Bay on Luzon in the Philippines, and Yokosuka, Japan. After returning to San Diego, ''Bugara'' commenced local operations until she entered Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and San Francisco for a [[Electric battery|battery]] renewal in June 1965. With it complete, she returned to San Diego.

''Bugara'' left San Diego on 18 October 1965 for another cruise in support of U.S. Seventh Fleet operations off [[Vietnam]]. While en route, she stopped at Pearl Harbor, where she was completely outfitted with the [[Steinke hood]] device for escape from a disabled submarine. During her deployment, she also made port calls at Yokosuka, Japan; Buckner Bay, Okinawa; and Subic Bay in the Philippines. On 15 November 1965, she celebrated the 21st anniversary of her commissioning by making her 6,000th dive. By the end of 1965, she was at Subic Bay with the U.S. Seventh Fleet and during her deployment she conducted operations and training with units of the U.S., Philippine Navy, [[Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force]], and Republic of China Navy. On 1 May 1966, while transiting the Lombok Strait southbound to the [[Indian Ocean]], ''Bugara'' honored her [[sister ship]] {{USS|Bullhead|SS-332}}, lost on 6 August 1945 during World War II, with a [[wreath]]-laying ceremony. ''Bugara'' then made her first port visit to Fremantle, Australia, since August 1945, returning as the [[Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet|U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force]] representative for the annual commemoration of Australia's celebration of the anniversary of the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]], which had occurred during World War II from 4 to 8 May 1942. During her return voyage to the United States, ''Bugara'' crosseed the junction of the [[equator]] and [[International Date Line]] on 17 May 1966. She traveled {{convert|29,000|nmi|sigfig=3}} during her deployment.

''Bugara'' began an overhaul at San Francisco's Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard in October 1966. After its completion on 25 April 1967, she conducted successful post-overhaul [[sea trials]] and [[Shakedown (testing)|shakedown]] from then until 20 May 1967. Immediately after shakedown, and until 15 June 1967, she visited the [[Dabob Bay]] Torpedo Testing Facility in Puget Sound for fire-control system checks and calibrations. From 15 June to 1 October 1967, she provided services to Eastern Pacific units assigned to Commander, [[United States First Fleet]]. During this training, she sank the decommissioned destroyer escort {{USS|Currier|DE-700}} as a target with a [[Mark 14 torpedo|Mark 14 Mod. 5 torpedo]] in a war shot test. She also received the Battle “E” award again during this period. She then immediately began preparations for her own deployment to the Western Pacific with the U.S. Seventh Fleet.

From 17 October to 31 December 1967, ''Bugara'' was assigned to the Seventh Fleet. During her deployment, her eleventh to the Western Pacific, and before the end of 1967, she visited Pearl Harbor; Midway Atoll; Buckner Bay, Okinawa; [[Keelung]], Taiwan; and Manila and Subic Bay in the Philippines. She also rendered services to the [[Japanese Self-Defense Force]], the Republic of China Navy, and anti-submarine warfare aircraft of the U.S. Navy.

The beginning of 1968 found ''Bugara'' in Subic Bay, halfway through her deployment. As her deployment continued into 1968, she visited Bangkok, Thailand; Keelung and Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Hong Kong; and Yokosuka, Japan. During January 1968, she hosted several newsmen while operating in the [[Gulf of Tonkin]] off [[North Vietnam]] and was featured on American [[television]] in an episode of ''[[The Huntley–Brinkley Report]]'' on [[NBC]]. On 1&nbsp;February&nbsp;1968, her crew participated in a people-to-people program with the inhabitants of the island of [[Ko Samui]], Thailand. During the visit the submariners distributed books, toys, [[vitamin]]s, and athletic equipment and, in conjunction with the [[Royal Thai Navy]], constructed [[basketball]] [[Backboard (basketball)|backboards]] and [[Table tennis|ping-pong]] tables. They concluded the one-day goodwill visit with a joint [[picnic]] and [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] movies for the islanders. While at Yokosuka, Japan, from 10 to 20 April 1968, ''Bugara'' hosted the crew of the British submarine {{HMS|Rorqual|S02|6}}. On 27 April 1968, ''Bugara'' departed Yokosuka, made a half-day stopover at Pearl Harbor, and proceeded to San Diego, which she reached on 16 May 1968.

From 16 May to 18 June 1968, ''Bugara'' underwent upkeep at San Diego. From 19 June to 1 August 1968 she provided services to [[Commander, Naval Air Forces|Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific]], and Commander Training Command, Pacific, and conducted individual ship exercises and additional underway training. On 2 August 1968, she conducted a [[Tiger cruise|dependents cruise]] for families and friends of her crew. A demonstration cruise followed for [[PACNARMID]] on 12–13 August. From 14 to 21 August 1968, ''Bugara'' participated in Strike Ex-68, a major fleet exercise off the coast of [[Southern California]], and Commander, U.S. First Fleet, and Commander, Submarine [[Flotilla]] 1,  both commended her for her performance during the exercise. She spent {{nowrap|22 August–16 September 1968}} in port, engaged in submarine crew training, and providing services for [[Fleet Marine Force, Pacific]]. From 17 September to 10 October 1968, she underwent repairs at [[Campbell Machine Company]] in San Diego, with post-repair sea trials conducted on 10 October. From 22 to 25 October 1968, she provided services for the submarine {{USS|Gurnard|SSN-662}} off San Francisco, followed by a one-day visit to San Francisco. On 30 October 1968, she conducted a demonstration cruise for [[Pacific Southwest Airlines]] employees at San Diego. From {{nowrap|6 to 7 November 1968}}, she again provided services for ''Gurnard'' off San Francisco.  She spent the remainder of 1968 in port except for seven days of training and individual ship's exercises at sea.

From 1 to 26 January 1969, ''Bugara'' conducted workups off Southern California, in preparation for another deployment to the Western Pacific. Underway from 27 January to 26 February 1969, en route from San Diego, she proceeded to Pearl Harbor before passing through [[San Bernardino Strait]] in the Philippines for a port visit at Subic Bay on Luzon. Other ports she visited during her cruise included Manila; Hong Kong; Bangkok and [[Sattahip]], Thailand; and Kaoshiung, Taiwan. From 19 February to 20 July 1969 she was assigned as a unit of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. This period was highlighted by 33 days of services on [[Yankee Station]], including participation in the [[Southeast Asia Treaty Organization]] (SEATO) exercise Sea Spirit with units of the U.S. Navy, [[Royal Australian Navy]], [[Royal New Zealand Navy]], British [[Royal Navy]], Philippine Navy, and Royal Thai Navy. She also provided services for the Seventh Fleet off the coast of [[Vietnam]]. On 1 July 1969, ''Bugara'' was reclassified as an [[Auxiliary ship|auxiliary]] submarine with the new [[hull classification symbol]] '''AGSS-331''' for the period she served on Yankee Station. 

On 20 July 1969, ''Bugara'' receuved orders to proceed to Yokosuka, Japan, and then to San Diego, where she arrived on 4 August 1969. From 5 August to 14 November 1969, she participated in Fleet Exercise StrikeEx 4-69 and provided services to various units of the U.S. First Fleet. On 1 October, her hull classification symbol reverted to '''SS-331'''. On 2 October 1969, she departed San Diego for the Puget Sound area to render services to the submarine {{USS|Blueback|SS-581}}. While in the vicinity, she also provided assistance to Canadian air and surface units from 7 to 9 October 1969.

''Bugara'' entered the Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 14 November 1969 and celebrated her 25th anniversary of commissioning on 15 November while preparing for interim drydocking. At the shipyard, she accomplished a battery renewal that was completed on 3 December 1969. She then returned to San Diego for Christmas holiday leave and upkeep.

==Decommissioning==
During 1970, the U.S. Navy deemed the five remaining [[Fleet Snorkel]] submarines — ''Bugara'', {{USS|Carbonero|SS-337}}, {{USS|Medregal|SS-480}}, {{USS|Sabalo|SS-302}}, and {{USS|Segundo|SS-398}} —  "far below the standards of a [[Guppy III]] submarine" and prohibitively expensive to modernize. The [[Board of Inspection and Survey]] found ''Bugara'' unfit for further naval service and recommended she be stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]].

''Bugara'' was [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] on 1 October 1970 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. She was transferred from the custody of Commander, Submarine Group, [[San Francisco Bay]] Area, to that of Commanding Officer, [[United States Navy reserve fleets|Inactive Ship Facility]], Mare Island Naval Shipyard. She was selected for sinking as a target along with the decommissioned [[attack cargo ship]]s {{USS|Warrick|AKA-89}} and {{USS|Whiteside|AKA-90}} in tests of the [[Mark 48 torpedo]] off the coast of Washington. The testing schedule originally called for the submarine {{USS|Trigger|SS-564}} to sink ''Bugara'' sometime during the week of 23 May 1971, but at the beginning of June 1971 the test had not yet been carried out and ''Bugara'' remained afloat.

==Loss==
On 1 June 1971, ''Bugara'', with no crew aboard, was under [[Towing|tow]] by the [[fleet tug]] {{USS|Cree|ATF-84}} to Bangor Naval Ammunition Depot at [[Bangor, Washington|Bangor]], Washington, when ''Cree''′s crew noticed ''Bugara''′s trim change rapidly. ''Cree'' slowed to heave a tow line at a distance of {{convert|1,750|ft|0}}, and although her towing detail was fully manned at the time, the wire towing ''Bugara'' slipped out of the brake. Suddenly, ''Bugara''′s bow rose sharply at 13:58 and she sank rapidly, disappearing beneath the surface at 14:00 in {{convert|165|fathom}} of water near [[Cape Flattery]], Washington. At risk of being pulled down with ''Bugara'', ''Cree'' cut the [[steel]] [[hawser]] tow cable.

==Wreck==
The [[Shipwreck|wreck]] of ''Bugara'' lies under about {{convert|800|ft}} of water in the [[Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary]]. The [[remotely operated underwater vehicle]] ''Hercules'', deployed by the [[research vessel]] [[EV Nautilus|EV ''Nautilus'']], used an underwater camera system to take photos of the wreck during an [[Archaeology of shipwrecks|archaeological survey]] of it in 2007.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/science/stunning-pictures-reveal-the-wreck-of-us-world-war-ii-era-sub Fox News, Stunning pictures reveal the wreck of US World War II-era sub, By James Rogers, August 28, 2017]</ref>

==Honors and awards==
* {{ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} [[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]] with three battle stars for [[World War II]] service
*[[File:World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|106px]] [[World War II Victory Medal]]
*[[File:Army of Occupation ribbon.svg|106px]] [[Navy Occupation Service Medal]] with "ASIA" clasp
* {{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} [[Korean Service Medal]] with two [[service star]]s for [[Korean War]] service
* {{ribbon devices|number=7|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} [[Vietnam Service Medal]] with seven service stars for [[Vietnam War]] service
* [[File:Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|106px]] [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/bugara0.html}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
*{{navsource|08/08331|Bugara}}
*[http://pigboats.com/ww2/bugara.html  Kill Record:  USS ''Bugara''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022023804/http://pigboats.com/ww2/bugara.html |date=22 October 2013 }}
*[http://www.de634.org/Bugara.htm Collision with USS ''Whitehurst'']

{{Balao class submarine}}
{{1947 shipwrecks}}
{{1950 shipwrecks}}
{{1952 shipwrecks}}
{{1971 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bugara (SS-331)}}
[[Category:Balao-class submarines]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Korean War submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Vietnam War submarines of the United States]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of the Washington coast]]
[[Category:Ships built in Groton, Connecticut]]
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:United States submarine accidents]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1947]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1950]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1952]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1971]]