---
title: "This legendary Navy skipper sank 19 enemy ships"
description: "In the early months of 1943, Lt. Commander Dudley Morton took control of the USS Wahoo. Watch what he did next that made him into a legend."
date: "2022-09-25"
modified: "2023-09-25"
authors:
  - name: "Tim Kirkpatrick"
    link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/tkirkpatrick/"
url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/this-legendary-navy-skipper-morton/"
categories:
  - "History"
  - "Navy"
  - "War History"
  - "World War II"
---

# This legendary Navy skipper sank 19 enemy ships

![A black and white photo of a military submarine on the water with a hilly coastline and a bridge visible in the background. The submarine has a conning tower with antennas and a deck gun mounted near the front. The sea appears slightly choppy.](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/1024px-USS_Wahoo_SS-238_off_the_Mare_Island_Naval_Shipyard_California_USA_on_14_July_1943_19-N-48937.jpg>)
*The U.S. Navy submarine USS Wahoo (SS-238) off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California (USA), on 14 July 1943. (Wikimedia Commons)*

In the early months of 1943, the USS Wahoo was on its third war patrol when the sub and its crew found themselves under the new leadership of "Skipper" Lt. Commander Dudley Morton after relieving Marvin Kennedy from his duty.

After serving in the Asiatic Fleet, the Kentucky native and Naval Academy graduate recognized that many of the submarine skippers weren't as aggressive as he felt they needed for certain victory.

![](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/469px-DudleyMushMorton.jpg>)
*Commander Dudley "Mush" Morton, last commanding officer of USS Wahoo (SS-238). (Wikimedia Commons)*

Highly motivated to prove his worth, Morton sailed his crew to New Guinea's Wewak Harbor to attack a Japanese Destroyer. After firing five torpedoes at the enemy vessel and missing, the Japanese ship began to charge the Wahoo at full-speed.

Morton prepared his sailors and instructed them to remain calm. Once the enemy destroyer was within an 800-meter range, Morton once again ordered his crew to fire a torpedo, which resulted in a direct hit.

The Wahoo would sink four additional ships before heading back to home base, [Pearl Harbor](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/this-pearl-harbor-survivor-is-buried-in-the-ship-he-escaped/>).

Over the next to two patrols, Morton and the Wahoo destroyed nine merchant ships, [including a 15,000-ton seaplane tender](<https://bit.ly/2pATzIf>), and began earning a name for himself racking up legendary numbers.

![uss wahoo Dudley Morton](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/USS_Wahoo_SS_238.jpg>)
*USS Wahoo (SS 238) from US government source, public domain image. (Wikimedia Commons)*

After a brief period back at Pearl Harbor to reload, the Wahoo set sail for the Sea of Japan and sank four other ships in the first week of October — bringing the tally up to 19.

[It's reported](<https://bit.ly/2qlqz7U>) that on Oct. 11th, the Wahoo was hit by Japanese depth charges and aerial bombs, which damaged Morton's submarine and caused her to sink near the near La Pérouse Strait — killing everyone on board.

Morton was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the [Navy Cross](<https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/why-the-american-military-created-the-silver-star-navy-cross-and-other-medals-for-valor/>) for his work as USS Wahoo's skipper.

Check out the [Smithsonian](<https://www.youtube.com/user/smithsonianchannel>) channel video below honoring Morton as a fallen American hero.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6ly7mCBjo8

*([Smithsonian Channel](<https://www.youtube.com/user/smithsonianchannel>), YouTube)*

## Author
Tim Kirkpatrick entered the Navy in 2007 as a Hospital Corpsman and deployed to Sangin, Afghanistan with 3rd Battalion 5th Marines in the fall of 2010. Tim now has degrees in both Film Production and Screenwriting. tim.kirkpatrick@wearethemighty.com