Commander
United States Navy Reserve
Frank DeVere Latta, the son of E. Roy and Iva Latta, was born in Indiana circa 1909.
Frank graduated from Burlington High School in 1928, Burlington (Iowa) Junior College and the United States Naval Academy with the Class of 1932.
He married the former Holly Woodward and is the proud father of two sons, Mike and Patrick.
Frank spent most, if not all, of his military service aboard submarines. On 18 April 1943, Frank assumed command of the USS Narwhal (SS-167) and left San Diego, California for Dutch Harbor, Alaska. On board were soldiers from the 7th Infantry Scout Company. Twelve days later, The USS Narwhal took part in the attacks to recapture the Attu Islands from the Japanese. While still under Frank’s command, history was made on 11 July 1943, when the USS Narwhal fired the first shot on the Japanese homeland. His mission was to create a diversion by bombarding an air base on Matsuwa, Japan so three other submarines could slip through the Etorofu Strait without detection. After five more combat missions and the sinking of two Japanese ships, Frank gave up command of the USS Narwhal on 20 March 1944, in Fremantle, Australia
On 12 April 1945, the USS Lagarto (SS-371), under Frank’s command, left Subic Bay, Philippines Islands for her second patrol in the South China Sea. On 27 April, she was directed to the outer part of the Gulf of Siam. At 10:45 p.m. on 2 May, the USS Lagarto and the USS Baya were both in combat with an escorted Japanese convoy consisting of one tanker, one auxiliary, and two destroyers. Both submarines rendezvoused at 2:40 a.m. on 3 May and made plans for again closing in on the convoy. The USS Lagarto was to dive on the convoy’s track to make contact at 2:00 p.m., while the USS Baya was to be ten to fifteen miles further along the track. During the day, numerous contact reports were exchanged. Just after midnight on 4 May, after prolonged but unsuccessful attack, the USS Baya was finally driven off by the alert escorts, and no further contact was ever made with the USS Lagarto. The USS Lagarto had been directed to proceed to the Java Sea and depart from there for Fremantle, Australia on 4 May. The USS Lagarto failed to arrive and is presumed lost. Eight-five officers and men were lost.
Japanese information available now records an attack on a U.S. submarine made the minelayer Hatsutaka, believed to be one of the two radar equipped escorts of the convoy attacked. The attack was made in about 30 fathoms of water, and in view of the information from U.S. Navy reports, the attack here described must be presumed to be the one which san the USS Lagarto.
Almost 60 years since the USS Lagarto was lost, a team of deep-sea divers discovered the submarine 93 miles southeast of Thailand, intact and sitting upright 200 feet below sea level.
Frank had a passion for motorcycles. Against Navy policy to bring motorcycles aboard submarines, Frank would disassemble the motorcycle, put it in a crate and sneak it on board. Once at dock, he would put the motorcycle back together and ride it up and down the streets.
Frank made seven patrols as Commanding Officer on the USS Narwhal. Every patrol by him was designated successful for the award of combat insignia, a record surpassed by no commanding officer in the Submarine Force.
Frank was survived by his wife and two sons; his mother; and a brother, Douglas (serving in the Navy). His father preceded Frank in death.
Commander Frank D. Latta, United States Navy Reserve, is still official listed as Missing-In-Action. His name is on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines.
Among his military awards and decorations are the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, and Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Submarine Combat Badge, and the Submarine Service Badge.
Source of Information:
1. United States Pacific Fleet, Submarine Force web site; http://www.csp.navy.mil/ww2boats/lagarto.htm
2. History of the USS Narwhall (SS-167); http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2956.html
3. American Battle Monuments Commission website; http://www.abmc.gov/
4. National World War II Memorial veteran’s registry; http://www.wwiimemorial.com/
5. The Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, 21 February 1945, page 2.
6. The Burlington Hawk-Eye, 12 September 2005.
7. The Burlington Hawkeye Gazette, 13 May 1944, page 2.
Commander Latta (on the right) aboard the
USS Lagarto when it was commissioned in
Manitowc, Wisconsin on 14 October 1944.
USS Lagarto (SS-371)
For extraordinary heroism as commanding officer of a United States submarine during six successive war patrols against enemy Japanese forces in alien waters, Commander Latta was awarded the Navy Cross. The citation reads, in part:
Applying himself with keen foresight and unwavering attention to detail, Commander Latta assisted materially in planning for a series of extremely hazardous missions and later carried out each difficult assignment with outstanding success. In other actions during these patrols, he maneuvered his vessel for maximum striking power and succeeded in sinking an important amount of vital hostile shipping. Commander Latta’s brilliant leadership and the fearless devotion to duty of his officers and men in the face of grave peril were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States naval service.
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