One of the interesting and enjoyable aspects of writing a book like, "Find Em" is to continue to find families of the 225 or so submariners that manned Gudgeon during the war. Occasionally, I learn about somebody whose name only appears on the Muster roll, not in the main body of the book.
The first of such men is John Harger.
John "Bull" Harger served on Gudgeon from her pre-commissioning days through the 1st war patrol. As Chief Torpedoman, Harger supervised and led the men in the forward and after torpedo rooms. As Chief Torpedoman, Harger was part of the team of torpedomen who fired Gudgeon's first torpedo shots at a coastal freighter on January 4, 1942, as well as the historic sinking of the massive Japanese submarine I-73, west of Midway Island on January 27, 1942. When the I-73 went down, the Silent Service of the United States registered her first all-time sinking of a warship a warring nation.
John Harger after receiving the Bronze Star for his service on Gudgeon's First War Patrol
Harger's Bronze Star cited him for Meritorious Service and was signed by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz who referred to Harger as, the "Torpedoman's Mate in Charge" of the Gudgeon. A medical condition necessitated Hargers departure from the boat at Midway Island as Gudgeon was returning from her 1st war patrol. He received many other commendations and medals for his service during the war, including a Presidential Unit Citation for having served on Gudgeon. Harger died of complications from leukemia in 1957.
findchasesink.com.
Bull Harger at commissioning ceremony, April, 1941. Harger is in middle.
