WWII lost Lagarto boat has been found

Dear Roy,

I have some good news for you.

The USS Lagarto was found just a few days a go by local wreck diver Jamie Macleod near it’s reported last siting.

She lies in 72meters of water.

The top of the conning tower snorkel is at 55meters

THere is no visible damage.

+++

It is planned to revisit the Lagarto in about a week or two, this time to further document the vessel.

Jamie has informed me that he is honored to lay a wreath or place a memorial plaque on the Lagarto on behalf of your WWII Organization.

Jamie’s first view of the Lagarto was of the bow area which appeared exactly as in the black and white image that remains as one of the few pieces of evidence documenting the USS Lagarto when still afloat.

Jamie will be contacting you shortly with more information concerning her discovery.

With respect,

Steve Burton "B2"
Diver/Engineer
Director, Technical Diving
Mermaids Dive Center
www.mermaiddive.com                Pattaya Scuba, Wreck and Technical Diving Main Web Site
www.thaiwreckdiving.com            Thailand Shipwreck Information Web Site
www.scubaengineer.com             Scuba Technician Resource Web Site
email to deepdive@loxinfo.co.th   Tel +66-38-232-219, +66-38-232-220, Fax +66-38-232-218, Mob(SMS) +66-1-652-3197

From: Stephen Burton [mailto:deepdive@loxinfo.co.th]
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2005 7:07 PM
To: 'Roy Leonhardt'
Subject: RE: Request for information from Thaiwreckdiver.com

Hi Roy,

I have by coincidence a friend with a book of fishermans net snag marks.

He has 4 reported abnormalities on the seabed at the USS Lagarto’s sinking position.

He’ll run a scan over the reported wreck site next week for you, weather permitting,as he brings his new boat around from Phuket to Koh Samui Thailand.

They have a crew of 7 technical divers and importantly the use of a US $20,000 Side Scan sonar that should give them a good view of the entire seabed out for hundreds of yards at this location.

I’ll keep you informed if the vessel is found. (IT WAS FOUND - NOTE ABOVE)

This is the first time this sort of equipment as been used at this location to try and locate the vessel.

Check out the pictures below of what can be expected if the search is successful.

With respect,

Steve Burton "B2"
Diver/Engineer
Director, Technical Diving
Mermaids Dive Center
www.mermaiddive.com

www.scubaengineer.com

email to deepdive@loxinfo.co.th

Tel +66-38-232-219, +66-38-232-220, Fax +66-38-232-218, Mob(SMS) +66-1-652-3197

From: Roy Leonhardt [mailto:rlleonhardt@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 11:43 PM
To: Stephen Burton
Subject: RE: Request for information from Thaiwreckdiver.com

Hi Stephen,

Thank you for your reply. I already have the information that you sent, thanks anyway, I really appreciate your efforts. I was hoping to get more current and detailed information, perhaps even a picture. I am anWI associate member of United States Submarine Veterans of World War II. The Wisconsin chapter has the responsibility to memorialize the USS Lagarto. Our organization is working with the Wisconsin Maritime Museum to create a memorial display so the visitors to the museum will be able to identify more closely with the USS Lagarto and its crew that is now on eternal patrol.

Thanks again for your efforts.

Sincerely,

Roy Leonhardt

Stephen Burton <deepdive@loxinfo.co.th > wrote:

Hi Roy,

Good to hear from you.

Heres all the information I have on the USS Lagerto(see below)

If you are planning a dive to visit her, let me know.

Regards

Steve B2

Diver/Engineer

Ship Name:

USS Lagarto

Date of loss:

05/03/1945

Vessel Type:

Submarine

Nationality:

American

Last Known Location:

South China Sea

Lat:

N:007.55.00

Long:

E:102.00.00

Description:

Balao Class

Data:

1,526 tons. 311.8ft x 27ft. SS-371.

Missing. reported as probably sunk by Japanese minelayer HATSUTAKA in the Gulf of Siam. Believed lying in 30 fathoms of water. C/O Frank Latta.

Laid down January 12th 1944 at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, Manitowoc.

Launched May 28th 1944.

Commissioned October 14th 1944.

Lives lost include:

"Andrews, H. D. CTM,

Anker, C. CMOMM,

Auchard, F. L. LTJG.

Bjornson, C. H. F1,

Breithaupt, C. W., Jr. Y2,

Britain, W. L. CRMA,

Brock, A. S2,

Byrer, C. R. F1,

Carleton, W. E. RM1,

Cathey, L. F. MOMM3,

Catozzi, S. G. QM3,

Clouse, G. E. TM2,

Cook, C. T. MOMM1,

Davis, J. E., Jr. TM2,

Doud, L. M. RM2,

Enns, A. H. TM3,

Fisher, R. L. MOMM1,

Franze, J. J. S1,

Frasch, O. R. MOMM1,

Gerlach, J. N. F1,

Grace, R. F. F2,

Graves, W. QM1,

Gray, D. J EM2,

Green, R. STM2,

Gregorik, R. L. EM1,

Gregory, J. P. S2,

Halstead, G. E. RM3,

Hardegree, T. MOMM1,

Harrington, G. C. MOMM3,

Harrington, T. J. MOMM2,

Harris, J. B. S1,

Harrison, J. C. MOMM3,

Hinken, W. E. TM3,

Honaker, W. F. EM3,

Irving, L. G. LT,

Jefferson, H. S1,

Jobe, J. CEMA,

Johnson, F. S1,

Johnson, J. R CEMA,

Jordan, W. H., Jr. S1,

Keeney, A. H., Jr. LT,

Kimball, P M. RT1,

Kirtley, A. STM1,

Kneidl, J. W. MOMM3,

Latta, F. D. CDR,

Lee, N. B., Jr. S1,

Lee, R. W. F1,

Lewis, R. J. MOMM2,

Lynch, L. J. F1,

Mabin, W. T. SM1,

Marriot, J. M., Jr. S1,

McDonald, J. H. SC2,

McGee, J. M. TM2,

Mendenhall, W. H. LT,
Moore, W. L. F1,

Moss, W. G. S1,

O'Hara, L. R. RT2,

Ortega, H. E. F1,

Paper, D. M. S1,

Pash, J. S. LTJG,

Patterson, R. R. RM3,
Perry, R. C. EM3,

Peterson, J. W. TM3,

Peterson, R. F. QM3,

Phelps, W. B. LTJG,

Plushnik, H. R. F1,

Price, G. A. CMOMMA,

Reeves, M. D. EM2,

Reichert, R. E. F1,

Robinson, E . T. BM1,

Root, J. H. MOMM1,

Ruble, R. T. LT,

Rutledge, W. J. S1,

Shackelford, W. C. SM2,

Simmerman, R. E. TM2,

Spalding, R. B. CPHMA,

Stehn, J. E. GM2,

Stiegler, D. G. EM2,

St. John, U. M., Jr. EM3,

Tait, F. MOMM2,

Todd, H. A., Jr. LTJG,

Turner, F. D. CGM,

Wade, A. M. S1,

Warnick, W. C. S1,

Wicklander, M. M. MOMM2 and

Williams, J. L. S1".

Steve Burton "B2"

Diver/Engineer

Director, Technical Diving

Mermaids Dive Center

www.mermaiddive.com

www.scubaengineer.com



email to deepdive@loxinfo.co.th

Tel +66-38-232-219, +66-38-232-220, Fax +66-38-232-218, Mob(SMS) +66-1-652-3197

-----Original Message-----
From: thaiwr3@ganymede.lunarpages.com [mailto:thaiwr3@ganymede.lunarpages.com]
Sent: Monday, April 18, 2005 11:43 AM
To: deepdive@loxinfo.co.th
Subject: Request for information from Thaiwreckdiver.com

*******************************************************************************

Category:        Other

Name:            Roy Leonhardt

Title:           Mr.

Company:         For personal research

Address:         409 Meadow Lane, Eagle, WI 53119 USA

Telephone:       USA 262-594-2756

FAX:

Email:           rlleonhardt@yahoo.com

Remote Name:     64.83.166.10

Remote User:

HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)

Comments:

Dear Wreck Diver,

I am seeking information regarding the USS Lagarto (SS-371) that was sunk in the Gulf of Siam on approximately May 3, 1945 at the approximate location of 70 55 N, 1020 00E. If you have or have access to any information regarding this US submarine I would appreciate it if you would contact me.

Sincerely,

Roy Leonhardt

rlleonhardt@yahoo.com

Wave A Flag

GOD BLESS AMERICA
ROY