Oral History Interview with Richard Jenke, August 24, 2003

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Clifford Jenke. Jenke was born in Houston, Texas 25 February 1927. On 7 December 1942, at the age of fifteen, he joined the Navy after receiving written approval from his parents. After undergoing six week of boot training at San Diego, he was assigned to the USS Mizar as the pointer on a five inch deck gun. Soon thereafter, the ship departed for Sydney, Australia. Jenke recalls being attacked by a Japanese submarine, which was subsequently driven off by destroyers accompanying the convoy. Three weeks after their arrival, he was sent to Brisbane. After spending a night on the submarine tender USS Fulton (AS-11), he volunteered and was accepted for submarine duty. Assigned as an electrician striker on the USS Scamp (SS-277), he describes the battery propulsion system of the submarine. He recalls sinking a Japanese submarine, HIJMS I-24, during his first patrol aboard the Scamp. After making three patrols aboard the Scamp, he was transferred to the USS Dace (SS-247). With Jenke aboard, the Dace, working in conjunction with the USS Darter (SS-227), sank HIJMS Maya and HIJMS Atago in October 1944. The Dace made eight successful patrols, sinking thirteen ships during Jenke’s time on board. The boat returned to Mare Island, California in November 1945 and Jenke went to Santa Fe, New Mexico to be discharged