41 Commando North Korea Raid: USS Perch

 Written by Rupert Godesen, one of the editors of the Soldiers Pocket Book.

USS Perch (SSP-313). US Navy Photo.

Daring Raids are an exciting, thrilling chapter in the history of any conflict where heroes are forged, medals are won and valiant comrades occasionally lay down their lives for their friends. It has been a real treat to research and write this series of articles for Ed but on this occasion I wanted to concentrate on a vehicle rather than the raid itself.

Sure, there is a raid of course, this isn’t Haynes Manuals after all, and a raid in which great deeds were done and in which one brave Marine lost his life, but the most interesting element to this tale I believe is the submarine that mounted the raid. 

On the night of the 1st October 1950 an American submarine emerged from the cold unforgiving waters of the Pacific Ocean just 4 miles off the coast of North Korea.  North Korea nowadays makes us think of a hermit kingdom clinging to the edge of the known and civilised world that is run a by pint sized dictator.  A terrifying place of terrible brutality meted out by a savage regime that has been run by the same family (the Kims) for as long as I can remember. 

When you look at satellite photos of the country at night the entire country is inky black, a most bizarre place that, thanks to the greed of countries like Russia, Iran and Pakistan (who flogged them the tech and the hardware) has somehow got hold of nuclear technology which threatens the civilised world on a monthly basis. 

But after the Second World War (when the world was hoping for a breather no doubt) troubled once again flared as the Communists went up against the West, this time on the Korean peninsula.

So on that particular night of the 1st October 1950 the deep dark water of the Pacific Ocean harboured a mysterious submarine of the US Navy, and it was hunting for Communist prey.  The submarine was called USS Perch and it had, had a bit of work done.  In a spray of foam, the periscope broke the surface, then came the conning tower and what normally happens next is the sleek body of the submarine glides onto the surface.  But this submarine had a passenger and we’re not talking about a few lucky barnacles.

On the back of USS Perch was a massive 16 foot x 32 foot cylindrical hanger packed with boats and explosives, its refit began back in the US, 2 years prior to its appearance off the North Korean coast. To take the fight to the communists on the Korean peninsular the US Navy had decided that it needed a covert method of delivering troops for an offshore raid. The Perch was taken into dry docks and the men with the acetylene torches got to work. 

Firstly the enormous torpedo tubes at the front of the boat were removed, in their place was erected an accommodation module for up to 110 heavily armed raiders, complete with all their personal kit which would have included their webbing, personal weapons and packs. The ward room or mess where the submarine head shed ate and relaxed, was next turned into a fully stocked med centre and surgery as a grim reminder that the passengers were on deadly business. 

On the back of the Perch the designers bolted a huge 16 foot by 32 foot hanger which was to house heavier equipment for the raiders. On this occasion it was to contain 7 rubber boats and a significant amount of explosives for the operation.

Coming back to the 1st Oct 1950 and Perch had broken the surface of the Pacific.  4 miles off her flank was the coast of North Korea, as the officers on watch scanned the coastline they could see not a single light or sign of life, it must have been an unusual scene and it’s rather creepy to think that it probably looks identical today, no sign of life just a kingdom frozen in time while the rest of the world has cracked on.

Out of the portholes came the 67 Royal Marines of 41 Commando who had been waiting in the bow of the submarine for some days submerged beneath the waves.  They swarmed over the deck unloading the boats and explosives, getting themselves and their kit ready.  41 Cdo were a specialist raiding unit and fell under the command of Col Douglas Drysdale. 

Had one of the US submariners on watch looked down at the young boot necks clambering all over their boat they may well have been struck by how well fed they all looked.  Let’s not forget that this soon after the end of WW2 in the UK rations and food were still scarce so how come they all looked so good.

Submariners, because of the arduous and unpleasant nature of what they do (remaining submerged for weeks and months at a time) are allowed certain leeway and extra perks not afforded to other branches of the forces, one of which is in the allowances for food.

The young lads from 41 Cdo RM who had been surviving on the normal food allowances ate their fill, apparently the commander of the sub had to write several letters to his boss asking for more money to feed them, and why not eh? A force marches on the contents of its stomach after all.

The Marines emerging into the cool night off the North Korean coast quicky snapped into their well rehearsed drill, they took a short time to ready the boats, prep the dems and weapons, a final set of QBOs to take into account any last minute eqpt failure or change in circumstances and they were off.

The watching US sailors tracked them until they disappeared into the blackness and vanished, it was at this stage that the sailors became nervous, they suddenly realised that there was not really much they could do to either support the Marines or even to protect themselves. To accommodate the 16x32 foot container one of their defensive weapons had been removed and also they were the only life line available to the raiders, if a North Korean patrol boat happened along they would have been in trouble.

41 Commando, RM planting demolition charges along railways. National Archives photo. 

It was in fact to be the last time that the USS Perch was to take part in such a raid, although 41 Cdo would go on to conduct many more raids.  The Marines made land fall on the coast 150 miles north of the main front line, their target was the main railway line providing supplies of men and material to the line to the south.  As with many such raids throughout history the objective was to create as much damage as possible and also to draw reinforcements away from the frontline to protect isolated and undefended points, weakening an enemy’s force and morale by having valuable fighting men idle doing nothing.

On making landfall the Marines moved in land, a party were left on the beaches to conceal and protect the boats and be ready for a rapid extraction. If they were surprised by the communists they would have to move very quickly indeed.  67 men fleeing by boats would be a very vulnerable target.

The main body pushed inland and located their target, it was point of the railway line where the track passed through a tunnel.  If they had blown up a section of track then the enemy could have repaired it in a matter of hours, it would just be a case of getting the labourers and the repair crew on site and that would be that.

But malleting a crossing point such as a bridge (which would need rebuilding) or a tunnel (which would need excavating) as well as the track well you’re looking at a lot of machinery, lots of men and a real drama for the commander who mustn’t allow it to be put out of action again.

4 miles out on the ocean the watchers on the submarine must have been wondering how long the Marines were going to be, the sky was lightening slightly and despite the cold wind I have no doubt that there would have been sweat on a few brows.  Sound carries amazingly well over water and off in the distance could be heard a few feint cracks as small arms were engaged.  Had the Marines been compromised or were the communists firing at shadows?

More shots followed, a short silence and then a massive flash on the horizon followed by an explosive shock wave that was felt on the conning tower.  The tunnel, culvert and railway line were smashed to bits and the Marines were already on their toes back to the boats and back to the Perch and whole gut full of food.

One young Marine, Peter Raymond Jones was wounded in the extraction and unfortunately lost his life, he was buried at sea.  The Perch welcomed its passenger back onboard and sank beneath the cold dark waves of the Pacific.

USS Perch (SSP-313) after being converted into troop transport. US Navy Photo.