Joseph F. Enright

Who was Joseph F. Enright?

Joseph Francis Enright was a submarine captain in the United States Navy. He is best known as the man who sank the Japanese aircraft carrier Shinano -the "most significant single submarine sinking of World War II."

Enright graduated from United States Naval Academy in 1933, served three years on USS Maryland and achieved submariner's qualification in 1936. During World War II lieutenant commander Enright commanded USS O-10, USS Dace and USS Archerfish.

Enright assumed command of the newly built USS Dace on July 23, 1943 and in October sailed out on her first war patrol into busy Japanese waters. On November 15 an Ultra message alerted him to intercept aircraft carrier Shōkaku; Enright located the target and "made a timid approach, abandoning the effort as daylight approached". He then found another target, a tanker, but was depth charged by escort ships and withdrew from active pursuit. In the end the 49-day patrol brought no results. Enright took the blame for failure: "I was responsible for an unproductive patrol and request to be relieved by an officer who can perform more satisfactorily". Admiral Lockwood granted the request and demoted Enright to administrative duties ashore. After half a year at Midway submarine base, Enright requested to be given another submarine command and received "a rare second chance", command of USS Archer-Fish, in September 1944.