08/14/2026
On this date in August, 1944 CTM Kenneth Leroy Gwinn of New Castle was serving on the Gato class submarine USS Flier SS-250 as she was transiting the Balabac Strait near the Philippines. It was night and the USS Flier was traveling on the surface when she struck a naval mine. The ship sank in 1 minute and only 15 men of the 60 man crew escaped.
None of the 45 men werre ever recovered and are believed to be entombed on the USS Flier.
In February of 2009 the US Navy announced the the USS Flier had been located at 330 ft. on the bottom of the Balabac Strait.
Earlier in the war CTM Gwinn was awarded the Silver Star.
His name is on the Wall of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
