"Some were old and some were new, but the sweat and the skill and the steel of Mare Island were a part of each of them to the end." Larry Maggini said that in a statement ahead of this year's service, as reported by the Daily Republic. He was talking about seven submarines that left Vallejo during World War II and never came back.
This Sunday, Nov. 8, the 20th annual Lost Boats of Mare Island Memorial meets dockside at Berth 6, at A Street and Nimitz Avenue. The service is free and goes on rain or shine. It falls three days before Veterans Day, and you could easily take it for an early version of that holiday. It is something more local. The memorial honors the crews, and it also honors the people who built and fixed their boats. That explains where it's held, what the wreath is made of, and who has led it since 2007.
Why the Service Is Held at Berth 6
During World War II, Berth 6 was Mare Island's submarine repair and overhaul facility. According to the Daily Republic's preview, 23 submarines built at Mare Island saw combat in the war. Fifty-two U.S. submarines never came home, and seven of those were Mare Island boats. They carried more than 550 crewmen between them.
The organizers make the shipyard connection on purpose. In the same preview, co-organizer Myrna Hayes of the Mare Island Heritage Trust said that "we owe the men and women who built and maintained ships such as these seven submarines at Mare Island, a debt of gratitude." Maggini, the co-founder, lives in Oakville and once worked as a submarine combat systems engineer at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.
Seven Boats, and What the Navy Record Says
Here are the seven boats the service names, with a summary of each loss from the Naval History and Heritage Command's submarine loss records.
| Boat | Hull number | How the loss is recorded |
|---|---|---|
| USS Pompano | SS-181 | Last patrol off Honshu; presumed lost by Oct. 15, 1943, probably to a mine |
| USS Wahoo | SS-238 | Attacked and lost in La Perouse Strait on Oct. 11, 1943 |
| USS Tullibee | SS-284 | A survivor reported that its own circular-running torpedo struck it during a March 26 convoy attack north of Palau; presumed lost May 15, 1944 |
| USS Gudgeon | SS-211 | Reported presumed lost June 7, 1944; where it was lost is uncertain |
| USS Tang | SS-306 | Sunk Oct. 24, 1944, when its own circular-running torpedo struck it |
| USS Swordfish | SS-193 | Presumed lost Feb. 15, 1945; a mine near Okinawa or a depth-charge attack are both possible |
| USS Trigger | SS-237 | Did not reach Midway by May 1, 1945; probably lost to an enemy attack on March 28 |
The word that keeps coming up is "presumed." For most of these boats, the Navy knows roughly when they stopped answering and has a likely cause, but not an exact place. Two of the seven, Tang and Tullibee, were struck by their own torpedoes, which circled back after firing.
Wahoo is the exception. Its wreck has been found in La Perouse Strait, also called Soya Strait, between Hokkaido and Sakhalin, in Russian waters. The Daily Republic puts its crew at 80 men. That discovery is how the Vallejo service began.
A Wreck Identified in 2006, a Service Begun in 2007
The identification of the Wahoo wreck was announced on Oct. 31, 2006. The first Mare Island memorial took place on Oct. 11, 2007, the anniversary of Wahoo's loss. Hayes and Maggini started it alongside a remembrance held at Pearl Harbor the same day. CBS News Bay Area reported that Hayes began honoring the crew after the wreck was found.
What started as one boat's anniversary grew into a yearly November service for all seven. The Vallejo Times-Herald called last year's gathering the 19th annual memorial. That makes this Sunday the 20th. Wahoo is still at the center of it. This year, Maggini's presentation is about Wahoo, which was built, launched, overhauled and repaired at Mare Island.
What Happens Dockside
The organizers call it a service of history, music and remembrance, held on the shore of the Napa River and Mare Island Strait. It ends with the memorial wreath being laid in the strait. Volunteers make the wreath by hand from materials found on Mare Island. So the tribute that goes into the water comes from the island where the boats were serviced.
Past years give a sense of the hour. The Times-Herald's account of the 2025 service describes the wreath going into the water and the program closing with "Taps" and "Amazing Grace." A 2021 Times-Herald preview listed a gun volley and a flag-folding along with the music and history. At a service CBS covered, a bell was rung for each of the 52 U.S. submarines lost in the war, not only the seven from Mare Island.
Plan for whatever the weather does. The Visit Vallejo event listing asks people to come ready for warm midday sun, cool skies, rain or fog, and to bring an umbrella. The waterfront at Berth 6 has little shelter, so layers make sense.
Building Sunday Around Berth 6
Nov. 8 is a second Sunday, so it lines up with a few other things on the island. Here is one way to spend the day:
- 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Peter's Chapel. The Mare Island Historic Park Foundation's Open Chapel runs on the second and fourth Sundays, and Nov. 8 is on its list of upcoming dates. The foundation requests a $5 donation per person; members get in free with one guest. The page notes that dates can change because of private events, so check it before you go.
- By 1 p.m., Berth 6. Visit Vallejo lists the service from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Getting there by 1 gives you time to park, walk to the waterfront and find a place to stand.
- After 3 p.m., the Coal Shed. Mare Island Brewing's Coal Shed at 850 Nimitz Ave. lists Sunday hours of 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and serves food, beer, cocktails and wine.
If you're thinking of the Redwood Empire site at 1095 Nimitz Ave. as another stop, the Vallejo Sun reported in late September that the bar and eatery would close Oct. 4. The distillery's tours, tastings, classes and events would continue by reservation.
The chapel opens at 11, which leaves a good stretch for a visit before you head to the waterfront. The brewery stays open for hours after the service, so all three fit in one afternoon without rushing.
Three Days Later, Two More Ceremonies
The memorial opens a week of remembrance in Vallejo. On Wednesday, Nov. 11, the Times-Herald's community listings show two Veterans Day observances. The first is at 9 a.m. at Mare Island Naval Cemetery, 167 O'Hara Court. The second is at 11 a.m. at the Vallejo Warriors' Memorial behind City Hall, 3 Capitol St.
With two hours between them, you can attend both: start on the island, cross back to downtown, and finish at City Hall. Add Sunday at Berth 6, and the week includes three ceremonies. Two of them take place on Mare Island, which built the seven boats.
Mare Island's history is part of everyday life here, from the berths along Nimitz Avenue to the chapel's Sunday hours. If you're curious how that history shapes the island's neighborhoods today, the team at The Company Real Estate is glad to talk it over with you, any week of the year. Contact Us.
