with 17 battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation The O'Bannon Crew was awarded a commemorative Plaque
from the potato growers of maine
“For their ingenuity in using our now proud potato to ‘sink’ a Jap submarine in the spring of 1943.”

The “Lucky O” as she was affectionately called by her crew amassed a nearly unmatched 17 battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation.

In one particular encounter with a Japanese submarine, the O’Bannon was reduced to fighting an action close aboard with POTATOES.

One account says the Japanese thought the potatoes were hand grenades and threw their guns overboard. Another holds the submariners panicked and submerged the sub and it sank. And yet another holds that the potatoes kept Japanese at bay until depth charges were readied. A less romantic version says the POTATOES were just thrown by the Americans in anger.