Loose Lips Sink Ships: The May Incident Caused The Loss of 10 Submarines

Some military data is designated as classified to protect it from enemy eyes. However, Congressman Andrew May appeared to disregard this protocol, as his ill-advised press conference resulted in the leak of sensitive information. This breach resulted in the loss of around 10 submarines and the tragic deaths of 800 Navy personnel.

The May Incident

Andrew May standing in a suit — Kentucky Congressman Andrew J. May, 1939. (Photo Credit: Harris and Ewing / Wikimedia Commons)

The United States Navy was known for its successes following the country’s entrance into WWII. Despite Japanese attempts to sink their vessels, the Allied forces managed to evade their attacks. This was because, at the time, the Balao-class of submarine could dive to depths of 400 feet, deeper than the Japanese set their depth charges.

June 1943 press conference

Black and white. Top of submarine shown above water's surface. corner of a dock can be seen in the bottom left corner. — USS *Apogon* (SS-308), an example of a Balao– class submarine. (Photo Credits: Unknown Author / US Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain).

In 1943, Andrew May, head of the House Military Affairs Committee, set out on a journey through American military zones in the Pacific Theater, gaining access to a wealth of confidential war-related data. Upon his return that June, he held a press briefing, during which he revealed that American submarines’ remarkable survival rates were due to the Japanese charges detonating at excessively shallow depths.

This information was swiftly disseminated via press wires and featured in publications throughout the United States.

The fallout of a blabbermouth

Black and white portrait of Charles A. Lockwood Jr. in Navy Uniform and white background. — Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood Jr. (Photo Credits: PawelMM / US Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Shortly after this news circulated, the Japanese naval anti-submarine forces modified their depth charges to detonate at deeper levels. This led Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, who oversaw the US submarine fleet in the Pacific, to calculate that May’s breach cost the Navy 10 submarines and approximately 800 crew members’ lives.

“I hear Congressman May said the Jap depth charges are not set deep enough,” he said. “He would be pleased to know that the Japs set them deeper now.”

The Navy’s Pacific Submarine Fleet report

The USS Balao at sea — The USS *Balao*, a *Balao*-class submarine. (Photo Credit: US Navy/ Wikimedia Commons/ Public Domain)

After the press conference, the Navy’s Pacific Submarine Fleet published a report revealing that Japanese anti-submarine warfare (ASW) forces had not succeeded in discovering the maximum depth that the US submarine fleet could reach. Nonetheless, the report did not indicate whether the Japanese had modified their depth charge attacks to target deeper positions as a result of the information revealed in May.

Alleged war profiteering

The ill-fated press conference wasn’t the only ding to Andrew May’s career. During the early stages of the war, he became involved with two New York-based businessmen, Henry and Murray Garsson. Despite the pair having no prior arms manufacturing knowledge or experience, they sought to financially gain from the US involvement in the conflict by securing munitions contracts from the government.

Henry Stimson, Andrew May, George C. Marshall and Morris Sheppard standing above President Franklin Roosevelt as he sits at a desk — Andrew May with Henry Stimson, Morris Sheppard and George C. Marshall as President Roosevelt signs the Conscription Bill, 1940. (Photo Credit: Topical Press Agency / Getty Images)

On the pair’s behalf, May used his position as chairman of the House Military Affairs Committee to contact Army ordnance and other government officials to obtain war contracts, favors, and draft deferments. For his efforts, he received substantial cash payments, information that was uncovered by a Senate investigating committee following the war.

Defective munitions

Black and white. Two men stand on either side of a man kneeling loading a 4.2 inch mortar outside on grass. — Mortar squad of the 85th Chemical Mortar Battalion loading a 4.2 inch mortar. April 1945. (Photo Credits: J.R. Robinson / Signal Corps Archive / US Army / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain)

This soon turned into a scandal, which only grew following testimony about the profit-taking of the Garssons’ company and the defects in their munitions. It was found their 4.2-inch mortar shells had defective fuzes, leading to premature detonation. It’s believed this resulted in the death of 38 American servicemen.

Paying for his actions… Maybe?

The repercussions of Andrew May’s mistakes during the war extended to his loss in the 1946 re-election. As well, he faced trial for federal bribery charges and was convicted on July 3, 1947, following less than two hours of jury deliberations. Despite attempts to evade imprisonment, he was ultimately sentenced to nine months in a federal facility.

Murray and Henry Garsson likewise received prison sentences.

Andrew May standing with Maury Maverick — Andrew May with Texas Congressman Maury Maverick, 1938. (Photo Credit: Harris and Ewing / Wikimedia Commons/ Public Domain)

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Despite his ruined reputation, May continued to have influence over politics within the Democratic Party, allowing him to secure a full pardon from President Harry Truman in 1952. He was, however, unable to fully revive his political career and thus returned to Kentucky to practice law until his death.