The USS Dorado Project

Page Listing

Main Page

Latest News & Updates

The Submarine

The Crew

Photographs

The Loss Scenario

The Myths

The Aircraft

Research Documents

The latest updates and project news can be found at this link!

Questions, comments? Are you a Dorado family member? Send us an email at this address.

Welcome to The USS Dorado Project!!

This is a new site dedicated to telling the complete story of the WWII submarine USS Dorado (SS-248), and detailing the circumstances of her unfortunate loss in 1943. We will present our case as to what we believe happened to the Dorado, and will close out many of the myths that are out there concerning her loss. A major part of this project concerns our development of a comprehensive scenario in which we can describe her likely final resting place. We will also have photographs, charts, graphs, and other pertinent information. There will be a page dedicated to the crew, so that you will have a sense for who these men were, and what their loss meant to their families.

Goals & Principles

● Find Dorado's final resting place and provide photographic and video documentation of the wreck to the greatest extent possible.
● Develop a comprehensive loss scenario using information gathered from the photo and video documentation.
● Dispel the rumors and myths surrounding Dorado's loss, leaving only facts and well-founded hypotheses.
● Work with the U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command to establish safeguards that will ensure that the wreck site will not be disturbed by future expeditions.
● Properly honor the dedication and sacrifice of her crew and provide closure to the families and the United States Navy.
● Provide impetus to the effort to secure the Purple Heart medal for her crew.

Project Staff

Thaddeus Weaver - Project Manager

Thaddeus Weaver grew up living coast-to-coast as the son of a US Navy submariner. He has lived in Rhode Island since 1996, and graduated from the New England Institute of Technology in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in the field of Video and Audio Production. He has spent 20 years building his career and has been a Multimedia Specialist at the Naval War College in Newport, RI since 2019. A lifelong avid reader of the Second World War, he is the Content Creator of the Naval Intrigue YouTube channel and has published researched documentaries on naval stories of interest.

David Johnston - Submarine Historian

DCC(SS/SW) David L. "Dave" Johnston, USN (Ret.) is a native of Michigan and first joined the Navy in September, 1983. Over the course of a 21-year career Chief Johnston served on the USS Darter (SS-576), four Mine Countermeasures ships, and the USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98). He has been on the staffs of Navy Operational Support Centers (aka Navy Reserve Centers) in Des Moines IA, Brunswick ME, Rochester NY, Battle Creek MI, and on the staff of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Bath ME. He has made four overseas deployments to Japan and the western Pacific, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. He retired from active duty in August, 2019.

His awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/ “M” device, and a COMSUBGRU 7 Letter of Commendation. Chief Johnston is Qualified in Submarines and Surface Warfare.

During a break in service in the 1990’s, he worked in the travel, security, and retail industries.

Dave is a published historian, author, and technical consultant on submarine history for aspiring authors. He is a co-founder and webmaster of PigBoats.COM, a submarine history website and a passion for him since 2001. He volunteers his time as an independent researcher for the Naval History & Heritage Command and was part of the team that identified the wreckage of the USS Albacore (SS-218) in 2023 and the USS Harder (SS-257) in 2024. He has contributed research and analysis to the discoveries of five other lost USN submarines. He is active in the Hampton Roads Base of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. He resides in Norfolk, VA with his wife Theresa. He is a proud father and grandfather and an avid world traveler.

Stephen Katona - Search Area Development/Document Research

Steve Katona began his federal career at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1979 and is now a retired intelligence officer residing in Milton, Delaware. Since 2018, he has been a volunteer with the Naval History & Heritage Command where he has provided research support to the search for and discovery of lost U.S. aircraft carriers, destroyers and submarines. He was a key member of the team that identified the wreck site of the USS Albacore (SS-218) in 2023 and took the lead in arranging memorial services for the family members. His current research interest is the lost WWII submarines with a connection to Delaware including USS Corvina, Herring and Kete. He has also provided research support to exhibits on USS Arizona and the Lost WWII Submariners of Delaware at the Fort Miles Museum in Lewes, DE.

Page created by:
Thaddeus Weaver & David Johnston
©2025 - Thaddeus Weaver & PigBoats.COM
West Warwick, RI, Norfolk, VA
ussdoradoproject@gmail.com