Conflicting accounts of USS S-38's loss

Why do some accounts put S-38's loss in March 1942 when it survived to be sunk as a target in 1945?

The origin of the conflicting account is unknown; mistaken identification or a copied number is suggested.

The question contrasts a claimed loss on 2 March 1942 with target disposal in 1945. Disposal in 1945 matches the recollection given here, but the conflicting claim's origin remains unknown. Possible explanations include a mistaken identification or a number copied wrongly into a history book. The route by which the error spread is not established.