PATROL REPORT

Rank & Name: Commander Ethan Edwards

 

Cycle: 8 (February 2004)

 

Submarine Squadron 2 / Submarine Division 4A

 

U.S.S. Pogy SS-266

 

Patrol Zone & Sector(s): Northern Japan NJ-2 & 3

 

TDC: Auto

 

Realism (%): 100%

 

Crew experience: Elite

 

Number of Warships sunk: 4

 

Number of Merchants sunk: 6

 

Warship tonnage: 82,960 tons

 

Merchant tonnage: 65,670 tons

 

Total Tonnage: 148,630 tons

 

Total JANAC tonnage: 74,315 tons

 

Types of Warship sunk:

 

Date

Time

Lat & Long

Class of Vessel

Tonnage

Sept 13, 1943

01:36

38-49N, 141-51E

Myoko Class CA

14,980 tons

Sept 15, 1943

09:47

36-59N, 141-47E

Kongo Class BB

32,200 tons

Sept 15, 1943

10:00

36-59N, 141-47E

Takao Class CA

15,780 tons

Sept 16, 1943

12:15

36-55N, 141-48E

Tayio Class CVE

20,000 tons

 

Types of Merchant sunk:

 

Date

Time

Lat & Long

Class of Vessel

Tonnage

Sept 14, 1943

00:58

37-27N, 141-48E

Troop Transport

8,640 tons

Sept, 14, 1943

21:22

37-31N, 141-29E

Oil Tanker

14,330 tons

Sept, 14, 1943

21:22

37-31N, 141-29E

Troop Transport

7,020 tons

Sept, 14, 1943

21:28

37-31N, 141-29E

Oil Tanker

14,330 tons

Sept, 14, 1943

21:36

37-31N, 141-28E

Oil Tanker

14,330 tons

Sept, 14, 1943

21:48

37-32N, 141-27E

Troop Transport

7,020 tons

 

Conducted Lifeguard duty:

 

Date

Time

Lat & Long

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Conducted Photo Recon:

 

Date

Time

Location

Lat & Long

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Patrol Narrative:  

We departed Midway on September 2 1943 and arrived off the coast of Northern Japan and headed for our patrol area of NJ-2 and NJ-3 on September 11, 1943.

 

September 13, 01:05, radar contact astern, turned to intercept. 01:20, we spotted a CA Group consisting of a Myoko Class CA and two CL’s. We got into a firing position in front of the group and as they turned toward us we fired at a range of 900 yards. All torpedoes hit and sunk the target. We dove to avoid the escorts and were depth charged with no damage to the boat. We lost contact and resumed our patrol.

 

September 14, 00:15, radar contact. 00:35 we spotted a small convoy with light escort. We were in a firing position in front of the convoy and set-up on the lead ship, a Troop Transport. The escort on the starboard side was moving into a position between the target and us and if we waited for it to clear we could miss the shot. The TT has a draft of 21 feet and the Destroyer only 10 feet so we set our torpedoes to 15 feet figuring it would under run the escort and hit the TT. This was possible because we were not using the MK VI magnetic exploder but set for contact hits. We fired and our strategy worked, it ran under the bow of the Destroyer and struck the TT sinking it. We dove to avoid the DD and after evading it we surfaced and resumed our patrol.

 

September 14, 07:14, radar contact. 07:32 we spotted a single DD, radar confirms that a single contact ahead of the main body on contact. 07:47 we spotted a slow moving convoy. The destroyer may have thought he picked up a contact because he headed right at us and the convoy turned away and started toward the distant shore. We dove to 100 feet and rigged for silent running. The destroyer passed right over us but never picked us up. After a short time the sound of the destroyer faded and we went to periscope depth and spotted the convoy headed on a course of 270 degrees with the Destroyer trailing behind. We started to follow, after several hours the convoy turned northward again and than finally NNE. The destroyer made several passes our way but never spotted us. We decided to wait for dark to surface and do an end-around to get in front of the convoy.

18:00 hours, sufficiently dark to surface and get in front of the targets. After getting in front of the convoy we dove to radar depth and waited for it to approach. The Destroyer is about 7,000 yards ahead of the main body of the convoy, well out in front. We maneuvered into the center of the convoy and sunk five merchants before the Destroyer forced us to dive. After getting depth charged we finally lost contact and resumed our patrol.

 

September 15, 03:40, radar contact ahead. This contact must be moving very slowly or on the same course as us as we are overtaking it very slowly because of the heavy seas. 06:38, Can’t believe my eyes, spotted an IJN Battleship just drifting in the middle of the ocean. Moved in closer and it’s defiantly a Kongo Class Bb with two CA’s drifting close aboard. Moving in closer still we have identified the CA’s as a Takao and a Myoko Class Cruisers. At 8,000 yards we went to radar depth and moved in slowly. At 5,000 yards we went to periscope to avoid being detected. At 800 yards we fired at the Kongo sinking it, we than turned our attention to the Takao Class CA. Only the stern tubes loaded but we are reloading the bow tubes. Both Cruisers are getting underway. As the Takao passed us we fired the three remaining torpedoes in the stern, all hit and caused heavy damage. We turned to get the forward tubes to bare and started to follow the target while reloading the bow tubes. The Myoko is passing the damaged Takao, which was falling to a crawl. The Myoko is now doing about 16 knots but the Takao is down to 3 knots. Tube one reloaded so we fired sinking the Takao. The Myoko is long gone so we surfaced and resumed our patrol.

 

September 16, 11:00 hours, radar contact with four air contacts on SD radar, this could be a CV Group. 11:54 hours we spotted a CV Group with heavy escort. Looks like a Hiyo Class CV and a Taiyo Class CVE and six escorts. We maneuvered into a firing position but as we were getting into a good position the CV’s started to change course. We were loosing the shot so we set-up on the CVE instead of the CV which was now on the far side of the group. We fired the last three torpedoes at the target and all hit sinking it. We dove to avoid the escorts and received a heavy depth charging without damage to our boat. After about three-hour we were able to evade and surfaced and headed for home.

 

 

Commander Ethan Edwards

CO: USS Pogy

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