Rank & Name: LCDR. SJ Turner (III)
Cycle: Eight (February 2004)
Submarine Squadron 2 / Submarine Division 4A
U.S.S. Cod SS-224
Patrol Zone & Sector(s): Sulu Sea ( all sectors )
TDC: Auto
Realism (%): 109%
Crew experience: Veteran
Number of Warships sunk: 5
Number of Merchants sunk: 6
Warship tonnage: 43,362
Merchant tonnage: 67,370
Total JANAC tonnage: 110,732 / 55,366
Damage sustained: Hull – Light (22 %) System – Light
(3 %)
Types of Warship sunk: 5
|
Date |
Time |
Lat &
Long |
Class of
Vessel |
Tonnage |
|
12 October
1943 |
05:22 |
07-42N x
118-58E |
CVL –
(Rhuho) |
15,300 |
|
12 October
1943 |
05:22 |
07-42N x
118-58E |
CVE –
(Taiyo) |
20,000 |
|
16 October
1943 |
07:09 |
07-16N x
115-10E |
SUB –
(B-Type) |
2,564 |
|
16 October
1943 |
07:09 |
07-16N x
115-10E |
SUB –
(C-Type) |
2,564 |
|
16 October
1943 |
16:00 |
07-43N x
115-35E |
SUB –
(A-Type) |
2,934 |
|
Date |
Time |
Lat &
Long |
Class of
Vessel |
Tonnage |
|
13 October
1943 |
02:23 |
08-42N x
118-07E |
Standard
Merchant |
14,210 |
|
13 October
1943 |
02:23 |
08-42N x
118-07E |
Troop Ship |
6,240 |
|
14 October
1943 |
03:41 |
08-20N x
116-29E |
Oil Tanker |
11,320 |
|
14 October
1943 |
19:44 |
06-42N x
115-11E |
Oil Tanker |
14,320 |
|
14 October
1943 |
20:47 |
06-42N x
115-13E |
Factory
Ship |
7,010 |
|
15 October
1943 |
18:24 |
07-13N x
115-09E |
Oil Tanker |
11,270 |
Conducted Lifeguard duty: NONE
|
Date |
Time |
Lat &
Long |
|
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Conducted Photo Recon: NONE
|
Date |
Time |
Location |
Lat &
Long |
|
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Patrol Narrative:
RMKS/ 1. We departed port on 2 October, 1943 and headed north
to our assigned patrol area, the Sulu Sea.
We arrived on station on 11 October with a full load of MK-14 torpedo’s
We patrolled on the surface utilizing our SJ Radar to widen our search pattern.
We entered the Sulu Sea from the southeast.
RMKS/ 2. Monday 17:14 the SJ radar reported contact bearing
030` at 16,000 yds. Lookouts made contact at the same instant the radar did.
Spotted 2 Destroyers heading southwest so I went deep to evade. Came back to
radar depth at 18:24 to find the area clear. Surfaced and continued patrol.
RMKS/ 3. 04:57 SJ contact bearing 335` at 12,300 yds. 05:06
lookouts spotted 2 Destroyers bearing from 019` to 338` at 5,000 yds. I went to
periscope depth to watch. To my astonishment 2 flattops emerged from the dark
heading right for my position. Trailing outside the 2 CV’s were at least one
Heavy Cruiser. I identified the CV’s as being of the Rhuho and Taiyo class. I
setup 3 torpedo’s for each CV and at 05:20 fired at each. The Rhuho from 617
yds and the Taiyo from 710 yds. Crash-dived after firing as there were now 3
escorts visible. All 6 torpedo’s detonated sinking both Carriers.
05:26 arrived at 385 feet
on course 345` true. The escorts pinging found us due to the lack of a thermal
layer and the depth charges rained down. One string damaged Store Room # 2
Pressure Hull, Motor Room Hull, Stern Dive Planes and knocked out Engine # 2
for the duration of this patrol. The Motor Room and Storage Room both flooded
heavily making depth control very difficult. Had to use ballast to trim nose up
and down. I jettisoned debris and managed after some time to evade the escorts.
At 06:29 DC Motor # 1 shut down as the flooding damaged it. I porpoised between
150 to 375 feet on each blow of the air tanks to control my depth. At 06:53 the
flooding had been slowed enough to allow us to control depth with dive planes
alone. Had less than ¼ tank of compressed air remaining and heard an aircraft
fly over. 06:58 DC Motor # 2 failed due to the flooding. 07:08 all flooding in
the Motor Room was stopped and the pumps gradually caught up. Came to periscope
depth at 07:32 and surfaced after clearing the area. Headed east to commence
surface repairs and get the boat in shape. By 13:30 all manageable repairs were
complete and we headed west back into the hot zone.
RMKS/ 4. Wednesday 13 October 01:27 SJ contact bearing 089` at
12,200 yds. Spotted a Destroyer at 01:47 bearing 090` at 7,900 yds and went to
periscope depth. Spotted a convoy of several Supply ship, Standard Merchants,
Troop ships and Armed Merchants in 3 separate columns out to 4,000 yds. Picked
the trailing ships as targets and at 02:27 fired 3 torpedo’s at the trailing
Merchant from 550 yds and fired 1 torpedo at the trailing Troop ship from 500
yds. Dove after firing and heard both ships breakup after the torpedo’s hit. I
was just off the Palawan coast so I closed the coast and kept the escorts off
my stern. The 3 of them searched the area heavily but never found me and left
at 04:44. 06:15 went to Radar depth then surfaced and headed for an area
northeast of Kudat Harbor. 08:25 SJ contact bearing 032` at 13,800 yds. I
suspected it might be the remnants of the previous attacked convoy and headed
for it. 08:49 spotted a Destroyer heading my way so I went deep. The seas were
flat calm and no cloud cover. By 09:01 5 sets of low speed screws and 1 set of
high-speed screws passed down our starboard side heading northeast. Radar depth
at 09:41 with contacts between 216` and 236` from 10,000 to 12,000 yds.
Surfaced at 10:00 to try and transit into the main channel west of Kudat.
Ran into a large patrol T
15:15 and reversed my course to find another passage. After dark transited a
narrow passage south of Palawan with only 35 feet under my keel.
RMKS/ 5. Thursday 14 October 02:28 SJ radar contact bearing
310` at 13,400 yds. Spotted Destroyer at 02:20 bearing 284` at 8,000 yds and I
went to periscope depth. Never spotted any other ships and after going to radar
depth at 03:01 picked up the small convoy after it had passed. I surfaced at
flank speed and spotted a Tanker at once bearing 005` at 8,000 yds. I had radar
track the convoy as the deck gun opened fire on the Tanker. After the first
rounds hit the OT changed course to 145` and I began to close on it. Our top
speed was only 13 knots due to the one engine being out of commission. Fired 25
rounds and then fired one torpedo from 2,000 yds only to have it detonate
early. Finally at 03:38 sank the Tanker after firing 37 rounds for 27 hits and 10
misses. I trailed the convoy until 04:00 and headed back south, as we were not
closing. I cleared the area at high speed and by 13:28 was 75 nautical miles
west of Kudat Harbor.
RMKS/ 6. 18:34 SJ contact bearing 226` at 11,300 yds. Made
visual contact at 19:20 on one Asashio DD and a Tanker bearing 000` at 8,500
yds. Was a single column convoy of about 7 ships heading 199`. At 19:43 fired 1
torpedo at the led Tanker from 1,400 yds and sank it. Fired 1 torpedo at the
trailing Factory ship (Premature), fired a 2nd and 3rd
torpedo at the CFS then went deep. Picked up 3 sets of high speed screws but
they never gained contact on me. Radar depth at 20:28 then surfaced and began a
search for the Factory ship I had hit. 20:38 spotted the CFS at 7,700 yds
bearing 008`. 20:46 unlimbered the deck gun and fired 3 rounds for 2 hits and 1
miss to finish the ship.
RMKS/ 7. Friday 15 October 09:48 SJ contact bearing 330` at
20,000 yds. Visual on a Destroyer mast at 10:08 bearing 326` at 17,800 yds so I
went deep to let it pass. Did not engage.
RMKS/ 8. 17:14 SJ contact bearing 007` at 11,300 yds. Made
visual at 17:50 on 2 Destroyers at 5,000 yds bearing 087`. Was the lead escort
of a 3-column convoy of around 16 ships with 5 visible escorts. I set upon the
trailing ships and at 18:22 fired 1 torpedo at the lead Tanker from 1,500 yds
which set it afire. I fired a second torpedo to sink the OT and fired 1 torpedo
at a Troop ship from 1,200 yds, which damaged it. As we went deep sound
reported 9 sets of high-speed screws converging on us. For good measure at
08:15 I jettisoned debris and did so again at 19:21 as the escorts were
sticking right to us. They didn’t have our depth but kept us moving. Finally
evaded at 01:57 as they faded out going down our last track. Arrived radar
depth at 02:44 and then surfaced.
RMKS/ 9. 06:34 SJ contact bearing 174` at 12,000 yds. Lookouts
reported 3 subs sighted at 06:44 and I went to periscope depth. They were aft
our position and heading right to us. 07:09 fired 1 torpedo at a sub from 1,000
yds bearing 110` and sank it. Fired 1 torpedo at the nearest sub bearing 174`
at 900 yds. It missed as the sub turned to starboard and I fired a second
torpedo this time set for 35 feet as the sub was going under. It sank with a
great blast of air. The 3rd sub turned right for us and began to
submerge from 3,200 yds. I went to radar depth and headed northeast on the base
course they were traveling. 09:18 Radar picked up the sub surfacing bearing
020` at 4,100 yds. I went to flank speed to close but knew I wouldn’t gain
while submerged. I fired my last bow torpedo in a hope of a hit from 4,500 yds
set on slow speed. The angle on the bow was nearly zero and I think they
spotted the torpedo to for it missed. I battle surfaced and had the deck gun
open up on them from nearly 6,000 yds. I fired 12 rounds for 12 misses but did
force the sub down. I then ran at high speed past them in an effort to get
ahead. Went to radar depth at 10:02 at 1/3 speed. At 11:02 radar again picked
up the sub surfacing. This time bearing 266` at 1,400 yds. I thought I had a
perfect setup but they must have spotted my radar array and dove again. I
continued on base course and at 12:35 radar again reported a sub surfacing,
this time nearly 4,300 yds dead ahead. I had let it slip by me again. Battle
surfaced and fired 5 rounds for 5 misses to drive the enemy sub down once
again. Ran at high speed until 13:15 when I went to radar depth. 14:07 radar
reported the sub up again bearing 195` at 2,600 yds. I went to periscope depth
and noticed the enemy sub once again diving. Taking a chance I set a torpedo
for 40 feet and fired from 1,300 yds. It missed. I continued at standard speed
bearing 032` and at 15:45 the sub came up bearing177` at 5,400 yds. I setup my
last torpedo and at 16:00 fired it from 530 yds set shallow and blew the enemy
sub in to. Being out of torpedo’s and having had such a great patrol I headed
for port.
Torpedo Performance:
Hit – 19
Missed – 3
Premature – 2
Deck Gun:
Hit – 29
Miss – 29
LCDR. SJ Turner (III)
USS Cod, SS-224
// SENDS //