Cycle: 4 (October 2003) SUNK, KIA
USS Spearfish, SS-190
Patrol Zone & Sector(s): P-1+2
TDC: Auto
Realism (%): 109%
Crew experience: Green
Number of Warships sunk: 0
Number of Merchants sunk: 8
Warship tonnage: 0
Merchant tonnage: 95,830
Total JANAC tonnage: 47,915
Types of Warship sunk: 0
|
Date |
Time |
Lat & Long |
Class of Vessel |
Tonnage |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Types of Merchant sunk: 1
|
Date |
Time |
Lat & Long |
Class of Vessel |
Tonnage |
|
12 October 1942 |
03:37 |
19-02N x 121-28E |
SMALL FREIGHTER |
910 / 1,105 |
|
13 October 1942 |
12:53 |
18-56N x 119-55E |
STANDARD MERCHANT |
13,790 |
|
14 October 1942 |
06:09 |
18-58N x 121-30E |
OIL TANKER |
13,980 |
|
15 October 1942 |
22:53 |
19-15N x 12-01E |
OIL TANKER |
12,400 |
|
16 October 1942 |
23:04 |
20-16N x 119-34E |
OIL TANKER |
15,330 |
|
18 October 1942 |
08:05 |
19-39N x 121-28E |
OIL TANKER |
13,160 |
|
18 October 1942 |
08:05 |
19-39N x 121-28E |
OIL TANKER |
13,160 |
|
18 October 1942 |
10:08 |
19-54N x 121-16E |
STANDARD MERCHANT |
13,100 |
Conducted Lifeguard duty: (If yes how many aviators rescued):
|
Date |
Time |
Lat & Long |
|
|
|
|
Conducted Photo Recon: YES
|
Date |
Time |
Location |
Lat & Long |
|
12 October 1942 |
06:57 |
APARRI HARBOR |
18-29N x 121-37E |
|
15 October 1942 |
12:32 |
VIGAN HARBOR |
17-35N x 120-20E |
Patrol Narrative:
RMKS/ 1. Departed Pearl Harbor 4th of
October 1942 and headed for the Philippine Islands. Had a load of 20 Mk-14
torpedo’s with magnetic exploders.
RMKS/ 2. October 11th entered patrol sectors
P-1&2.
RMKS/ 3. October 12th lookouts spotted a
small convoy escorted by 2 escorts. Identified 1-Standard Merchant and 1-Small
Freighter. Convoy was bearing 106` at 11,000 yds and the Spearfish was way out
of position. I dove to periscope depth at Full speed and closed as rapidly as
possible. The Merchant passed ahead out of range and the Freighter was at 4,050
yds when I fired 2 torpedo’s set at the depth required per the ROE’s. I dove
immediately after firing to evade if the wakes were spotted. Sound reported one
torpedo was a dud and the second one exploded on target. The escorts circled
the Freighter once then sped off to catch up to the Merchant. I trailed the
Freighter at Full Speed and after the escorts had departed the area I surfaced
and finished the Freighter off with the Deck Gun. As the ship sank I sped to
clear the area and received a message requesting a Photo Recon of Aparri Harbor
before the 13th. I headed for the Harbor at Flank speed.
RMKS/ 4. I entered the Harbor late on the
night of the 12th and proceeded at top speed. When I spotted the
Harbor lights I went periscope depth and proceeded at 2/3 speed. Sound picked
up 2 sets of high-speed screws patrolling the harbor. I moved into 1,000 yds
from the docks and went as deep as possible to await daylight for the photo.
The escorts were ranging from 300 to 800 yds away screening the ships in the
harbor. At 06:53 we arrived at periscope depth and at 06:57 got our photos and
completed our mission. I took the Spearfish back to depth then proceeded to
back out of our position. I back out a respectable distance before turning so
as not to give the escorts sonar a broad target to pick up. Cleared the harbor
without any difficulty then surfaced and went to flank speed to put distance
between us. After putting some distance between our selves and the port I
slowed to charge the batteries.
RMKS/ 5. 13 October 1942 12:40 lookouts
spotted a single ship moving south. The Spearfish headed to intercept. The ship
was identified as a Standard Merchant and was riding low in the water. I dove
to periscope depth and ran at full speed to try and bring the stern tubes to
bear. I closed to 1,980 yds and fired 2 stern torpedo’s. Sound reported 1
passed under the target and one hit but failed to explode. I fired 2 more stern
torpedo’s immediately only to have one premature and one to detonate on target
slowing the ship. I surfaced and swung around at flank speed to get a better
firing solution for the bow tubes. The Merchant changed course helping to
decrease the range and when the range was 1,800 yds I fired 1 bow tube. It ran
true and detonated on target. The ship slowed to a crawl but refused to sink. I
closed into 800 yds and fired a 3rd bow torpedo and it finished the
ship off. I headed north to clear the area and take a rest.
RMKS/ 6. 14 October 1942 15:45 lookouts
spotted a warship bearing 339` at 8,700 yds. I went to periscope depth and
picked up low speed screws on sonar so I turned to investigate. I spotted 2
escorts, 1-Factory ship, 1-Standard Merchant and 1-Tanker. The Tanker was last
in line so I made ready to shoot at it. At 06:09 I fired 1 torpedo from1,040
yds only to hear it premature seconds out of the tube. The boat shook violently
and after a few seconds I managed to fire a second torpedo from the same range.
It detonated on target creating a huge fireball. I dove deep to avoid the
escorts. They tried to pick me up but never got contact and I slipped away to
the west. With them being alerted I decided against trying another daylight
attack. I lost sight of them in the dark and never regained contact. We did
receive a radio message requesting a Photo Recon of Vigan Harbor before the
16th. The Spearfish set course for the harbor.
RMKS/ 7. Entered the harbor area
early on the 15th and as we neared the docks dove to radar depth to
close. SD radar picked up 1 air contact at 17,000 yds and watched it close to
7,900 yds before departing. Must have been a routine flight passing over. Two
escorts were running ASW patrols close in to the docks. I went to depth and
closed to an estimated 1,000 yds at 1/3 speed then came to periscope depth. We were
still to far out for a good photo so I went back to depth and closed another
300 yds then came up and got the photo at 12:32. Once I went back to depth I
backed out of the harbor almost 1,500 yds before turning around to clear the
area. Surfaced when we were safely away
from the docks and sped out to sea.
RMKS/ 8. 22:53 lookouts made
visual contact bearing 359` at 14,000 yds. An escort was leading several
merchants, identified, 1-Factory, 1-Armed Merchant, 1-Standard Merchant,
1-Tanker and 1-Supply ship. I elected to go after the Tanker first then follow
up on the Armed Merchant. The Tanker was third in line with the AMC fourth. I
spotted 2 additional escorts as I closed and it was hard to gain a good firing
position. Finally closed to 2,700 yds from the Tanker then fired 1 torpedo at
it. As fire control was trying to setup up on the AMC the first torpedo
prematured way short of the target. Shifted back to the Tanker and fired a
second torpedo then headed deep as the escorts came our way fast. Sound reported
the convoy scattering and I feared the Tanker would evade our torpedo. A few
seconds past hitting time we heard and felt a tremendous explosion. At this
time the escorts were getting mighty close and our celebration was short. A few
depth charges were dropped and the escorts searched only a brief time before
pulling out. After a sufficient time I went to periscope depth to check the
area then surfaced. After a short search we found much debris and a sea heavy
with oil and from the volume alone we knew the Tanker had indeed sank. We
continued our patrol.
RMKS/ 9. 16 October 22:38
lookouts spotted a 2-ship convoy heading north and for a change we were in good
position. As they closed we identified 1-Tanker and 1-Armed Merchant moving at
high speed. As they range came down to 1,350 yds I fired one torpedo at the
Tanker. It was straight and true and sank the Tanker amidst many flames. The
AMC turned hard away and I never got into position to fire at it. After it
cleared out far enough to surface safely up we went for an end around only to
be driven back down by a single air contact. It stayed in the area just long
enough to let the Merchant escape. Upon surfacing a search never found the
Merchant so we continued our patrol.
RMKS/ 10. 18 October 07:29 lookouts
spotted a large convoy heading toward us at about 16,000 yds. After diving the
lookouts reported at least 4 escorts and numerous ships. Over the next few
minutes we identified 2-Tankers, 2-Standard Merchants, 1-Large Freighter,
2-Small Freighters and 1-Supply ship. They were in 2 columns and both the
Tankers were on the side nearest the Spearfish so they were our intended
targets. I had 2-bow torpedo’s and 3 stern torpedo’s remaining. I closed to
1,600 yds at periscope depth and fired my last forward torpedo at the lead
tanker then turned to bring my stern tubes to bear. The first torpedo
prematured a few hundred yards from the boat so I fired a second torpedo at the
first Tanker and one torpedo at the second Tanker. At hitting time both
torpedo’s hit and sank their intended targets. I fired off my last 3 torpedo’s
at the Standard Merchant then dove deep. Sound reported three explosions and
breaking up noise. The escorts picked up on us at once with sonar and
regardless of our depth or direction they kept right on us. I went to 250 feet
and still they hammered us with depth charges. One depth charge run caused
leaking in several compartments but no major damage. The major damage got us
about 5 minutes later when one depth charge run bracketed us causing severe
damage throughout the boat (See damage pic). Our doom came when the flooding in
the Aft Battery Compartment hit the batteries creating Chlorine Gas. With the
air becoming unbreathable and the periscope being out we had but one choice and
that was to surface and make a run for it the gun crew assembled ready to go
into action. Before we even got fully surfaced the escorts began pouring fire
at us. Just as the deck gun crew got to the gun a shell hit it knocking it out
and killing the gun crew. I was trying to work up to flank speed when the end
came swift. The combined firepower of 3 Destroyers just lifted us out of the
water and tore us to shreds. Several men were trapped below decks with no hope
of escape. After such a grand patrol this was a terrible way to end a it.
Hit – 12
Dud – 3
Premature – 4
Miss – 1
Lt. SJ Turner (II)
CO: USS Spearfish, SS-190
// SENDS //