Rank & Name:
Lt. M. S. Kucinic
Cycle: Cycle
7, June 43
Squadron & Division: 2/4A
USS Haddock, SS 231
Patrol Zone & Sector(s): Aleutian Islands
TDC: Auto
Realism (%):
100
Crew experience:
Green
Number of Warships sunk: None
Number of Merchants sunk: Three
Warship tonnage:
None
Merchant tonnage:
17,960 (35,920)
Total JANAC tonnage:
17,960
Types of Warship sunk:
|
Date |
Time |
Lat &
Long |
Class of
Vessel |
Tonnage |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Types of Merchant sunk:
|
Date |
Time |
Lat &
Long |
Class of
Vessel |
Tonnage |
|
16 June 43 |
2:48 |
51-39N/174-05E |
Heavy Merchant |
14,740 |
|
16 June 43 |
14:02 |
50-32N/172-02E |
Armed Merchant |
11,940 |
|
21 June 43 |
20:15 |
52-33N/173-32E |
Tanker |
9,240 |
Conducted Lifeguard duty: (If yes how many aviators
rescued): No
|
Date |
Time |
Lat &
Long |
|
|
|
|
Conducted Photo Recon: (If Yes than where was it
performed) No
|
Date |
Time |
Location |
Lat &
Long |
|
|
|
|
|
Patrol Narrative: This can be as short
or as detailed as the commander wishes as long as the spaces are filled above
with the main details.
4
June Departed Midway after taking on extra foul
weather gear and cold weather rations.
12 June Arrived in sector and proceeded at standard
speed to intended patrol zone S and W
of Kiska. As dawn broke at 3 AM I was
called to the bridge where the OOD was pleased to point out a pod of Killer
Whales retreating in front of us. “Not
every day you’ll see Killer Whales running from a haddock” he said with a
wink. “A good omen Mr Kidd?”, I noted in
reply.
4:30
- Radar contact, at least 3 ships at
14,000 yards about 20 miles S/SW of Kiska.
4:40 - One
heavy merchant sighted at 14,000 yards with one DD escort off starboard bow
heading away at 18 knots. In that it
was just daylight, he was escorted, close to his apparent destination and his
speed, we broke contact.
13
– 15 June No contacts
16 June - 1:21
Radar contact. At least 4 ships
w/1 escort at 14,000 yards. Close to
6000 yds with visual sighting of armed heavy merchant with 1 DD escort.
1:31 Escort
heading toward us at 30+ knots 3000 yds.
Sound battle stations and pull the plug.
1:35 – 1:41- No pinging and escort eases away. Heavy has adjusted course almost 60º and we
come to all ahead standard to close.
More merchants sighted. At least
five traveling at 18 knots. Could be a
problem closing to a decent firing range.
Finally one heavy closes to 2000 yards dead on and then begins pulling
away. We fire four fish at 2000 yds set
six ft beneath keel. All four appear to
miss or pass beneath ship without detonating, but a few minutes later at least
3 DDs begin pinging. No hits are
witnessed and no smoke visible.
1:47 - Convoy takes another near 60º turn and
suddenly we are in the midst of “a target rich environment”. Fire two remaining fish from bow tubes at
one heavy merchant at 1400 yds, come hard about and fire four from stern tubes at another heavy at 900 yds. Two premature detonations and the rest
appear to pass harmlessly beneath targets!!
1:55 - Pulling away from convoy with empty tubes
when overtaken by another heavy outbound and unescorted. DDs are barely audible in distance with
occasional sound of depth charges.
2:12 - We follow heavy at standard speed until she
reaches 4000 yds when Haddock surfaces and goes to flank in a calm sea. Moon is just setting in front of target and
we discover a tanker outbound bearing 160º in our stern quarter traveling at 16
knots, but I decide to go for the unarmed merchant, which is traveling at 18
knots first.
2:29 - “Damn the torpedoes!! You may fire when
ready Gridley”, to use two famous quotations in one command, and Haddock opens
fire with the deck gun at 2500 yds.
2:48 - After over 80 rounds the merchant is dead in
the water with her decks awash and we turn away. During the chase we fired ANOTHER fish at 900 yards with perfect
angle and AGAIN torpedo appears to run beneath ship without exploding. We have now fired 11 torpedoes without a hit
and have had to win our combat pin like a Coast Guard cutter chasing a rum
runner!!!
2:50-3:15 - A quick radar
search produces no tanker contact so we make maximum speed for a contact
heading SW at 11 knots.
12:39 – A longgggg end around brings us a radar contact at 14,000+
yds. High scope reveals 4 ship convoy
with at least two escorts.
12:40-13:29 – Turn stern to convoy and run before to charge batteries
before pulling the plug.
14:00 – Based on discussions with my plot team and the Sep 42 Orders
(Rmks 5), after long stalk fire 3 fish at troop transport set for One Foot
beneath keel. Nothing happens.
14:02 - Fire three fish at
Armed Merchant set for Keel Depth.
First torpedo dud, second and third detonate as does the Maru. Halleluja!!!
14:05 – 15:54 – Endure moderately heavy DC attack from two escorts
(about 20) before breaking contact.
Sustain no damage.
17 June Raise cruiser group SW of Kiska consisting of
2 Heavies (Tone & Takao Class), 1 Light (a phantom Kuma Class?) and two
escorts doing close to 30 knots heading NW.
Am unable to get closer than 3500 yds and deem an attempt problematic
and chose to save my lame fish for a better chance. Report sighting to COMSUBPAC.
18 June – 20 June No sightings.
21 June Raise medium convoy due East of Attu heading
due South just at sunset. Head on
approach. Duck beneath three leading
escorts and come up in midst with bow shot on tanker.
20:14 - Fire three torpedoes
set at Keel Depth at 1300 yds.
First detonates prematurely (and there pings the escorts!!), second is a
dud and (here comes the escorts) just as the third appears to have run beyond
the target, I fire two more JUST as the third fish detonates as does the tanker
in a mushroom shaped cloud! (and there
goes two wasted torpedoes). With two
remaining torpedoes fire snap shots at two close small merchants, but they’re
all dodging madly and I miss. All ahead
flank, 20º starboard rudder, take her DOWN!!
Check casually with sound man for info on escorts. He has tracks on SIX!!
20:20 – 21:53 – Undergo surprisingly (only) moderate DC attack (20+),
but DO take the Haddock down to 400’ where the sounds she makes encourages us
to take her up to 350’. No
thermalcline, but DDs unable to inflict any damage.
Comments: 11 Torpedoes
fired with depth setting Six Feet Below Draft. Four at 2000 yds, seven at targets broadside at a range of 1300
yds or less. None detonated and
continued to run.
3 Torpedoes fired with a
depth setting One Foot Below Draft beam on at 1000 yds. None detonated and continued to run.
11 Torpedoes fired with depth
setting Equivalent to Draft. One
detonated prematurely, Two were Duds, Four were honest misses
, and Three performed as advertised.
Japanese ASW –
near the end of the 6 DD encounter I had managed to increase the range on the
DDs where their pinging was beginning to get indistinct. Speed throughout was essentially 1/3 at a
depth of 350’. Suddenly the DDs began
closing on my track and noted that only three were pinging. Went to “silent running” and hard course
change 90º. It worked.
Rank
& Name Lt. Mark Kucinic