// Immediate //
From: LCDR Duke Cummings, CO USS Drum 298
To: Captain Woodrow T. Morgan, ComSubRon4M
Date: 15 November, 1942
Subject: Patrol Report May Cycle I
Rmks / 1. 2 Nov. : Left port to assigned Patrol Area.
Rmks / 2. 11 Nov. : 12:58hrs. Beginning Patrol.
Rmks / 3. 12 Nov.: 21:36hrs. Course 186 : Speed 4.1kts. : Seas Moderate : Weather thick Fog. SJ radar has picked up 5 ships 11000 yds. out. Altered course to pursue. 21:55hrs. Targets are within 3000yds. dove to periscope depth, set Torpedo depth to 3 ft. 21:57hrs. Visual contact of Shiratsuyu Destroyer passing down my port side. Sonar picked up 2 ships with heavy screws, believed to be CV's and what he thinks were 4 DD's. Could not make a positive ID due to fog. 23:05 lost contacts.
Rmks / 4. 13 Nov. : 14:44hrs. : Course 304 : Speed 2.5kts. Seas Moderate : Weather Dense fog. Crewman working on SJ Radar. Sighted 2 Zero's off the port side. Too far from land must be ship scout planes. Altered course to investigate. 14:52hrs spotted 4 CA's heading right for me, however planes have spotted me. Hit by a bomb. Minor damage to DC motor 4, repairable. Conning tower has moderate leaking, also repairable. Diving for deeper water. CA's altered 180 degrees away while 5 DD's are actively pinging. Too deep for DD's. Decided to guess where CA's would regroup. Altered course to 061 at 2.7kts. 15:07hrs. DD's have acquired and beginning DC run. 16:17hrs. DD's are relentless, decided to blew ballast Tanks to periscope depth and fired 2 bow Torpedoes at closest DD 1018yds. First was a dud, second hit and sunk target at 19-45N, 122-24E. Fubuki Class Destroyer. Fired one more bow at closing DD within 600yds. and crashed dived to 300 ft. Wrong range set on torpedo, to close to arm. Avoided DD's until 16:28hrs when all damage repaired. 18:20hrs. lost contact with all ships.
Rmks / 5. 13 Nov. : 20:29hrs. Course 358 : Speed 2.6kts. Seas and weather are unchanged. While charging batteries SJ radar picked up 9 to 11 ships on a intercept course. Believed to be CA group spotted last seen heading to this area. Submerged to radar depth when targets are within 2000yds. Positive ID of Shiratsuyu Class, Asashio Class and Yugumo Class Destroyers. Submerged to periscope depth. Due to weather conditions CA's never became visible. Sonar picked up 7 DD's and 3 or 4 heavier screws. Targets passed due south of my position on a estimated course of 248. Due to standing orders of conserving ordinances, will not pursue. Resumed course and surfaced to continue recharging batteries. 20:53hrs lost contact.
Rmks / 6. 14 Nov. : 00:40hrs : Course 007 : Speed 2.6kts : Seas Moderate : Weather Light Fog: Visual contact of CV 1650yds. Crewman continuing more maintenance on SJ Radar. Turned hard to port and dove to periscope depth and fired 6 bow torpedoes at 1500 yds. in 3 sets of 2. Destroyer has picked us up and is turning into Torpedo path. First 2 sets have passed DD, but third set hits DD about 875yds out. 1 dud, 1 hit and sunk of a Fubuki Class Destroyer at 20:21N,122-20E. Turned to starboard to setup for aft shot on Carrier now ID as Hiyo Class. Bow torpedoes have found there mark, 1 dud three hits. Carrier on fire. CV has altered course directly astern of us at 1200yds. Must of hit her steering. Fired 4 aft torpedoes at 1180yds. in 2 sets of 2. First missed set missed by the bow, second hit target and sunk her at 20-21N, 122-20E. The first set of torpedoes that missed had a premature detonation which has attracted the 5 remaining DD's. Spotted a CA on course 127 at 15.7 kts and climbing but was able to ID. Dove to 326ft to avoid DD's. 01:10hrs DD's are pinging in the distance and sonar confirms that they are too far away to acquire. Surfaced to periscope depth and find no targets. Surface to out run DD's. 01:18hrs DD spotted coming out of fog directly astern. Dove to 250 ft. 01:25hrs while still descending Destroyers pass over us and drop DC's. Damage from DC. Moderate leaking in Motor Room, Storage Room 2, Conning Tower, Control Room reports sonar heads damaged, Aft Engine room reports engine 3 has minor damage while Forward Engine reports the same for engine 2. All damage is repairable. 02:09hrs. DD's are moving away, but do to leaking from pressure hull damage depth is hard to maintain. 02:33hrs lost contact with all ships and blew emergency tanks. 05:27hrs. All damage repaired. Concerned about pressure hull damage. Yellow light.
Rmks / 7. 14 Nov. : 13:22hrs. SJ Radar picked up 7 ships. Altered course to 354 and speed to 4.6kts. Fog is still dense. Good cover for us and them. 13:48hrs spotted a Standard merchant vessel and one Oil tanker. No DD's detected on sonar. Waited until Tanker moved inside of 1500yds and fired 2 bow torpedoes with a slight right offset angle. First missed target by the bow, while the second struck and sunk Tanker at 19-56N. 122-21E. Dove to 300ft. and began escape. 14:23hrs sonar picked up Standard merchant coming from up from astern. Went up for a look. 14:27hrs fired 2 bow torpedoes at target at2002 yds. but both prematurely detonated. Dove to 289ft and decided to leave area. 16:12hrs. lost all contacts.
Rmks / 8. 15 Nov. : 05:17hrs : SJ radar contact of 4 ships. Range 12480yds. Altered course to intercept. 06:08hrs ship spotted believed to be 2 Troop Transports. Began Deck gun action. Missed Identified first target. Converted Factory Ship and has fired one round at us to impose damage. Pressure hull damage in the Officers Quarters has severe leaking. Fired one bow Torpedo at 1000yds. Hit and ship is on fire. Continued gun action until she sank at 06:28hrs : 20-46N, 122-26E. SJ Radar has 6 target at all ranges and courses. Altered course to Troop Transports last know direction. 06:39hrs. Found her on course 151. Fired one aft torpedo at 1300yds. Premature detonation. Fired another aft torpedo. Hit but a dud. Target has not altered course or speed. Fired a third aft torpedo at her. Hit and on fire. Sank her with 6 shells from deck gun at 20-42N, 122-28E. 06:45hrs. Large Freighter coming out of fog fired and hit us. Damage to Forward Torpedo Room Tube 2 and 3, and outer door damage to Tube 5. Pressure hull light in the red and can't take chance on this one. Left area at full possible speed.
Ships Sunk:
1 Fubuki Class Destroyer 2090 tons 1 Fubuki Class Destroyer 2090 tons 1 Hiyo Class Aircraft Carrier 26949 tons 1 Converted Factory Ship 4150 tons 1 Troop Transport 3570 tons 1 Oil Tanker 6350 tons —————————————————————————————————————————— TOTAL 45,199 tons
Ships escaped:
1 Asahio Class Destroyer 2 Shiratsuyu Class Destroyer 1 Yugumo Class Destroyer 15 - 20 unidentified ships
Damage Report: Stated above. All damage has been repaired except Hull damage.
Ordinance Remaining: 1 Torpedo, 51 Deck gun Shells.
Comments: Although crew is still green, there efforts on these past two patrols were that of a seasoned veteran crew. i am formerly recommending them for a citation of bravery.
LCDR Duke Cummings, USS Drum
// Sends //