// Immediate //
From: LCDR Duke Cummings, CO USS Drum (USS-298)
To: ComSubPac
Cc: Capt. W.T. Morgan, ComSubRon4M
Date: January 1943
Subject: Patrol Report (May Cycle II)
Rmks / 1. 2 Jan. Left Freemantle to assigned Patrol area in Sulu Sea.
Rmks / 2. 10 Jan. 13:43hrs. : Arrived at destination and began Patrol.
Rmks / 3. 13 Jan. 09:21hrs. : Course 094 : Speed 1.0kt : Seas Heavy : Weather Mostly Cloudy : Depth 45 ft Radar depth. Contact : 4 to 6 ships picked up on SJ Radar. 09:28hrs. DD spotted at 11581 yards. After further observation believe this to be a Large Patrol. Turned 180 degrees n surfaced. Left the area. 09:40hrs lost all contacts.
Rmks / 4. 14 Jan. 15:14hrs. : Course 070 : Speed 7.3kts. : Seas Moderate : Weather Mostly cloudy. Contact : Large Convoy spotted on course 348. 3 Supply ships, 3 Large Freighters, 1 Standard Merchant, 1 Oil Tanker, 2 Small Freighters, and 3 Converted Factory Ships. 15:18hrs. Closed to 1080 yds. and fired 2 sets of aft torpedoes at 2 what I identified as Troop ships, but what were Converted Factory ships. 1 set of torpedoes fired from the bow at Oil tanker at 1986yds. All torpedoes were set at 3 ft. First set of aft torp, missed first ship due to wrong course set in TDC. Second set struck second ship with one hit and one dud. Both bow torpedoes prematurely detonated. Fired another set of bow torps. at Tanker 2002 yds. Both hit target but did not explode. Fired last 2 bow torps. and surfaced for deck gun action. Both torps. were also duds. 15:32hrs. Sank Oil Tanker with 41 deck gun shells at 6-41N, 114-54E. Received Damage from attacking Merchant vessels:
Fired one bow torp at wounded Converted Factory Ship. but torp. missed down the portside. 15:54hrs. Fired another bow torpedo at Converted Factory Ship. Hit and sank her at 6-41N, 114-54E. Left area to continue surface repairs. Note : Ships never broke formation or course. This is the first time I have seen that.
Rmks / 5. 15 Jan. 01:36hrs. All damaged that can be repaired has been.
Rmks / 6. 15 Jan. 19:43hrs. SJ Radar picked up 2 Ships at 13000 yds. on course 145. Same as my course. 20:11hrs lost all contact.
Rmks / 7. 16 Jan. 18:35 Course 220 : Speed 1.2kts : Seas Moderate : Weather Mostly Cloudy. Spotted 2 Asashio Destroyers, 1 Fuso Battleship and 1 Yamato Battleship. on course of 164. Range 5600 yds. 18:38 BB Group altered course 60 degrees to port and are preparing to pass aft of me. Speed of group is constant 15.1 kts. 18:47hrs. Fired all 6 bow torpedoes at 1880 yds from target. Fired 3 sets of 2 with a slight offset angle to starboard. Dove to 200 ft. 5 Duds and one hit. Sonar has picked up 4 DD's searching. 18:56hrs. Sonar now picking up 5 DD's on the prowl. 19:21hrs. Decided to surface to periscope depth and attack 2 closest DD's. Fired 1 set of 2 aft torpedoes at Asashio DD at 940 yds. Kagero has acquired and cut through wake of torps. First torpedo struck Kagero class DD and sunk her at 6-44N, 114-20E. Second Torpedo struck Asashio class DD and sunk her at same coordinates. Fired a third aft torp. at second Asashio at 1100 yds. but missed her. Dove to 300 ft and set course to leave area. 21:05hrs. Lost all contacts.
Patrol Summary
Ships sunk
Asahio Class Destroyer 2370 tons Kagero Class Destroyer 2033 tons Converted Factory Ship 3130 tons Oil Tanker 13620 tons ——————————————————————————————————— TOTAL 21,153 tons
Ordinance remaining: 1 Torpedo and 54 Deck Gun Shells
Damage: Reported Above
LCDR Duke Cummings
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