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To: Commander, SUBRON 4
From: Commanding Officer USS TROUT (SS-202)
OPERATIONAL ORDER: June 00/Cycle II
Subject: NARRATIVE Patrol Report May 1943
Rmks. May 03/ 0600 Departed Brisbane. Made trim/deep dive and received indoctrination depth charges to initiate our new shipmates, while refreshing our veterans. Set course and speed for Solomon Islands PZ.
Rmks. May 03-07/ Transit time 4.79 days 15,870 gal fuel used, 84,524gal (84%) remains. Air activity normal, no contacts encountered. Conducted Fire, Flooding, and tracking drills in route to PZ.
Rmks. Day 1, 07 May/ 2112-Arrived in PZ, pos. 5-30S, 152-27E. Heavy seas, overcast, very poor visibility. On course 120dT, slow to one engine due to excessive fuel consumption (30 gal) per mile.
Rmks. Day 2, 08 May/ 0002-Storm clears and the seas calm to moderate, visibility remains poor. Bring a second engine on line AAHSTD. 0848-conducted crash dive drills even though the SD is clear. 1514- Received "ULTRA" SECRET message of a convoy outbound from the port of Buin course: 270dT speed 9kts. Looking at the chart we are on his projected track, so we slow to 1/3.This will allow the convoy to come to us as we head towards deep water and sunset. 1702-SJ contact 13kyds six pips maybe more. 1703-we get a visual on a maru with the scope. Lower it and we can see nothing from the bridge. We plan to stay just inside visual range until the sunsets completely. We stay off the column’s starboard side, about 900yds off his track and 6kyds ahead. 1800-man Battle Stations! It looks like this convoy of 11 ships is unescorted! 1821-slow to 1/3 and submerge to radar depth. We begin a setup with the stern tubes on the first two contacts a tanker and an armed merchant cruiser. 1839-we loose all four fish aft at the AMC- 30d stbd track, 1200yds, depth setting 11ft. 1 pre-detonates, 1hits(dud) and two hit, explode and start a fire amidships. 1841-Launch tubes 1, 2, and 3 at the tanker, 120d stbd track, 950yds, 11ft depth setting. 1&2 do the job and send the tanker down fast by the stern, but # 3 clanks on the wreckage. 1842-Order up AAHFull, swing to 180dT to finish off the AMC. We launch three more fish at the AMC but he must have seen the telltale tracks or us because he swings hard right and heads straight for us! All three fish pass ahead and miss. AAHFLANK left full rudder, Crash dive! At 120 ft, we can hear his screws through the hull. 1847-back at PD and Bearing 000dR, 90d port track is a Troop Transport 1300yds making 5-7kts based on bow wake. A quick setup and we send our last two fish his way. 1849-Both hit both duds! Time to Battle surface and become members of the "Gun Club". 1854-29 rds sends the Transport to Davey Jones, and after a short flank speed run, 20 rds finishes off the AMC. The Torpedomen work hard at the reload, as we speed after the rest of the convoy who appear to be heading towards shoaling water. 2000-after some radical course changes, two maru’s on the port side of the group come into view at 4kyds. We begin tracking and position ourselves on his aft port quarter. 2030-the moon is peeking through, but we are between it and the target, so our new camouflage paint job of gray and black is getting its test! 2044-Tanker speed: 12.5kts, course 004dT, port 140d track, depth setting 11ft, tubes 1 & 2 on the way. #1 pre-detonates, but #2 plasters the stern and twists it nearly 90d off axis! Now the other target that was off the Tankers stbd side comes hard to port intending to ram us! All back Emergency and a quick setup using constant TBT bearings, 90d port track range 700yds -- KBLAMM! -- and their deck gun crew blows a chunk out of the superstructure aft of the conning tower, throwing shrapnel everywhere. I continue with the solution and we send four fish at the Converted Factory Ship. Two fish explode on contact, one pre-detonates and the last one smashes into the hull and does nothing. The gun crew is sent topside and begins pumping rounds into his engine room. Persistence pays off and at 2051 the Maru blows up sending debris all over us. When we can finally look around, the OOD picks up a Transport crossing our stern @1100yds! We setup tubes 7 & 8 stbd 90d track speed five kts. Both fish pass astern, so we position ourselves for the gun crew to have maximum cover and optimum range. We pump the last of our 4" rds into him and he settles rapidly by the stern on the way to Davey’s deep domain! I now order everyone below, and I am told that there are some minor wounds from the debris that hit us. From the shell that hit us, our SJ is out, stern planes jammed, aft battery out, and pressure hull damage in the crews qtrs., damage control efforts have begun below decks. I decide that one of these last two Maru’s steaming toward us will need all four of our forward fish based on torpedo performance. 2107-we submerge to PD and close target track. However, it seems we were spotted, and they break north and south. During the approach, the Weps pointed out to me a small puddle of blood under my right shoe. When I pulled my pant leg up there was a 3" vertical gash up my calf, and my foot is squishing in my shoe from the blood. We pursue the one heading south at AAHSTD, 60ft. 2157-four torpedo’s all spread by constant periscope bearings from bow to stern. Target range 900yds, 160d stbd track, depth setting 10ft at 5-second intervals. The first two pre-detonate, the third breaks his back, and the last slams into the wreck and does nothing (dud). Now its time to get first aid for myself, as the XO demands I do so before I make a bigger mess. With all ordnance expended we set course for homeport and conduct repairs on the way.
RETURN TO PORT: 12 May 1943
TDC: MANUAL
DAMAGE: 12% hull --- 8% system
ORDNANCE REMAINING: 0 Torpedoes, 0 4" Shells
Summary of Torpedo Performance
8 Hits w/detonation
6 Hits - Dud’s
5 Premature Detonations
5 Misses
Torpedo performance is not what it was last patrol. Although there were five misses due to speed error and/or contact evasion, the number of contact dud’s has increased as well as pre-detonations.
SHIPPING SUNK
2 Tankers 3130 tons ea 6260 tons 2 Troop Transports 6180 tons ea 12,360 tons 1 Large Freighter 3670 tons 1 Armed Merchant Cruiser 10,090 tons 1 Converted Factory Ship 6800 tons ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Total tonnage sunk: 39,180 tons
Fuel used: 35%
Length of Patrol: 9.67 days
CREW PERFORMANCE: Excellent. All hands were key to TROUT’s Superb and quick Patrol
MATERIAL CONDITION: Excellent. Refit personnel can be assured of their valuable contributions to the war effort!
EVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS: Visibility was fair, moderate seas.
HEALTH AND HABITABILITY: Crew health was good. Several minor injuries and a few serious lacerations were inflicted during the night surface action when an exploding Maru showered all crewmembers topside with debris. Habitability good.
Respectfully submitted:
Frank Kulick
Commanding Officer, USS Trout (SS-202)
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