// IMMEDIATE //
From: LCDR Greg Turner - USS Tarpon
To: ComSubRon 5
Cc: ComSubPac
Date: March 26, 1943
Re: Patrol Report (June 00 - Cycle 1)
RMKS/ 1. Arrived on station March 14 at 02:22. I set a course for Truk Lagoon, 5 miles off the lagoon entrance.
RMKS/ 2. At 21:58 SJ radar made contact bearing 319° at a range of 13,155 yds. Contact was moving away. At 22:15 SJ radar made contact bearing 072° at 13,900 yds. Tracking estimated contact was heading for Truk Lagoon. At 00:06 on March 15 I dove the boat to radar depth as sound reported low speed screws bearing 224° and high speed screws bearing 256°.
RMKS/ 3. Spotted the lead ship of an 8-ship convoy at 00:23 bearing 267°. Identified 1-Fubuki DD, 1-Shiratsuyu DD, 3 - Standard Merchants, 2 - Oil Tankers, 1 - Small Freighter, and 2 - Supply ships. I setup for shot on closest Tanker and Standard Merchant. Fired 2 torpedoes at 00:35 at Oil Tanker at 520 yds and 2 torpedoes at Standard Merchant at 650 yds. OT was destroyed. Sound reported that both torpedoes hit the SM but failed to explode. Both were duds. I got a quick setup on second OT and fired 2 torpedoes at 1,325 yds. Immediately after firing I dove the boat to 150 feet and headed out of the area to the Northwest as the escorts began searching for me. Sound reported 2 hits on second Tanker but only 1 explosion. Another dud.
RMKS/ 4. Between the time period of 00:43 and 03:13 the Tarpon was subjected to 96 depth charges from 4 different escorts. Radar and lookouts spotted 2 destroyers at the front of the convoy but failed to sight any trailing destroyers. During the depth charge attack the boat received Minor damage to the Forward torpedo Room Pressure Hull that caused some minor leaking. After several course and speed changes I jettisoned debris and finally evaded the escorts at 03:59. I proceeded to radar depth to check the area and surfaced at 04:17 to recharge batteries.
RMKS/ 5. March 15 SD radar made air contact at 07:44 at 15,650 yds bearing unknown. I ordered the boat to radar depth to avoid aircraft. Thirty minutes later sound reported low speed screws bearing 062°. Made radar contact on screws ten minutes later bearing 059° at 14,860 yds. The XO and I at first thought the air contact was covering the convoy but have had no farther contacts on it. At 08:52 I spotted the lead ship of what turned out to be a 15-ship convoy. Identified 4 - Standard merchants, 2 - Large freighters, 3 - Supply Ships 4 - Converted Factory Ships, 1 - Small freighter, and 1 - Armed Merchant Cruiser.
RMKS/ 6. At 08:35 I reached a firing position about 1,000 yds ahead of the convoy. At 08:40 one Large Freighter fired on my periscope and then the whole convoy commenced a turn to starboard. With little chance of regaining contact I elected to fire. Fired 1 torpedo at Standard Merchant at 1,240 yds. It hit but failed to explode. Fired 1 torpedo at Supply ship at 510 yds. It hit but failed to explode. Fired 1 torpedo at Armed Merchant Cruiser at 1,200 yds. It missed. Fired 1 more torpedo at previous mentioned Supply ship at 545 yds and destroyed supply ship. Fired 2 torpedoes at Standard merchant at 505 yds. 1 premature and 1 miss. I secured engines and had the navigator plot an East-West search grid as the convoy continued south. It was my belief that the convoy would turn toward Truk again after running South a ways. Surfaced at 09:08 and commenced search. After searching for 3 hours I decided to take up station 10 miles off the entrance to Truk Lagoon. Never regained contact on convoy.
RMKS/ 7. At 16:02 SJ radar made contact bearing 206° at 14,600 yds. Three minutes later I spotted 2 ships bearing 284°. I increased to flank to intercept. At 16:10 I Identified as a Cruiser Task Force. 1 - Nagara LC, 1 - Yubari LC, 1 - Takao LC, 1 - Tone HC, and 2 - Hatsuharu DD. At 16:16 TF changed course directly toward me. I stopped engines and prepared to fire. At 16:21 TF changed course again. I fired 4 torpedoes at 16:22 at Tone class Heavy Cruiser at 2,470 yds. Dove to 250 feet after firing to avoid escorts. Sound reported that all 4 torpedoes hit target but only 1 exploded, 3 more duds. Destroyers searched the area for over 2 hours before moving off. I went to radar depth and checked area then surfaced at 18:22.
RMKS/ 8. Being out of torpedoes I set course for Midway Island.
Patrol Summary:
TDC: Auto
Conditions:
Seas: Calm
Weather: Clear
Enemy Sunk:
1. 1 x Oil Tanker 7,570 tons 7-07 N x 146-52 E 2. 1 x Supply Ship 2,750 tons 6-50 N x 146-52 E
Enemy Damaged:
1. 1 x Oil tanker 2. 1 x Tone class Heavy Cruiser
Enemy Escaped:
1. 7 x Standard Merchants 2. 5 x supply Ships 3. 4 x Converted Factory Ships 4. 2 x Small Freighters 5. 2 x Hatsuharu DD 6. 2 x Large Freighters 7. 1 x Oil Tanker 8. 1 x Armed Merchant Cruiser 9. 1 x Shiratsuyu DD 10. 1 x Tone class Heavy Cruiser 11. 1 x Nagara class Light Cruiser 12. 1 x Yubari class Light Cruiser 13. 1 x Takao class Light Cruiser 14. 2 x Unidentified Destroyers
Damage Sustained:
Forward Torpedo Room Pressure Hull
Ordnance Remaining:
Torpedoes - 0
Deck gun - 95
Comments:
This cruise ended on a sour note. With 7 ships struck by torpedoes and only 2 sunk. It breaks down to 8-Duds, 5-Hits, 2-Misses and 1-Miss and 1-Premature. I feel sure the Heavy Cruiser would have gone to the bottom if the torpedoes had worked. This area is a hotbed of activity. The men of Tarpon were only on station for 2 days but it was an exhaustive 2 days. Returning to port for reload.
LCDR Greg Turner - (USS Tarpon)
// SENDS //