From: LCDR Mush Magnusson - (SS-214) Grouper
Date: January 31, 1943
Rmks/ 1. After spending the hollydays with our families we were back on board Grouper departing on another patrol. Our assigned patrol area was Formosa, est. travel time was 12.8 days. I could not help wandering wether i would spend another newyearseve with my wife.
Rmks/ 2. January 16 2238 hours. Loc. 22-59N,128-25E heading 293�. 2349 hours I ordered change off course to 306�, we were now heading for the shiplane between Okinawa and Formosa. 0050 hours january 17 we made a trim dive. Stern planes failed to rig out and she continued to dive deeper and deeper, at 435 feet we were finally able to rig out off dive and surface. Even with this happening the boat did not disapoint me she operated fine untill reacing 410 feet, after that I would say it was an unsafe depth as the pressure on the hull was now to much.
Rmks/ 3. 0148 hours lookouts spotted 3 sampans at 7000 yards. Decided to give the gun crew some practis and ordered attack. 3 sampans were destroyed, but it was hard to watch the deck gun crew miss 10 times. 0207 hours SD radar whent out off operation, repair team is working on it, est. repair time 2,30 hours.
Rmks/ 4. 2121 hours Surface contact on SJ radar bearing 042�, range about 12700 yards. 2136 hours lookouts spotted ship bearing 335� range 7400 yards + another one bearing 340� same range + 3rd ship bearing 340� range 7700 yards + 4th ship bearing 338� 7700 yards away. 2140 hours changed course to 057� 5th ship sighted bearing 306� 7800 yards away. Convoy speed around 10 kts, my speed 20,9 kts. 2148 hours. Destroyer sighted bearing 285� range 6500 yards. 2213 hours Now being in front off them I ordered change off course to 264� and whent to periscope depth. 2227 hours 3 bow torpedos were fired at oil tanker #1 was a dud, #2 was good solit hit and destroyed targed, #3 was a hit. 2 bow torpedos were fired at converted factory ship both missed. Dived to 150 feet, DD was looking in the wrong direction and we, acording to sonar were lucky, becouse the convoy was heading straigth at us again. Fired 3 bow torpedos at large freigther bearing 310� 1700 yards away. #1 missed #2 and #3 were duds. Dived to 150 feet. 2342 hours came to periscope depth after reciving some damages (including damaged fueltanks). DD was pinging in about 3500 yards away from us, it must have been a green crew becouse they were either blind, scared or stupid not seeing our oilslick. Lost sonar contact with them at 0027 hours and surfaced. January 18 Monday, 0409 hours repairs off fuel tank were finish, but we have lost a lot off fuel and will run on one engine only from now on.
Rmks/ 5. Battleships reported 50 miles away from us heading straight for us. 0642 hours changed heading to 045�. 0716 hours battleships were reported again at loc. 26-17N,122-59E heading 230�. 0745 hours visual sighting bering 353� range 19500 yards. 0746 hours radar contact on SJ radar bearing 339�. Number off targets 1 BB, 1 CV + 5 DD. 0755 hours I ordered periscope depth, range to primary targed was 9900 yards, range to closest DD was 8300 yards. At range off 1300 yards we fired 4 torpedos at BB, two prematured others i do not know. Had to maka a crash dive, we got shot up on. Water exstremely shallow or 240 feet. 1507 hours we were finally able to escape them after being depthcharged for 5,30 hours and having to wait it out two more hours. We sufaced at 1608 hours.
Rmks/ 6. 0000 hours january 19 after some thinking and talking with my officers we decided to set course to home becouse of lak condition of the hull. After passing Ryukyu Islands i gave order to radio back home and report our status. 0827 hours ordered return to base.
Rmks/ 7. Patrol summary
TDC: Manual
Conditions:
Seas - calm
Weather - clear/partly cloudy
Enemy sunk:
3 sampans 210 tonns (January 17 0159,0200,0201 loc. 23-31N,127-28E) Oil tanker 6270 tonns (January 17 2228 loc. 25-43N,122-21E)
Enemy escaped
Convoy: 4 Converted factory ship 2 Large freigters 1 Destroyer (Yugumo class) Battleship group: 1 Battleship (Fuso class) 1 Heavy cruiser (Myoko class) 5 Destroyers (1 Mutsuki, 2 Fubuki, 2 Yugomo class)
Damages:
Convoy attack: Control room (repaired) SJ radar heavy (repaired) Bow dive planes (repaired) Aft torpedo room press hull (repaired) Aft battery press hull (repaired) Fuel tanks Heavy (repaired) Battleship attack: Sound heads (repaired) Aft battery minor (repaired) Fwd engine room press hull (repaired) Aft engine room press hull (repaired) Stern dive planes (repaired) Aft battery incresed (repaired) Pump room press hull (repaired) Storage room 1 press hull (repaired) Fwd torpedo room press hull (repaired) Radio room press hull (repaired) Engine 4 heavy (repaired) Conning tower press hull (repaired) Engine 2 moderate (repaired) Aft engine room press hull (repaired) Engine 3 moderate (repaired) Pump room press hull (repaired) Tube 2,3 and 6 (repaired)
Ordance remaining:
12 MK 14 torpedos
Remarks:
I am being told that our hull has taken 70% damages therefor I will put in request for Grouper to be put to an overhaul before going on another patrol.
Comments:
Request for refuel and reload.
LCDR Mush Magnusson