From:  LCDR Mush Magnusson (SS-214 grouper)
Date:  September 22 1943

Rmks/ 1. September 3 1943 Again we were going to patrol Nortern Japan, travel time would be 9.58 days. September 12 0238 hours on loc. 34-45N,143-48E heading 326�. Equipment: Mark 14 torpedos(24), SD radar, SJ radar(Sja), Bathythermograph.

Rmks/ 2. We were on standard speed makeing 14.2 kts. It was at 0800 hours when lookouts called down that they had spotted sampans. I ordered crash dive but took him only to 150 feet. Surfaced again at 1000 hours. At 1839 hours we had surface contact on SJ radar bearing 305�(my location 34-44N,140-00E, heading 324� out of O Shima).

Rmks/ 3. Lookouts sighted ship at 1847 hours, bearing 353�, range 6000 yards. Ordered periscope depth. (it's DD). 1848 hours second DD spotted. 1851 hours Supply ship sighted bearing 348� range 4500 yards. 1853 hours second Supply ship sighted, 3rd DD spotted bearing 005�. 1855 Small freighter sighted 343�, 4rth DD spotted bearing 335�. Two more DD spotted, in all DD are 6. 1901 hours we fired two bow torpedos and two stern torpedos at Supply ship range 1400 yards. Dived, few seconds later we were adwarded with big esplotion on the time of first torpedo impact, other torpedos? It's our firm beleve that we sank that Supply ship. Hit bottom at 364 feet finding no layer. Heard exsplotion far away and decided to lay down here for awile. Sonar hears 7 hi speed screws bearing 270�(my course 215�). 2104 hours my plan worked they are going away. After having been on the bottom for two hours we came to radar depth and found contact bearing 330� 8600 yards away. Surface.

Rmks/ 4. Changed course to 159� and ordered all ahead standard. 0020 hours surface contact on SJ radar bearing 338� range 7000 to 14000 yards. Ordered all ahead flank, convoy sighted at 0022 hours. Closest contact (DD) 7200 yards away. Fired 3 bow torpedos at Converted Factory Ship all missed, fired 2 bow torpedos at Supply Ship #1 missed #2 hit and destroyed. Fired 1 bow torpedo at Converted Factory Ship Missed. Left full rudder and fired 2 stern torpedos at him again, both missed. 0111 hours surfaced and started to chase Troop Transport, lookouts spotted him bearing 306� 8000 yards away at 0114 hours. Closed to 1800 yards and manned deck gun + fired 1 torpedo at him witch missed. He is burning from Shell fireing. Fired 1 more torpedo at him at a range of 1000 yards, hit and destroyed. Going after second Troop Transport. 0151 hours he is now burning from shell hits, fired 1 torpedo at him dud torpedo, decided to let the gun crew finish him off. Only one Destroyer was sighted during this convoy attack he was never sighted or heard after we started to fire up on those ships.

Rmks/ 5. 0201 hours with only 5 bow torpedos remaining and 4 in stern I ordered course to 112� to try to intercept CL group. CL last reported on loc. 34-41N,140-39E heading 272�, our loc. is 34-42N,140-09E. 0231 hours Surface contact on SJ radar bearing 345� range 12000 yards. 0235 hours changed course to 077�and again at 0237 hours to 059�. Lookouts sighted Destroyer one min. later, range 7200 yards, CL sighted 8000 yards away, 5 DD's spotted. Came to periscope depth ahead flank and changed course to 161�. CL is turning toward us, ordered all ahead 1/3. 0254 hours we fired all 5 remaining bow torpedos at the cruiser at a range of 1800 yards, made crash dive and when we were at 120 feet we heard big exsplotion. It is persumed that we sank that cruiser. Took her down to 400 feet. Sonar counts 8 hi speed screws up there. At 0303 hours first depthcharges were dropt, took her down to 421 feet (the pressure is realy getting to us now). 0806 hours It has been 45 min. since they last bombed us but they are still up there + airplane heard. 0851 After 5 hours of being hunted they left without being able to damege us. Sufaced at 0900 hours. With only 4 stern torpedos left I ordered return to base at 0915 hours.

Rmks/ 6. Patrol summary.

TDC: Manual

Conditions:

Seas - calm/moderate, Weather - Mostly/partly cloudy

Enemy sunk:

Supply Ship       2220 tonns   Sept 12 1943  19:01   34-45N,139-57E
Supply Ship       1280 tonns   Sept 13 1943  00:52   34-43N,139-55E
Troop Transport   8500 tonns   Sept 13 1943  01:32   34-47N,140-00E
Troop Transport   8500 tonns   Sept 13 1943  01:53   34-44N,140-06E
Kuma-class CL     5832 tonns   Sept 13 1943  02:55   34-40N,140-16E

Enemy escaped:

Convoy 1	Convoy 2	CL Group
Supply Ship	Standard Merchant	Destroyer(Kagero)
Small Freighter	3 Large Freighters	Destroyer(Yugumo)
Destroyer(Shiratsuyu)	Armed Merchant Cruiser	Destroyer(Akizuki)
Destroyer(Akizuki)	3 Converted Factory Ship	Destroyer(Fubuki)
Destroyer(Kagero)	Supply Ship	Destroyer(Fubuki)
Destroyer(Yugumo)	Destroyer(Akizuki)	Destroyer(Unidentyfied)
Destroyer(Fubuki)		Destroyer(Unidentyfied)
Destroyer(Fubuki)		Destroyer(Unidentyfied)
Destroyer(Unidentyfied)

Damages: None

Ordance remaining:

4 MK 14 torpedos
43 shells

Comments:

Request for refuel and reload.

LCDR Mush Magnusson