From:  LCDR Mush Magnusson (SS-214 Grouper)
Date:  November 30 1943

Rmks/ 1. It´s November 3 1943 we are going to the Yellow Sea est. travel time would be 13.5 day´s. Arrived on loc. 30-29N,123-39E November 16 2104 hours, heading 357° at all ahead standard our speed was 9.3 kts. Equipment: 24 Mark XIV torpedos, SD radar, improved SJ radar(SJ-1) Plan position indicator (PPI), bathythermograph. 2210 hours we have entered some fog. 2213 hours Changed course to 302°trying to intercept a convoy coming out of the west lane of Shanghai Bay. 0110 hours Surface contact on SJ radar bearing 017° range 30000 yards.

Rmks/ 2. 0121 coming to course 346°. 0158 hours on course 026°. 0241 hours coming to course 041°. 0303 hours All ahead flank. 0324 hours DD(Kagero) sighted 2200 yards away, dive all ahead 1/3. 0332 hours radar depth. 0337 hours surface all ahead flank. Coming to course 110°. 0356 hours coming to course 000°. 0404 hours coming to course 060°. DD(Akizuki) sighted 2000 yards ahead bearing 357°, dive to radar depth. 0421 hours Surface all ahead flank. 0430 hours DD sighted again 2000 yards away. Radar depth. 0436 hours Surface, coming to course 105°. 0441 hours DD(Kagero) spotted 2500 yards away. Acording to radar DD´s are 8 but I can´t see how many Mr´s there are. 0456 hours coming to course 000°. 0503 hours coming to course 046°. 0507 hours DD(Akizuki) spotted 2200 yards away ordered radar depth. 0518 hours coming to course 085°. DD sighted again at 0526 hours range 2000 yards. DD came to 1000 yards but did not spott us. 0533 hours coming to course 000°. 0535 on course 019°. DD in 2300 yards bearing 295°. 0537 hours Periscope depth. 0547 hours Fired two bow torpedos at DD at a range of 700 yards, both torpedos hit and targed was destroyed. Radar depth, DD sighted bearing 289° range 2300 yards. 0559 hours Surface. 0613 hours DD spotted bearing 232° range 2600 yards. 0618 coming to course 049°. Fired three bow torpedos at Oil Tanker + three more at another Oil Tanker, range to first tanker 2100 yards, range to second target 1800 yards. Second target destroyed but first targed was missed. Dive dive. Took her down to 176 feet were we found a good layer, so hopes are high that we get out clean. 0800 hours Sonar has lost contact with surface ships, they were never able to find us, ordered radar depth. Radar reports large bibs 28000 yards away + some bibs 13000 yards away, witch is With out any doubts destroyers.

Rmks/ 3. Ordered the XO to keep us at radar depth and change course to 232°. 0948 hours on course 000° going for targed witch is (acording to radar) 14100 yards. 1003 hours coming to course 046°. 1031 hours coming to course 089°. 1056 coming to course 223°giving up the chase. 1140 hours target is still within 20000 yards away from us, decided to surface and continue to chase him. coming to course 167°. 1159 hours coming to course 198°. 1218 hours on course 243°. 1246° on course 287°. 1315 hours coming to course 332°. 1351 target 12000 yards away bearing 000° coming to course 017°. 1415 hours target sighted 9000 yards away, looks like that other Oil Tanker. 1509 hours target bearing 003°range 1750 yards. Fired two bow torpedos at him + manned deck gun. #1 and 2 missed. Fired two more at him, damn missed again. He is burning from shell hits. 1518 hours fired one torpedo at him but target was destroyed before torpedo hit it. 1525 on course 232°.

Rmks/ 4. 1537 hours our right propellar is out of use, repairs are trying to be made. 1740 hours Repairs have been unsucsessfull so I ordered return to base.

November 30 1943, Arriving at Midway.

Rmks/ 5. Patrol summary.

TDC: Manual.

Conditions: Seas - moderate, Weather - foggy

Enemy sunk:

DD (Akizuki class)   3485 tonns   Nov 17 1943  05:47   31-45N 123-40E
Oil Tanker          14440 tonns   Nov 17 1943  06:25   31-50N 123-50E
Oil Tanker           5590 tonns   Nov 17 1943  15:18   32-14N 123-55E

Enemy escaped:

Standard Merchant
Supply Ship
Small Freigther
Small Freighter
Destroyer (Kagero)
Destroyer (unidentyfied)
Destroyer (unidentyfied)
Destroyer (unidentyfied)
Destroyer (unidentyfied)
Destroyer (unidentyfied)
Destroyer (unidentyfied)

Damages: Right propellar.

Ordance remaining: 11 MK XIV torpedos, 39 shell´s.

Comments: Request for refuel and reload.

LCDR Mush Magnusson