Patrol Report August 00 I
SS-287 Bowfin
Second War Patrol - covering the period from 11/4/43 to 11/24/43
To: ComSubPac, Commander SUBRON 4 - Manual TDC
PROLOGUE TO
Arrived Fremantle 9/20/43 after first War Patrol. While in port improved Sj-1 radar with PPI was installed in the boat.
NARRATIVE
11/4/43 Departed Fremantle for Malaysia. Arrived on station 11/12/43. Will head towards Singapore and patrol to the East of the island.
Rmks 1. 11/13/43 0045 Sj contact at 32500 yards. Close at flank speed to investigate. 0120 site the convoy one carrier, one CA and eight destroyers. Tried three times to get into firing position. The third time I stayed on the surface too long and was spotted. Took until almost dawn to lose the eight escorts.
Rmks 2. 11/14/43 0615 SJ contact 31500 yards in the East just as the sun is coming up. They have the sun behind them so close at flank speed to investigate. This group is ten merchants in four columns with four escorts. Move into shooting position on the closest column. The escort on this flank spots us just as we begin to shoot. Fire two fish at ship one in the near column and two fish at ship one in the second column, high speed depth six range 2000 and 2500 yards. One hit on the near ship the other miss. Fire two more bow shots at the middle ship in the third column right through the convoy. One hit and a miss. Fire two follow ups from the stern at the nearest damaged ship. One hit sinks it and the other hits a ship in the convoy but is a dud. Dive and evade escorts follow the main body of the convoy which is departing to the South.
Rmks 3. 11/14/43 1420. While trying to end around the main convoy one standard merchant presents itself as a target. He is doing 15 knots and avoids the spread of three fired at slow speed. Later a small freighter gets within about 2000 yards but sights the periscope before I shoot.
Rmks 4. 11.14.43 1647. In front of the reassembled convoy dive on their path for another set of shots at the lead ships in each column. This time the lead escort spots us before shooting. Dive to evade the escorts. After slipping the escorts pursue the convoy from behind.
Rmks 5. 11/14/43 1930. Approximately 2000 yards behind the convoy on the surface fire two each at high speed at the trailing ship in each column. Two of them premature and one hits but is a dud and every one else manages to avoid the torpedo's. Leave this group at high speed on the surface before the escorts get back.
Rmks 6. 11/15/43 0140. Sj contact 30000 yards. This group is coming from behind and I am on his track. 0245 first sighting is a BB coming right towards us. Dive when the group is about 6000 yards away still coming at us. At 3000 yards the group zigs to their left. Turn hard to set up a shot as they pass our stern. Fire a spread of 4, high speed at the BB. Two premature alerting the group and bringing the escorts. Damn the torpedo's.
Rmks 7. 11/15/43 0630. Sj contact 32000 yards. Small convoy with five escorts. Fire a spread of 2, high speed range 2000 at the lead merchant. Must have been tracking wrong as both pass harmlessly ahead of the ship. Dive and evade escorts.
Rmks 8. 11/15/43 2200. Sj contact 33000 yards. Come to full speed to close on this group. Group is two small merchants making almost twelve knots with five escorts. We are closing from behind and decide to break of the pursuit at 0145. Will not be able to get into a good firing position before dawn.
Rmks 9. 11/16/43 1245. Sj contact 32000 yards. Come to full speed to close on this group. This is an armed merchant and a converted factory ship with five escorts. Maneuver for a stern shot as they pass. Fire two fish 1500 yards, high speed depth five at the armed merchant. Once again spotted as we fire. Merchant and Factory ship avoid the torpedo's. The Lead escort turns right across or bow to come back after us. Fire one fish speed high Depth 5 range 1400 yards hits and sinks the escort.
Arrived Fremantle 11/24/43.
Jap ASW
Escorts seemed to be a heavier lighter and more aggressive than in last patrol. Could be they are suspecting attack more in this area. Most of the convoys employed five escorts with the three in the lead running up the middle as well as both flanks. In almost all attacks but especially in daylight the scope was spotted on final check before firing.
Torpedo performance summary
Attack one. All fired at depth 6 feet high speed.
Hit Prem Dud Miss ����������������������� 3 0 1 4 Result one Armed Merchant 12,030 tons sunk, One merchant damaged.
Attack two. All fired at depth 6 feet low speed.
Hit Prem Dud Miss ����������������������� 0 0 0 3 Result target evaded all fish, range was too far in daylight.
Attack three. All fired at depth 6 feet high speed.
Hit Prem Dud Miss ����������������������� 0 2 1 1 Result no damage.
Attack four. All fired at depth 6 feet high speed.
Hit Prem Dud Miss ����������������������� 0 2 0 2 Result no damage.
Attack five. All fired at depth 6 feet high speed.
Hit Prem Dud Miss ����������������������� 0 0 0 2 Result no damage.
Attack six. All fired at depth 5 feet high speed.
Hit Prem Dud Miss ����������������������� 1 0 0 2 Result sunk Shiratsuyu DD 1980 tons.
Totals
Hit Prem Dud Miss ����������������������� 4 4 2 12
Torpedo performance
The premature's are still a problem and caused a number of the misses. Other contributing factor in the high miss rate is being spotted by escorts and better evasive action by the merchant targets.
Deck Gun
Was not used on this patrol.
SJ Radar
Performance varied but generally made contact at about 30000 to 33000 yards. A great improvement over the SJa units and allowed us to keep and make contact with the enemy far longer than in the past.
SD radar
Aircraft were detected at around 17000 yds during the patrol.
Damage
Hull damage none, system damage none.
Weather Conditions
Fair with Moderate seas while in PZ.
Ships sunk - two
Armed Merchant 12030 tons Shiratsuyu DD 1980 tons ������������������������������ TOTAL 14010 tons
Respectfully,
LTCMD Ray McNeice
Commander SS-287 Bowfin