From: CAPT. Greg Turner (USS Whale)
ComSubRon 12A
To: ComSubPac
Date: December 24,1943
Re: Patrol Format (August 01 - Cycle 1)
RMKS/ 1. Departed Pearl Harbor on the afternoon of 4 December 1943. Made a refueling stop at Midway Island and continued on to my Patrol area of NJ 9-11 with a full load of MK-14 torpedo's. Arrived on station around 22:00, 13 December 1943.
RMKS/ 2. 14 December 1943, 11:08 SJ contact bearing 326` at 30,810 yds. I ordered an intercept course. Sea's are very heavy and Mostly cloudy skies could be a potential hiding place for patrol planes. At 12:32 SD radar reported an air contact at a range of 17,550 yds.
13:02 went to radar depth as aircraft closed on our position. By 13:30 we lost contact on the air contact. Continued at radar depth and at 16:39 SJ reported the surface contact was now at 33:440 yds bearing 016`. I surfaced the boat and put 4 engines online to give chase. By 17:46 radar had the contact down to 5,790 yds bearing 049`. Very dark out and visibility was near a half-mile. At 17:55 lookouts spotted 2-Tankers emerging out of a fog bank at a range of 3,130 yds. I went to radar depth and continued to close. Through periscope observations I spotted a total of 3-Tankers, 2-Supply, 1-Standard Merchant, and 1-Converted Factory and sound reported more low speed screws in the area. At 18:08 fired 2 torpedo's at the near Tanker at 554 yds with a depth setting of 16 feet (SUNK). Also fired 1 torpedo at the 2nd Tanker at a range of 981 yds (SUNK). All the remaining ships turned to the Northeast and I continued on across the Tsugaru Strait to clear the area before ASW forces arrived.
RMKS/ 3. 15 December 1943, 03:48 had crossed into the Sea of Japan and began patrolling my area. 06:03 SJ radar reported contact bearing 329` at 33, 590 yds. At 07:45 lookouts sighted smoke on the horizon and I set a course to intercept. At 09:20 lookouts spotted at Troop ship at 10,590 yds bearing 003`. Over the next 30 minutes lookouts spotted and identified 2-Tankers, 1-Armed Merchant, 3-troop Ships, 1-Large Freighter, 1-Suppy, and 1-Converted Factory ship. After working into position at 09:57 fired 2 torpedo's at a Tanker at 580 yds (SUNK). One minute later fired 2 torpedo's at a Tanker at 700 yds (SUNK). At 10:00 fired 2 torpedo's at the Armed Merchant at 900 yds which caused massive fires but didn't seem to slow the ship much so I fired a 3rd torpedo which finished the AMC off (SUNK). At 10:03 as the convoy began to break up I fired 2 torpedo's (Stern tubes) at the 3rd Tanker at 1,520 yds (SUNK). 10:05 fired 1 torpedo at the Large Freighter from 1.055 yds (SUNK). After a short high speed run and the confusion created by my attack at 10:16 a Troop ship turned my way and I fired 1 torpedo from 600 yds at it (SUNK). I continued to track the remaining ships as the torpedo crew frantically reloaded all tubes. At 10:29 just as tubes 3&4 were reloaded we got a great setup on the Factory ship at a range of 600 yds and I fired 1 torpedo at it. The explosion blew a large visible hole in the side of the ship and it slowed but continued to move off at a slow speed. Fearing it might escape I fired a 2nd torpedo from 540 yds which broke its back and sent it down (SUNK). By 10:40 2 more tubes were loaded and I fired 1 torpedo at a Supply ship from 500 yds. Sonar reported hearing the torpedo hit target but failed to detonate. Either a dud or it didn't have sufficient time to arm itself. After a quick check on the setup at 10:49 fired a 2nd torpedo at the Supply which done the job (SUNK). By 11:11 all tubes were reloaded from the first firing sequence and I fired 1 torpedo at a 2nd Factory ship from 830 yds, which hit but didn't slow the ship. Immediately fired a 2nd torpedo from 670 yds which set the ship afire just forward of the bridge. At 11:15 fired a 3rd torpedo which stopped the ship and it began settling by the stern (SUNK). At 11:16 I fired the last stern torpedo at a 3rd Factory ship from 1,200 yds which hit and failed to stop it. At 11:29 fired a 2nd torpedo which caused a large fire just under the funnel but failed to sink the ship fast enough to satisfy me. At 11:51 fired a 3rd torpedo from 610 yds which blew out the side of the ship (SUNK).
RMKS/ 4. Being out of torpedo's and fearing a swift response by ASW forces I retired out of the area to give my crew a rest before heading home. After clearing the area and letting all hands get some much-needed rest I surfaced the boat and set course for Pearl Harbor.
Patrol Summary:
TDC: Auto
Conditions: Enemy Sunk:
Total: 85,730 tons
Enemy Damaged: Enemy Escaped:
1. 2 x Troop Ship Damage Sustained: Torpedo Performance:
Duds - Premature - Misses - Hits Aircraft Encountered: Depth Charges Received: Ordnance Remaining:
Torpedoes: 0 Deck Gun: 95
Comments: The Sea of Japan is a Submariner's dream. With the convoys proceeding unescorted in the belief that Allied subs are not operating in the area.. I could not have accomplished this great patrol without such a great torpedo crew. They made reloads in very fast times and were loving hearing the explosions of the Jap ships sinking. A hearty well done to all hands of the USS Whale.
CAPT. Greg Turner
Seas: Moderate
Weather: Heavy
1. Dec 14,1943, 18:08, Tanker, (6,890 tons), 41-28N x 141-12E
2. Dec 14,1943, 18:08, Tanker, (6,890 tons), 41-28N x 141-12E
3. Dec 15,1943, 09:57, Tanker, (9,780 tons), 40-51N x 139-24E
4. Dec 15,1943, 09:58, Tanker, (9,780 tons), 40-51N x 139-24E
5. Dec 15,1943, 10:01, Armed Merchant, (9,080 tons), 40-51N x 139-24E
6. Dec 15,1943, 10:03, Tanker, (9,780 tons), 40-51N x 139-24E
7. Dec 15,1943, 10:05, Large Freighter, (6,550 tons), 40-51N x 139-24E
8. Dec 15,1943, 10:16, Troop ship, (8,650 tons), 40-51N x 139-24E
9. Dec 15,1943, 10:29, Converted Factory, (3,170 tons), 40-51N x 139-24E
10. Dec 15,1943, 10:49, Supply, (2,610 tons), 40-51N x 139-24E
11. Dec 15,1943, 11:15, Converted Factory,(7,290 tons), 40-53N x 139-22E
12. Dec 15,1943, 11:51, Converted Factory,(5,260 tons), 40-53N x 139-22E
None
2. 2 x Supply
3. 1 x Converted Factory
4. 1 x Standard Merchant
None
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1
0
CO USS Whale
CO SubRon 12A