//IMMEDIATE//
From: LCDR Greg Turner (USS Lagarto SS-371)
To: ComSubRon 4
Cc: ComSubPac
Date: March 13,1945
Re: Patrol Report (Dec 00 - Cycle 1)
RMKS/ 1. Arrived on station March 6,1945 just after midnight off southern Japan. Had on board a full load of Mk 18-2 torpedoes. Set course for the entrance to Kii Suido.
RMKS/ 2. 00:56 SJ contact bearimg031` at 34,040 yds. Set intercept course. Had a long chase and at 08:52 lookouts spotted 1 - Standard Merchant, 1 - Troop Transport and 3 - Patrol Craft at 4,150 yds making 12.8 kts and I dove to radar depth. Closest range was 2,400 yds. Due to approaching daylight I chose not to give chase. Made an 8-hour run with no return. I let the convoy sail out of sight then surfaced at 10:20 and commenced charging the battery. At 12:52 made SJ contact bearing 303` at 31,960 yds and headed toward the contact. At 13:21 lookouts spotted a two-ship patrol on the horizon and I reversed course to evade.
RMKS/ 3. 15:53 SJ contact bearing 351` at 29,750 yds heading my way. Went to battle stations and at 16:15 dove to radar depth as lookouts spotted 1 - Matsu class Escort Destroyer. Two minutes later dove to periscope depth as DE closed on my position. At 16:24 I reacquired the Matsu after loosing it in the fog and also spotted 1 - Tachibana class DE. Ten minutes later spotted three ships at 2,200 yds and I setup for a stern shot. Shortly there after identified 1 - Troop Transport, 1 - Armed Merchant Cruiser, 1 - Large Freighter, 1 - Standard Merchant and 1 - Supply vessel. At 16:40 fired 2 torpedoes at Troop ship at 712 yds and fired 2 torpedoes at Merchant Cruiser at 690 yds. The Troop ship sank and the Merchant Cruiser caught fire and slowed. After the hits the Standard Merchant turned north and the remaining ships turned south. I went after the SM. Within minutes I was in firing position and fired 2 torpedos at the SM at 1,400 yds then dove. Sound reported both fish missed. Active sonar found me at 16:48 and I continued to dive to 419 feet and turned south. The first depth charges hit the water at 16:51. At 17:01 I jettisoned debris and altered my course. No thermal layer to aid me. At 17:18 turned northwest and also jettisoned debris again. Between 16:51 and 20:18 counted a total of 192 depth charges before loosing contact at 20:18. Headed for radar depth at 20:31. Picked up radar contact bearing 247` at 33,060 yds and 285` and 21,980 yds. Surfaced at 20:34 and headed west to charge the batteries. Made repairs on the radio mast to improve reception and made SJ contact bearing 183` at 17,420 yds while doing so. I set course to investigate. At flank speed I lost ground so I turned back. Set course west along the coast.
RMKS/ 4. Wednesday March 7,1945 SJ contact at 03:39 bearing 004` at 7,390 yds. At 03:48 spotted one sampan. Destroyed it with one 5" shell. Continued patrolling and at 10:19 made a trim dive. Had a good temperature gradient at 304 feet. Back on the surface by 10:45 and headed south down the coast of Kyushu. At 20:32 SJ contact bearing 052` at 27,810 yds. From location I suspected a patrol. At 21:49 made contact off the southern tip of Kyushu. Closest contact was 8,900 yds. I headed west to clear the coast. Made a dive at 07:58 to check the depth. (314 feet)
RMKS/ 5. Thursday March 8,1945 SJ contact at 355` at 7,500 yds. At 08:56 spotted three sampans and sank with 5" gunfire. Fired 8 rounds for 3 hits and 5 misses. Continued patrol and at 12:45 made SJ contact at 21,680 yds bearing 072`. Contact pass� east of me down the coast then cut across my stern. I then reversed course to intercept as the contact entered deeper water at 14:50. At 15:01 lookouts spotted 1 - Troop ship emerging from the fog bearing 323` at 5,250 yds. At 15:05 also spotted 4 - Tankers and a second Troop ship a factory ship and a Standard Merchant at 4,000 yds making 11.2 kts. At 15:24 dove to radar depth as an escort emerged out of the fog. At15: 32 dove to 100 feet 2,200 yds ahead of the convoy to avoid escort. Headed for periscope depth at 15:37 as escort turned away. At 15:39 fired 2 torpedoes at Tanker at 700 yds. (Sunk) Fired 2 torpedoes at 2nd Tanker at 630yds(I hit - 1 dud). Fired a 3rd torpedo at crippled Tanker at 550 yds (Sunk). At 15:41 fired 1 torpedo at 3rd Tanker at 500 yds then went to 100 feet for the turn to bring the stern tubes to bear. Heard no explosion from the last shot. Convoy turned 90 degrees starboard making my turn easier. At 15:45 fired 2 torpedoes at Troop ship as 1,200 yds then dove. Torpedo missed. Active sonar hit me passing 78 feet. I hit the bottom at 225 feet and sat it out. At 15:51 received 6 depth charges that damaged the Conning Tower pressure Hull and destroyed the periscope. Lost contact at 17:07 and surfaced to head for deeper water. 20:20 SJ contact bearing 259` at 5,000 yds. Opted for night surface attacks since the periscope was out of commission. At 20:37 spotted one burning ship heading north. Three minutes later I had the 5" gun open fire at 900 yds. Put 2 rounds into it and it sank. Identified it as one of the tankers I attacked earlier.
RMKS/ 6. Friday March 9,1945 SJ contact bearing 019` at 30,330 yds. Radar reported a big convoy headed my way. At 02:17 lookouts spotted 1 - SM 1 - CFS, and 1 - LF between 900 and 1,100 yds. Visual contact was intermittent due to the fog. At 20:19 fired 2 torpedoes at Freighter at 700 yds (Sunk). Fired 2 torpedos at Factory ship at 500 yds. Hits set it afire so I fired a 3rd torpedo to sink it. At 20:21 fired 1 torpedo at 2nd Freighter at670 yds. Hits set it afire. While waiting for the tubes to be reloaded I had the deck gun take the damaged freighter under fire, which sank it with 4 rounds. Radar reported 11 other ships in the area. Using the fog as a shield I went after the SM I let pass earlier. At 02:26 opened fire with the 5" at 880 yds. Had fired 7 rounds for 5 hits and 2 misses when the starboard lookout reported a DD at 990 yds and closing on us. I pulled the plug and turned port while diving/ after rigging for depth charges I waited for the worst. The DD dropped one string of 6 as it passed. The charges bounced the boat around but caused no damage. I went silent by shutting down everything just off the bottom and waited to see what the DD would do. It either lost me in the noise or just kept going. Had no farther trouble from it. Surfaced after loosing contact at 03:56. Radar reported the convoy at 20,800 yds. Due to approaching daylight I pulled out to the south.
RMKS/ 7.11:34 SJ contact bearing 000` at 33,660 yds. Contact passed 10,000 yds to starboard. At 13:08 SJ contact bearing 224` at 26,090 yds south of Kyushu. Passed up convoy due to shallow water. Exited the shallows at 18:00 and headed up the west side of Kyushu. At 18:55 SJ contact bearing 357`` at 33,190 yds. I gave chase. Finally at 23:03 lookouts spotted 1 - Type B submarine bearing 006` at 2,291 yds going away at 17 kts. At 23:07 I elected to fire 1 torpedo at 1,500 yds set at a depth of 12 feet. (Miss) with the distance closing and the possibility of being spotted I took the chance. Had the 5" manned while setting up my last torpedo to fire if the sub started to dive. At 23:10 fired 2nd and my last torpedo at the sub at 1,130 yds. It missed and the sub started to dive. The 5" gun fired 5 rounds before the sub went under (no hits). I reversed course at flank speed to clear the area and set course for Pearl Harbor. Arrived in port March 13,1945
Patrol Summary:
TDC: Auto
Conditions:
Seas: Calm
Weather: Foggy
Enemy Sunk:
1. Troop Transport 9,590 tons 33-14N x 135-54E 2. Oil Tanker 14,330 tons 32-55N x 128-16E 3. Oil Tanker 14,330 tons 32-55N x 128-16E 4. Oil Tanker 14,330 tons 32-55N x 128-16E 5. Oil Tanker 15,670 tons 33-05N x 128-21E 6. Large Freighter 5,910 tons 33-26N x 128-36E 7. Converted Factory 3,340 tons 33-26N x 128-36E 8. Large Freighter 5,910 tons 33-26N x 128-36E 9. Sampan 70 tons 32-41N x 134-06E 10. Sampans x 3 210 tons 32-33N x 128-46ETOTAL: 83,410 tons
Enemy Damaged:
1. 1 x Armed Merchant Cruiser
2. 1 x Standard Merchant
Enemy Escaped:
1. 4 x Standard Merchant
2. 4 x Troop Transport
3. 3 x Patrol Craft
4. 2 x Armed Merchant Cruiser
5. 1 x Large Freighter
6. 1 x Converted Factory
7. 1 x Supply
8. 1 x DD unidentified
9. 1 x Type B submarine
10. 1 x Matsu Destroyer Escort
11. 1 x Tachibana Destroyer Escort
Damage Sustained:
1. Conning Tower Pressure Hull - Minor
2. Periscope - Destroyed
Ordnance Remaining:
Torpedoes: 0
Deck Gun: 75
Comments: Request reload and refit.
LCDR Greg Turner
(USS Lagarto SS-371)
/SENDS/