From: CAPT. Greg Turner (USS Whale)
ComSubRon 12A
To: ComSubSoWesPac/SubPacFlt
Date: August 25,1944
Re: Patrol Format (Oct 01 - Cycle 1)
RMKS/ 1. Left Fremantle for my patrol area on 2 August,1944. Arrived on station on 9 August,1944 at 12:00 with a full load of Electric torpedo's on board.
RMKS/ 2. 19:40 SJ contact bearing 338` at 33,000 yds. I pursued the contact thru the Bunguran Ufara strait. By 23:40 had closed to within 20,000 yds. Radar reported at 00:46 that the most distant blip vanished off the radar and suspected a submarine as the contact. Thursday 10 August,1944 04:44 lookouts spotted a submarine bearing 001`. I continued to close at flank but had less than 1 knot of overtake. At 05:01 I fired 1 torpedo from 2,280 yds. The torpedo missed and the sub dove. I continued on the surface for one minute then dove to try and regain contact. At 05:27 sound reported a torpedo in the water heading our way. The enemy torpedo must have malfunctioned because I spotted it with the periscope running on the surface. It passed down our starboard side at about 50 yds. I turned down the torpedo's track and listened closely. At 05:37 spotted the enemy subs periscope bearing 025` at 330yds. I ordered a fast setup and fired 1 torpedo at the sub set for 48 (SUNK) feet then turned hard to port and started to go deep. Twenty seconds later a tremendous explosion shook the boat and sound reported hearing the sub breaking up. I surfaced and headed north at flank to clear the area in case the second sub had been hiding in the area.
RMKS/ 3. Thursday 10 August,1944, 15:47 lookouts spotted 2 ships coming over the horizon bearing 190` at 17,784 yds. The SJ radar had crapped out and that is why contact was no made earlier. A final count showed 1-Standard Merchant, 1-Armed Merchant, 1-Tanker, 1-Converted Factory, 1-Troop Ship, and 1-Supply Ship. No escorts were spotted but we kept a sharp lookout. Dove to periscope depth at 15:56 and turned east. In firing position by 16:35 and fired 1 torpedo at the Tanker from 2,500 yds (DUD), fired 2 torpedo's at the Merchant from 2,200 yds(DAM) and fired 2 torpedo's at the Factory ship from 980 yds (MISS). All torpedo's arrived on target within seconds of each other. Sound heard all torpedo's hit and was amazed that one was a dud. The convoy scattered and I turned for a bowshot. Due to the scattering of the convoy the Factory ship presented a perfect setup. At 16:43 I fired 1 torpedo at the factory from 730 yds, which caused damage but didn't slow the ship. Fired a 2nd torpedo from 1,070 yds, which set the ship afire and caused it to slow. I immediately fired a 3rd torpedo form 902 yds, which sent the ship to the bottom (SUNK). A sweep showed the damaged Merchant heading north at high speed (10.6 kts). I went to 100 feet and trailed at flank speed while awaiting darkness. By 17:24 the battery was down to 200 volts and I ceased trailing and dove to 200 feet to await dark and await repair to the SJ radar. At 18:18 with the radar working I went to radar depth and picked up contacts in 3 different locations. Had 2 ships astern at 28,000 yds, 1 to port at 17,000 yds, and 1 ahead at 24,400 yds. I surfaced and headed north to check that ship. I believed it to be the damaged Merchant. At 20:57 lookouts spotted the burning ship at 4,050 yds. After a quick end around at 21:59 I dove to periscope depth 3,000 yds ahead. At 22:05 fired 1 torpedo at the Merchant from 532 yds, which hit the bow. At 22:14 fired a 2nd torpedo from 725 yds, which broke the ships back (SUNK). Surfaced and headed east. SJ radar immediately picked up a contact bearing 272` at 29,000 yds closing. At 23:46 lookouts spotted a Tanker. At 23:51 I dove to periscope depth because the moon was at our back. Also spotted a Supply Ship out board of the tanker. At 23:54 fired 2 torpedo's from 990 yds at the Tanker and it blew up in my face (SUNK). Four minutes later fired 1 torpedo at the Supply from 1,000 yds, which passed under the target. Fire control had the wrong depth setting. Reset to 9 feet and fired a 2nd torpedo from 670 yds which did the job (SUNK).
RMKS/ 4. Friday 11 August,1944, made no contacts.
RMKS/ 5. Saturday 12 August,1944, made no contacts.
RMKS/ 6. Sunday 13 August,1944 06:25 SJ contact bearing 010` at 30,050 yds. Made visual at 07:00 on a Destroyer at a range of 15,600 yds bearing 321`. 07:21 spotted a second DD and identified both, 1-Mutsuki, and 1-Fubuki. Dove to close on contacts. At 07:39 check showed 1 DD astern at 1,000 yds and 1 ahead t 1,500 yds. Also spotted 3-Converted Factory, 2-Standard Merchant, 2-Supply, 3-Small Freighter,1-Tanker, 2-Patrol Craft and 1-DD, unidentified. At 07:51 fired 2 torpedo's aft at a Merchant from 1,070 yds (DAM). Fired 2 torpedo's at Tanker from 1,200 yds (SUNK). Fired 2 torpedo's at Factory ship from 1,600 yds. The Merchant was damaged and the tanker sunk but unsure of the condition of the Factory ship. Sound reported hearing no hits on it so a probable miss. Dove deep after firing and arrived at 400 feet at 07:56. Over the next 3 1/2 hours we received 135 depth charges and had a hard time eluding the escorts. With no thermal layer they had no problem making sonar contact on me. After eluding contact we layed to awaiting darkness due to a low battery. At 16:29 sound reported low speed screws bearing 344` but due to a low battery I decided to remain at depth. Reported 5 sets of low speed screws and 2 set of high speed. Lost contact on this convoy at 18:03 Proceeded to radar depth at 18:39 and after checking the area surfaced with 2 torpedo's left.
RMKS/ 7. Monday 14 August,1944 14:46 SJ contact bearing 025` at 30,800 yds. Made visual on a 10-ship convoy with 2 escorts at 16:27. Convoy closed to 12,800 yds the turned away with no chance of me intercepting. Surfaced at 18:06 and tried to reestablish contact but had no luck.
RMKS/ 8. Tuesday 15 August,1944 13:07 SJ contact bearing 304` at 32,190 yds. At 14:00 spotted 2-Fubuki DD's, 2-Shiratsuyu DD's and 1-Kima CL. Task Force closed to 8900 then turned away to the northeast. I watched as they sailed out of range. At dark surfaced to top off battery. At 21:11 SJ contact bearing 291` at 28,400 yds, at 22:06 dove to radar depth with ships at 5,800 yds on the SJ. At 22:11 spot 2 Patrol Craft and sound picked up low speed screws astern of the PC's. While maneuvering into attack position the PC's suddenly headed my direction and I went deep. As I was passing 130 feet a series of depth charges tore into the boat causing severe damage. (See Damaged Report below)I turned west for shallow water and came to periscope depth to lessen pressure on the hull and reduce flooding. Sound reported the PC closing for another attack so I elected to fire my only working torpedo in self-defense. At 02:52 I fired my last torpedo at the PC from 700 yds and prayed (SUNK). A large explosion brought a cheer from the crew. I surfaced immediately and headed north at my best possible speed. After clearing the area and making suitable repairs to minimize the flooding I set course for homeport.
Patrol Summary:
TDC: Auto
Conditions:
Seas: Moderate
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Enemy Sunk:
1. Aug 10,1944, 05:37, Sub (type C), (2,564 tons), 02-04N x 105-30E 2. Aug 10,1944, 16:48, Converted Factory, (5,460 tons), 03-03N x 105-08E 3. Aug 10,1944, 22:15, Standard Merchant, (12,420 tons),03-46N x 106-04E 4. Aug 10,1944, 23:55, Tanker, (8,860 tons), 03-54N x 105-58E 5. Aug 10,1944, 23:59, Standard Merchant, (1,180 tons), 03-54N x 105-58E 6. Aug 13,1944, 07:56, Tanker, (14,960 tons),03-12N x 104-57E 7. Aug 17,1944, 02:52, Patrol Craft (type D) (940 tons), 01-55N x 105-16E
Total: 46,384 tons
Enemy Damaged:
1. 2 x Standard Merchants
Enemy Escaped:
1. 4 x Converted Factory
2. 3 x Supply
3. 3 x DD Unidentified
4. 3 x Small Freighter
5. 2 x Patrol Craft
6. 2 x Fubuki DD
7. 1 x Mutsuki DD
8. 1 x Troop Ship
9. 1 x Armed Merchant
Damage Sustained:
1. Aft Torpedo Room Hull - Heavy
2. Motor Room Hull - Moderate
3. DC Motor 2+4 - Critical
4. Aft Engine Room Hull - Heavy
5. Engine 1+3+4 - Heavy
6. Deck Gun - Destroyed
7. Crew Quarters Hull - Moderate
8. Aft Battery Hull - Moderate
9. Aft Battery - Critical
10. Radio Room Hull - Heavy
11. Control Room Hull - Moderate
12. Conning Tower Hull - Heavy
13. Forward Torpedo Room Hull - Moderate
14. Bow Planes - Moderate
15. Tubes 1, 5, 6 - Outer Doors Jammed Shut
Torpedo Performance:
Duds - Premature - Misses - Hits Aircraft Encountered: Depth Charges Received: Ordnance Remaining:
Torpedoes: 1 - MK 18 Electric Comments: A very productive area suitable for wolf pack operations. Out of 23-fired torpedo's 17-Hit targets, 5-Missed , and 1-Dud with 1 torpedo being stuck in a tube and returned to port. With heavy shipping the crew functioned great with only one fire control error. The Patrol Craft that caused us such extensive damage was blown to bits with my final operational torpedo. I was afraid with such hull damage that we would be unable to control our depth. I surfaced at once and set course for port and had the Radio standing by to send out a distress call if needed. I had 1 torpedo left on board but deemed the damage to great to risk sticking around. Request refit and reload
CAPT. Greg Turner
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0
135
Deck Gun: 95
CO USS Whale
CO SubRon 12A