From: CAPT. Greg Turner II (USS Tirante)
ComSubRon 12A
To: ComSubPac
Date: April 15,1945
Re: Patrol Format (Dec 01 - Cycle 1)
RMKS/ 1. Arrived on station April 7,1945 at 05:31 with a full load of Mk 18-2 electric Torpedo's. With moderate seas and mostly cloudy skies I began to patrol in search of the enemy.
RMKS/ 2. Saturday April 7,1945 16:54 SJ contact bearing 036` at 10,300 yds. 07:00 lookout spotted 3 Sampans and I closed at high speed as the Gun Crew readied their guns. At -7:15 opened fire from 1,800 yds and scored 3-hits for 3-fired rounds. Each hit was at the waterline and sank the Sampans.
RMKS/ 3. 22:44 SJ contact bearing 059` at 33,460 yds. Closed on contact and at 01:02 dove to radar depth 4,200 yds ahead of the contact. 01:09 I spotted ships bearing 079` at 3,300 yds and identified 2-Standard Merchants, 2-Armed Merchants, 1-Converted factory, and 1-Troop Ship. I worked into firing position and at 01:27 fired 2 torpedo's at the lead Merchant from 800 yds, fired 2 torpedo's at the Troop Ship from 700 yds (SUNK),and fired 2 torpedo's at the lead Armed merchant from 900 yds. The Merchant caught fire from the hits and began emitting large quantities of steam and at 01:30 I fired a 3rd torpedo from 1,000 yds which impacted the target and stopped it dead in the water. I immediately fired a 4th torpedo from 1,200 yds, which broke the ship in half and sank it (SUNK). The Armed merchant absorbed both hits and continued on course without slowing. I fired a 3rd torpedo at it from 1,100 yds at 01:30 and it missed the target. With other ships now coming into range at 01:33 I fired 1 torpedo at the 2nd Armed Merchant from 1,200 yds, which set it afire. It changed course to the north and I fired a 2nd torpedo at it, which slowed it, but it continued on. With the angle off for another shot on the damaged Armed Merchant I shifted target to a Large Freighter 1,700 yds off and fired 1 torpedo at it at 01:47. Torpedo must have hit an ammunition ship due to the magnitude of the explosion (SUNK). The remaining convoy was in total confusion and with no escorts sighted or detected I surface at 01:50 and headed north to get the 1st Damaged Armed Merchant. Lookouts spotted the 2nd damaged AMC astern burning and I plan to go after it once I sink the 1st damaged ship. I was counting on keeping the enemy off balance by hitting at different points. At 01:56 my forward deck gun opened fire from 1,300 yds. Fired a total of 4 rounds for 3-Hits and 1-Miss to sink the ship (SUNK). I immediately turned south to overtake the other damaged ship.
RMKS/ 4. At 02:06 lookouts spotted a Standard Merchant bearing 354` at 4,000 yds along with a Converted Factory Ship and a Supply Ship. Radar reported a single contact bearing 346` at 5,770 yds and I set course for it believing it to be the damaged ship. Sure enough at 02:30 lookouts spotted the burning Armed Merchant and I closed rapidly on it. At 02:39 the deck gun opened fire from 1,200 yds firing 9 rounds for 8-Hits and 1-Miss. During this action the AMC fired one round in my direction but missed astern. I crashed dove to periscope depth and at 02:43 fired 1 torpedo from 700 yds and finished the ship off (SUNK). I surfaced and headed for a contact bearing 002` at 7,500 yds while the torpedo crews affected reload. At 02:59 lookouts once again spotted the Merchant, Supply and Factory Ship bearing 007` this time at 3,500 yds heading right toward me. I dove to periscope depth and commenced my attack. At 03:08 I fired 2 torpedo's at the Factory ship from 2,100 yds, which set the ship afire. At 03:10 fired 2 torpedo's at the merchant from 800 yds. The Merchant tried to change course after seeing the Factory ship hit but the torpedo's hit it in the stern setting it afire and slowing it. I fired a 3rd torpedo from 740 yds and that broke its back (SUNK). I trailed the damaged Factory ship and at 03:27 fired a 3rd torpedo at it from 660 yds (SUNK).
RMKS/ 5. I Battle surfaced at 03:28 and the deck gun opened fire on the fleeing Supply Ship at 2,900 yds. Over the next few minutes they fired 25 rounds for 12-Hits and 13-misses. Firing on the stern of a moving ship is not an easy target to hit. As daylight approached with no contacts on the radar I ordered Radar depth to give the crew a rest.
RMKS/ 6. Sunday April 8,1945 21:36 surfaced the boat and began patrolling about 50 nautical miles north of Keelung harbor. At 06:41 radio reported picking up a garbled radio message advising a sub south of Formosa to be on Lifeguard duty off Takao harbor.
RMKS/ 7. Tuesday April 10,1945 06:24 SJ radar reported contact bearing 226` at 34,110 yds apparently coming south down the China coast. I attempted to close but never got closer than 34,000 yds. Radio reported at 12:33 that a pilot had been reported down in the Takao Harbor area and that the previously mentioned sub was asked to pick them up. No contact was heard from the sub and since we were over 160 nautical miles to the north we decided it would be futile to head that way. Any aviator would either be picked up by the Japanese by then or the sub. The Traffic was coming out of the south and was very weak and I doubt we could have picked up a sub message from that direction.
RMKS/ 8. Wednesday April 11,1945 21:43 SJ contact bearing 352` at 33,200 yds. By 22:19 the range had closed to 10,000 yds and I dove to radar depth ahead of what appears to be a large number of ships. At 22:37 lookouts sighted a large body of ships and identified 1-Standard Merchant, 1-Tanker, 1-Factory ship and 1-(D) type patrol Craft. At 22:47 I fired 3 torpedo's at the Merchant from 1,700 yds (SUNK). Also spotted a 2nd Patrol Craft bearing 270` at 1,600 yds. Immediately fired 2 torpedo's at the Tanker from 1,400 yds (SUNK)then dove. Had 200 feet to use up in a hurry. Active sonar hit me almost immediately after the first torpedo hit home. I was just passing 133 feet and Jettisoned Debris to clutter up the area. At 22:50 as I tried to sneak away a close string of depth charges detonated around the boat knocking several people off their feet and causing sever damage. {See Damage Report Below} At 23:22 my XO reported flooding in the Forward Battery Compartment and Storeroom 1. Speed was down to 3/4 of a knot as the motors slowed to a stop from the damage. With no alternative I ordered Battle Surface. 23:26 arrived periscope depth with ASW inside 1,000 yds but had no bearing due to damaged sound gear. A periscope sweep at 23:30 revealed 3-Patrol Craft and 1-Destroyer from ranges of 170 yds out to 1,700 yds. As I prepared to fire on one of the Patrol Craft the XO reported a fire in the Radio room. At 23:40 active found us again and we had no choice but to fight or die. I immediately fired 1 torpedo at a Patrol Craft bearing 014` at 700 yds. It ran right into my torpedo and the front half of the craft disintegrated (SUNK). I swung the scope around and targeted a Patrol Craft closing from 155` at 500 yds. I fired 1 torpedo at it and blew it to bits (SUNK). As the Conning Tower broke the surface all hell broke loose. I was just ,making a sweep on the periscope to see where the other remaining ships were when a shell hit the periscope and that is the last thing I remember. Upon regaining consciousness later that day my XO reported that apparently the Destroyer had fired 1 round, which sheared off the periscope right at its storage housing. The hit he said just flung me across the Conning Tower into the bulkhead. XO Marshall immediately took command and got the deck guns fore and aft into action. Both guns went to work on the remaining Patrol Craft from a range of only 800 yds. It happened so fast he said that the Patrol Craft never fired a round in return. After firing 12 rounds into the PC it exploded and sank (SUNK). The Destroyer was by this time turning back in from 1,00 yds and seemed to hesitate firing its guns due to the proximity of the PC. While the gun crews were hitting the PC my XO had setup on the DD and fired our last remaining torpedo as we fled the area at flank speed. Just as the PC exploded the torpedo impacted the DD setting it afire and slowing it some. The deck guns shifted target to the DD and fired only 2 shells at which time the DD exploded (SUNK). I suspect either a shell hit a magazine or the fires detonated one.
RMKS/ 9. The XO put all hands either to fighting the fire in the Radio Room and damage control had extinguished the Fire 00:03 and a course was set for Pearl Harbor. Included is a list of all the wounded personnel. Patrol Summary:
TDC: Auto
Conditions: Enemy Sunk:
Total: 80,200 tons
Enemy Damaged: Enemy Escaped: Damage Sustained: Torpedo Performance:
Duds - Premature - Misses - Hits Aircraft Encountered: Depth Charges Received: Ordnance Remaining:
Torpedoes: 0 Comments:
A very productive patrol in terms of sunk ships but an almost tragic one. After engaging the second convoy we were severely damaged by depth charges and had to bring the ship to periscope depth to slug it out with 3 Patrol Craft and 1 Destroyer. I successfully sank 2 Patrol Craft with torpedo's and due to the DC Motors being knocked out and being pinpointed by active sonar I Battle Surfaced to engage with the deck gun and our 1 remaining torpedo. As the Conning tower broke the surface I was making observations in preparation for the Gun action when The Patrol Craft fired on the boat. The shell hit the periscope and sheared it off just above where it enters the housing. The blast rendered me unconscious when the periscope spun from the hit. Three other crewmen were injured from the concussion. My XO assumed command and upon hitting the surface had the Deck Gun open fire on the Patrol Craft with both fore and aft Deck Guns from inside 1,000 yds. The Destroyer was turning in to attack from 1,200 yds to our port side but failed to open fire with its deck guns. My XO CMDR Marshall used the TBT to launch our last torpedo at the DD as it turned broadside to close and rang up flank speed. With the grace of GOD and a Deck Gun crew after only 12 rounds the Patrol Craft was a blazing wreck and visibly setting by the bow. The Guns were swung to the Destroyer and had managed to fire 2 rounds at it when the last torpedo hit right under the fantail detonating its store of Depth Charges. It was reported that the DD sank stern first in less than 4 minutes. After setting course for Pearl Harbor and seeing to the wounded (including Myself) my XO continued to help make repairs. The most serious wound was a compound fracture of the right arm suffered by my Dive officer when he was thrown into the periscope.
CAPT. Greg Turner II
"CAPT" Greg Turner - Concussion + Broke Nose
""LT (jg)" Harold Jackson - Compound Fracture Right Arm
""Yeoman 2nd" Class Ronnie Hawks - Concussion + Injured Right Eye
""MoMM 3rd Class" Ray Parker - Knocked out 5 teeth + Broken Jaw
Seas: Moderate
Weather: Mostly Cloudy
1.April 7,1945, 17:15, Sampans x 3, (0 tons), 25-38N x 124-27E
2. April 8,1945, 01:28, Troop Ship, (5,380 tons), 25-38N x 124-27E
3. April 8,1945, 01:33, Standard Merchant, (14,690 tons), 25-50N x 124-27E
4. April 8,1945, 01:48, Large Freighter, (5,980 tons), 25-50N x 124-27E
5. April 8,1945, 01:56, Armed Merchant, (8,300 tons), 25-50N x 124-27E
6. April 8,1945, 02:43, Armed Merchant, (8,300 tons), 25-39N x 122-27E
7. April 8,1945, 03:10, Standard Merchant, (7,200 tons), 25-40N x 122-24E
8. April 8,1945, 03:27, Converted Factory, (6,620 tons), 25-50N x 122-27E
9. April 8,1945, 03:47, Supply, (3,330 tons), 25-50N x 124-17E
10. April 10,1945, 22:48, Standard merchant, (12,270 tons), 26-15N x 123-05E
11. April 10,1945, 22:48, Tanker, (8,130 tons), 26-15N x 123-05E
12. April 10,1945, 23:40, Patrol Craft (D) type, (0 tons), 26-18N x 123-05E
13. April 10,1945, 23:40, Patrol Craft (C) type, (0 tons), 26-18N x 123-05E
14. April 10,1945, 23:43, Patrol Craft (C) type, (0 tons), 26-18N x 123-05E
15. April 10,1945, 23:43, Destroyer (Yugumo), (0 tons), 26-18N x 123-05E
None
1. 1 x Converted Factory Ship
1. Periscope - Destroyed
2. DC Motor's 1-4 - Disabled
3. Engine 4 - Disabled
4. Aft Battery - Disabled
5. Radio - Disabled - Fired Damage
6. Aft Engine Room Hull - Minor
7. Forward Battery Room Hull - Moderate
8. Control Room Hull - Moderate
9. Sound Heads - Moderate
10. Forward Torpedo Room Hull - Moderate
11. Conning Tower Hull - Minor
12. Officers Quarters Hull - Moderate
13. Radio Room Hull - Minor
14. Store Room 1 Hull - Moderate
-0 -------- 0 ---------- 1 ------- 27
0
0
Deck Gun: 44
CO USS Tirante
CO SubRon 12A