Scratch one Flattop!
2 Weeks out of Java in the USS S-34, 3rd War Patrol, 1942.
We'd heard in late January that the Japanese we're massing around the Solomon Islands on their way to Australia, After afew days of little action in our Patrol Grid I decided to go have a look to see what all the fuss was about.
There's not much else to tell after that, up until the 15th of Febuary that is...
We were steaming at full speed between the Palau group and New Guineea in the early hours of the 15th, heading towards the Solomons, there'd been a lot of Japanese Air activity during the day so we wanted to get the hell out of Dodge, ASAP...
"Ship's spotted, Medium Range!"
Petty Officer Hogan was pointing at the Horizon, mouth wide open as if it was his first contact on his first Patrol. I had a look and that's when I realised what the commotion was...
Two Genuine Imperial Japanese Navy Fleet Carriers, dead ahead!
"Send an Emergency Message back to HQ! Two Jap' Carriers, full Escort, heading South West!"
I had to tell someone about what we'd seen, we couldn't let a Japanese Carrier group slip through the net, not this close to Australia...
The reply was quick, maybe too quick...
X GOOD FIND. X DO NOT ENGAGE. LEAVE AREA AND RETURN TO BASE. X
Return to base? Two weeks without any action and here I am with a main enemy Carrier group off my Port Bow and they want me to return to Base! Those are the kind of orders that were losing this war for us, and we'd had it...
"Dive, Dive, Dive! We're going in!"
The Boat slipped beneath the waves, ready to pounce.
"Up Periscope!"
I guided us towards the lead Carrier and got set up for an attack.
"Heading... 352."
"Angle on the Bow... 77."
"Range... 900 Yards."
"Speed... 16 Knots"
We let rip a Salvo of all Four Torpedoes... and then the wait...
...
"Hit!"
I heard that word three times, all well spaced hits along her Starboard side, but the Giant was still speeding along as if nothing had happened!
Then finaly the fourth Torpedo arrived on target, a hit to her aft!
She started to slow, a hit in the Engine compartment? Or maybe the screws!
She was dead in the water! The Silver Bullet!
By this time the Escorts were frantically searching the area for me, they didn't have a clue where I was but I dove deeper, the Carrier wasn't going anywhere and I needed to reload my Torpedoes. It would be risky but I wasn't going to let this one slip... I dove as deep as I thought was possible, and there we waited...
What seemed like a lifetime passed as my crew was just finishing tube four, I took her up to Periscope Depth on her port side to see what was happening, She looked as dead as when I left her, but then... 1 Knot... 2 Knots... all the way to 8 Knots!
"Damn it they've started her up again! They can't get away now! Not after all of this!"
I went to Flank Speed and Spun her around full rudder to Starboard, anything just to get one more shot at that beast!
We were nearly in position when the Carrier's Search light hit our Periscope, we'd been spotted...
All of a sudden every Escort in the group turned towards us guns blazing, but none of that mattered anymore.
This was our last chance, we'd either take her down or die trying, and then...
As suddenly as they'd started the Carrier's Engines failed!
"My God! Now! Fire them all, Now!"
I screamed to my crew as we let go our 3 loaded tubes and dove once more out of sight...
"Hit!"
Too soon... a miss-fire? Or an enemy ship screening the Carrier?
Then afew seconds later...
Two more hits!
We heard a ship groaning as it headed towards the Sea bed, but our Celebrations were cut short by the Depth Charges of the Escorts, now out for revenge.
Afew hours passed of loud, but ineffective Depth Charge attacks before I had the courage to surface again.
It was daylight by then and the sea was calm, for once I decided to follow my orders, leave the area and return to Base!
I'm not sure if the ship we sunk was the Carrier, or if it was a Screening unit...
All I do know is that this is the last time I, and indeed anyone, has seen the IJN Hiryū...
