[Bubblehead1980]

January 1944
Fremantle, Australia

USS Jack-Gato Class.

TMO RSRD 100 realism Cams off, contacts on.


Although I added appropriate tanker traffic in East China Sea and planned to patrol where Jack actually did patrol in Feb-March 1944, was assigned to Celebes Choke Point South of Davao Gulf.Knowing this is a target rich area and wanting to test the convoys I modified(upped skill level of escorts to Vet, too many were set low) and made sure tankers were carrying fuel as a loadout(not sure if an error or was on purpose but a lot of tankers in RSRD departing these oil rich territories do not carry fuel, I feel they would have been so those departing do carry fuel now, blow up very nicely as loaded out tankers did when hit)


Departed Fremantle on 17 January 1944, refueled at Exmouth Gulf few days later and headed for Lombok Strait. Entered Lombok Straight afer dark on 22 January 1944, dodged 4 patrols vessels total and exited around 0300. Headed up Makassar Straight. Report of a convoy departing Balikpapan while transiting strait, headed for likely course but never made contact.Continued to patrol area. Dove to avoid several air patrols en route.


1/28/1944 reached patrol area, maintained surface patrol, diving to avoid planes and two corvette type patrol vessels. Around 0800 on 2 February 1944, radar contact on a convoy in the choke point, heading west.Went to GQ, closed at high speed. Radar revealed three ships in single column with three escorts. Dove around 0845 and began to close. Once near track, up scope for a look, had three tankers(one medium, two small, with medium tanker in lead) making 11 knots with two aux subchasers and one Momi patrol boat escorting.

Readied all tubes with plans to fire three Mark 14's at lead medium tanker and two at the middle small tanker.Saving one to make a follow up shot on last one if situation permits.0904 fired torpedoes. Raised scope, heard an alarm sound. The tankers spotted the wakes but it was too late for the medium tanker(Buzyun Maru), all three slammed into tanker, setting her afire but not a massive explosion as tankers tend to do when loaded out with fuel or oil, (westbound tanker must not be loaded with fuel, returning from a run) . Other two missed the small tanker(Haruna Maru) which was able to barely avoid them. With the Buzyun Maru sinking, set up to fire the last torpedo at the Haruna Maru, which was closing in with a nearly 0 AOB. The Momi PB was rushing my way, but was far off as had been sweeping far to the starboard of convoy when attack occurred. Fired tube 6 with it's Mark 14 which hit, but did not exploded. No dud reported, torpedo did not arm.Haruna was boiling in towards our scope.Ordered a dive to 300 feet, silent running.Passed 90 feet as Haruna Maru crossed over.

Soon was at 300 feet when pinging began.First few salvos were ineffective but one escort seemed to get a fix on the Jack, (sounded like the momi) . Soon charges were exploding close. Went to 350 feet, next few salvos were well above. Seems had escaped when suddenly the momi roared in and dropped a pattern, which were close and caused minor damage to pumps and compressor as well as forward battery.

Surfaced about 1300 , radar showed one escort(assume) about 6 miles, sitting still listening. Surfaced and headed on last course of convoy.Soon made contact. Pull ahead, dove and closed in, turned in for stern torpedo attack with Mark 18 electric torpedoes. Both small tankers were making 6 knots and zigging. The port escort was off looking for sub, leaving the entire side exposed. One tanker zigged away so unable to hit it, target next with two Mark 18''s around 1600 hours. Both hit, tanker caught fire but did not exploded. Tanker soon sunk by the bow. both escorts rushed in but never located the Jack.

Surfaced for another end around and waited for dark for night surface attack.

Night was quarter moon with medium clouds and light fog/haze.

Closed to 2,000 yards off port side of the convoy and it's lone small tanker(Haruna Maru) . Fired two Mark 14's. One hit setting her afire. Soon star shells filled air and escorts were rushing toward me as rorared off into the night at 20 knots. The Momi PB had us and was closing , some shell splashes landing in distance.

Readied to fire stern tubes for down the throat shot but the Momi lost us in the night. Setting off in distance. The tanker was wounded but not finished, limping away at a plotted 4 knots. Ended around and by 0130 was again in position to attack. From 2100 yards, fired two Mark 14's, both hit, finishing off the tanker. Sped away into the night, escorts trailing but never spotted us.

Patrolled next few days avoiding planes and patrol vessels.

Around 1000 on February 7, radar made contact with another convoy West of Celebes Choke point in Celebes Sea, heading east .Radar showed three ships with two escorts. Closed in and dove off projected path. Look with scope revealed three large ships and two destroyers escorted. Large ships turned out to be three large tankers(!) and two full fledged DD's(possible Mutsuki class but not sure). Convoy was making 12.5 knots heading NNW. On next observation, convoy zigged and would run over top of us. Went to 100 feet and sped up, would get out from under them and shoot one with Mark 18's in stern tubes, get the other two in follow up attacks.

Back to scope depth, check with scope showed targets coming on nicely at 12.5 knots heading West. Plot showed would fire from 1800 yards. All three large tankers positively identified as NIPPON MARU(10,000 tons) tankers. Tubes opened, fired all four fish at the middle large tanker, down scope.Raised scope, which broke the surface just as torpedo one hit amidships, torpedo 2 hit under the stack aft, which caused a large explosion, setting off a massive secondary explosion, yep this one was loaded with fuel. Other two fish hit but were redundant hits, as tanker was a fireball and destroyed.

Both destroyers roared in quickly, obviously dealing with A team.First run was not effective but second run by second DD, hit close as settled at 300 feet.Flooding in stern torpedo room, damage to pumps, compressor, batteries, stern tubes. Secured from silent running, put DC party to work to stop flooding. More runs occurred as we went to 350 feet, none close. Just as flooding was stopped in stern, a close pattern hit, pumps damaged even more, flooding in control room. Jack sunk to 400 feet before could regain control with ahead standard speed.

After fighting to avoid more charges, flooding in both compartments stopped, water eventually pumped out and went up to 375 feet, silent running.

Some twisting and turning confused the DD's which stayed close but never located us again for sure. Charges were dropped multiple times in distance. One persistent DD stayed behind and hunted for 6 hours total before moving away, allowing Jack to escape. Surfaced at dusk and raced down last known course of convoy.

Established contact around with remaining tankers at 2040. Moon was brighter and no fog but dark enough for night surface attack. Closed on the large tankers now making 11 knots heading West now South of Davao Gulf, bound for Palau most likely.

Both destroyers back in formation. Closed to 3,000 yards and fired three Mark 14's at each tanker. Each tanker exploded in large fireballs, turned and sped away. One DD rushed into our former location and began dropping depth charges. Once he stopped completely to listen, backed down, ready to fire two remaining mark 18's from stern torpedo room. fired both from 3500 yards. When fish were 1,000 yards away, DD sped up and turned North, unaware of the wakeless fish heading his way. With all tankers destroyed and one Mark 14 left in bow tubes, headed for Fremantle via Banda Sea, to Ombai Strait. Dodging patrol planes and vessels, arrived on 17 February 1944.

Total of 6 tankers for 38,000+ tons. Not a bad patrol.