First time I've seen this

Bubblehead1980 · 06-16-17, 06:57 PM

On my 9th and final war patrol in USS Drum. Left Guam on 24 July 1945 to Sea of Okhotsk.

Decided to see if some traffic I added would show up. Patrol line off coast of Kuriles(West side, inside the Sea of Okhotsk) .Shot up some picket boat's I added . August 4 radar detected a convoy leaving Matsuwa heading south along coast.

Closed went for submerged attack when saw an opening. Unfortunately a subchaser moved back into postion, spoilingmy shot with Mark 16's .Subchaser would spot the wakes and likely detect me before could hit anything, not a great angle etc, decided to fire off a "cutie" homing torpedo and go deep, surface for an end around. Cutie never tracked, just went strait. A flank escort picked me up, took a few depth charges but none close. The convoy(2 small merchants, one medium, 6-7 escorts) moved on. I surfaced for end around. Night surface attack, sunk the mid sized freighter. Follow up attack.

Here is where something I've never seen before occurred. With short arctic night coming to end, went for a submerged attack on the convoy, which was somewhat scattered. Moved in but again thwarted by a subchaser. Fired off a cutie and put some depth on, taking some close charges, damaging some equipment. Few minutes later, heard he cutie hit something, assumed an escort .After evading depth charges and dawn breaking. I came to scope depth. I could see couple escorts milling around in distance and one smoke puff close to short, another heading away. Came to radar depth to get a picture of things.

Normally i play without external cam, but decided to use it for this patrol for eye candy. The cutie had hit one of the small freighters in stern on starboard side just ahead of props and rudder and it had beached itself. I don't see this as accidental as convoy was sailing away and far enough off beach even if making its zigs it wouldnt have hit the coast, seems intentional.Perhaps steering was jammed? Anyways, I closed in and gave it another torpedo, destroying the ship, but obviously didnt sink. I have seem ships beach themselves accidentally following courses etc but never after taking a hit and going way out of their way to do so.

Raced ahead of convoy, made a night periscope attack next evening due to full moon.Sank last small freighter and an escort with Mark 16's .

Rest of patrol was dry until end of war a few days later

Armistead · 06-16-17, 09:28 PM

probably blew the rudder off or damaged it, i did that to a fuso once and it could only go one direction...as the tf went another....it went like 500 nm before it hit shore...however, it did the usual back up and forward over and over until i sunk it.

06-16-17, 06:57 PM	#1
Bubblehead1980 Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Florida USA Posts: 6,922 Downloads: 550 Uploads: 42	First time I've seen this On my 9th and final war patrol in USS Drum. Left Guam on 24 July 1945 to Sea of Okhotsk. Decided to see if some traffic I added would show up. Patrol line off coast of Kuriles(West side, inside the Sea of Okhotsk) .Shot up some picket boat's I added . August 4 radar detected a convoy leaving Matsuwa heading south along coast. Closed went for submerged attack when saw an opening. Unfortunately a subchaser moved back into postion, spoilingmy shot with Mark 16's .Subchaser would spot the wakes and likely detect me before could hit anything, not a great angle etc, decided to fire off a "cutie" homing torpedo and go deep, surface for an end around. Cutie never tracked, just went strait. A flank escort picked me up, took a few depth charges but none close. The convoy(2 small merchants, one medium, 6-7 escorts) moved on. I surfaced for end around. Night surface attack, sunk the mid sized freighter. Follow up attack. Here is where something I've never seen before occurred. With short arctic night coming to end, went for a submerged attack on the convoy, which was somewhat scattered. Moved in but again thwarted by a subchaser. Fired off a cutie and put some depth on, taking some close charges, damaging some equipment. Few minutes later, heard he cutie hit something, assumed an escort .After evading depth charges and dawn breaking. I came to scope depth. I could see couple escorts milling around in distance and one smoke puff close to short, another heading away. Came to radar depth to get a picture of things. Normally i play without external cam, but decided to use it for this patrol for eye candy. The cutie had hit one of the small freighters in stern on starboard side just ahead of props and rudder and it had beached itself. I don't see this as accidental as convoy was sailing away and far enough off beach even if making its zigs it wouldnt have hit the coast, seems intentional.Perhaps steering was jammed? Anyways, I closed in and gave it another torpedo, destroying the ship, but obviously didnt sink. I have seem ships beach themselves accidentally following courses etc but never after taking a hit and going way out of their way to do so. Raced ahead of convoy, made a night periscope attack next evening due to full moon.Sank last small freighter and an escort with Mark 16's . Rest of patrol was dry until end of war a few days later

06-16-17, 09:28 PM	#2
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,864 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	probably blew the rudder off or damaged it, i did that to a fuso once and it could only go one direction...as the tf went another....it went like 500 nm before it hit shore...however, it did the usual back up and forward over and over until i sunk it. __________________ You see my dog don't like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you're laughing at him. Now if you apologize like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it.