Stories and Patrol Logs

[MKalafatas]

SH 1.5
TMO/RSRDC [but may not have installed correctly. So far, I can't tell a difference].
KSMD sound mod (very cool, btw!)
Manual targeting
map contacts ON

Having read several patrol logs from apparent submarine aces, and feeling inadequate by comparison, I've decided to post one anyway --- thinking that, if nothing else, the mere memory of rookie foibles and discoveries, honestly recounted here, will amuse even the saltiest among you.

On the late afternoon of December 10th, S-38 left Cavite with six commandos, destined for a troop insertion mission just 40 miles from Manila. Cruising on the surface, we tuned the radio to Pearl Harbor news reports.

The troop insertion mission was benign, except that the submarine backed over the life raft. Mission complete, nonetheless.

With no specific patrol orders, we cruised north with our 12 Mark 10 torpedoes along the western shore of Luzon, hoping to intercept Japanese transports bound for that island. On the evening of December 11th, submerging for a sonar check about 20 miles due west of the northwest tip of Luzon, the sonar console lit up with two contacts, both with apparent high-speed screws, although neither contact was close enough to register with the sonar operator.

One contact was at compass 010; the other was at compass 270. After about 30 minutes of triangulation we determined that the contact at 010 was heading west, away from Luzon. The contact at 270 showed only a slight change in bearing to the south. Judging that the 270 contact must be inbound, we hit flank speed on the surface to intercept.

Since the range of sonar is about 10 miles at best, we expected visual confirmation within 45 minutes. But a full hour, alternately steaming on the surface at flank speed and submerging to check the target bearing, ultimately proved that this contact also was steaming away from Luzon. And we were not gaining on them.

We broke off the chase, and turned hard to starboard, again at flank speed, hoping to bounce the other (now inaudible) contact along its presumed westward track.

Arriving on that track around daybreak on the 11th, we submerged to locate them with sonar. But --- sonar was silent. They were gone. We were 0-for-2.

We set course at standard speed for the small islands just to the north of Luzon, with a mind to patrol the Straits. At about 1600 hours one of the lookouts rang out with a sighting. We were 15 miles NW of Luzon, and closed to determine the makeup of what appeared to be a large convoy --- possibly the original contact at compass 010.

The convoy consisted of 8 small passenger carriers, 3 Agano light cruisers, and 7 Akizuke destroyers. They were basically stationary. Surrounded by a tight cordon of escorts, the 8 transports and 3 light cruisers circled around in the middle at low speed. We determined to break in to the hen house.

With President Roosevelt's "date which will live in infamy!" speech echoing from the radio across the dark seas, we closed at low speed on the surface to within 4000 yards of the escorts. We submerged at silent running, below the thermal layer, and passed the braying circle of Akizukes without major incident.

As we inched our way into the throne room, we heard a symphony of sounds above: high-speed screws, the resonant low-speed whump-whump of merchant ships, collision alarms, battle station alarms. But we were not actively pinged.

When the time seemed right we selected Agano light cruisers on the recognition manual, prepared for battle with the stadimater monster, and rose silently to periscope depth.

Peering into the periscope, we saw ... a melee! Whirling, clanging, churning targets --- most of them too close to shoot ----our first thought was that targeting didn't matter. If I fired four fish with some moderate spread they were bound to hit something!

But yes, the range problem. An unarmed torpedo is just a butterfly's dream.

So then began a deadly saber dance. We lowered the periscope and moved to another location, and rose again. Same scene. Whirling targets, escorts all around, four of them within 3000 yards, some of them stalking and pinging. We moved again. And again.

We rose at different locations four separate times until I spied a good firing solution at two transports 1000 yards distant. With some urgency, and not having three spare minutes to calculate, I estimated their speed and angle-on-the-bow, and fired two fish.

Preparing to crash dive and egress, I happened to notice a stationary Agano, just 15 degrees off the starboard bow. While the first two fish were on their way, I turned hard to starboard to point the boat at the Agano. Setting speed at zero and AOB to 90 on the TDC, I simply pointed the boat like a pistol and fired tubes 3 and 4 at 11' of depth --- shallow enough to sink a transport should they miss the cruiser.

The first two fish, fired at transports, both missed. But as we were diving away we heard the satisfying rumble of two torpedo impacts on the cruiser.

With battery and oxygen issues, it was a temptation to egress the area --- but I thought it essential, having passed the escort screen into this sacred treasure room, to fire one more torpedo to sink the apparently-unsunk cruiser before we left.

We took more than 30 minutes to reload tube 1, but finally moved into position just 700 yards from, and perfectly abeam of, the crippled and burning Agano. While I was busy with the TDC, an undetected Akizuke --- burning, for some reason ---- flashed past, between the sub and the target, firing at our periscope. Fortunately, it missed. When the Akizuke cleared the firing range, we fired our valuable torpedo, and the blow was struck --- but still the Agano lived!

Nevertheless, it was time to leave.

Two hours later, with the crew refreshed and all tubes reloaded, we were on our way back to finish the job. Seven torpedoes remained. We crawled up to the by-now-abandoned Agano, the convoy and escorts having drifted about two or three nautical miles to the east.

We fired again. We hit again. And still she didn't sink! The target was so low in the water that it seemed the contents of a single beer bottle would flip her over. But ten minutes later, she still waddled defiantly. With purpose, we changed the depth setting from 11' to 14', and fired once more.

Finally the Rasputin Agano rolled over and died, with the contents of five Mark 10s in her belly.

With two hours of darkness and five torpedoes remaining, we circled the convoy on the surface, looking for a weak link in the escort shield. For the second time, we attempted to penetrate --- but this attempt was far more adventurous. We were pinged and depth-charged on our way in, destroying the deck gun but inflicting no bulkhead damage. At one point, with engines off, resting below the thermal layer, the heat was so intense from four stalking escorts that we ascended to just above the thermal layer to release a decoy, and then crashed away at flank speed.

Eventually, with dawn breaking, we rose to the surface within the target sanctuary. Another Agano was 600 yards in front, and not moving! The AOB was just 14 degrees but the range was so delicious that we had to take the chance. I punched in a 1-degree spread on either side, and fired three fish. The first was a dud. The other two missed --- probably by mere inches.

Sigh.... and now only two torpedoes remained. What will they say at Cavite?

We dived deep to reload one tube, and surfaced again with our final two fish. The saber dance ensued once more --- peeking, diving, moving, peeking again.

Finally we spied a couple of transports headed towards each other, presenting their beams. Without targeting, we pointed the boat and fired.
Two more misses. Ugh. Twelve torpedoes, only one light cruiser sunk. Surely a court-martial awaits me at Cavite.

We exited the area and surfaced to run away --- having less than 25% battery juice remaining. But alas, we were virtually cornered between the convoy and the shallow waters off the coast of Luzon. Airplanes circled. Another convoy with two Kongo battleships appeared --- probably the second contact from our sonar search two nights before.

It was impossible to maneuver. We simply rested away the daylight hours, surfacing only for oxygen, until finally the cloak of darkness arrived. We slinked away, with our reputations tarnished, our deck gun destroyed, our tail between our legs.

[magic452]

Good story.

You'll get em all next time.

Magic

[badger_ken]

great write-up, thanks for posting!

[bdd458]

I'm still pretty new to the game, and I was doing the last training mission. I was surfacing, when to my surprise a Japanese Cruiser was heading on a collision course.

Let's just say we had a Burial at Sea.

[Hylander_1314]

Originally Posted by bdd458

I'm still pretty new to the game, and I was doing the last training mission. I was surfacing, when to my surprise a Japanese Cruiser was heading on a collision course.

Let's just say we had a Burial at Sea.

At least it was only training mission!

Before surfacing, always level off at 150ft, and listen to the hydrophones. then take her up to periscope depth, and scan 360 around the boat. Only then should you surface.

[19Herr_Rapp86]

Just set sail at 1x 3 days ago for my first patrol in a long time in the Pacific Theatre. Lieutenant Commander Rapp, in command of the USS Grampus Gar Class fleet boat. (SS-207) With whiz-wheel (Thank you Rockin' Robbins and CaptainScurrvy) and stop watch, and a copy of "Clear the Bridge" in hand I'm ready to carry out President Roosevelt's orders of unrestricted submarine warfare. I'm glad to be back sailing again. Glad to be back on the forums again too. I missed this place. Anyways, off topic there. I'm about 125 hours at ahead standard from my patrol position in the Marshall Islands archipelago. Hopefully I won't run into any pesky air cover from the Truk Atoll. During my time at sea, Roosevelt has made his famous day of infamy speech, two British battleships have been sunk by Japanese aircraft, and Germany and Italy have declared war on the United States. Things are really heating up in the world. I'm ready for action though, and my crew is anxious for our first encounter. I'll keep you posted as my patrol progresses, and hopefully have some exciting screens to post for everyone with some tactical knowledge to share as well. Happy Hunting
Lt. Cmdr. Rapp
USS Grampus SS-207

[merc4ulfate]

I do not know what is wrong with me maybe I'm insane but I just do not use math.

I captain the SS-200 Thresher, a Tambor class, without a deck gun YUCK!!. I had been defying my patrol orders for the past few days and instead of Patrolling south of Davao Gulf I have been patrolling around Truk.

I made a few successful kills on merchants entering the lagoon and had gone down to Tulagi to reload and resupply my boat with fuel. On the 22nd of December 1943 I received an OP message that there would be an IJN group of ships 180 miles NNW of Truk on the 24 of December 1943. It read there destination was believed to be Truk.

I sailed to an area 180 miles NNW of Truk. Since there was no other information I plotted my best guess and sat all stop with the radar running. At 1229 on the afternoon of the 24th radar picked up a group of three ships moving fast towards the SSE.

By watching their radar position I estimated their course at 165 degrees. Speed estimated at 20. I was sitting SE of their location.

The weather was not my friend ... Overcast with heavy fog, wind speed 11 coming out of 056 degrees with 4 foot swells. I headed south west in order to get closer and could tell already my best speed was going to be to slow to match and shadow until the weather cooperated.

Knowing the main targets will mostly sit between escorts or supporting ships I decided to attack on radar bearings alone. They could not see me even at 500 yards but I, at least, knew their locations by radar. Visibility was no more than the length of my boat ahead of me.

I angled in within around 500 yards of the lead ship at flank speed and slowed just a bit so the second ship could catch up faster with me. I am not as fluent in the game as some are so my thought was to turn the TBT on the bridge to 140. I set 3 stern fish to run fast depth 20. I under estimated my time between radar contact and fired when the ship was at 130 degrees. They all missed but as they were running I fired 4 more from the bow tubes and got four solid hits.

The fourth fish in the stern and the other two in the bow were homing fish and in the hopes that my four hits slowed them down I fired them as well. Two of the cuties hit my main target and one hit the trailing ship. I could tell by radar the trailing ship had been disabled, dead in the water.

What I could not believe was the fact that the center ship which had now been hit 6 times was sailing to starboard circling around and had not seemed to have lost much of her steam. I had no way of knowing what it was but I turned to port as I reloaded and at flank speed kept her within 1000 yards of me until I was reloaded. My next volley I increased my lead angle by 10 degrees and after a few misses I scored two more hits. I could see the explosions in the distance but still could not identify the ship in question.

Watching the radar for course and speed changes I noticed that the ship was slowing down greatly. The lead ship circled around looking for me but was always to far away to see anything especially with my course changes to keep up with my main target.

The target was now dead in the water. From the bridge I looked to try to see it. I was close enough to see the white flashing light from her bridge but I could not see the body through the fog. I set the bridge TBT right on the flashing light. I fired .... waiting .... wainting .... waiting ....

It had to miss. How could it?? ... I turned the TBT ten degrees to the port and fire again. Again another miss ... I sat and thought ... I had to be almost bow to bow with her or bow to her stern and the fish traveled on either side of her.

I went ahead slow and positioned myself 45 degrees from her and my previous position. ALL STOP!! I have two fish left and she has already taken 8 hits. This better work or I'll ram the damn thing. Fire 3 ... waiting ... wait- BOOM YES!! I was right FIRE 4 ... another hit and she began to explode like the 4th of July in December.

I could not resist cruising up to her as she now quickly sank and discovered one less YAMATO class Battleship!!

Sometimes sheer guts and a bit of Father Christmas luck is all that is needed. I also decided to thank Father Christmas for the fog ... I could not have done this if I had to submerge ... I was wrong ... the weather was my friend in deed this day.

Mark

[boonie]

Just got the CMoH after only 3 patrol lol. And was offered to command the navy's first Gato.

1st Patrol:
found a battleship taskforce north of Luzon. sunk 2 kongo, 1 Takao. Found a coastal bombardment taskforce on the way home, killed 2 light cruiser and some destroyer. Went home and got the Navy Cross.

2nd Patrol:
Completed a few mission then on the 4th mission of the patrol bumped into a carrier task force north east of Formosa, sunk 2 escort carrier (17k ton each). With a bunch of other random kills my tonnage made them gave me another navy cross.

3rd patrol:
Completed 2 recon mission and 1 merchant hunting mission, took another merchant hunting mission but this time intel recon update showed a task force doing 18knot which is heading somewhat near my mission location, immediately abandom mission and chase after this group. Sunk 2 Ise + 1 Takao from this group in 2 separate attack. Came home and they gave me the Congressional Medal of Honor + new Gato.

mod: FOTRS with manual TDC, no duds.

[Hylander_1314]

Boonie, are you breaking radio silence while on patrol?!

Never never use that blasted radio except for listening to Fibber Mcgee and Molly, or Armed Forces Radio! Not recommended listening to Tokyo Rose either. Sending transmissions is a good way to get every Jap plane and destroyer from Tokyo to Truk heading your direction!

Honestly, I quit sending radio messages while in Empire waters. I ended up with planes harassin' me day and night until I got east of the International Dateline. Seriously. It sucked bigtime!

So anymore, I just go to the patrol area like the boats really did. Remain on station until the time is up, and the icon turns gray, and if nothing happens, I go lookin' for trouble where I know I will usually find it. With-in 30nms of a harbor entrance, and just wait. Something either is going to go passed me heading in, or I will tag them goin' out.

[boonie]

Originally Posted by Hylander_1314

Boonie, are you breaking radio silence while on patrol?!

Never never use that blasted radio except for listening to Fibber Mcgee and Molly, or Armed Forces Radio! Not recommended listening to Tokyo Rose either. Sending transmissions is a good way to get every Jap plane and destroyer from Tokyo to Truk heading your direction!

Honestly, I quit sending radio messages while in Empire waters. I ended up with planes harassin' me day and night until I got east of the International Dateline. Seriously. It sucked bigtime!

So anymore, I just go to the patrol area like the boats really did. Remain on station until the time is up, and the icon turns gray, and if nothing happens, I go lookin' for trouble where I know I will usually find it. With-in 30nms of a harbor entrance, and just wait. Something either is going to go passed me heading in, or I will tag them goin' out.

I am not very familiar with where the big action is tbh. I do read about them but i usually just focus on what happened there and then, never really tried to remember what time it happened. Not sure if FOTRS have accurate historical battle scheduled in their campaign neither. What i depended on was the intel update on the nav map and in FOTRS they send those very very seldom. So i have to grind the missions they dish out. Most of the time was spent circling round and round around the patrol points with very little results while waiting for a worthwhile intel recon update.

[Hylander_1314]

Do you have a map with shipping lanes on them?

That is the best way to see where the enemy ships are more concentrated.

Was reading a post in another thread, and the comment said that for '42 hang around the Solomons. '43 the shipping lanes between Truk, Palau, and home islands. '44 the shipping lanes around Formosa, and '45 the Korean Straits. Those are the best hunting grounds for the time period.

I have to agree with what he said too, as I rarely go to the assigned patrol as the renown isn't much, and you are usually sent to a place where the action either isn't, or is very nominal.

Just remember with FOTRS, if you are out of Brisbane, and get the Solomons patrol area, I went to it once, and didn't stay. Sat there for 2 weeks in the area moving here and there even after the icon grayed out, and all I saw was fishing boats and sampans. Went south from there and patrolled the area halfway between the east entrance to Rabaul and the western Solomons, with a couple spins around the New Georgia Sound area, and back to the area Rabaul, and racked up a great destroyer string of kills. Sure.........., not a lot of tonnage, but it sure is fun playing chicken with tincans!

[boonie]

Originally Posted by Hylander_1314

Do you have a map with shipping lanes on them?

Have looked up google and found some shipping route, they are sketchy (have nice curvy route lines that ignored all the myriads of islands), basically just give no useful info on where to find them. And i am not sure if said shipping lane is incorporated into FOTRS campaign anyway.

[Captain Sparrow]

Pearl Harbor
June 30, 1944
Office of RADM Lockwood

"So that's it. Your final orders are sealed and shall be delivered after refueling and re-provisioning at Midway...Under no circumstances shall you break radio silence until after the success of the mission. Your crew has had shore leave canceled and is currently readying Balao for immediate departure pending your briefing. General Donovan has flown here directly from Washington and will be in direct operational control of this mission from here on out."

My stomach kind of turned at that. Great. A general commanding a submarine... What have the brass been drinking? Hell, what was the General drinking? The man looked like a sleep deprived pitbull with a severe hangover, and was about to speak. This better be Good, or im going to need a drink before I get to the yard... Gen Donovan? I'd never heard of him.

"Capt Sparrow, time is of the essence so i'll spare the formalities. Im General William Donovan of the Office of Strategic Services, my friends call me Wild Bill, you may not."
Sh*t, I thought.
"We have got ourselves an opportunity here to deal a fatal death blow to the IJN. After the fish barrel shootout in the philippines sea, the japs have pulled all there remaining carrier forces for refit back to the homeland, and we are going to make them pay for that folly."
OK, he was rapidly gaining my attention...
"Your current orders, are to depart Pearl Harbor and proceed to Honshu and engage unrestricted submarine warfare against enemy merchant shipping. That is a cover story. You will stop at Midway for refueling, there, you will receive your final orders, not to be opened until 48 hours after departure. That is all. Good Luck."

48 hours West of Midway...

I sat in my bunk with the letter in hand, still in disbelief... the officers were gathering in the wardroom, and it seemed there was an unusual amount of crew activity nearby... they always knew it seemed. There are no such things as secrets on submarines. But they would be unprepared for this... I was. But they would love it... I already did.

Kobe. The japs had ordered all the remaining capital ships and carriers back to base for refit and reorganization into a super battle group with the intentions of giving Bull Halsey and TF58 a sucidal run for there money.... a futile effort i thought... but the brass had bigger and better plans for Halsey, and couldnt afford to have him chasing glory and a decisive battle. And thats where Balao and our new boss from the OSS came into play. Somehow, OSS had intercepted encrypted IJN fleet communications, and had conveniently provided harbor charts with supposed up to date minefield locations, an estimated number of targets, and a full complement of shiny new mk-18 torpedoes, wakeless, with a shaped charge warhead to boot, and said, sink as many as you can.... almost to good to be true! Also, the Yard at Pearl had outfitted the boat with a new 5" gun... hardly much time for gunnery practice, but the gun crews were already practicing and had things about ranged in... the crew on the 5" was exceptional, having sunk several targets on previous patrols, and I had a high degree of confidence they would get the job done if needed. I headed for the wardroom with the appropriate charts. yes... this was going to be good. On the way, I leaned into the radio room, and ordered total EMCON. No radar, no status reports, nothing from now on. The japs must not suspect anything or they will blanket the area with so many planes and asw groups a sardine wouldnt be able to get into Osaka harbor...

Penetrating the harbor...

9 hours of darkness. That was it. 4 hours to get in, 4 hours to get out, and 60 mins or less to execute the raid... if it took any longer, air cover will cut short any idea of a victory celebration. Weeks of studying harbor defenses and charts had paid off into a working battle plan that was crazy enough to actually work... skirt the deepwater minefields under the nose of shore batteries, then a daring high speed surface run in and out of the harbor, and a stealthy submerged attack and hopefully sink some serious IJN tonnage along the way. And the time had come. After a week of running submerged in daylight and running on the surface at night with no radar, Balao had managed to encroach upon the japanese coast undetected, narrowly avoiding contact with 2 surface ASW groups along the way. The first navigational radar fix in weeks had showed an unexpected element however, air patrols during twilight... ive allowed an extra 30 mins during the penetration and regress, and ill have to burn 40 mins of that time running submerged to avoid the air cover untill true darkness. pity... i needed the time. periscope death, ahead full...

... after successfully passing under the nose of the first batteries of shore guns, we surfaced for the next high speed leg and while performing a single sweep navigational fix, got a positive return on large target bearing 15 degrees. ALARM! Aircraft sighted!!!

Quickly diving to escape the air patrol, analysis of the radar data showed a large target creeping along at 3 knots at a course bearing due west that would bring it within range if it was target worthy.... but my orders were to attack capital ships only. well, it wont hurt to take a look, will it? Sonar: Follow nearest contact... after what seemed an eternity of tracking and closing in the range to 1500yds, the target slowly steamed west along the coast of the small island, then gradually turned 180 deg to a due east heading and began to cross our course track. by this point, sonar had positively identified steam turbine noise with multiple propellers from the target and had classified contact as a carrier. I sure hoped so... time to find out.. up scope!

And so it was, a big fat Shokaku Fleet Carrier... Closing in on 1300yds, i made the decision to engage. A carrier is just to valuable a target to pass by anyways, and unescorted, why, thats just a wet dream! I set up 2 fish in tubes 1 & 2 to explode at keel depth and aimed for the point directly underneath the forward air elevator... open outer doors, fire tubes 1 & 2! and the waiting... the eternity it takes for a fish to reach its target is unimaginable, the wondering, was the math on? was the depth right? will the fish run at the right depth? These problems had plagued Balao in the past, andfaulty torpedoes had denied us a crack at a heavy cruiser a few patrols back.... but it was not to be so this time. Torpedo Impact! Up Scope!

The new mk-18's worked well, I thought. The boys in the office of naval ordinance had promised if one of these new fish hit a critical area, the target was doomed. Well. So far the fireball of exploding aviation fuel and ordinance seemed to confirm that! Now, back to the mission at hand... if that carrier got a message out before it went ka-boom, we were going to be in for a long night indeed. blow ballast, ahead flank.
After a quick sprint on the surface, we submerged to enter the harbor proper. The narrows were covered with gun emplacements, and, as pressed for time as I already was, it was just to risky to run them on the surface. 20 mins behind schedule already we surfaced under a full moon, and i cursed it. Because, 7000yds to the north was an Ashasio destroyer idling quietly, undetected by sonar. Before we could submerge, it fired star shells and we were sighted. Thinking quickly I ordered to general quarters and began ranging in the deck gun on the destroyer, as we were already spotted, i ordered sonar to ping the target to provide accurate range info, and opened fire. The first salvo overshot by 400yds, the second undershot by barely 100 yds.... on the third salvo, we struck the radio mast, and firing again quickly after lowering 100 yards, the expert chief sharpshooter manning the gun, scored a direct hit on the bridge of the destroyer! Now approaching 5000 yards and bearing 0, the destroyer veered off in an attempt to unmask its stern batteries, and i opened fire with a salvo aimed at the waterline, 5 rounds later, the destroyer was dead in the water and burning, all engine noise lost on sonar! The new 5" gun sure packs a nasty punch, if we make it back to port, that entire gun crew is getting a medal.

Back to the mission

We commenced the final highspeed run towards Kobe, west of the Osaka Yards without further incident, dodging one enemy gunboat along the way, and also had 2 merchant contacts pop up on sonar. However, merchants were not my concern tonight. Tonight, we were going for the heavies, and after already sending one carrier to the bottom, moral was high and the crew was bloodthirsty. Approaching the 10k yd mark to the target, and my submerge point for the attack run, we fired up our search radar to acquire target information, and we hit the jackpot!

3 carriers, 2 battlewagons, and 2 heavy cruisers! Quickly marking there positions on the chart, I powered down the radar and began making plans for my attack run. So far, the absence of any searchlights or patrol craft gave me hope that the fleet was so far, unalerted to our presence. And it was important... besides the obvious fact of drawing fire from cruisers and battleships, an un alerted ship sinks faster... watertight doors are open, and most of the crew is off duty... and if I had a chance at sinking those BBs, i needed to make the first shot count. After analyzing the situation, i drew up my attack run and ordered silent running at periscope depth. No need to alert the escort moored alongside the carrier guarding the harbor entrance. As i approached my first firing point, i ordered all stop and coasted silently to a stop at a point where i was abeam of the two BBs. A quick peek with scope confirmed 2 Fuso-class battlewagons, one tied to the pier of the outer harbor, and one moored to the east. Balao was aligned with a bow shot range 1300yds for the BB at the pier, and a stern shot approx 1500yds for the one at mooring. Remembering my days at Annapolis, I recalled that the guns on surface ships got there powder from magazines located deep in the ships hull, directly below the main battery. I surmised if i fired my stern tubes first, let the fish run for ten seconds, then fired the bow tubes, well, Tojo would have one helluva fireworks show! carefully, I set up the shot and set the correct depth on all fish, making sure the new detonators were set for influence. fire tubes 7 and 8..........fire tubes 1 and 2!

All four fish struck there targets within 3 seconds! a few moments later with a quick sweep of the scope, i visually confirmed both targets exploded!

As the crew cheered to sound of secondary explosions rocking the hull, i ordered flank speed ahead. No need to be cautious now, as the enemy was no doubt fully alerted to our presence in the harbor, and i needed those tubes reloaded ASAP! as we raced into the northeast harbor entrance, barely submerged at 55 feet, I raised the scope to range in Balao's fourth victim for the night, a Takao-class heavy cruiser moored to north. Taking a calculated risk, I decided to fire just one fish at the Takao's main battery, in the hopes of enjoying the same success as with the battlewagons. fire tube 3! and... wow, those mk-18's are really working as advertised... we needed these back in '42!

making the turn due west into the harbor interior, i raised the scope and sighted in on the next target, a Shokaku-class carrier tied to the pier to the north... fire tubes 4 and 5! again, carefully aimed at the forward air elevator and set to the proper depth.... torpedo impact!

But Balao wasnt done yet... rounding the inner harbor and turning southwest, I aligned the bow abeam with the next target, another Hiryu-class carrier moored to the inner wall of the outer harbor. slowing to 4 knots, I carefully calculated the shot and fired at a point directly under the forward air elevator-

again, ensuring that the mk-18 was set to explode directly under the ships keel, where there was no armor plating and directly below the avation fuel storage tanks.... and torpedo impact! The hull of the boat rocked as secondary explosions rumbled across the harbor yet again:

turning 40 degrees starboard, i aligned the bow with a heavy cruiser moored on the pier by the lighthouse, and raised scope, and sure enough, there was a Takao-class heavy cruiser at full alert, searchlights sweeping the water, perhaps the very same cruiser that had escaped due to dud torpedoes a year before... not this time i thought! slowing to just 1 knot, i sighted the crosshairs in on the forward battery and carefully took bearings for the shot:

fire tube 6! and 90 seconds later, again the crew errupted, moral was at an all time high, for once again, Balao was nearly rocked out of the water by secondary explosions as the Takao blew herself sky high, adding to the already eerie glow of burning ships in the harbor.

I lowered my scope, awed by what i had just witnessed, the sight of so many ships burning, and tried not to think of the souls trapped inside. As we passed the northwestern entrance to the harbor, the sounds of echoing pounding resounded through the hull. I knew what they were... trapped Japanese seamen in watertight compartments, desperately trying to free themselves... I almost pitied them, but then i remembered Pearl Harbor, and steadied my resolve. There was another job to do, and it was the trickiest shot of all.

West southwest of the harbor entrance there was a Shokaku-class carrier at anchor with an Akizuki-class DD moored alongside. not taking any chances with the escort, i approached the target from the shallows to the rear, and at 1500 yards fired 2 fish into the Shokaku, and as before, there was a devastating explosion as the aviation tanks detonated into towers of flame. Heading due south, we passed out of range of the escort and prepared to surface for the high speed run back to open water and freedom.

Halfway to the narrows and freedom, we encountered a merchant on sonar directly approaching our course. Soon enough, lookouts sighted a large tanker approaching from the west, estimating its speed and course, it soon became obvious that we would be unable to avoid detection if we remained on the surface. Cursing, i looked at my watch, Balao was running out of darkness, and time. With the dawn, I was sure that patrol planes would darken the skies, and not long after them, subchasers and ASW groups would be crawling all over the coast, and I wanted to be in deep waters long before that happened. Suddenly, I had an idea.... borrowed from accounts i had read of german u-boat captains in the great war, we submerged and closed range untill the target was 900yds off the bow. Calling general quarters, i blew all ballast and Balao shot out of the water like an angry great white, as soon as decks were awash, the hatch was sprung and both 40mm AA fore and aft raked the bridge and deck guns of the tanker with high explosive rounds, effectiviely causing confusion to the point the enemy failed to return fire. The 5" gun was manned, and on my orders, loaded with anti aircraft shells, and soon began pumping these high explosive high velocity rounds into the tankers sides, it wasnt long at all before the ship was ablaze from stern to bow, i ordered ahead flank, and finished her off with 2 fish fired from tubes 9 and 10. racing across the harbor at 23 knots, we approached the narrows and I ordered the boat to periscope depth just in time to avoid the sun. staying at flank untill we cleared the harbor, i slowed to silent running and began to plot my course back to Pearl, mentally making a note to have a bottle of champagne sent to old Wild Bill.

Balao succesfully navigated the narrows out of the harbor, but was caught in shallow water by a patrol craft, forced to retreat to avoid detection, she was spotted by an IJN search plane. The one plane quickly turned to many, and Balao was forced to flee to deeper waters where she struck a mine @ 125 feet of depth. Able to surface, she had suffered 93% hull damage, and had both periscopes, the TDS, the main deck gun, and the forward AA destroyed by the impact, along with 2 souls lost, and over 75% of the crew seriously injured. Also all batteries were destroyed during the flooding, and, unable to submerge, limping on the surface, the crew was able to repair enough of the damage to get underway for the long voyage back to Pearl. Shooting down an additional 3 IJN aircraft along the way, she was able to make it to Midway for repair then back to Pearl Harbor.

[Armistead]

Good raid Sparrow, well told.

[JonB]

I´m not much of a storyteller but the other day I ended up in a situation that I just had to share with you guys...


SS-202 / USS Trout
Tambor class
Middle of december 1942
Objective: Find and sink any enemy shipping.
Mod: TMO


After some cruising around and sporadic killing north of New Guinea I rearmed and refuled at the Salomon Island. For the first time in my SH4 career I sat course for Truk harbour, NNW of Solomon Islands. According to intel (the map) no subnets ought to be in the area so it felt temping to check the islands out.
Due to storm and heavy fog, I approached the islands with radar. I did a full lap around the Truk islands and couldn´t beleive the result. Not a single ship in the harbour but around the islands there were a total of 26 - 28 ships at anchor, devided into 4 or 5 groups. I marked all ships on my map and when the weather cleared towards the evening I did a full lap again, but this time coming from the outside going in towards each of the ship groups, going into periscope depth when closing, looking, going back out and then on to the next group. My route reminded of a star on the map and it took well into the second day to complete it.

All groups consisted of merchants except one group that was a Taskforce. The choice of what to attack wasn´t hard to make. In the middle of the taskforce I saw one ship bigger then the rest, called Yamato. I checked the recognissionmanual and the first ship in the book was the Yamato. It said about 62.000 ton.... 62.000 TONS??!!!! Holy sh*t, I have stumbled opon the biggest ship in the book!

I couldn´t restrain myself so I decided to attack right away. I regrouped in order to take out the Yamato first. You all know the drill; Battlestations, open the tubes, setting the torpedos according to the target and so on. I went with 4 torps on direct hit low on the starboard side followed up by two magnetic underneath her. All hit (since I cant take the frustrations of the duds I had disabled that ) so I awated any actions from the taskforce but nothing happened. Dont know why but I guess they have a long startup time. So I sail pass the Yamato in periscopedepth and finishes her off with my 4 stern torpedos to her portside.


Since the rest of the taskforce were just sitting there I also managed to take out 1 Takao at 15.000 tons, 1 Mogamo at 9500 tons and 3 Kuma Lights at 5100 tons each.

We didnt make it back home in time for christmas but we got the sailors ashore two hours before new years eve so it was a happy ending

All in all during that patrol, I had killed of 17 merchants and 6 navalboats at a total of 214.000 tons. My best patrol in SH4 history.

Ay you salty dogs!