rein1705
06-18-10, 05:19 AM
In the Narwhale just outside the Tokyo inlet in early 41. We had been staking the area out for two days. on the 3rd night we picked up a sound contact heading out from the inlet. sounded like two DD's and something big. "Probably a tanker" says my XO so we decided it was worth an intercept. We had already taken out 4 zero's and two DD's over the past week and we still possessed all of our torpedoes. :arrgh!:
So we closed on the surface conditions were almost good... light fog, dark night, but the seas were glass calm.
Sighted the 1st DD zig zaging tightly in front of a massive object that we couldn't quite make out. Me, the XO, and the watch flashed giddy smiles :D
Whatever that was out there... it was about to be Christmas.
I brought the boat about two miles west then doubled back heading east in an effort to set up abeem of them. We dove and rigged for silent running. In the next 15 or so minutes the lead DD was dead ahead and zig zaging happily, Totally unaware ol' V-5 was about to splotch his record.
Then... there she was... four funnels.... about 47,000 tones. It was a Flippn "Big Old Liner" (that's what my recognition manual called it. FOTRS)
Range was 5,900 yards. When we had left Pearl i realized i forgot to switch out the Mark 14's with Mark 10's so here they were about to come in handy. Fired all four tubes and dove for 350 feet. the DD's woke up and began racing all over the place just before impact. WHAMO all 4 torps hit just stern of midships.... and... started a small fire? what the hell?
while my tubes reloaded i watched as the liner chugged along at about 4 knots seemingly undamaged but for a slight fire. It was about a foot low in the water. so by the time tube one reloaded i was back at PD and launched the 5th into her at about 900 yards. It ran at a depth of 15 feet but i didnt get to see what happend after it hit.
What i should have done was wait and wait some more. Maybe move off and try again with reloaded tubes or just observe and see if she'd sink on her own.
As it was the two DD's were aware of my position and coming after me. Narwhale must be pretty week because it only took a few Depth charges to do me in. Crud. Good thing i saved it so i can try it again.
So we closed on the surface conditions were almost good... light fog, dark night, but the seas were glass calm.
Sighted the 1st DD zig zaging tightly in front of a massive object that we couldn't quite make out. Me, the XO, and the watch flashed giddy smiles :D
Whatever that was out there... it was about to be Christmas.
I brought the boat about two miles west then doubled back heading east in an effort to set up abeem of them. We dove and rigged for silent running. In the next 15 or so minutes the lead DD was dead ahead and zig zaging happily, Totally unaware ol' V-5 was about to splotch his record.
Then... there she was... four funnels.... about 47,000 tones. It was a Flippn "Big Old Liner" (that's what my recognition manual called it. FOTRS)
Range was 5,900 yards. When we had left Pearl i realized i forgot to switch out the Mark 14's with Mark 10's so here they were about to come in handy. Fired all four tubes and dove for 350 feet. the DD's woke up and began racing all over the place just before impact. WHAMO all 4 torps hit just stern of midships.... and... started a small fire? what the hell?
while my tubes reloaded i watched as the liner chugged along at about 4 knots seemingly undamaged but for a slight fire. It was about a foot low in the water. so by the time tube one reloaded i was back at PD and launched the 5th into her at about 900 yards. It ran at a depth of 15 feet but i didnt get to see what happend after it hit.
What i should have done was wait and wait some more. Maybe move off and try again with reloaded tubes or just observe and see if she'd sink on her own.
As it was the two DD's were aware of my position and coming after me. Narwhale must be pretty week because it only took a few Depth charges to do me in. Crud. Good thing i saved it so i can try it again.