Ducimus
05-25-06, 09:53 PM
This happened awhile ago but i thought it might make for a decent story.
As usual i was enroute the the caribean with U-184. So i go to my assigned patrol grid to hunt for shipping. On the 12 of december, 1943, at about 0700 i dived for the day after recharging my batteries. Not even 30 mins later i get sound reports of warships. Five of them to be exact. After about 10 mins of tracking i figure their on a South-easterly course. Myself being NE of their track. Having nothing else to shoot at, and having something of a death wish, i decided that rather then avoid what is obviously an HK group, im going to attack it. Theirs bound to be an escort carrier in it, and i wanted it.
While i was in a position to attack, i was out of range. There wasnt any way i could get on the firing point in time, so i decided to risk an end around attack. Gambling that i wasnt yet in radar range, i surfaced and begain a flank speed dash to get ahead of them along their SE track. After about 10 mins, i got a report from the radio operator that he was detecting radar signals. I'd been detected. At this point i had two options, dive, or continue my bid to gain a firing position. My only wonder was, how fast this ship was going to catch up with me. While my boat was pushing 21-22 knots this escort was barely catching up with me. The vislibty was slightly foggy and at about 5000 meters i gained sight of my pursuer, and i wondered if he was going to shell me. Now about this time, i dont know exactly what i was thinking. I just stood there on the bridge, scratching my head. I was going to do something, just what i didnt know, but after being run ragged by allied aircraft leaving the "suicide stretch" of biscay bay, i just wasn't going to take it anymore.
So i kept a straight course. In my stern tubes i had two T IIIe's. He woudlnt see the wake, and theren i decided that at 4000 meter fire one at him.. I knew that it had to be a magnetic shot, and it could premature, and at 4000 meters it had plenty of chance to. I wondered if hed start shelling at that range too. I then intentinally slowed down to get him within 4000 meters sooner, zeroed the gyro angle for the sterm tubes, and fired tube 5. After which i resumed flank speed. Shelling or no shelling, if this torpedo is to work i have to keep a straight course, or my "tail" will alter course too. With grim determination i kept straight, watching my pursuer. Three mins later, KABOOM!
Shortly afterwords, my 2nd puersuer came into view, and well, if it worked once, why not again? Again i slowed down, got him within 4000 meters, zeroed the gyro angle, fired tube 6, 3 mins later, KABOOM!
Grining with satisfaction i obtained a new firing position, submerged, and sent one 10,000 ton escort carrier to the bottom. I then slipped away as the two remaining escorts went about in circles looking for me.
Patrol log from this incident from Sh3 commander:
12 Dec 1943
0915 EF 41 Ship sunk! Buckley Destroyer Escort, 1400 tons
0930 EF 41 Ship sunk! Evarts Destroyer Escort, 1192 tons
1101 EF 41 Ship sunk! Casablanca Escort Carrier, 10400 tons
As usual i was enroute the the caribean with U-184. So i go to my assigned patrol grid to hunt for shipping. On the 12 of december, 1943, at about 0700 i dived for the day after recharging my batteries. Not even 30 mins later i get sound reports of warships. Five of them to be exact. After about 10 mins of tracking i figure their on a South-easterly course. Myself being NE of their track. Having nothing else to shoot at, and having something of a death wish, i decided that rather then avoid what is obviously an HK group, im going to attack it. Theirs bound to be an escort carrier in it, and i wanted it.
While i was in a position to attack, i was out of range. There wasnt any way i could get on the firing point in time, so i decided to risk an end around attack. Gambling that i wasnt yet in radar range, i surfaced and begain a flank speed dash to get ahead of them along their SE track. After about 10 mins, i got a report from the radio operator that he was detecting radar signals. I'd been detected. At this point i had two options, dive, or continue my bid to gain a firing position. My only wonder was, how fast this ship was going to catch up with me. While my boat was pushing 21-22 knots this escort was barely catching up with me. The vislibty was slightly foggy and at about 5000 meters i gained sight of my pursuer, and i wondered if he was going to shell me. Now about this time, i dont know exactly what i was thinking. I just stood there on the bridge, scratching my head. I was going to do something, just what i didnt know, but after being run ragged by allied aircraft leaving the "suicide stretch" of biscay bay, i just wasn't going to take it anymore.
So i kept a straight course. In my stern tubes i had two T IIIe's. He woudlnt see the wake, and theren i decided that at 4000 meter fire one at him.. I knew that it had to be a magnetic shot, and it could premature, and at 4000 meters it had plenty of chance to. I wondered if hed start shelling at that range too. I then intentinally slowed down to get him within 4000 meters sooner, zeroed the gyro angle for the sterm tubes, and fired tube 5. After which i resumed flank speed. Shelling or no shelling, if this torpedo is to work i have to keep a straight course, or my "tail" will alter course too. With grim determination i kept straight, watching my pursuer. Three mins later, KABOOM!
Shortly afterwords, my 2nd puersuer came into view, and well, if it worked once, why not again? Again i slowed down, got him within 4000 meters, zeroed the gyro angle, fired tube 6, 3 mins later, KABOOM!
Grining with satisfaction i obtained a new firing position, submerged, and sent one 10,000 ton escort carrier to the bottom. I then slipped away as the two remaining escorts went about in circles looking for me.
Patrol log from this incident from Sh3 commander:
12 Dec 1943
0915 EF 41 Ship sunk! Buckley Destroyer Escort, 1400 tons
0930 EF 41 Ship sunk! Evarts Destroyer Escort, 1192 tons
1101 EF 41 Ship sunk! Casablanca Escort Carrier, 10400 tons