CCIP,
Yes, I probably should have stated that, even though the Germans maintained a certain air presence over the Bay of Biscay at times.
While I doubt modeled in the game, U.S. boat had to, at all times, be very weary of 'friendly fire.' Reading some of these first hand books and patrol reports on the Pacific war, it strike me that the U.S. boats had many many close calls from friendly forces.

Steve, I should have said "U-Boats." (Even though I didn't know the story about the DDs...)

Oh, I knew you meant subs, I was just pointing out that everybody had their occassional mix-up.

U-557 was rammed and sunk by an Italian patrol boat which mistook her for a British submarine in the Med. Only incident I can think of offhand.

I just want to stress once again that these are estimates. That is why the method of how these subs met their end is sometimes followed by a “ ? ”.

As far as the other two US boats being sunk by enemy subs goes here is a bit more on how the estimate was given.

47) Kete: 03/20 to 04/16/1945 Presumed lost on patrol east of Nansi Shoto chain (sub?).

Navper statement:

“There were a few mine-lines in the Nansei Shoto Chain, but since KETE was already east of the islands at the time of her last message on 20 March and was heading home, loss through a mine is considered highly improbable. It is now known that a number of enemy submarines were in the area through which KETE was required to pass enroute to Midway. RO-41 was sunk east of Okinawa by a U.S. destroyer on 31 March 1945, and two other Japanese submarines were sunk southeast of Okinawa near this date. Conditions attendant to KETE's loss suggest the likehood that one of these submarines might have torpedoed and sunk her and been unable to report the attack before being sunk.”

49) Snook: 04/08 to 05/16/1945 Presumed lost on patrol near Nansi Shoto chain (sub?).

Navper statement:

“A number of enemy submarine contacts were reported in the vicinity of SNOOK's lifeguard station during the period in which her loss occurred. During April and May 1945, five Japanese submarines were sunk in the Nani;ei Shoto chain. The circumstances surrounding SNOOK's lose suggest the possibility that one of these lost submarines may have torpedoed her while she was surfaced during her lifeguard duties and it was not reported. It is known that such tactics were suggested to Japanese submarine commanders by their superiors.”

The Lifeguard League
 

This was not a safe thing to do. Going close in and beating the enemy to downed pilots was one of the most dangerous duties of the war for submariners. 86 Submarines rescued more than 500 downed aviators from 1943 to 1945 including the first President Bush, who was then the youngest carrier pilot in the US Navy at age 18 (Grumman TBF). My father was picked up by Tigrone, close inshore, in May 1945. That was the trip Trigone broke the record for most rescues. Tigrone put in at Iwo to dump the Zoomies. Some of the pilots picked up by Tigrone were Australians, RAAF, who were flying P-51s off Iwo in support of B-29s over Japan.
http://www.submarinebooks.com/ZoomiesSubs1.jpg

U-99

"The boat, while inbound to Bergen with a sick crewman, sailed into the path of the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst and its scout plane mistook the boat for a British submarine attacking it causing damages that forced the boat back to Germany for repairs"

Looks like everyone was a bit jumpy when it came to submarines.;)

You know the old saying."The only good submarine is a dead submarine"

Ro-41 got sunk on the 23rd not 31st.
but i still dont quite think jap subs got the snook and the kete...;)

read more here http://www.combinedfleet.com/RO-41.htm

you guys sould really read the book I-boat capitan.

I-25, where did you get your copy?

I would like to get a view from the other side.