>>I'm beginning to wonder if they don't have a little assistance. I ran into the Convoy From Hell the other night in spring of 1944 ........ I got was detected immediately form 6,000 yards out
Might have been radar on their part.
>>It didn't matter if I was sitting at periscope depth or 200 + feet below the thermal layer, silent and hovering, over and over again the DD and Escort instantly found me and pounded me into the sea bed.
Sounds like calm water, and your not deep enough. Cheese tactic ill use on occasion, go down to 500 feet, boat allowing, put the rudder in a 9 degree port or starboard and leave it there for awhile. Only going to flank and hard rudder if they drop right on top of me.
>> is there a IJN sub out there passing love notes to my tormentors?
Possibly, but not likely. Still its possible. The only way you'll detect them is by hydrophone, or visually. They wont show up on radar. (bug i never fixed)