[Sandman_28054]

I said:

Now from late 1942, August to be exact, about once every week a fleet of about six DD's come out of Rabaul heading towards Guadalcanal.

I have submerged on the east side of the mouth leading south from Rabaul to intercept these. You can attack during the day, but I seem to have better luck attacking at night.

From about June, July, or August of '43, once the Japs move their airbase from Rabaul to Wewak, you will catch convoys and task forces heading in to and out of Rabaul. Heading in from the north from Truk, or heading in from the west. And usually more convoys head out west from Rabaul than they do to the north towards Truk.

Ok, I admit it, my dates were a little off.

Here is the results of my last excursion in my "new" U.S.S. Balao:

Reason=CSS_PatrolEnd
NameDisplayable=USS Balao
CurrentDate=1943-02-11 09:18:54
RenownGained=6010.000000
RatingGained=3.000000
TotalTonnageSunk=148430.000000

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 138]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=Photo Palau Island 01_JP DE Kisaragi#1
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,1.08665e-031
TargetLocation=122.632,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=DEKisaragi,Photo Palau Island 01_JP DE Kisaragi#1
EUnitType=3

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 139]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=Photo Palau Island 01_JP Large Old Split Merchant#1
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,3.77331e-039
TargetLocation=-4.81293,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=KLSSHakusika,Photo Palau Island 01_JP Large Old Split Merchant#1
EUnitType=102

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 140]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=Photo Palau Island 01_JP DD Akizuki#1
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,3.77331e-039
TargetLocation=31.2498,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=DDAkizuki,Photo Palau Island 01_JP DD Akizuki#1
EUnitType=4

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 141]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=Photo Palau Island 01_JP DD Mutsuki#1
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,3.77331e-039
TargetLocation=29.1134,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=DDMutsuki,Photo Palau Island 01_JP DD Mutsuki#1
EUnitType=4

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 142]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=Photo Palau Island 01_JP DD Fubuki#1
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,3.77331e-039
TargetLocation=252.829,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=DDFubuki,Photo Palau Island 01_JP DD Fubuki#1
EUnitType=4

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 143]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=ContactReport 50_JP BB Fuso#1
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,3.77331e-039
TargetLocation=-2.79395,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=BBFuso,ContactReport 50_JP BB Fuso#1
EUnitType=11

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 144]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=ContactReport 50_JP CA Maya#2
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,3.77331e-039
TargetLocation=5.07981,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=CAMaya,ContactReport 50_JP CA Maya#2
EUnitType=7

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 145]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=ContactReport 50_JP CV Shokaku#1
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,3.77331e-039
TargetLocation=3.46605,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=CVShokaku,ContactReport 50_JP CV Shokaku#1
EUnitType=9

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 146]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=ContactReport 50_JP BB Kongo#1
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,3.77331e-039
TargetLocation=-0.759365,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=BBKongo,ContactReport 50_JP BB Kongo#1
EUnitType=11

[CareerTrack 1.CareerStatusSave 147]
ID=ID
Reason=CSS_UnitDestroyed
NameDisplayable=ContactReport 50_JP CV Shokaku#2
CurrentDate=1943-01-25 01:45:00
LocationName=
Location=0,3.77331e-039
TargetLocation=3.45608,1.73949e-039
UnitDestroyed=CVShokaku,ContactReport 50_JP CV Shokaku#2
EUnitType=9

Date Patrol End: 11-2-43, Tonnage sunk: 148,430.

The 3 DD's, were sunk coming out of Rabaul heading SSE towards Guadalcanal.

After sunking these three, I dove to 400' and turned north.

I waiting for a day and a half at the entrance to Rabul for this Task Force to come along. (Truth is, I was about to head back south)

Good things can come if you wait.