Well I took a couple liberties in the name of science. I got down to three torpedoes and decided that on the next attack, I'd try to get 2 out of the 3 escorts and then ride out whatever the last one threw at me. Down went the Clemson and one of the Flowers. The remaining Flower dropped 74 depth charges, by my count (say plus or minus 2); on its last attack run it was pinging like mad, but even though it approached my location (it had to know where I was), it held a course crossing my stern and then sped up and went off to rejoin the convoy without dropping any more.
Anybody know if 74 is a historic number for a Flower corvette in July, 1942?
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Jack's happy days will soon be gone,
To return again, oh never!
For they've raised his pay five cents a day,
But they've stopped his grog forever.
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
For tonight we'll merry, merry be,
But tomorrow we'll be sober.
- "Farewell to Grog"
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