Quote:
Fact is that USA sub commanders would not engage armed Jap merchant ships. The Japs were very good gunners generally and, with a poor/non-existant convoy system, merchants did expect to defend themselves. What's more, a single hit from any decent gun (3" or greater) had a very real chance of leaving the sub crippled.
In other words, you shouldn't be exchanging gunfire with ANY Jap ship, be it Navy or merchant.
|
That is actually not absolutely true. I am in the middle or reading Silent Victory, and there are many examples of commanders using their deck guns against ships of various sizes, including some who were armed and shooting back.