I know they weren't a romatic boat to serve on. Hell they were old, they leaked, the engines were tired even way before the war, and they well were very cramped, but their size made them perfect for coastal work like the Alutions. The Fleet boats used in that campaign found themselves in some very restricted waters, while the old sugar boats were more capable of working in those same water. The Mackeral class were suppose to be replacements for the S-boats, but well USN tactics were more toward an open sea fleet battle, so Mackeral and her sister were tho only "new" build coastal subs. So when the navy found itself fighting in the Alutions, they had to fall back onto a tired class of boats, but those boats did their job well.
|