TMO 2.5 with custom mods.
100 realism. Cams and map contacts off.
Patrol Stats:
Assigned Patrol Area(s) E4- Java Sea, later D7-Western Borneo Coast
Days on Patrol:26
Crew on board: 72
Torpedoes on board at departure: 24 total. Mark 16 x7 Mark 14 x 8 Mark 27 x 2 Mark 18 x 7.
Gun ammunition on board at time of depature:
5 inch : 300
40 MM : 800
20 MM : 2000
Patrol Narrative and Results:
28 May-
1000- Depart Fremantle for Java Sea-Area E4.
30 May -
1200-1800- Refuel Exmouth Gulf
1 June-
2354- Transited Northbound Lombok Strait.
4 June
0501- ULTRA received. Enemy CA DD en route to Batavia from Singapore via Bangka Straits. ETA 5 June late PM>. Set course at arrive off Batavia for attempt intercept.
1400- SD contact 10 NM closing fast. 4 21 S 108 36 E. Dive.
1408- Depth 35 feet. Two explosions not close. Believed spotted in shallow waters ( 140 feet) and calm seas.
1410-Another explosion. Not close. Aircraft flying at low altitude can be heard through hull.
1440-
60 ft. SD sweep...all clear.
1509-Preparing to surface. SD contact 13NM closing
1930-Surface.
5 June-
0516- Position 5 50 S 106 30 E. 25 NM NW of Batavia.Likely route of target from Bangka Strait.
1201-Contact report received from BLUEBACK. One CA one DD exited Bangka Strait Southbound at 1130 hours. Target estimated course 185 25 knots. BLUEBACK unable to engage.
1322- SD contact 12 NM closing fast. 5 50 S 106 30 E. Dive.
1420- Sound contact. Heavy, fast screws at 358 degrees.
1421-Surface.
1428-SJ contact 352. 14 NM. APR-1 receiving radar emissions from contact bearing .Believe this is enemy CA DD observed by BLUEBACK.
1429-General Quarters.
1433- Targets appear to be hugging the Java coastline in shallow waters.
1439- Visually observed one CA and DD. Class unknown.
1441-Target identified as Myoko Class CA. DD appears to be Kamikaze Class DD. Course 114 est speed 24 knots.
1442-Range: 10000 yards. Submerged boat to 45 feet. Will fire long range as unable to get closer due to extreme shallow waters and coastal minefields.
1447- As was preparing to fire, target zigged towards BESUGO.New target course 090, speed 24 knots. Firing range should now be 5-6000 yards instead of 8000.
1453: Attack No. 1 : Fired four Mark 16 torpedoes. Position: 5 57 S 106 28 E Rnge:6800 yards. AOB 64. Depth set: 6 feet. Target speed: 24.5 knots. AIM:MOT, MOT, Aft, Forward. Torpedo number four (Mark 16) veered to starboard and went into circular run. Dropped scope and went to max depth available at 65 feet.
1454:Hard turn North to deeper waters. Circular run torpedo overhead. Unable to raise scope.
1457: All torpedoes missed.
1501-Three end of run explosions or torpedoes impacted the coast.
1502- Kamikaze Class DD heading towards Besugo.
1504-Attack No 2. Range 3000 AOB 0 Fired one Mark 27 Homing torpedo and two Mark 18 torpedoes. Minimum depth . POA: Bow .
1505-Two Mark 18's missed, possibly ran under keel. Fired third Mark 18.
1506-Torpedo impact. Mark 27 apparently tracked and impacted the DD aft amidships, forward of stern. This caused a large explosion(possibly torpedoes and ready ammo) DD turned away with large fire on the stern and developing a list to port by stern quickly.
1510-DD slowed. Stern is nearly submerged. Course 120 1.5 knots.
1512- Enemy CA last observed on course 120 zigging at high speed (estimated 20-22 knots)
1521-Radar depth. SJ contact on enemy CA bearing 120 10 NM range opening fast.
1524-As prepared to move in to administer coup de grace to damaged DD. SJ gained two new contacts at 220 7 NM closing fast. Possible ASW vessels responding to SOS from enemy CA/DD. Will open range and attack after night fall if possible.
1530-SD contact steady at 6 NM. Appears to be covering area of attack.
1540- Two more new SJ contacts 125 9 NM. Believe more ASW vessels responding, likely from Batavia.
1545- Second SD contact 9 NM steady...circling area.
1600-One PC type came within 5000 yards of Besugo. Dropped six depth charges before turning away.
1624-SJ has four likely ASW vessels in area and one aircraft circling damaged DD. Besugo is 6 NM away.
1630-Secured from General Quarters.
1800-SD contact 7 NM closing fast. Ordered 100 feet(bottom at 110 feet).
1810-Periscope depth/Radar depth. SD clear. SJ sweep contacts remaining hunting in area of Attack No. 1 and 2 with one vessel close to damaged DD which remains slowling heading towards Batavia.
1950-Surface.General Quarters. Closing last known DD position.
1951- SJ contact 000 11 NM. Believed to be damaged DD. Three more pips appear nearby, believed to be ASW escort vessels.
2008-Backing Besugo towards target from 9000 yards. Target appears stationary. One PC type 1200 yards off his starboard bow is stationary as well. Two others astern to port and starboard are patrolling slow at 6-7 knots.
2024- Attack No. 2 (Continued). Position: 5 57 S 106 29 E. Fired one Mark 18 torpedo. Range:3800 yds AOB: 91 Depth 5 feet. AIM: MOT(Middle of Target)
2028-Torpedo Impact. Large explosion. Kamikaze Class DD 1720 tons sunk 5 57 S 106 29 E. Enemy escorts began firing star shells, illuminating Besugo. One large PC type honed in on Besugo and gave chase. Radar emissions from this PC's bearing indicated her gunfire was radar guided as several shells landed close, one within 20 yards. However, as range quickly opened the gunfire grew less accurate and ceased, but pursuit by three PC types continued until just before midnight(2346) 6 June.
6 June
0830- 4'9 S 108 44 E . APR-1 detected radar emissions 265 degrees.
0831- SD contact 11 NM closing fast. Dive. Sounding:88 ft.
0905-Surface.
7 June-
1018- Contact Report Received from BLUEBACK. BLUEBACK reports enemy CA DD departed Batavia 1000 hours. Target likely to transit through Bangka Strait.
1020-Plot shows BESUGO unlikely to reach attack position south of Bangka Strait in time to intercept. Set course to intercept target at North end of Bangka Strait expected to contact enemy morning of 8 June.
1249 - SD contact 060 degrees. Position:2 41 S 109 18 E. Dive
1305- Surface.
0433- 125 S 105 40 E. As preparing to enter small gap in minefield off North Bangka coast, SJ contact 046 10 NM.
0500- Mid sized ship with radar equipped PC type , apparent course for Tik Kelebat Bay Northern Bangka. Did not attack as to not give away presence in area.
0530-Cleared minefield into Bangka Strait.
0715-SJ contact bearing 027 9 NM in Bangka Straits. Convoy of small coastal cargo boats with PC type escort. Evaded.
0804- SD contact 10 NM closing. 1 52 S 109 2 E. Dive.
0830-Surface.
1020-SD contact. 8 NM closing fast. Dive.
1030- Radar depth for SJ sweep.
1038-Sound contact: Fast, heavy screws in distance at 327 degrees.
1039-General Quarters
1047- SD contact 8 NM closing.
1053-APR-1 detecting radar emissions at 278 degrees. Likely enemy CA.
1100-SJ contact bearing 260 11 NM.
1137-Visual ID on Myoko Class CA and unknown DD. Believe same CA as the one missed in Attack No.1 on 5 June.
1140-CLosing target. Target is hugging Sumatran coastline (2400 yards) on course 345 estimated speed 14 knots.
1145-Attack No. 3: Fired two Mark 16, three Mark 14 torpedoes in tubes 1-5. Position:2'03 S 104 56 E (Bangka Straits North) Range:6050 yards AOB: 70 Torpedo Depth:5 feet. POA:MOT, MOT, MOT, Aft, Forward.
1149-Both mark 16's hit target amidships. Two large secondary explosions followed the impact 5 seconds after impact. Immense fireball visible. Fires burning along the superstructure and hull of target.
1150-Turning to evade DD. Enemy CA appears to be sinking on even keel.
1152-Myoko Class Heavy Cruiser (15870 tons) sunk at 2 04 S 104 53 E Northern Bangka Strait.
1156- Mark 14 torpedoes impacted Sumatran coast.
1243-Enemy Destroyer closed in but never came less than 3000 yards. Choppy seas helped mask Besugo in shallow waters. DD dropped several DC patterns.
1257 Sound contact: Warship 084 long range. Visually spotted smoke. Appears to be PC type responding to area.
1300-Multiple PC in area searching. DC explosions heard. Aircraft circled area. Moved a few thousand yards off Bangka coast NNE until dark. Moved out north of channel to surface.
1940-Surface .
2223- While exiting the minefield N of Bangka Island. Observed mine estimated 10-15 feet away. (boat dropped out of 512 time compression to 8 so figured something was up. Perhaps lucky)
2240-Set course for return to Area E4.
10 June-
0100-Sent status report.
0115-Received new orders from COMSUBSOWESPAC. Ordered to reconnoiter Bandar Seri Begawan, Borneo. Set course via Karimata Strait.
13 Jun-
0200-Attempted to infiltrate and reconnoiter harbor at Bandar Segi Berwan, Borneo. Two harbor tug boats, apparently converted to patrol craft were on patro to west and east, providing just a small gap in their coverage for Besugo to slip through. One was equipped with radar as APR-1 was picking up transmissions . A minefield previously unknown was observed, preventing entrance from the East along with the PC tug. Submerged infiltration not possible due to shallow depth and subnets. The plan was to slip into the anchorage, submerge to radar depth take photos at dawn then work way to subnet and surface to cross at high speed.
0231-Radar signals began to paint Besugo. One harbor tug type PC closed at high speed. Ordered guns manned to stand by for Battle Surface if required.
0234- Range 3400 yards AOB 15 speed 14. Depth 3. Fired Mark 27 homing torpedo, turned away at high speed.
0235-Just after firing torpedo. Spotlight of tug illuminated Besugo, and the tug opened fire with a suspected 3 inch gun forward as well as machine guns/autocannons.
All of Besugo's guns were ordered to open fire. At this time the angle essentially provided a broadside of fire from Besugo on the tug, which quickly began burning, her guns silenced. The 40 and 20 MM continued to rake the tug as we turned away. A solid five inch hit at waterline finished her off. Harbor tug boat PC (1000 tons) sunk at 5 06 N 115 04 E. Fortunately, Besugo suffered no damage in this brief but intense gun action.
0236-The other harbor type PC had managed to quickly close in on the scene as discovered he was closing from 2500 yards and opened fire on Besugo. Two splashes from her 3 inch gun forward landed within 20-30 yards of Besugo as she sped away. As suppressing fire, ordered all guns to fire during the turn. One , possibly two 5 inch round(s) appeared to hit the command deck/bridge area of the tug, which was set afire. Soon the the vessel slowed, her guns falling silent as well. Besugo's guns continued firing reducing the tug to a flaming wreck drifting astern.
0241-Massive explosion occurred on the tug, which quickly sunk. One harbor tug boat (patrol craft) estimated 1000 tons sunk at 5 05 N 115 03 E.
0242-Departed harbor, canceled reconnoiter mission. Will patrol along Area D4 along the Borneo coast for merchant traffic.
14 June22 -Patrolled along West coast of Borneo. No contacts.
22 June-
0600-Low on fuel, set course for Subic Bay.
24 June-
0700-Arrived Subic Bay.
PATROL RESULTS:
Ships Sunk:4
6/8/45:Myoko Class Heavy Cruiser 15870 tons. Cause: MK 16 torpedoes x 2 hits.
6/5/45:Kamikaze Class Destroyer 1720 tons. Cause: Mark 27 torpedo hit disabled target, MK 18x1 sunk target in follow up attack several hours later.
6/13/45: Tug Boat (Patrol Craft) 1000 tons. Cause: Gunfire-5 inch
6/13/45:Tug Boat (Patrol Craft) 1000 tons. Gunfire-5 inch, 40 and 20 MM.
Number of Torpedo Attacks: 4
Number of gun actions:1
Torpedoes Expended:14 Mark 16 x5 Mark 14x 3 Mark 27 x 2 Mark 18 x 4
5 inch ammunition expended:31 rounds
40 MM ammunition expended:271 rounds
20MM ammunition expended:629 rounds.
Aircraft observed: None visually. Multiple SD contacts (See narrative)
Depth Charges Received: Unknown number, none close.(See narrative)
Days submerged:1
Damage to Submarine :None
Casualties: None
Deciding Factor in patrol termination: Low fuel state after extended distances traveled for special mission and high speed runs required in intercepting warships.
Comments: Short but busy patrol. New Mark 27 torpedo fired on 6/5 prevented a serious counter attack by the on rushing DD in shallow waters, likely saving Besugo from serious damage or worse. Only a high priority target would warrant such risks.
New MK 16 torpedo performance excellent, sans the circular run on 5 June.
Enemy air patrols throughout the region remain steady and a consistent threat to operations, especially in shallow waters.
Note: This simulated action is based on a real incident, referred to as "The Action of 8 June 1945". However, it was a British T-Class submarine (HMS Trenchant) which sunk the Ashigara (Myoko Class) in Bangka Straits on 8 June 1945. Many consider it one of the finest submarine torpedo shots of the war as it was from long range due to the shallow waters and minefield.US submarine Blueback, acting on an ULTRA, did attempt to attack but was never able to as Ashigara and her escorting DD( Kamikaze) proved elusive targets but passed on two contact reports which permitted the Trenchant to get into position for her famous attack. As part of my my upgrade to TMO, I placed this historical ship movement in the campaign as well as added minefields to the appropriate areas.
Visual Confirmation:
.