[Sammy-rai]

1943 January 18, just off the SE coast of New Ireland, 0200 hours -

Weather: moderate rain, moderate waves, limited visibility.

At 0200 hours a contact was obtained by surface radar, closing, from the north, along the SE coast of New Ireland. Turned out to be 3 ships, with one vessel off to the side ahead of the other two ships, which were in a line.

The skipper conned the SnapperII to a firing position about 800 meters from the formation's probable path.and waited, submerged. Plan was to attack the first of the ships in the line and then circumstances permitting, follow up against the trailing ship. The lead vessel was presumed to be an escort of some sort and so ignored for the time being. The two ships traveling in a line were presumed to be merchants.

As the formation came within 1200 meters distance, the target vessel was identified as the 3200 GT Aden Maru. The other two contacts could still not be sighted due to weather conditions. The initial torpedo attack went off without difficulties. The result was a hit amidships to the Aden Maru. Captain Skeezix observed, and then ordered a second torpedo fired against her. This was followed by a crash drive in order avoid the anticipated response of the escort. As the sub prepared to dive, the exec noted that the freighter was slowing down while listing slightly to port.

Unseen, the second torpedo exploded on time and so was deemed a hit as well. But there was no protective response from either of the other contacts. Instead, tracked by sonar, they were heading straight for the safety of the broad but shallow waters of a nearby cove.

The captain cancelled the crash dive and ordered the Snapper surfaced. The torpedoed merchant was dead in the water and listing badly. The sub left it for the time being and pursued the fleeing Japanese vessels at flank speed, but these reached the cove easily. Here they began to twist and turn, making them difficult targets for a torpedo attack. The Snapper was eventually positioned outside the cove, ready to intercept any attempt to sneak out. Still dark and raining, the sub continued to track the two contacts 3000 meters away via radar and sonar.

An hour went by without either contact attempting a breakout. The skipper then ordered the Snapper forward at pericsope depth towards the contact which had been following behind the Aden Maru. After about 5 minutes, the engineer warned that depth under keel was now down to 5 meters and that continuing submerged would be hazardous.

By now the Snapper was still about 1700 meters from its target and just nosing over into 'shallow waters'. Captain Skeezix mulled over the situation and then said, "That's it, then. It's getting light and they're most likely waiting for help to arrive. Let's go back and finish off that cripple. Reverse standard". But before the helmsman could respond the sonar operator reported that the Snapper was being pinged and that the contact in front of them had swung about and was closing fast.

The captain was speechless for a moment and then ordered a dive to 30 meters.Thirty meters was the lowest the Snapper could get in these waters before the other vessel arrived. The exec, who had swung the periscope around to appraise the approaching enemy, began shouting "Dammit she's got a bone in her teeth - she's got a bone in her teeth ! Full emergency reverse! Full right rudder!". (When later asked what type of ship it was, he replied that "It looked to be some sort of a budget-version of a destroyer.")

The pinging grew in volume. Skeezix realized that he had unwittingly conned the Snapper into an exposed position. From experience he knew that their attacker's next action would be either to ram or make a depth charge run as the ship passed over the sub.

While the Snapper continued its slow backward descent, the pinging suddenly stopped while the whoosh-whoosh sound of the attacker's screws grew louder over them. The captain and crew knew what was in store and waited for a depth charge barrage to begin. At only 30 meters under, the Snapper was a sitting duck and would be torn apart by the explosions.

But no depth charges were dropped. Instead, the sonar operator reported that the Kaya DE veered off to the side, slowed to a crawl, and began circling around. Meanwhile, the Snapper continued retreating backwards slowly but surely towards deeper waters. No one had an explanation for why the enemy had broken off its attack.

At a distance of 3000 meters from the Kaya DE the captain ordered that the SnapperII be surfaced and set course for the crippled Aden Maru. Upon arrival, the sub's deck gun finished off the freighter with four explosive rounds. The skipper then conferred with his officers and decided that the Snapper's next move would be to once again run down those two vessels they had left in the cove.


But by now the two Japanese ships had departed the cove and were once again heading SE along the coast towards 'The Slot' and Guadalcanal. The Snapper plotted a course to make an end run around these two and cut them off.

The Snapper sped along at flank speed and in under an hour began to come up along side the Japanese ships at a distance of 3000 meters. The sub easily tracked them with its sonar and radar while the enemy seemed oblivious of their presence, due to the heavy rains. However, it was starting to get light.

In another half hour the Snapper had swung in to the right and once again settled into a submerged attack position (just as a snapping turtle should). By now it was daylight. At the right moment it sent a torpedo towards the lead ship, a Kaya DE. This torpedo was erratic. Luckily, the Snapper followed with another torpedo despite being discovered and shelled by the DE's sister ship all the while conducting its attack. The second fish passed the first and detonated in the bow of the Kaya. Then the first torpedo arrived, curving towards the bow area as well and detonating. The Kaya sank in less than five minutes.






The skipper was fuming at the remaining Kaya. Earlier it had fooled him badly and by all rights should have sunk the Snapper in shallow waters. And now she had interfered in their bid to sink the other DE. In any event, its attack had again chewed up the conning tower and the equipment there. Captain Skeezix was out after blood!

Thus, though the remaining Kaya fled promptly, the SnapperII relentlessly hunted it down and dispatched it with the last torpedo from its bow tubes.

The sub spent the rest of the day submerged, then surfaced after sunrise and radioed to ComSubPac:

FIVE HOUR RUNNING BATTLE DURING NIGHT CONVOY THREE ALL SUNK

"Let's see what they have to say now, sir! ", declared the radio operator. Captain Skeezix smiled back but said nothing.

Results: 5 torpedoes fired, 3 ships sunk, of which 1 sinking was deck-gun assisted.

Comments: Why did the Kaya veer off from the ram/depth charge attack ? Did it lack depth charges ? Did it have a novice crew ? Why did the Kaya switch from timid to aggressive tactics ?