031124 FEB 1944
From : CAPT James Harriet
To : SubRon2 SUBSoWesPAC
Report from USS Snapper (SS-185)
Patrol area : South China Sea
Mods used 9
100_FalloftheRisingSun_UltimateEdition_v1.24_EN
Fleetboat_Interior-Officers_Quarters_FOTRSU_v1.1_EN
910_OfficerCountryPatch
901_Strategic_Map_Symbols
801_UMark Invisible
650_LotsaDudz
454_EasyAOB_FotRSU
301_MoreDifficultAI01
101_Patch_v1.2To_v1.26p
Special Missions Conducted: No
The following ships/aircraft have been destroyed
Number of Warships sunk : 0
Number of Merchants sunk : 9
Total Warship tonnage : 0
Total Merchant tonnage : 24270
Total Gross tonnage : 24270
Total JANAC tonnage : 24270
180631 DEC 1943
Ship sunk! Small Oiler, 1639 ton
Long 115° 45' E, Lat 7° 38' S
231006 DEC 1943
Ship sunk! Large Modern Tanker, 8036 ton
Long 104° 26' E, Lat 4° 27' N
231012 DEC 1943
Ship sunk! Small Passenger Carrier, 1729 ton
Long 104° 26' E, Lat 4° 27' N
042203 JAN 1944
Ship sunk! Composite Superstructure Freighter, 1454 ton
Long 111° 11' E, Lat 7° 04' N
151909 JAN 1944
Ship sunk! Medium Composite Freighter, 2979 ton
Long 119° 41' E, Lat 12° 13' N
160620 JAN 1944
Ship sunk! Medium Raked Bow Split Freighter, 6680 ton
Long 120° 38' E, Lat 12° 17' N
160842 JAN 1944
Ship sunk! Auxiliary Transport, 1473 ton
Long 120° 38' E, Lat 12° 18' N
251215 JAN 1944
Ship sunk! Large Sampan, 80 ton
Long 129° 21' E, Lat 8° 13' S
251216 JAN 1944
Ship sunk! Fishing Boat, 200 ton
Long 129° 20' E, Lat 8° 13' S
Torpedoes fired : 17
Torpedo impacts : 7
Torpedo misses : 14
Torpedo duds : 0
Torpedo premature explosions : -4
Gun loaded 58 times
Patrol narrative:
Nov 23 1943:
-2 Silver Stars, 2 Navy Commendation Medals, 3 Campaign medals awarded. Six promotions awarded. XO promoted and transferred off ship for new command in San Diego. Will be sorely missed. New Ensign taken on board to fill long-absent Watch Officer pos'n. Chief of the Boat also transferred out on standard rotation, new CPO taken from ranks.
-No overhaul organized and the Snapper will be putting to sea with its fairweather conning tower once more.
-Orders: depart DEC1419430 for "D3" grid. Shallow waters, so requested and rec'd load of 'self-defence' torpodeos in the form of Mk.27s (x4).
Dec 14 1943
- Departed BRISBANE 0118H.
DEC 15 1943
- Snapper tops up in EXMOUTH Gulf.
DEC 18 1943
-Snapper transits Lombok Strait on surface. SJ EMCON cancelled. Current course 330(T).
-0546H Hydrophone & SJ report merchant, course 133(T) speed estimated 6kts. Course set 354(T) for intercept.
-0606H Visual contact, 2 mast small type merchant. GQ called, telegraph reads ahead flank. Course changed to 10(T). Getting light out so lookouts kept above and AA manned. Battle stations deck gun ordered.
-0616H Range 4000 yards approx. 'Open fire' called. 4" scores hits and rapidly sets ship on fire.
-0622H Return fire from merchant in form of heavy machineguns. AA ordered to fire on enemy weaponry. Ship sinks shortly after. 40 rounds of 4" fired, 400 rounds of 20mm fired.
DEC 20 1943 - Snapper enters Karimata Strait. Japanese sailing vessel spotted 2213, sea state too rough for gun attack.
Dec 23 1943
- 0743H SJ contact on small group, course 15(T), speed 8.5kts. SJ EMCON ordered after data set. Occasional single sweeps every 5 minutes to monitor for zig-zags.
-0808H Periscope depth ordered due to SD contact - convoy has dedicated air cover. Spotted some form of tanker bearing 298(R). ID'd as Large Modern Tanker. A small passenger carrier was spotted shortly after. Some form of corvette appeared to be escorting. GQ called.
-0829H New course 314(T) and speed slowed to 6 knots with intention to shadow until air cover abates or night fall.
-0943H Convoy changes course to 356(T) providing an immediate opportunity to attack. Ship rigged for silent running.
-1004H: 3 'mk16' experimental fired at tanker. 1 fired at passenger carrier.
-1007H: 1 hit observed on tanker. Large series of explosions followed. 120 feet ordered.
-1008H: Impact heard on small passenger carrier.
-1012H: Hydrophone reports breaking up sounds.
-1620H: Snapper suffers prolonged depth charging by escort and air support. Total of 14 DCs counted plus various explosions from what is believed to be plane bombs. Snapper rocked occasionally but undamaged.
-2330H: On station in grid D3. Course set to run up the Malay coast, zig-zagging along a heading of 310(T).
Dec 29 1943 - Snapper passes an uneventful 5 days in D3, marred by bad weather for 3 days and voracious air patrols. X-mas at 160 feet for crew. New orders to proceed to D4 for a further 5 days.
Dec 30 1943 - Snapper on station in "D4" patrol zone. Telegraph reads "Ahead Slow"
Jan 3 1944 - Japanese schooner spotted off bow. Sea-state too rough for gun action. Course adjusted 042(T) to avoid contact.
Jan 4 1944 Finished time on station, uneventful except for high frequency SD contacts. Set course 0(T) into open part of South China Sea in anticipation of new orders.
-1901H orders received, proceed to "A5" for further 5 days of anti-shipping ops.
-1944H single SJ contact, small size range 15nm. Course 24(T) speed est 8 knots, GQ called and torpedo reload of 2x Mk 14 spreads. Radar returns weak and inconsistent, likely due to small aspect.
-2121H visual range. Some type of split or composite freighter. End-run plotted.
-2143H Target ID'd as Composite Superstructure Freighter.
-2200H 2 torps fired, 1.5 deg spread, range around 3300 yards on surface.
-2203H Single impact, distress flares. Ship rapidly sinks by stern.
Jan 7 1944
-1304H on station in Grid "A5" - unusually heavy air presence, SD contacts flying in pairs and quadruplets.
-2039H SJ and Hydrophone contacts, fast screws. GQ called. Fast convoy of some form. Swells moderate and surface attack deemed viable. Course 193(T) speed estimated 15 knots. Intercept plotted.
-2105H visual contact. ID'd as Modern Passenger liner. XO concurs. Lookouts ordered below. Destroyer closes off portside of target, risked staying on surface but trimmed down.
-2113H: 4 torpedoes fired due to slight doubt in solution. Appears enemy DD spots wakes, convoy successfully evades all torps and Snapper is forced under by gun fire. Ships moving too fast to feasibly stalk. We are kept down by the loving attention of DD.
-2232H: Japanese put on quite the concerto over next hour or so. Count 20 DCs total dropped in decreasing accuracy. Superficial damage suffered in initial spread.
Jan 9 1944
-1931H SJ contact on large, fast moving group to our south, course 228(T) speed estimate 18 knots. For first time in career, Snapper's officers, CAPT incl, declines attack on significant target; sea state remains intolerable, it is a full moon night and fuel consumption becoming legitimate factor at this stage.
Jan 16 1944 - Passed remainder of time in A5 uneventfully. Ordered to 'PASTURE' zone off east coast of Luzon.
-0503H After sinking single lone merchant just north of Mindoro Strait, SJ reports two further contacts moving in column. EMCON ordered in lieu of occasional single sweeps for tracking purposes. Course 16(T), speed estimated 7.5kts. Due to increasing light have opted for submerged attack, much to XO's disgust. Cannot help but concur.
-0614H In attack position. Contacts ID'd as Medium Raked Bow merchant and an Auxiliary Transport. Plan: make high angle of attack with remaining bow torps on second ship then high-speed run for passing stern shot at lead merchant.
-0620H 2 torps fired at rear merchant. They appear to pass fore. Speed solution adjusted to 5kts. Ordered turn 180(R). Stern tubes more successful on lead merchant, her keel breaks and she sinks in less than 1 minute. Reload ordered.
-0632 In position for second try on second merchant. Fire off single snapshot, hits just abaft of amidships and ship settles by stern.
-0827H Surface at battle stations deck gun in effort to finish off crippled merchant.
-0842H Transport is of the stubborn sort. Finally sunk after large expenditure of 4" rounds. Decision is to now head for home, down to 1 offensive torp and less than 20 rounds of 4". ComSubSoWesPac concurs and cancels orders.
Jan 25 1944: Snapper sinks two Japanese schooners with remaining gun ammo 140nm west of Timor, 1217H.
Feb 3 1944 Patrol ends at Fremantle after 52 days at sea.
CAPT James Harriet
CO USS Snapper (SS-185)