[Bubblehead1980]

USS Salmon SS-182 (Salmon Class)
My first patrol in command.
June 6, 1943-July 12, 1943.

TMO 2.5 + my custom mods and traffic.

Area: Southern Hokkaido/Northern Honshu(to Tsugaru Strait)

Departed Pearl Harbor 1100 on 6 June and set course for Midway to refuel before heading to assigned area.

10 June- Fueled at Midway and headed for assigned area at standard speed. Heavy seas and multiple storms slowed transit.

20 June- Arrived in patrol area. Maintained surface patrols with SJ sweeps 50 NM off coast of Southern Hokkaido in the likely shipping routes. Closed coast at night, diving to avoid planes as needed.

21 June- 1130. SJ made lone contact 9 NM. Smoke plume of small freighter became visible. By 1230 was ahead, went to GQ and dove for submerged attack. Identified as 1850 ton TAIHOSAN MARU. Opened tubes one and two. Fired At 1246 fired a Mark 14 aimed amidships from 1000 yards. Possible gyro error as fish did make take proper course. Fired tube two which ran hot straight and normal. Torpedo one hit just ahead of the stern as the freighter spotted the wakes and attempted a turn, but firing distance was too close for them to avoid. Torpedo 2 hit amidships, blowing out the ships boilers, causing a large explosion. TAIHOSAN MARU went down in less than 5 minutes with no survivors. Surfaced and resume patrol, avoiding multiple patrol planes.


22 June- 0600. As the sun was rising, lookouts spotted a fishing boat at 080 6 NM. Went to GQ-Battle Surface and closed at flank speed. Due to a dark sky behind SALMON, we were shielded form view until just 3000 yards when opened fire with 4 inch deck gun and forward twin 20 MM. Two shots from the 4 inch gun hit the fishing vessel in a row starting a fire on the stern. Multiples hits with twin 20 MM set fire to the sails and the pilothouse. The fishing vessel was armed and returned automatic gunfire which did not hit SALMON. Twin 20 MM fire silenced the gunfire and several more hits from the 4 inch cannon finished off the fishing vessel. No survivors. Resumed patrol.

23-26 June shifted patrol closer to Northern Honshu in the Hokkaido-Tsugaru strait shipping lane. Avoided multiple planes. Encountered storms.

26 June -Received orders from COMBSUBPAC to deactivate magnetic influence features on torpedoes. 1300 Weather cleared. SJ contact at 10 NM. Closed in and smoke plume and silhouette of a large freighter in distance. Pulled ahead when freighter changed course, heading directly for Tsugaru Strait. Dove ahead and made classic submerged approach. Identified the 8,000 plus ton ATSUTASAN MARU and fired three Mark 14's from 1000 yards at 1542. First torpedo hit but failed to detonate, making an audible "clang" noise when hitting vessel amidships. Torpedoes two and three detonated on impact, starting a fire and causing a list. Vessel went dead in water but afloat.

Setup for stern tube shot, fired two torpedoes, one of which missed (likely gyro error) but one hit and detonated. ATSUTASAN MARU sunk at 1602 hours.

27 June- Heavy seas and storms. No contacts.

28 June-Submerged patrol near entrance of Tsugaru Strait. Sonar made contact with sounds of heavy props at 1045 hours. Closed to see smoke plume of freighter in distance but made it inside the straits before could close. Resumed submerged patrol, rising to scope depth every thirty minutes for observations and when able, radar sweeps.

At the 1230 observation spotted a large fishing boat estimated 50 yards away nearly on top of submarine. Scope was dropped and depth of 100 feet ordered immediately. After a few minutes, returned to scope depth to see the fishing vessels in the distance, but also spotted a single engine "PETE" type floatplane approaching from the west. It is believed the fishing vessel reported spotting of SALMON's scope. Ordered a depth of 200 feet and changed of course.

At 1334 sonar reported "warships, closing fast." The high speed screws were that of DD or DE type vessels. Plotted evasive course as was still some distance, came to scope depth. Observed two DD types at 030 bow wakes visible, indicating high speed. Set up to pull off their track and make a torpedo attack with stern tubes.

At 1402 after coming back to scope depth and sweeping with No 2 periscope for aircraft, spotted the "PETE" entering a dive. Ordered a depth of 150 feet. Several depth charge explosions went off by not too close. Back to scope depth, the destroyers had changed course, ruining our setup. Opted to try a "down the throat shot" on lead destroyer, tentatively identified as a Mutsuki Class. At 1411, 650 yards away, zero degree AOB. Fired two fish "down the throat" and went deep. Both impacted, both gave the audible clang of "dud" fish, failing to detonate.

Went to 250 feet, rigged for depth charge, silent running. Seems the lead DD, spooked by two fish "impacting" did not make a run on SALMON, but the second DD did, dropping four depth charges in the area.

After a few minutes both regrouped and closed in, seeming to have solid contact, took SALMON to 275, then 300 feet, then 325 and 350 feet (100 feet below test depth), maintaining ahead 1/3 and alternating with 20 degrees port rudder, making slow turn, which confused the pursuers. . Somewhere around twenty depth charges were dropped between two of them. Then suddenly one DD seemed to gain a solid contact momentarily and rushed in, unleashing 4-6 depth charges. Two charges landed very close in quick order causing damage to SALMON.

Damage reported as: After battery, minor flooding. Port prop shaft moderately damaged, electric engines minor damage, minor battery damage. Compressor damaged. High pressure air lines leaking and water leaking into conning tower and control room from damaging piping.

After flooding was controlled, changed depth to 380 feet, changed course. DD's continued their runs, while never seemed to regain solid contact, kept SALMON pinned down. Finally at 2346 seems lost contact. All went quiet, suspect DD's were listening, so continued to creep away. At 0300, came to scope depth, then radar depth. One SJ contact at 8000 yards, stationary. Seems DD was playing possum still. Surfaced in the darkness and sped away to open waters East of Tsugaru Strait.

Conducted repairs, all equipment repairs completed by dawn except for port prop shaft, which would take longer(stayed at 10 percent damaged for some time) which affected surface and submerged speeds, no doubt increasing noise factor submerged as well. Dove to avoid several planes but no contact. Prop shaft repaired.

29 June- Heavy storms, no contacts. Shifted to patrol off Southern Hokkaido. 50 NM off Cape Erimo.

30 June- 1230- SJ contact on multiple vessels. Close to spot two large freighters escorted by a DE type on eastbound course. Worked ahead and dove for submerged attack at 1500. Targets identified as a HAKUSIKA MARU (8850 ton) leading AKITA MARU(3350) with a Chidori Class Torpedo Boat providing escort.

Worked into position and fired four torpedoes at the HAKUSIKA MARU at 1521. One prematurely exploded en route to target (in spite of magnetic detonators turned off) other three impacted target, but failed to detonate. Made a turn for setup with remaining to torpedoes on the AKITA MARU. The Chidori was rushing towards SALMON. Fired both fish at the AKITA MARU from 800 yards. Both failed to detonate as appeared to run under target.

Chidori rushing in pinging, went deep and to silent running. Several depth charges fell, but none close. Seas were heavy and sonar conditions were sub par. After four hours, was able to surface and begin end around. four torpedoes left in bow tubes, would opt for a night surface attack.

0100- Reestablished radar contact. Convoy had moved closed to coast and was approaching Cape Shirepa, Hokkaido. At 0300 was in attack position 4,000 yards off convoys port side. The Chidori out ahead, moved by with SALMON unnoticed. After the escort passed, increased speed to 2/3 so could be in firing position less than 3000 yards. At 0316, with TBT bearing aimed amidships on the HAKUSIKA MARU, fired four torpedoes at 6 second intervals. All torpedoes expended.

All four torpedoes hit, with three detonating, causing large fires and explosions, the maru began to settle in the water. SALMON sped away into the night with star shells lighting the sky. The escort rushed in our direction but never seemed to spot us. The AKITA MARU lobbed a few shells our way, but none were close. The HAKUSIKA MARU sunk at 0330.

With all torpedoes expended, set course for Midway.

1 July-4 July- En route Midway.

5 July-0600- Check of fuel showed could maintain ahead standard and make the 3800 mile trip to Pearl Harbor without need to stop at Midway and adjusted course accordingly.

12 July 0600- Arrived Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. End of patrol.