Hunt the Yamato

[Armistead]

Did this Patrol with contacts and cams off, so lack good SS, but what a fun, yet difficult patrol.

After my last patrol we crawled into Midway with 80% damage. The mechanics groaned, this boat was done. The Adm. wanted to retire me, but I wanted another patrol. I was shipped back to Mare Island for a new Balao class sub. After a few days with the old lady, I couldn't wait to get back to the Bungo, so off we go.



Went to Attu and sunk 1 ship, what a terrible patrol, but had used a lot of fuel, so docked at Midway. We left in Dec and reached out patrol zone about 100nms SE of the Bungo mid Dec. We patrolled for 4 days and saw nothing. We were sent to another area just 100nms away, again 3 days and saw nothing, not even a plane. Seems my luck had run out. Usually I ignore orders for patrol zones, but this time I tried it. Strange, the two zones were close, so I thought something big may come through. The 3rd zone I didnt do was the same shipping lane, Bungo to Truk. Finally I just decided to sit outside the Bungo.

It wasn't long we got sonar contact. Took awhile for it to come into view, but luck was still with us.



The Yamato having good radar picked us up, but we were close to it's track. Escorts came searching, so we dived and left them far behind, working into a shooting position. This would be the first attack. I was somewhat off and the shot was longer than I wanted, I shot all bow tubes, hard end around and shot all sterns, 10 torps, no SS's of the hits, but 2 hits reported.



DD's worked us over for a few hours.



With cams off I do use a little cheat, not that it would change anything, but will watch the charges through the scope, this way you can watch them fall and see them go behind.



Finally we surfaced and gave chase. Nothing on radar, but sonar had faint contacts. My special mech tuned the engines, needing speed we put on all engines with no charge. In calm waters we reached a steady 23 kts. Wasn't long smoke on the horizon. We're still in business.



I then get another radar contact bearing 40. Radar showed it within 10nms, but I saw nothing. A group of 4 ships. I assume a small convoy of fishing boats. Guess it saw me, planes showed up. The same problem, I dive the Yamato escapes, I stay up one bomb could end it.. We stay up through two attacks, but after a close call I dive. Then it was yo yo all day, slowing getting ahead. It was obvious she was headed for Truk.


Then as I worked to the right flank as it was weaker, I get more radar contacts, a total of 8 ships with many escorts, the pips were huge. The two TFs were stern of me about 17nms apart. I was shocked that the DD's from this TF came chasing me as they were further than the Yamato's escorts. I was able to ID one Shokoku carrier in this group. The DD to the right belongs to the Carrier TF, the two on the left the Y's... . My guess is both groups headed to Truk,


I would take the Y first, then go after the carrier. However, the Yamato's escorts joined in, so a total of four DD's were chasing me. I was on a decent track so I stayed surfaced trying to get closer ahead of the Y. I crash dive when the escort was at about 6500 yards, just as we went under he sent shells our way. Two of the Y's DD's here, the Y is way back to the left. The sun is now setting, we want darkness.


We stay flanked dived and left them searching far behind. We left our radar off and came up decks awash able to make 11 knots on engines. By now I had run my battery low. I could see them searching in the distance.


I finally got a decent position and got a good look at her. She didn't seem hurt by the two hits. Here's the set up. I shoot all bows again scoring many hits. Bearing about 55, not too bad.





The men cheered as most if not all struck home. " This baby gonna sink for sure now".. boasted the men. See here going flank, but only 3kts...I was blessed with the CO2 bug making things worse.



Then the escorts...attack after attack. I should've tracked longer and put some charge on, but I wanted that carrier. We could only reach 3 kts flank. A toothshaker hits and bust a firing fitting and steam hits melting the skin off my Helmsmen's face, but he sticks to his post. Depth shows us around 550ft, no speed, depths our only hope.




More damage...we couldn't outrun the charges. I took the Balao deep. I was concerned as we had mild flooding in the aft torp compartment. I went deep as I dare, with 11% damage and leveled off at 500ft. I then went silent. I couldn't count the charges, they shook us, fittings busted, men fell. It went on for 3 hours....deeper..600ft. The pinging finally stopped. I come to scope depth and see nothing....nothing. So we surface and again give chase. All night we chased, doing yet another end around.
I feared morning.

Several hours later, daybreak not far off, it took me three tries to finally get my stern torps into position. Trackings a lot harder without those contacts. I set up a 45 degree attack. I've got 4 sterns left and one forward...She was still making 12 kts with a minor list.

The DD's once again picked me up on sonar, but I was seconds away from attacking. A DD made a pass on me as I was preparing to shoot...BAM..damage, please not the stern tubes. I finally shoot all four. I saw a couple hits and headed for the deep.







I think all four hit. We made it to 200 ft when sonar reported ship breaking up. I tell you nothing beats being stuck in your sub listening to the Yamato going down.

I was able to come up and get one look, all I could get, but she was gone. I nearly paid for this, but I wanted confirmation.







We got deep, evade again for hours. I surfaced and back to flank speed. I laid a course the Carrier Group probably took, also looked like it was headed to Truk. I ran at flank for two days, but could never find it. Finally had to go back to base.

Only one ship, but a good one..