The Avenging SS-195 'SEALION'

[ninja turtle]

I propose to follow the war career of SS-195 ’SEALION’ under the commander’s name of Richard G. Voge. The career will start on 8th December 1941. This is the default in-game start date, which is also two days before the original SS-195 was damaged by enemy bombers. Home base will be Manila, which is convenient as this is when SS-195 was scuttled in December 1941. I will continue until:

a. The boat is destroyed by enemy attack.
b. The end of the War when Japan signs the declaration on 2nd September 1945.

Name: SS-195 ‘SEALION’

Submarine Type: SARGO

The following parameters exist:

1. The following mega-mods are used: TMO 2.5 with patch, and RSRDC v550 with patch. Some minor eye candy minor mods have been added as well which do not affect the game-play.
2. Dead Is Dead. However, the priority is survival for the boat and crew so no needless actions will be taken.
3. TC maximum is 512/1024 when in patrol area and 1536 in open water at the player’s discretion.
4. All of the options within the game are checked apart from:
   i. Manual targeting due to a possible fault when installing, although as much information is worked out by the player before firing torpedoes.
   ii. Map updates, although used sparingly. It is in effect a second opinion from the crew for the following reasons:
   a. The watch crew would constantly give target updates when on the bridge when weather conditions allowed.
   b. Sonar, radar, and navigator would also continually update information passed to them.
5. External view is checked for eye candy and used sparingly.
6. Realism in-game is at 75%.
7. Ship spotted bearings will be as per in-game, not true bearings etc.
8. If offered a new submarine, it will be declined as I want to continue with SS-195 as long as possible.

SS-195 Historical Facts:

Commissioned on 27th November 1939. After some time at sea, ‘SEALION’ along with ‘SEADRAGON’ docked at Manila in November 1941 for an overhaul. Whilst tethered, the harbor came under attack by Japanese bombers on 10th December 1941. ‘SEALION’ was damaged resulting in the decision to scuttle her on 25th December 1941. It is thought to be the first US submarine casualty of the second world war.

The Commanders of SS-195:

The first commander was LT. Julian Knox Morrison, Jr. USN from 27th November 1939. He was born on 28th April 1904 and was killed aboard SS-195 whilst cleaning a target weapon on 11th February 1940. LTCDR Richard G. Voge USN (born 4th May 1904) was the second commander of SS-195 ‘SEALION’ and took command on 14th February 1940 until 10 December 1941. He continued with his command on SS-192 ‘SAILFISH.’

In-Game Facts:

The crew names of the original SS-195 have been added into the game, including the first commander. Those who were killed during the attack, including Howard Firth who died as a POW later in the war, will be concentrated on for promotions and medal awards. The commanding officer is LCDR Richard G. Voge and the 2iC is LT Julian K. Morrison. The list of the crew names is below. Ranks do not correspond historically so apologies for any original crewmen who have been demoted. However, the original members who had lost their lives have been given senior ranks when possible.

Write-ups:

The patrol logs are hopefully set as the USN would have appeared using SS-315’s (SEALION #2) first patrol log as a template. Much of the information found in these patrol logs are not included as it would become a full-time job and very time consuming; I have a full-time job and it isn’t as a submarine commander.

I hope you enjoy reading these logs as much as I have enjoyed writing them.



Sources:

http://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-sealion-195.htm
http://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-sealion-195-loss.htm
http://www.fleetsubmarine.com/ss-195-com-crew.html
http://www.usssealion.com/sealion/uss_sealion.htm
http://ussnautilus.org/blog/the-loss...ealion-ss-195/
http://maritime.org/pamphist/subslost/ss195.htm
http://www.maritime.org/doc/subreports.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sealion_(SS-195)
http://www.history.navy.mil/research...on-ss-195.html
http://www.usssealion.com/sealion/sa...he_sealion.htm
http://uboat.net/allies/commanders/3141.html
http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2931.html
http://uboat.net/allies/commanders/3428.html



Other links (a short film about the second ‘SEALION’ SS-315):





Edited 9/07/2016:

Added a new source link: http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08195.htm

Also a change to the career parameters:

Although the original SS-195 had a deck gun, using in-game mods for the type-Sargo sub prevents me having one at the start of the career and adding one as an equipment upgrade after subsequent patrols. Therefore this is not historically correct.