And you thought you had a bad day

Rab09 · 08-29-06, 04:23 AM

July 24, 1943; easterly course from Palau to Truk.
The code braekers gave Daspit (Dan Daspit skipper of Tinosa) another juicy target: Tonan Maru III, the 19,000-ton whale factory on an easterly course from Palau to Truk. Daspit found her on the morning of July 24. He made an end around and submerged ahead. When he got a good look at her through the periscope, he saw she was heavily loaded, making about 13 knots.
Daspit attacked, firing four torpedoes. He believed that two hit; he saw large splashes of water forward. However, the ship did not appear to be damaged. She turned away, leaving Daspit in a poor firing position. However, he fired two more torpedoes. Both hit, one aft, causing smoke. The target stopped with a port list, settling by the stern, but showed no signs of sinking.
Daspit studied his prey carefully. He could see her deck guns. Men were running around dropping small depth charges over the side to intimidate him. There was still no sign of an escort, surface or air.

Daspit recorded what happened next in his patrol report:

1009. Having observed target carefully and found no evidence of a sinking, approached and fired one torpedo at starboard side. Hit, heard by sound to stop at same time I observed large splash. No apparent effect. Target had corrected list and was firing at periscope and at torpedo wakes with machine guns and one inch {gun}.
1011. Fired eighth torpedo. Hit. No apparent effect.
1014. Fired ninth torpedo. Hit. No apparent effect. Target firing at periscope, when exposed, and at wake when torpedoes were running.
1039. Fired tenth torpedo. Hit. No apparent effect.
1048. Fired eleventh torpedo. Hit. No effect. This torpedo hit well aft on the port side, made splash at the side of the ship and was then observed to have taken a right turn and to jump clear of the water about one hundred feert from the stern of the tanker. I find it hard to convince myself that I saw this.
1050. Fired twelth torpedo. Hit. No effect.
1100. Fired thirteenth torpedo. Hit . No effect. Circled again to fire at other side.
1122. Picked up high-speed screws.
1125. Sighted destroyer approaching from east....
1131. Fired fourteenth torpedo. Hit. No effect.
11321/2. Fired fifteenth torpedo. Started deep. Destroyer range 1,000 yards. Torpedo heard to hit tanker and stop running by sound. Periscope had gone under by this time. No explosion. Had already decided to retain one torpedo for examination by base.
In all, eleven of Daspit's torpedos, fired under almost perfect conditions, had been duds. When he returned to Pearl Harbor, the normally cool and unflappable skipper was in a rage.

Now THATS a bad day!!

08-29-06, 04:23 AM	#1
Rab09 Watch Join Date: May 2005 Location: east of Stockton, California. U.S.A. Posts: 21 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	And you thought you had a bad day July 24, 1943; easterly course from Palau to Truk. The code braekers gave Daspit (Dan Daspit skipper of Tinosa) another juicy target: Tonan Maru III, the 19,000-ton whale factory on an easterly course from Palau to Truk. Daspit found her on the morning of July 24. He made an end around and submerged ahead. When he got a good look at her through the periscope, he saw she was heavily loaded, making about 13 knots. Daspit attacked, firing four torpedoes. He believed that two hit; he saw large splashes of water forward. However, the ship did not appear to be damaged. She turned away, leaving Daspit in a poor firing position. However, he fired two more torpedoes. Both hit, one aft, causing smoke. The target stopped with a port list, settling by the stern, but showed no signs of sinking. Daspit studied his prey carefully. He could see her deck guns. Men were running around dropping small depth charges over the side to intimidate him. There was still no sign of an escort, surface or air. Daspit recorded what happened next in his patrol report: 1009. Having observed target carefully and found no evidence of a sinking, approached and fired one torpedo at starboard side. Hit, heard by sound to stop at same time I observed large splash. No apparent effect. Target had corrected list and was firing at periscope and at torpedo wakes with machine guns and one inch {gun}. 1011. Fired eighth torpedo. Hit. No apparent effect. 1014. Fired ninth torpedo. Hit. No apparent effect. Target firing at periscope, when exposed, and at wake when torpedoes were running. 1039. Fired tenth torpedo. Hit. No apparent effect. 1048. Fired eleventh torpedo. Hit. No effect. This torpedo hit well aft on the port side, made splash at the side of the ship and was then observed to have taken a right turn and to jump clear of the water about one hundred feert from the stern of the tanker. I find it hard to convince myself that I saw this. 1050. Fired twelth torpedo. Hit. No effect. 1100. Fired thirteenth torpedo. Hit . No effect. Circled again to fire at other side. 1122. Picked up high-speed screws. 1125. Sighted destroyer approaching from east.... 1131. Fired fourteenth torpedo. Hit. No effect. 11321/2. Fired fifteenth torpedo. Started deep. Destroyer range 1,000 yards. Torpedo heard to hit tanker and stop running by sound. Periscope had gone under by this time. No explosion. Had already decided to retain one torpedo for examination by base. In all, eleven of Daspit's torpedos, fired under almost perfect conditions, had been duds. When he returned to Pearl Harbor, the normally cool and unflappable skipper was in a rage. Now THATS a bad day!!