Somehow...I survived.(Screen shots)

[Bubblehead1980]

May 2, 1944 off West coast of Luzon Area A2. USS Flasher, Gato class, 2nd patrol.TMO 2.1 RSRD

After encountering the famed Take Ichi convoy on April 22(same convoy the USS Jack encountered in RL in same area, near same date) attacking at night on surface and taking out two large troopships despite the thick escort screen(13 total), convoy was out of area so decided to save last six torps for another target.After a week or so on patrol, encountered a convoy of 6 tankers with two escorts(Type C and unknown but probable Type A/B CD vessel)

Using the four Mark 14's in forward tubes, fired on a large Nippon Maru, all hit and decimated the tanker.While bringing stern tubes to bear so could use two Mark 18's in the stern tubes on the next large tanker, rear escort came on fast and tanker made wild evasive move, ruining my shot.I decided to save the fish and went deep.The first couple runs were close but not accurate.Soon it became apparent that we were dealing with the A team of escorts as they both laid down impressive patterns that began damaging various systems on each run, keeping the DC team busy and forcing the boat well below test depth.Then one escort made a run that was dead on accurate, flooding in the forward torpedo room.Then his cohort made a run, taking on water in conning tower and control room.The Flasher began to take a serious down angle so ordered back emergency and rise on planes so we would not sink too deep.We endured multiple other runs which caused minor damage.Soon the crew had the forward torpedo room flooding handled and pumped water out, control room as well but conning tower was much more serious.

Just as we pulled the angle off the boat and seemed to have survived, an escort dropped a barrage of charges astern which destroyed all stern tubes, port prop and shaft.Water was flooding into the stern torpedo room and minor flooding in the engine rooms along with various amounts of battery and engine damage.The Flasher was soon taking a serious down angle by the stern so ordered ahead flank and full rise.A true struggled to keep her from sinking deep while enduring many more barrages of depth charges, some causing more damage.

Eventually bulkheads repaired but pumping the water out was taking forever, we were now five hours since the first charge fell and they kept coming,control was lost at one point and the ship sunk to 475 feet before could recover.Finally after 6 1/2 hours, the escorts slowly moved away and dropped charges away and moved away.

With both scopes wrecked in addition to sonar, we stayed down after water was pumped and surfaced well after dark, using SJ radar(which was damaged) as our eyes when submerged.Then headed for Fremantle at reduced speed due to the destroyed prop shaft.

Arrived home with three important ships down and prob the closest call ive had in SH in a long time.

some random shots...