A Brief Introduction to the Pacific Submarine War

[The Fishlord]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Another US submarine (whos name eludes me at the moment), endured a 48 hour depth charging before the escorts broke off its attack. The captain of this boat, with his sub low on batteries, and oxygen, was seriously considering surfacing and fighting with the deck gun. Thankfully the japanese destroyer broke off its attack before this plan of action was carried out.

I believe this was the USS Trigger, on a patrol November 1943 (correct me if I'm wrong on the date). There was a set of at least four, probably five destroyers depth charging for around 36 hours, from one evening, to the next evening, to the morning.

I read about it in the book "Submarine!" the passage goes something like this (can't get it exact, my friend is reading the book now):

"We have tried to go beneath the area where the water becomes much cooler, and so evade soundgear detection, but we've used up this 'velvet' long ago. The escorts have formed a tight ring around Trigger. We try to go through the hole in the ring, left by the last escort doing its depth charge run, but two more escorts always dart into place to fill the gap. We cannot go any deeper and we dare not increase speed, for fear of attracting a more accurate attack.

Sometimes instead of dropping their charges, they make a dry run, as if to say 'We know you're down there ol' boy. Might as well surface and get it over with.' We all know that there will come a point when our batteries are out and our O2 canisters are empty.
But we have a contingency in case of this event. Trigger will never surrender. We'll come up in the darkest hour of the night, all hands at the gun stations. It will be mighty dangerous for anything short of a full-fledged destroyer to get in our way.

...

Finally, a gap! Trigger darts through. They do not hear us.

Four hours later, we surfaced. Though the air was hot and humid, it did not bother us. After being in 124 degree heat for 36 hours it seems to be nothing but pure, undiluted Joy."

Good post, I feel like the US sub war in the Pacific doesn't get enough honor.