Sinking destroyer with deck gun

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by CCIP

Showdowns between subs and corvettes and gunboats did, but even then subs have a pretty poor record in those (afaik they never did better than a draw in those situations, and that's against ships whom they matched in surface firepower and exceeded in tonnage).

About the only situation in WW2 where I can recall where a submarine outfought escorts on the surface was the October 1944 battle between the USS Salmon and two circling Japanese Kaikoban escort vessels. Forced to surface, she managed to overwhelm one of them with gunfire at close range and make a break for it. Even that was a bit of a fluke as the Japanese thought there were other US subs submerged and angling for an attack and broke off the engagement when Salmon entered a rain squall.

http://todayshistorylesson.wordpress...almon-patties/