Tankers as priority targets

CaptBones · 07-09-17, 01:35 PM

Roscoe, "United States Submarine Operations in World War II", gives the last eleven pages of Chapter 23 to a detailed accounting of the "tanker war" against Japan. He identifies every tanker acknowledged to have been sunk by submarines, including the date, location, and by which boat.

Regardless of any published personal memories or undocumented evidence, COMSUBPAC Operation Plan published June 24th, 1943, prioritized targets in the following order: aircraft carrier (CV); battleship (BB); auxiliary carrier (ACV); oil tanker (AO); any man-of-war larger than a DD; troop transport (AP); cargo carrier (AK); destroyer (DD). Tankers were #4 on the hit list up until April 1944.

Although COMSUBSOWESPAC was not under the command of CINCPACFLT or COMSUBPAC, it is very likely RADM Christie would have known of this and could have followed that guidance in his own Op Orders.

Again according to Roscoe, Ch. 26; the April 13th, 1944 directive to give priority to destroyers came directly from COMINCH, Admiral King. It gave destroyers priority over merchant vessels of all types, but below carriers, battleships and cruisers; his directive applied to all U.S. naval forces.

07-09-17, 01:35 PM	#9
CaptBones The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Rockton, IL Posts: 281 Downloads: 208 Uploads: 0	Roscoe, "United States Submarine Operations in World War II", gives the last eleven pages of Chapter 23 to a detailed accounting of the "tanker war" against Japan. He identifies every tanker acknowledged to have been sunk by submarines, including the date, location, and by which boat. Regardless of any published personal memories or undocumented evidence, COMSUBPAC Operation Plan published June 24th, 1943, prioritized targets in the following order: aircraft carrier (CV); battleship (BB); auxiliary carrier (ACV); oil tanker (AO); any man-of-war larger than a DD; troop transport (AP); cargo carrier (AK); destroyer (DD). Tankers were #4 on the hit list up until April 1944. Although COMSUBSOWESPAC was not under the command of CINCPACFLT or COMSUBPAC, it is very likely RADM Christie would have known of this and could have followed that guidance in his own Op Orders. Again according to Roscoe, Ch. 26; the April 13th, 1944 directive to give priority to destroyers came directly from COMINCH, Admiral King. It gave destroyers priority over merchant vessels of all types, but below carriers, battleships and cruisers; his directive applied to all U.S. naval forces.