A good read

[rein1705]

This is a patrol log from my favorite boat, the USS Batfish SS-310.
This was her first patrol.

http://www.ussbatfish.com/patrol-1.html

[Bubblehead1980]

Great boat, love the book "In the course of Duty" by Don Keith...the sub kills in 1945 were pretty impressive.

[ichso]

Interesting, but also confusing, look:

16 December 1943
1050(Y) Pilot came on board.
1111(Y) Underway for patrol area.
1141(Y) Pilot left the ship.

Where did he come from ?
Why did he board ?
Why did he leave ?
Did he have to swim back to Midway ?

Also:

0423(M) SJ radar contact on rain squall at 6,300 yds. This squall showed up well on P.P.I. Encountering rough seas from the south with 30 to 40 knot wind. Am 26 miles behind schedule but will be forced to slow to conserve fuel if seas do not abate soon.

Did they always detect weather by radar ? Sounds kind of funny.

[Diopos]

1) Probably means the harbor's pilot. He actually "takes over" command of vessels entering/exiting ports. .... And he has his own boat, of course.
2) Depending on radar's wavelength you can "observe" clouds, fog, etc. I think there are dedicated weather radar systems, but don't quote me on this...



.

[ichso]

Thanks

[rein1705]

There are a lot of odd statements in the log that i have noted that raise my curiosity. One part states that they detected a radar set that was possibly another fleet boat or maybe an ijn set yet they didnt investigate further...
and a lot of other things.


Quote:
Escort or target signaled us with a hooded searchlight and escort immediately turned towards us and started closing the range rapidly. When escort was 3,500 yds. from target and 14,000 from us I was convinced he had detected our SJ radar and was coming over to investigate.



What? did an IJN ship signal the Batfish?

[raymond6751]

Originally Posted by rein1705

There are a lot of odd statements in the log that i have noted that raise my curiosity. One part states that they detected a radar set that was possibly another fleet boat or maybe an ijn set yet they didnt investigate further...
and a lot of other things.


Quote:
Escort or target signaled us with a hooded searchlight and escort immediately turned towards us and started closing the range rapidly. When escort was 3,500 yds. from target and 14,000 from us I was convinced he had detected our SJ radar and was coming over to investigate.






What? did an IJN ship signal the Batfish?

The searchlight signal was a challenge, like "who goes there" for a land sentry. If the response wasn't the expected...open fire.