One of my best Convoy Attacks Ever

scrapser · 08-07-05, 11:28 PM

I'm on patrol #35 on my way to AM27. Just south of Ireland, I picked up a lone contact and decided to investigate...a C2 (icky). But as I was getting ready to move on with my patrol, I picked up multiple warship contacts west of my position heading northeast. At first, I thought it was a patrol but it turned out to be an Bogue Escort Carrier with 4 escorts. Unfortunately they were steaming at 15 knots and too far away for me to intercept. Darn.

So I start heading northwest for about an hour and stopped to listen with the hydrophones and picked up yet another signal. A convoy! This time I'm in a good position and it's almost daybreak. It turns out to be a convoy of tankers and a Fiji Cruiser! My first time to see one of these.

I managed to line myself up right alongside the path of the number three column (there were four) near the middle of their path. The lead escort was zigzagging and moved far enough away as he passed so I remained undetected. What luck.

As the lead ship (a small tanker) approached alongside, I ordered ahead one third and periscope depth. This masked my noise I think. Behind and to my starboard aft side was the Fiji taking up the rear. I fired #5 just under the forward guns (keel shot) and lowered the scope. Boom! Immediately the convoy slowed to 6 knots which was helpful for me to keep up as most of them were passing me by now. They had been moving at 14 knots.

I raised the scope and took my time. I hit four T3's and sank each with a single keel shot just like the Fiji. Almost 60,000 tons with 5 torpedoes! The escorts must have been confused by my attack from within the convoy as they searched around the perimeter of the convoy instead of where I was. I dove to 75 meters and slipped away.

scrapser

Duli · 08-08-05, 04:02 AM

Great work, congratulations.

Ula Jolly · 08-08-05, 04:28 AM

HOLY crabulations! What date was it you saw the Bogue, and what grid!?

scrapser · 08-08-05, 06:52 AM

It's now early April, 1944 (I left port on March 31st) and my base is Nazaire. This is the second time for me to run across a Bogue. I sank the first one off Gibraltar. Anyway, I saw this one at BF13. I should be able to move to a XXI when I get back to port.

scrapser

scrapser · 08-10-05, 08:33 PM

Well this was one incredible patrol. Now I'm back in port and ready to take command of a XXI.

I ran into three more convoys by using hydros along my patrol route for a total of 4 convoy encounters.

The second and fourth convoys had a passenger liner and a couple T3's and T2's...the third convoy had mostly cargo but a couple T3's and T2's as well. I attacked convoys two and three in foul weather which I've found makes it easier to sink ships and remain undetected.

Total tonnage for this patrol...207,000 tons (including the Fiji).

scrapser

Fritz · 08-10-05, 10:03 PM

bottoms up for u boatsman....that was a great patrol :-)

Zie Chuckinator · 08-11-05, 09:17 AM

aye im with Fritz. how many medals did u get?

scrapser · 08-11-05, 09:45 PM

I got 4 promotions, I can't remember the medal types but 7 of the second from the top, 5 of number 3, and 4 of number 4. My entire crew has at least 3 of the low end medals and everyone's had at least two promotions. All the officers and petty officers (and a handful of seamen) have enough medals so they never get tired.

scrapser.

08-07-05, 11:28 PM	#1
scrapser Captain Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 530 Downloads: 12 Uploads: 0	One of my best Convoy Attacks Ever I'm on patrol #35 on my way to AM27. Just south of Ireland, I picked up a lone contact and decided to investigate...a C2 (icky). But as I was getting ready to move on with my patrol, I picked up multiple warship contacts west of my position heading northeast. At first, I thought it was a patrol but it turned out to be an Bogue Escort Carrier with 4 escorts. Unfortunately they were steaming at 15 knots and too far away for me to intercept. Darn. So I start heading northwest for about an hour and stopped to listen with the hydrophones and picked up yet another signal. A convoy! This time I'm in a good position and it's almost daybreak. It turns out to be a convoy of tankers and a Fiji Cruiser! My first time to see one of these. I managed to line myself up right alongside the path of the number three column (there were four) near the middle of their path. The lead escort was zigzagging and moved far enough away as he passed so I remained undetected. What luck. As the lead ship (a small tanker) approached alongside, I ordered ahead one third and periscope depth. This masked my noise I think. Behind and to my starboard aft side was the Fiji taking up the rear. I fired #5 just under the forward guns (keel shot) and lowered the scope. Boom! Immediately the convoy slowed to 6 knots which was helpful for me to keep up as most of them were passing me by now. They had been moving at 14 knots. I raised the scope and took my time. I hit four T3's and sank each with a single keel shot just like the Fiji. Almost 60,000 tons with 5 torpedoes! The escorts must have been confused by my attack from within the convoy as they searched around the perimeter of the convoy instead of where I was. I dove to 75 meters and slipped away. scrapser

08-08-05, 04:02 AM	#2
Duli Planesman Join Date: May 2005 Location: Novo mesto, Slovenia Posts: 198 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	Great work, congratulations. __________________

08-11-05, 09:17 AM	#7
Zie Chuckinator Machinist's Mate Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: up ur butt and around the corner... Posts: 121 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	aye im with Fritz. how many medals did u get? __________________ Weekends don\'t count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless. -- Calvin Miss Wormwood: What state do you live in? Calvin: Denial. Miss Wormwood: I don\'t suppose I can argue with that... The only skills I have patience to learn are those that have no real application in life. -- Calvin If you do the job badly enough, sometimes you don\'t get asked to do it again. -- Calvin

08-08-05, 04:28 AM	#3
Ula Jolly Samurai Navy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 567 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	HOLY crabulations! What date was it you saw the Bogue, and what grid!? __________________ I shall punish yee, landlubber! C'mere for spankings and popsicles!

08-08-05, 06:52 AM	#4
scrapser Captain Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 530 Downloads: 12 Uploads: 0	It's now early April, 1944 (I left port on March 31st) and my base is Nazaire. This is the second time for me to run across a Bogue. I sank the first one off Gibraltar. Anyway, I saw this one at BF13. I should be able to move to a XXI when I get back to port. scrapser

08-10-05, 08:33 PM	#5
scrapser Captain Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 530 Downloads: 12 Uploads: 0	Home from Patrol #35 Well this was one incredible patrol. Now I'm back in port and ready to take command of a XXI. I ran into three more convoys by using hydros along my patrol route for a total of 4 convoy encounters. The second and fourth convoys had a passenger liner and a couple T3's and T2's...the third convoy had mostly cargo but a couple T3's and T2's as well. I attacked convoys two and three in foul weather which I've found makes it easier to sink ships and remain undetected. Total tonnage for this patrol...207,000 tons (including the Fiji). scrapser

08-10-05, 10:03 PM	#6
Fritz Watch Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 22 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	bottoms up for u boatsman....that was a great patrol :-)

08-11-05, 09:45 PM	#8
scrapser Captain Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 530 Downloads: 12 Uploads: 0	I got 4 promotions, I can't remember the medal types but 7 of the second from the top, 5 of number 3, and 4 of number 4. My entire crew has at least 3 of the low end medals and everyone's had at least two promotions. All the officers and petty officers (and a handful of seamen) have enough medals so they never get tired. scrapser.