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Post by keyboy on Jul 1, 2017 8:46:52 GMT
Patrol After Action Reports are due no later than July 9th, 2017. September 7th 1942Good morning gentlemen, I won't take up much of your time, as I know that you are preparing to get underway. We have all patrol areas covered this month; but please just ensure that if your patrol is in the China Sea, then you will need to remember that you will be in shallow waters and as a result, you will not be able to dive towards or below test depth. Reports received today, say that we have won the Battle at Milne Bay and the Japaneses are retreating, so Tokyo would like a trophy from the US. Make sure it isn't you and your crew.
Usual China Seas reminder, but above all remember your training and use the experience of your last patrol to guide you and your crew back home next month. God speed. - Captain Lyndon Woodbury - SUBRON Commander ALL Boats have been upgraded with: SJ Radar - July 1942 and Modified MK 14 Torpedoes (Dud 1-3) - August 1942
Ships on Patrol:USS Defiant - wsmithjr USS Stingray - captbridge USS Cuttlefish - gregory smith USS Blackfish - keyboy USS Pontus - Gridz Currently at Sea
USS Grunt - crushedhat RefitUSS Seal - tamari - October 1942 USS Catfish - cajun - October 1942 USS Haddock - keyboy - October 1942 USS Cavalla - silentshark - November 1942 --------------------------------- Special Instructions: None--------------------------------- [P1a]Patrol Assignment 1942 Jul-Dec Patrols
China Sea ( Shallow Water - Cannot exceed test depth)None SolomansUSS Defiant - wsmithjr USS Stingray - captbridge Java SeaUSS Cuttlefish - gregory smith IndochinaUSS Blackfish - keyboy USS Pontus - Gridz Indochina (M)None Important Information needed in Patrol Report
Boat Name and ID: Commanders Name: Patrol Assignment: Successful Patrol: Yes or No Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: (Include ship name) Number of War Ships Sank: (Include ship name) Capital Ships Sunk: (Include ship name) Total Tonnage Destroyed: Special Assignment Completed: Yes, No, or N/A Refit Time: Awards Requested:
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Post by wsmithjr on Jul 1, 2017 15:57:11 GMT
Boat Name and ID: USS Defiant SS-1764 (Gar class) Commanders Name: Benjamin Sisko Patrol Assignment: Solomons Successful Patrol: Yes Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: 1 (Toyo Maru - 1500 tons) Number of War Ships Sank: 0 Capital Ships Sunk: 0 Total Tonnage Destroyed: 1500 Special Assignment Completed: N/A Refit Time: 1 month (no hull damage) Awards Requested: SCPI Gold Star, Battle Star
The Defiant continues to enjoy successful, if uneventful, patrols.
The first week of our patrol, we came upon a single small tanker (Toyo Maru, 1500 tons) with an escort. Due to the escort, we shadowed until nightfall and then engaged firing 4 forward torpedoes. Two of the torpedoes were off target. Of the 2 that were directly on target, only 1 exploded. Fortunately, it was enough to sink the small ship. We easily escaped the detection of the escort.
Perhaps we should also have gone after the escort because we were not able to make contact with any other enemy shipping. The crew wanted to stay at sea in hopes of finding additional targets, but dwindling supplies forced us back to Brisbane. Hopefully, we will have more opportunity to contribute to the war effort in the next patrol or I fear the morale of the crew may start to decline.
With so few engagements, it is hard to tell if the upgraded torpedoes were more effective than previously. Certainly, the torpedo that didn't explode still raises concerns. Also, the new radar was not helpful it locating new targets. Perhaps it will show it's worth in future patrols.
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Post by gregorysmith on Jul 9, 2017 18:31:41 GMT
Boat Name and ID: USS Cuttlefish Commanders Name: Lcdr Henley Patrol Assignment: Java Sea Successful Patrol: Yes Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: (Include ship name) 2: Oyama Maru 3800 Rashin Maru 5500 Number of War Ships Sank: (Include ship name) none. Damaged the BB Yamashiro Capital Ships Sunk: (Include ship name) None, but damaged the BB Yamashiro Total Tonnage Destroyed: 9,300 Special Assignment Completed: N/A Refit Time: 2 months (one hull damage) Awards Requested: SPCI, Battle star
Well, at least I won't get relieved of command.....finally got some luck. Second patrol box got a convoy, only one detonation from a full spread but it was enough to sink the Oyama Maru. The escorts damaged our hull and caused some flooding but we slunk off. Then....we spot the BB Yamashiro! Despite firing all six torpedoes, we only do ONE point of damage. Their escorts are totally inept (+3 to detection and yet we rolled a lucky 3...) but we are unable to follow her, the single point of damage not enough to slow her much. Our last box brings us a single ship without escort which we easily dispatch with the deck gun and an aft torpedo. Cheers, Greg
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Gridz
Lieutenant Commander
Posts: 15
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Post by Gridz on Jul 9, 2017 19:30:56 GMT
Boat Name and ID: USS Pontus SS-1883
Commanders Name: Dave Patton
Patrol Assignment: Indochina Successful Patrol: No
Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: 0 Number of War Ships Sank: 0 Capital Ships Sunk: 0 Total Tonnage Destroyed: 0
Special Assignment Completed: No Awards Requested: N/A
Refit Time: 3 months ... Will be Ready for Feb 43.
Events:
Hit the Koei only with 2 torpedos for 3 damages on 16 torpodoes (7 duds) sent to him. Took damages on my AFT doors so no torps from those tubes were available to continue the chase. Diesel Motor #4 were inoperable neither the Radio. The Hull took also 2 damages.
What a bad campaign for me... I might be releived!
Encounters:
No. Date Location Conditions Type Remarks
1.1 13 Sep. 01:32 Indochina Clear Large Tanker Koei Maru - 10 200 tons --- Damaged for 3 2.2 13 Sep. 01:32 Indochina Clear Large Passenger Kirishima Maru - 8 100 tons 3.3 13 Sep. 01:32 Indochina Clear Small Freighter Choko Maru - 2 600 tons 4.4 13 Sep. 01:32 Indochina Clear Destroyer Mutsuki - 1 300 tons 2.1 17 Sep. 00:45 Indochina Clear Large Passenger Yuzan Maru - 6 400 tons 3.1 21 Sep. 00:43 Indochina Clear Small Freighter Tenyu Maru - 3 700 tons 4.1 25 Sep. 14:02 Indochina Clear Large Freighter Hiyama Maru - 6 200 tons 5.1 1 Oct. 03:52 Indochina Fog/Mist Large Freighter Getsuyo Maru - 6 400 tons 6.2 1 Oct. 03:52 Indochina Fog/Mist Small Freighter Unyo Maru #3 - 3 000 tons 7.3 1 Oct. 03:52 Indochina Fog/Mist Escort 28-GO - 400 tons
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Post by keyboy on Jul 10, 2017 11:04:37 GMT
Boat Name and ID: USS Blackfish Commanders Name: Kurtis Mayfield Patrol Assignment: Indochina Successful Patrol: Yes Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: 7 - Tateyama Maru (2000t), Tokyo Maru (900t), Hiteru Maru (5900t), San Pedro Maru (7300t), Nansei Maru (5900t), Konri Maru (3100t) and Toshin Maru (1900t) Number of War Ships Sank: 0 Capital Ships Sunk: 0 Total Tonnage Destroyed: 25,100t Special Assignment Completed: N/A
Refit Time: Standard
Awards Requested: Navy Cross for LCDR Kurtis Mayfield Request for Presidential Unit Citation Battle Star for Sub Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia for crew
Crew Names: Crew Skill: Trained
LCDR Kurtis Mayfield Chief Engineer: Lt Larry Wilson, USN Pharmacist's Mate: PhM1c Earl Coleman, USN Executive Officer: Lt Christopher White, USN 3rd Officer: Lt (jg) Bobby Bryant, USN
September 2nd 1942 After receiving a letter of reprimand from headquarters, I have been feeling very low. The other officers look at me as they once did with Captain Haddock (nickname for LCDR Tristan Broughton III of the USS Haddock). The crew have been great, but they still do not hide their disappointment very well. Before leaving port, I promised every one of them that the patrol would turn fortunes around and that the loyalty and ability of the crew of the USS Blackfish would be repaid with awards and a quick end to the war.
September 11th 1942 We reached the patrol point around noon and had made no enemy contact since leaving Brisbane.
September 12th 1942 The following day, just after dusk an unescorted small freighter was spotted. After identification, I gave the order to get in close and use the pitiful deck gun to put under. The crew acted with speed and efficiency and after two full salvoes hit, the Tateyama Maru sank beneath the waves.
September 19th 1942 We had to wait a week for our next engagement. The sonar operators picked up a weak signal and upon investigation, we had hit upon the lead ship of a convoy. This was the chance that I wanted and at night, I was taking it. Lt White identified three targets; a small freighter, a large freighter and a tanker. We closed to just outside of close range and surfaced on slightly choppy waters. The aft fish were fired at the tanker and once turned, the bow tubes released the MK 12; two at the small ship and four at the large. Once all tubes were fired, we submerged once again and tracked all the fish. Three of the four torpedoes hit the tanker and only one was a dud. Both fish hit amidships and the San Pedro Maru quickly listed to port and was clearly headed for the seabed. Only one torpedo hit the small freighter, but it was enough to see the Toyo Maru sink by the stern. Of the four torpedoes fired at the large freighter, only three hit and of those three, only two detonated. One Mk14 hit the Hiteru Maru just forward of centre and the other hit by the stern, which caused the freighter to fill with sea water and sink quickly. Not only did the escorts not detect us, they were looking completely in the wrong area.
After retreating to long range, Lt Bryant kept tracking and within the hour more targets were identified; two large freighters and a tanker. The Mk14 was giving us a 50% chance to hit and detonate and so ten fish at three large fish was not going to cut the mustard. I focussed on the tanker and fired the last of the aft torpedoes from medium range and remained submerged, as I wanted to lessen the chance of detection; we had taken one big risk earlier to attack three ships, so now was the time to be a little more prudent. Three of the four torpedoes hit and detonated and sods law messes with our torpedo success rate. Needless to say, the Nansei Maru did not stand a chance and was sunk before escorts knew what had gone on. Attacking whilst remaining submerged had done the trick, as once again the escorts failed to detect us, though they were much closer than last time. After moving to long range, there was a short power outage and once everything was working again, Lt Bryant could not find the convoy and maybe that was a sign that our luck was running out.
September 22nd 1942 At around 22:00, BB (3rd Officer - Bobby Bryant) spotted a dim light off the starboard bow and as a result we got in for a closer look. I had been presented with an unescorted freighter and so the gun crew were readied as we closed nearer. The ship was identified as the Konri Maru and it slipped beneath the waves, after the gunnery team unloaded with full salvoes from the 3” Deck Gun.
October 10th 1942 It was close to three weeks since the last encounter and I knew that loss of power would cost us. However, Bryant was convinced he heard something and although I thought it may well be wishful thinking, he turned out to be correct. Two ships that were escorted had been identified, and so we got to within medium range and launched three fish at each of the small freighters. Each of the freighters were hit by one detonating torpedo, as only two hit each of the targets and half of them were duds. The Busho Maru was damaged and only slowed. The Toshin Maru was less fortunate when its attack ended in a coup de grace. The escorts were not alert enough and we avoided detection.
We followed the damaged ship which remained escorted and fired the last four torpedoes from long range, remaining submerged and doing all we could to avoid detection. Only two of the MK14’s hit and both were duds. We easily avoided detection and slipped away, having nothing left to fire apart from some stale rolls.
October 25th 1942 Arrived in Brisbane, Australia, after traversing the rest of the Arafura Sea and finally getting to the Coral Sea, with no enemy contact on our way to the mainland. Refit will be completed during November and hopefully I have redeemed myself with my crew and my fellow officers.
USS Blackfish will be ready for a patrol in December 1942.
Patrol report submitted by Lieutenant Commander Kurtis Mayfield, commanding the USS Blackfish, Subron 9, Pacific Fleet.
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Post by captbridge on Jul 10, 2017 21:01:26 GMT
Boat Name and ID: USS Stingray Commanders Name: LCDR Edward Roland Patrol Assignment: Solomon Islands Successful Patrol: Yes Number of Freighters or Tankers Sank: Hyuga Maru (1,000t), Sanka Maru (2,500t), Hamburg Maru (5,300t) Number of War Ships Sank: DD Kamikaze (1,000t) Capital Ships Sunk: none Total Tonnage Destroyed: 9,800t Special Assignment Completed: N/A Refit Time: 1 month Awards Requested: SCPI, Battle Star, Silver Star for LCDR Roland
**Request submarine upgrade**
Our 4th patrol on the Stingray and the crew is really getting along with each other and it shows in the results.
We transitioned to our patrol area with no incidents and came across a couple small freighters escorted by larger destroyer, turned out to be the Momi. We had to play cat and mouse with the destroyer a couple times, but we ended up sinking both freighters. The crew chuckled as we outmatched the destroyer in every way in our evasion tactics..too bad we didn't sink him.
We were hopeful for a busy patrol, that would not be the case. We ran into one other small group, a destroyer escorting a large passenger ship. There was no cat and mouse in this time around - the destroyer went down with torps and the passenger ship was damaged with torps and then finished off with a few rounds from the deck gun.
The boys are getting restless, they want more to shoot at. I'll need to remind them to stay focused otherwise they will get sloppy.
Hopefully command will see how well we've been doing and will give us an upgrade this time around.
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Post by keyboy on Jul 11, 2017 10:23:41 GMT
30th October 1942
To: Vice Admiral Thomas T. Tompkins
Submarine Squadron 9 (SUBRON 9) Report: Five US submarines set sail from Brisbane from the 1st September 1942 onwards. I submit the following results.
Submarine | Freighters Sunk | Tankers Sunk | Warships Sunk | Capital Ship Sunk | Total Sunk | Status | USS Defiant
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,500 tons | Refit | USS Stingray
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9,800 tons | Refit | USS Cuttlefish
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9,300 tons | Refit | USS Blackfish | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25,100 tons | Refit | USS Pontus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 00 tons | Refit | Totals
| 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 45,700 tons |
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Four of the five submarines completed a successful patrol and each will receive a Battle Star.
Four of the five Captains completed a successful patrol and each will receive the Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia.
US Submarines Lost: NonePROMOTIONSNoneAWARDS AND DECORATIONS
NAVY CROSSLCDR Kurtis Mayfield of the USS Blackfish----------------------------- SILVER STAR
LCDR Edward Roland of the USS Stingray---------------------------- BRONZE STARNone-------------------------------- PURPLE HEARTNone------------------------------- UNIT AWARDS Navy Unit Commendation for crew of USS BlackfishSincerely yours
Captain Lyndon Woodbury, Submarine Squadron 9 Commanding
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